What I did for beer today

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How bad is my soldering job on these bungs? I made sure everything was clean with isopropyl and did acid flux and followed brewhardware's video and I still got a lot of black and bubbles. They at least kind of cleaned up with a wire brush. I'm going to pressure test the keg tomorrow.

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Moved my Doppelbock into my garage fridge for cold crashing. I plan on crashing it for 2-3 days. Fermenter surrounded by my first brew Pilsner lagering peacefully.
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i managed to fit a whole batch of somewhat still too wet malt into @Schlenkerla 's screen baskets! setting the oven to 'low mode' and letting it go till tomorrow...should save me around 5 bucks a month on gas. Brillant! now my beer is only going to cost 7 bucks for 10 gals instead of 8! lol

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and that 280f the oven thinks it's at is actually going to be 160f....thought since it's a little wet, make a little hotter than 150f to make sure i can do something else for beer tomorrow, brew beer!
 
bracconiere said:
i managed to fit a whole batch of somewhat still too wet malt into @Schlenkerla 's screen baskets! setting the oven to 'low mode' and letting it go till tomorrow...should save me around 5 bucks a month on gas. Brillant! now my beer is only going to cost 7 bucks for 10 gals instead of 8! lol

View attachment 592538 View attachment 592539

and that 280f the oven thinks it's at is actually going to be 160f....thought since it's a little wet, make a little hotter than 150f to make sure i can do something else for beer tomorrow, brew beer!
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That looks like a lotta grain. You need to smoke it next.... [emoji16]

How many pounds?
 
Schlenkerla said:
That looks like a lotta grain. You need to smoke it next.... [emoji16]

How many pounds?
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it will be 20 or 21 pounds...depending how i did at malting, it seems to vary batch to batch. hard for a homemalter to get an even sprout.

starts out 23 pounds for 26 cents a pound so ~5.97+utilities. Not too bad for a 10 gal batch of 8%! who says homebrewing isn't cheaper? :cask:

I would smoke some, but i don't have a smoker! not even a grill. :(
 
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Schlenkerla said:
I was thinking of a cheap hot plate, a metal trash with lid, and wire rack.

If you can find and old fridge, people repurpose them for smokers.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Masterbuilt-Electric-Slow-Smoker-MB20100112/304339182?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|D28I|28-22_BBQ_GRILL|NA|PLA|Brands|Fixed|71700000032321202|58700004410186037|92700037079252508&gclid=Cj0KCQjwr4beBRDNARIsAGZaZ5dj4_DFeuRv8BumOuSQL2nM1bpH6fb9wqU8I1QzxbeDPJ-ErKTrR_IaAlzFEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
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that would work? i have a cheap hot plate that can barley boil a gallon of water...but i have a cast iron pan, and a big cardboard box! DAMN! your just full of brillant ideas! i think i'll set it up out back now! i'll post some pics if it works....
 
bracconiere said:
that would work? i have a cheap hot plate that can barley boil a gallon of water...but i have a cast iron pan, and a big cardboard box! DAMN! your just full of brillant ideas! i think i'll set it up out back now! i'll post some pics if it works....
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If you want something more permanent a metal drum or trash can would be better.

I have heard of cardboard being used with foil dryer hose connected to the box.
 
Started cold crashing my starter, measured and ground my grains, other normal prep work for brewing tomorrow. Imperial oatmeal stout with a multitude of herbs on the agenda.
 
Anxiously watching my Racer 5 from yesterday for any action. First time in a long time using spring water (NOT distilled) instead of my house water. Never had this long a lag (16 hours) with fresh Nottingham. This recipe has been my "bogey" beer, in 5 times brewing it only two batches have turned out well. My sanitation is good, so I'm not TOO worried, but it's making me jumpy. Might finally be too cold in the garage for good fermentations, I need to get a dual temp controller and brew mat STAT.
 
Today I sanitized two kegs and I kegged my decocted hefeweizen. The flat sample tasted awesome and I might have really nailed this style now. I have been chasing the elusive perfect hefeweizen, so we will see once it's carbed if I did indeed nail it or not. Wish me luck!

John
 
aharri1 said:
I took a sample from my Oktoberfest going into week two and down to 1.035 from 1.056 so looks like another week or two. Tasted smooth and was clear though !
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i learned a new fact about ocktoberfest, it's a lager! and also in 2017: "Beer Consumption Tops 7.5 Million Liters at Oktoberfest 2017. Oktoberfest 2017 has come to an end, and the statistics are in: a staggering 7.5 million liters of beer was consumed by 6.2 million visitors over 18 days."

had to double check because i was wondering why after 2 weeks it was only half fermented....


i also dropped my immersion chiller in a batch to cool...
 
bracconiere said:
i learned a new fact about ocktoberfest, it's a lager! and also in 2017: "Beer Consumption Tops 7.5 Million Liters at Oktoberfest 2017. Oktoberfest 2017 has come to an end, and the statistics are in: a staggering 7.5 million liters of beer was consumed by 6.2 million visitors over 18 days."

had to double check because i was wondering why after 2 weeks it was only half fermented....


i also dropped my immersion chiller in a batch to cool...
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Yup! This was actually the first lager I've ever made! I finally have a dedicated refrigerator and temp control! [emoji16] I'm going to let it go till it's done. My next one is going to be a dark czech Pilsner
 
aharri1 said:
Yup! This was actually the first lager I've ever made! I finally have a dedicated refrigerator and temp control! [emoji16] I'm going to let it go till it's done. My next one is going to be a dark czech Pilsner
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you need to post that in "You know your a homebrewer when"....Finally got a lagering fridge and first thing you do is make a dark/stout lager in it! sounds good to me! :mug:
 
bracconiere said:
you need to post that in "You know your a homebrewer when"....Finally got a lagering fridge and first thing you do is make a dark/stout lager in it! sounds good to me! :mug:
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True that! The beauty of it is it cost me $29 Hops and all to buy the ingredients All Grain! [emoji3]
 
aharri1 said:
True that! The beauty of it is it cost me $29 Hops and all to buy the ingredients All Grain! [emoji3]
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I remember those days! i just pitched my reused yeast to my $7.85 10gal 1.061SG batch! would have been 38 cents cheaper but i had to add 12oz sugar to get my gravity where it needed to be :(
 
fourfarthing said:
Served two homebrews at a local Farmhouse festival.

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is that you wearing a fit-bit? is there another thin alcoholic here? lol

and at the moment for beer...i'm slowly sipping a glass meditating on getting my boil kettle cleaned after brewing today!
 
So, i bought a guy's home-brew setup (new baby, changing priorities), and gave it to a co-worker who is going to brew for the first time with me this upcoming Saturday.

So, Home-brew Crazy Nutjobs -1, +1; the universe is still tied.

Oh and today I setup 6 gallons of wild-ferment cider from the Fall Harvest, made a batch of Joe's Ancient Orange Mead, and tomorrow, a Red Rye Ale.

Naw, I'm not obsessed or anything...
 
fourfarthing said:
That is a fitbit, yes. I keep in shape and probably drink less than people think ;)
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there's nothing wrong with 'less', just as long as your drinking enough!

i use CRON-o-Meter myself to stay thin and drink. and keep my liver from exploding!

And as far as beer goes, i meditated enough, finished my beer, and got my brewing equip washed and put away. Now for the dishes!
 
After hearing all the horror stories about high dissolved solid levels in RO water sources, I decided to buy a TDS meter and test my local grocer’s RO water. Lo and behold...

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Damn it feels good to be a brewer.
 
Yesterday: brewed up my herbal stout.
Today: frantically switched it to a blow off tube before work. I have a lot of headspace in my fermenter, so this is rarely needed. That wyeast 1728 is churning like a mofo.
 
Went to the feed store to get a bag of barley..they only had one with a rip in it. i told them i didn't care but they insisted on giving me a 2 dollar discount anyway!

So i guess my next 2 batches will only cost me ~6.50 for 10 gals!makes feel even sorrier for the bum i was waiting behind in line, scraping together 5.50 in change to buy a 6-pack of milwaukee's!

went got the mail, which included 1lb of cardamom pods for next brew day. going to try it instead of hops and with them...

and going to dump barley in the malt'n tub to start the week long process of brewing beer the hard way!
 
Picked up a whirlpool kit for my kettle as well as a step drill bit. Then worked up the courage to drill the hole for it.

Everything went great and now I know I don't need to fear putting holes in my equipment anymore.

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