What I did for beer today

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Kegged up one of the lagers this morning, and just milled the grain for tomorrow's brewday. Was originally planning on a Mosaic/Galaxy IPA, but changed my mind; instead will brew up a warm-fermented version of the lager that got kegged today, with the exact grain bill, hops, mash temp, yeast, etc., as a fun exbeeriment to see which one I like best.

To share a funny (to me) story as well; I've also got a Czech lager that's ready to keg, that I planned for weeks and was oh so careful in brewing. It's meh at best, has a bit of a cidery twang that I am not happy with. The one that got kegged this morning was done on a pure whim, and I pushed it perhaps too fast (brewed on 7/7). It outclasses the Czech by a long mile. Just goes to show you can never tell what might happen with brewing!
 

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When I put 1# of Mandarina Bavaria in a bag to age for lambic, SWMBO was worried it smelled like contraband. Now all I hear is that my shoes stink.

I guess that means that the hops are on their way to being exactly what I need, lol.
 
6Tap said:
View attachment 632337
Harvested a few Cascade and Columbus hops yesterday.
I’m thinking session beer once they dry out.. [emoji482][emoji482]
Click to expand...
Just curious, are these ripe? They look nice. I'm a noob but my understanding is that the goal is to hit the top of the wire on the summer solstice, then that triggers the cones to ripen from then onwards as the days get shorter. I've got East Seattle Goldings (photo), Northern Brewer and Tettnang on season three, but the cones are tiny and far from being harvestable.

Do you have a good wet hop/harvest ale recipe to recommend? I'm thinking a ESB for the goldings, an American Porter for the N Brewer, and a wheat for the Tettnanger.

upload_2019-7-23_18-3-17.png
 
i tried to save a couple kegs by adding hop tea to them....but i think i lost them anyway :(

sickbeer.jpg


i'll have to try it again tomorrow after the yeast settles back out.....
 
bracconiere said:
i tried to save a couple kegs by adding hop tea to them....but i think i lost them anyway :(

View attachment 636970

i'll have to try it again tomorrow after the yeast settles back out.....
Click to expand...


I think there's something non beer growing in there. Also if it needs to ferment for 9 months then it will need at least a good 18 years before drinking.

I cut down a dip tube and cursed my new old kegmenter for leaking for a bit. 30psi and some percussive adjustments to the rim seem to do the trick.
 
Keg wrench came today so I took apart the used tower I bought. Then I went digging my brew gear that hasn’t been touched for 4 years for some Straight A to soak everything in and found the oldest, crustiest bag of rock-hard DME. I tossed it and bag of dextrose in similar condition.
 
Beernik said:
Keg wrench came today so I took apart the used tower I bought. Then I went digging my brew gear that hasn’t been touched for 4 years for some Straight A to soak everything in and found the oldest, crustiest bag of rock-hard DME. I tossed it and bag of dextrose in similar condition.
Click to expand...

Was totally expecting you to say you found something awesome/vintage/valuable. Made me laugh.
 
Tested the warm-fermented version of my Festbier lager when I got home from work. Brewed on Sunday, fermented at 68 since then; SG was 1.050, and today it's down to 1.011!!! Tastes as good as the cold-fermented version currently in the keg, although a bit young, but it has potential. This brew is an experiment to see if I can get a good lager grain to glass in 10-14 days; yes, purists will argue that it needs more time than that, but if it tastes delicious, is essentially done, and has all of the needed characteristics of a "good" lager, why wait? Just turned the controller down to 60 for the weekend, and will start crashing it when we get home late Sunday night from Oregon Brewfest, with an eye to kegging on the following Wednesday. Nice thing about warm-fermented lagers, no d-rest necessary. Should be sipping on this one by Saturday next. Damn proud of myself today.
 
Scored this bad boy today.
IMG_20190725_211644.jpg
10 gallon ferments here I come! Cost me $100 but well worth it I think. I currently do 4.5 gal batches in the 5 gallon shown. Just need to rig up the floating dip tube in it, build a collar for my freezer and I'm off to the races. Will also allow me to do 5 gallon things with tons of fruit, hops, etc. without ending up with too small of a final volume.
 
Andre3000 said:
Scored this bad boy today. View attachment 637305 10 gallon ferments here I come! Cost me $100 but well worth it I think. I currently do 4.5 gal batches in the 5 gallon shown. Just need to rig up the floating dip tube in it, build a collar for my freezer and I'm off to the races. Will also allow me to do 5 gallon things with tons of fruit, hops, etc. without ending up with too small of a final volume.
Click to expand...
Nice score! Don't forget to wear a back brace when lifting it when full...I shuffle along just lifting full 5 gallon kegs, cannot imagine what hefting 10 gallons would be.
 
Finally kegged the Kate - Strawberry Milkshake IPA. When I was debating how to add the strawberries, someone asked me to update what I did. I ended up gently lowering 3 pounds of whole frozen strawberries into my fermenter in a sanitized grain bag, along with the vanilla bean soaked in vodka. Not my first choice, but life has a way of getting busy. I can definitely taste the strawberries. It's pretty good now, although a bit thinner mouthfeel than I expected, so I am excited to see what it tastes like once it is carbed up.
20190726_111625.jpeg
 
Andre3000 said:
Scored this bad boy today. View attachment 637305 10 gallon ferments here I come! Cost me $100 but well worth it I think. I currently do 4.5 gal batches in the 5 gallon shown. Just need to rig up the floating dip tube in it, build a collar for my freezer and I'm off to the races. Will also allow me to do 5 gallon things with tons of fruit, hops, etc. without ending up with too small of a final volume.
Click to expand...

I’ve been looking for one or two myself. Did you find it locally or online?
Congrats on scoring that at a steal!
 
Received my new tobacco pipe for enjoying what's left of the summer while drinking home brew. Command Sgt Major (wife) called in an airstrike. I fought a brilliant rear guard action, managed to make it to my man cave bunker without too much physical damage, and at least some of my dignity intact.
20190726_120916-1.jpeg
 
seatazzz said:
Tested the warm-fermented version of my Festbier lager when I got home from work. Brewed on Sunday, fermented at 68 since then; SG was 1.050, and today it's down to 1.011!!! Tastes as good as the cold-fermented version currently in the keg, although a bit young, but it has potential. This brew is an experiment to see if I can get a good lager grain to glass in 10-14 days; yes, purists will argue that it needs more time than that, but if it tastes delicious, is essentially done, and has all of the needed characteristics of a "good" lager, why wait? Just turned the controller down to 60 for the weekend, and will start crashing it when we get home late Sunday night from Oregon Brewfest, with an eye to kegging on the following Wednesday. Nice thing about warm-fermented lagers, no d-rest necessary. Should be sipping on this one by Saturday next. Damn proud of myself today.
Click to expand...
I brewed a Mocktoberfest yesterday. Used Nottingham yeast (ale yeast, I know) and plan to ferment at 70. Heard good things. I'm sure it'll turn out fine.
 
Closed transferred 5 gal APA to keg. Cleaned the fermenter in anticipation of an upcoming brewday.
 
Transferred quadrupel to secondary, washing the yeast right now for another batch Sunday. This batch is at 11.29 ABV right now, but I think (based on the yeast washing) it's got a little bit left to go.
Working on a hinged manifold for a 120 quart mash tun. While at Home Depot today buying parts, found a huge piece of cheesecloth for $3.50. Going to talk my wife into sewing me up a drawstring cheesecloth bag to cover the manifold with.
 

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