IOWA Brewers! Echo, Echo, Echo...

NickTheGreat said:

I plan to brew a couple batches this weekend.

Thinking an English mild and maybe an IPA? Oh the possibilities . . .

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I did brew these on 3/21.

Had a blowoff on the IPA, and I was sick so I didn't notice when. Sometime between Sunday PM and Tuesday PM.

It was weird, the stopper blew off, but very little 'spillage.' Lucky!

I may brew this weekend and do a double batch brewday starting with a "session" IPA maybe an imperial saison recipe I found from Funkwerks

Got both my Dortmunder and Alt brewed this weekend. Have a Session IPA that is dry hopping that I hope to keg either tonight or tomorrow. It was delicious in the fermenter...... hopefully even better after 4-5 days of dry hopping.

Brewed a 1.047 session IPA Saturday and used WLP090 San Diesgo Super Yeast. Plan is to come up with something else to brew in a couple weeks to plop onto that cake. Any suggestions? Maybe a red or an amber?

Not beer but I made up a big batch of triple berry mead yesterday. It's happily bubble away with an OG of 1.156 stuck at home with a sick little one. So in between cuddle time I managed to throw this together.

Hoping to sneak in some brew time this weekend. Need to do the mundane chores of brewing on Saturday - cleaning, keg an alt, organize, make a couple starters, etc...... but, hopefully brew 2 on Sunday. One will just be a generic blonde ale/house beer for the BMC crowd. The other will be a Hoppy IPA/APA in the 5-6% range - want to try some new hops in a regular recipe of mine. Comet hops..... added to a normal combo I do - Citra/Centennial/Cascade.

I'm in the middle of a mash right now. Brewing a wheat pale ale...going to whirlpool Sorachi Ace and Citra hops, fermenting with "Vermont Ale" yeast.

gwapogorilla said:

I'm in the middle of a mash right now. Brewing a wheat pale ale...going to whirlpool Sorachi Ace and Citra hops, fermenting with "Vermont Ale" yeast.

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Just got my Conan yeast on the stirplate for Citra APA tomorrow. Also got a 1056 going for blonde ale. Great day to be brewing.

Kegged an Alt, blonde ale in the fermenter, and APA/IPA is finishing up. One last hop addition - 7 ounces of hoppy goodness in a 45 minute hopstand. Time for a shower and pouring a beer while the hops sit and do their thing.

Good lord that's a lot of hops!

30Bones said:

Good lord that's a lot of hops!

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Ha- yeah, it is quite a few.
Been playing around with brewing some IPA/APA's without any dry hop. Going with bigger/longer hopstands in an attempt to get the same hop flavor and aroma without messing around with dry hopping. Ends up being the same amount of total hops about in the end.

1ounce bitter
1 ounce 15
3 ounce 5 minutes
5-7 ounces is what I have been using in the hopstand.

OOPS! I set my temp control for my fermenter when I was a little fermented myself. It was at 89* and bubbling away like crazy! Esters are suppose to have a peach flavor from the Vermont Ale strain....I guess we'll find out.

What's a good percentage of Rye in an IPA? Also going to exclusively use Hallertauer Taurus hops :rockin:

gwapogorilla said:

OOPS! I set my temp control for my fermenter when I was a little fermented myself. It was at 89* and bubbling away like crazy! Esters are suppose to have a peach flavor from the Vermont Ale strain....I guess we'll find out.

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I would be afraid you are going to get spicy/peppery/belgian flavors from the yeast at that temp, as well as fusel alcohols..... Hopefully you luck out with it though and it turns out ok.

One can only hope. It sure smells good. Lol

I'm thinking it's gonna be alright. It was at that temp for maybe 12 hours, then I got it back down to the desired 80* I was wanting. Not to mention it had a good sized starter. In my past beers, fusel usually comes around due to lack of yeast, rather than temp. So I am crossing my fingers fora very fruity wheat beer.:rockin:

There needs more hours in the day. Or maybe less crap to do each day?

Well, figured I would kick this back up and see what everyone is up to. My school year is done. I have empty fermenters...... what is a guy to do? Luckily, I was able to brew just enough over the past month to keep the stock up. My first brewing priority this summer is I want to test out "Conan/Heady Topper/Vermont Ale" yeast as a "house yeast." I am going to run this yeast through 5 beers to see how it performs across the board - Blonde, APA, Amber, IPA and Porter. I actually just brewed the Blonde and the porter and they are fermenting. Probably attack the amber and APA next...... maybe even tomorrow.

What is new with everyone else?

I like Vermont yeast. I don't get the peach everyone else describes, but it does accentuate the hop flavors.

Denny fav. 1450. Works on everything.

Originally from Dubuque Iowa, moved to Cedar Rapids, now I have been living in Arizona for 3 years, I go back about once a year though.

Just brewing like crazy. Have about 20Gal in bottles, 6Gal in the fermenters & Taking Monday off work to brew! Its going to be a great day.... Just hoping the weather is nice.

^ Thats why I moved, NO MORE WINTER!!! Although the Summers can be brutal and I can almost bring my wort to a boil with just the sun here

skemp45 said:

^ Thats why I moved, NO MORE WINTER!!! Although the Summers can be brutal and I can almost bring my wort to a boil with just the sun here

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I miss Vegas for the weather. and the availability of beers.

Its a beautiful morning in Cedar Rapids. Skipping work to brew on my Bday

Cheers

smAllGrain said:

Its a beautiful morning in Cedar Rapids. Skipping work to brew on my Bday

Cheers

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Great way to spend your birthday..... especially today - it is awesome out. Unfortunately, I will be spending the day doing yard work. However, I do get to go flyfishing, camping and drinking beer for the next couple days after today... so, I can't complain too much.

What is in the kettle?

Braufessor said:

Great way to spend your birthday..... especially today - it is awesome out. Unfortunately, I will be spending the day doing yard work. However, I do get to go flyfishing, camping and drinking beer for the next couple days after today... so, I can't complain too much.

What is in the kettle?

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Sounds like you have an awesome week ahead... An IPA. Maris Otter, some crystal 10, a dash of Honey Malt. Centennial, Mosiac, Simcoe, & Citra. Small FWH then all late additions/whirlpool! Thinking its going to be a hop bomb. Done a lot of malt forward brews lately. Time to destroy the pallet!

threw together a light summer ale this past weekend, and picked up the ingredients for my next batch, the deception cream stout from this site!! looks tasty! other than that I just finished up my 4 tap keg fridge 3 beer 1 soda for the kiddos! anxious to get the thing filled now. what's everyone's goto house beer, something you usually have on tap?

Brown Ale, Rye overly hopped IPA, Raspberry wheat, Bock (lagering I pull from here and there), Imperial saison I bottled

Billy-Klubb said:

I miss Vegas for the weather. and the availability of beers.

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Yeah but you are close to Surly, Toppling Goliath, and New Glarus!!

Well I just figured out this forum exists! Greetings from NE corner of the state. Just started fermenting in January, cider and Mead and one beer kit. Second beer planned for the end of the month. Moved up here from Cedar Rapids last year after 32+ years at Uncle Rocky's. Going back to read past posts...

stella_tigre said:

Well I just figured out this forum exists! Greetings from NE corner of the state. Just started fermenting in January, cider and Mead and one beer kit. Second beer planned for the end of the month. Moved up here from Cedar Rapids last year after 32+ years at Uncle Rocky's. Going back to read past posts...

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Did you retire from Uncle Rocky's? Ive been there for almost 6yrs now

Yes, HWMO and I both retired from there, in 2013 and 2014 respectively. He had over 30 years in also (he worked elsewhere previously) and I didn't quite make it to 33 years. I started as an engineering technician, got a degree, worked as a systems engineer (really more software at the end.) He was a chief systems engineer. Both in the general aviation end of things. How is ol' Uncle treating you these days? What do you do there?

stella_tigre said:

Yes, HWMO and I both retired from there, in 2013 and 2014 respectively. He had over 30 years in also (he worked elsewhere previously) and I didn't quite make it to 33 years. I started as an engineering technician, got a degree, worked as a systems engineer (really more software at the end.) He was a chief systems engineer. Both in the general aviation end of things. How is ol' Uncle treating you these days? What do you do there?

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Def cant complain. I work in ebiz as a Systems Admin, working on the phone system. VOIP, UCCE, etc. Not very exciting but it pays the bills

we're gonna be in Storm Lake tomorrow and Wednesday. Kings Point. anything decent around that 'hood?

not my posting but if anyone out there is still looking for corny kegs

http://desmoines.craigslist.org/for/5118040828.html

LoneTreeFarms said:

not my posting but if anyone out there is still looking for corny kegs

http://desmoines.craigslist.org/for/5118040828.html

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I had seen this over the weekend and went there yesterday after work.

Seemed like a real nice dude. Had a massive 20 gallon setup at one time, but hasn't brewed in 3 or 4 years. On a related note, his oldest child is 3 years old!

I felt weird, like a vulture over his brewing carcass. That, and I have a 2 month old, so maybe I shouldn't be expanindg!

smAllGrain said:

Def cant complain. I work in ebiz as a Systems Admin, working on the phone system. VOIP, UCCE, etc. Not very exciting but it pays the bills

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Do you go to the CR Beer Nuts home-brew club? If not, there's a meeting (tasting) this thursday at Bricks at 7

andrewmaixner said:

Do you go to the CR Beer Nuts home-brew club? If not, there's a meeting (tasting) this thursday at Bricks at 7

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I have heard of them but have never been to a meeting or anything. Can you attend if you aren't a member?

NickTheGreat said:

I had seen this over the weekend and went there yesterday after work.

Seemed like a real nice dude. Had a massive 20 gallon setup at one time, but hasn't brewed in 3 or 4 years. On a related note, his oldest child is 3 years old!

I felt weird, like a vulture over his brewing carcass. That, and I have a 2 month old, so maybe I shouldn't be expanindg!

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i think it's probably each to their own. I didn't start brewing till my oldest daughter was 3 she'll be 7 this November, but her and her sister love helping daddy cook. (actually they usually get bored but they do like helping bottling wine, and beer before I started kegging.) I wouldn't mind snagging one of those 3 gallon kegs but I'd better wait, swmbo would say 5 kegs is plenty.