Questions from a new Homebrewer from Columbus, OH

Hi, I'm Chad.

The first few batches of beer I made were using the Brewers Best ingredient kits and I think I'm ready to 'move up in the world' and attempt to make my own recipe.

I have a few questions that maybe I could get answered...

1. I have been brewing using buckets with lids but, for all batches I have brewed, the lid is popping off the bucket during fermentation. It makes for a very messy clean up job (although the beer has been tasty). Are there any suggestions on how to stop this from happening? Or, am I just better off picking up a glass carboy?

2. Hops vs. Hop Pellets. What are the benefits of using one over another? The ingredients kits which I have used have only had hop pellets in them but I would be interested in using fresh hops, if I knew what they bring to the table over pellets.


Thanks!
Chad

Hello Chad and welcome to the forum.

614BeerGuy said:

Hi, I'm Chad.

The first few batches of beer I made were using the Brewers Best ingredient kits and I think I'm ready to 'move up in the world' and attempt to make my own recipe.

I have a few questions that maybe I could get answered...

1. I have been brewing using buckets with lids but, for all batches I have brewed, the lid is popping off the bucket during fermentation. It makes for a very messy clean up job (although the beer has been tasty). Are there any suggestions on how to stop this from happening? Or, am I just better off picking up a glass carboy?

First if your using a three piece airlock like this:



Cut the cross piece off of the bottom, the hops residue and trub plug it a as you know can end up making a mess. And no plenty of people ferment in buckets a carboy is no nessesary.

If your fermentations are that vigorous you can fit a hose onto the airlock and into a jar of sanitizer.




2. Hops vs. Hop Pellets. What are the benefits of using one over another? The ingredients kits which I have used have only had hop pellets in them but I would be interested in using fresh hops, if I knew what they bring to the table over pellets.

Both have their advantages, I don't have an opinion that one is "better" than the other.

We have a group of about 120 homebrewers that meet once a month here in Columbus, check out this group.


Thanks!
Chad

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Once again welcome and cheers.

Re: hops. Just a quick note that cone and pellet hops are both "fresh" but just offered in different forms. A "wet" hop (cone form) would be one right off the vine more or less -- but those are typically only used for a specialty brew (eg bells hopslam).

pellet hops are easy to use and you tend not to lose as much liquid when racking. However a pellet hop slurry can be clog up a filter very easily (say racking from kettle to fermentor).

Cone hops are much more filterable given their size but can absorb a lot of beer, which can affect boil volumes or the amount of beer you end up with after dry hopping.

With modern pellet cold processing, you don't damage the hop oils etc as much as they did once upon a time. I believe most commercial breweries use pellet for convenience.

I'd give both a try and see what you think. For my process, I personally find pellets are a bit easier for me to use... But for your process/equipment, YMMV.

Hi Chad,

I'm a new brewer and live in Pickerington. Do you know of any good clubs in our area?

Chris

Hello from Columbus as well! Check out sodz. I have been meaning to make an appearance but I haven't had the time with school.

www.sodz.org/

I have been meaning to visit Sodz as well.... Maybe we should all gang up on them!

Welcome to the forum!

Thanks for the info guys, I will be checking out sodz soon enough!

I joined. The next meeting is February 20th.
http://www.sodz.org/2012/02/01/february-meeting/
Maybe I will see you guys there.

cy2989 said:

I joined. The next meeting is February 20th.
http://www.sodz.org/2012/02/01/february-meeting/
Maybe I will see you guys there.

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Great welcome, Hope to make it myself.