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thanks for th ideas guys getting ready to dry hop and seeing these posts gives me a few ideas on how to do it without messing with a bag:rockin:
 
Daveyg said:
I did the same thing as far as the paint strainer bag, grabbed them at Home Depot and they fit the 3 gallon cooler perfectly, I would consider a false bottom but can't justify the expense plus I can't seem to find one that fits my cooler (3 gallon) which is 8" inside diameter.
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If you really want one, NorCal can make you any size false bottom you want - just like the big ones. IMO, it would be an unnecessary expense when a paint strainer bag is like 4 bucks for two.

:mug:
 
Has anyone used a plastic water dispenser like the one below as a fermenter? I've seen them and considered using them as they seem to be pretty compact and I could easily fit two or three in my fermentation chamber at the same time. It seems like it would be similar to a Mr. Beer type of fermenter?

31EUOc4CLIL.jpg
 
You would need to check what kind of plastic they are made of.
I have used plenty of 6lt plastic OR bottles to ferment in without problems.
 
So on the left is a Brooklyn summer clone and on the right is the Everyday IPA from the Brooklyn Brewshop they look and taste very similar and the IPA seems to get more carbonated every time I open one? Any comments?

image.jpg
 
Daveyg said:
So on the left is a Brooklyn summer clone and on the right is the Everyday IPA from the Brooklyn Brewshop they look and taste very similar and the IPA seems to get more carbonated every time I open one? Any comments?
Click to expand...

ChocolateMaltyBalls said:
How did you prime the IPA?
Click to expand...

Daveyg said:
1/4 cup DME and a 1/2 cup of water per the suggestion of my LHBS.
The summer was 3 Tbps of honey I'm a 1/2 C of water.
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I always found the BBS kits always call for too much bottling sugars for some reason. Cut it down to 2tbsp honey and they'll fountain/overfoam a lot less. Had far fewer fountains after that change. Made quite a few of their kits before moving on to my own recipes. (The Everyday IPA was my first batch ever! *fist bump)
 
I just bottle a blonde ale over the weekend. When bottling, I noticed that in the process I was getting a head at the top of the clean/sanitized glass bottle. I fill the bottle all the way to the top, yet it was less than I normally get because of the head. I use a auto siphon with a bottle filler attached. I do siphon from my secondary. Temp of beer was in the 70s. Instead of capping it, I went back to fill up the bottle more to were it supposed to be. I wasted about a bottle of beer. Ironically, I also use one PET bottle to watch carbonation and that bottled just fine. This is my second batch that this has happened to me. Beer tasted just fine in first occurrence. Only thing I did change was washing bottles in dish washer. I used PBW instead the normal soap.
 
Question about gravity readings, since I an brewing small one gallon batches I have never taken a gravity reading for not wanting to waste the sample, is it worth looking into a refractometer? Is it as accurate as a hydrometer?
 
acarter5251 said:
Has anyone used a plastic water dispenser like the one below as a fermenter? I've seen them and considered using them as they seem to be pretty compact and I could easily fit two or three in my fermentation chamber at the same time. It seems like it would be similar to a Mr. Beer type of fermenter?

31EUOc4CLIL.jpg
Click to expand...


I used that for about 3 batches, then it cracked on me. Turned into the only infected batch I had.
 
Daveyg said:
Question about gravity readings, since I an brewing small one gallon batches I have never taken a gravity reading for not wanting to waste the sample, is it worth looking into a refractometer? Is it as accurate as a hydrometer?
Click to expand...

Refractometers are nice for quickly checking gravities in all grain during the steps to know if you are over or under a target gravity.

A refractometer becomes inaccurate once alcohol is present. There are calculators and spread sheets out there that attempt to correct for this (not 100% accurate though). IMO once you have a process to control fermentation and are confidant in your system then checking for FG is not needed unless you suspect fermentation may have stalled. Tasting samples will also help with learning how fermentation is going (something you may not want to do if you brew sour beers).
 
Daveyg said:
So on the left is a Brooklyn summer clone and on the right is the Everyday IPA from the Brooklyn Brewshop they look and taste very similar and the IPA seems to get more carbonated every time I open one? Any comments?
Click to expand...


That is a little dark for a Brooklyn Summer Ale clone isn't it? What was the recipe for that?
 
I'm brewing some seriously fun recipe today!

Efficiency : 70%
Target OG : 1.037
Target FG : 1.004 (it's actually higher, but I'm brewing with Belle Saison, so that's where it will end up)
Target ABV : 3.8% (it will actually be closer to 4.5%)
Boil : 90 mins

Weyerman Pilsner : 9.6 oz
Weyerman Pale Wheat Malt : 8 oz
Weyerman Rauchmaltz : 4 oz
Weyerman Sauermaltz : 1.8 oz

FWH Hallertau, 0.06 oz
FWH, Citra, 0.02 oz
15 Mins, Citra, 0.01 oz
5 mins, Hallertau, 0.09 oz

Lallemand Belle Saison

Procedure : Single infusion of all the grains, except for 1.6 oz of Sauermaltz. 149F, 50 minutes. 1.25 qts per pound. After 50 minutes, insert the remaining Sauermaltz, and rest for 20 minutes. Tweak with temperature if temp loss occuers. No Mash Out; Batch Sparge and collect enough wort for a 90 mins boil. Insert hops according to schedule.
 
I have a question about dry hopping a 1 gallon batch. I have no problem doing it with one hop except for taking the muslin bag out of the bottle when finished. Has anyone tried it with 2 or more hop additions? How do you add the additional hops assuming you are using a muslin bag?
 
I have always tied some floss (no flavor, no wax) to retrieve the bag, then bottle with the bag still in and gently pull them out YMMV. I like whirlpool additions over dry hopping so depending on how much you are thinking, it might be better to drop them in without a bag and cold crash before packaging.
 
So has anyone used Jarrylo before? Grabbed some from my LHBS when the dude said he didn't sell much of it, and threw it into a SMaSH with 2-row to test it out.

Smell was amazing in the boil and bottling, fruity but like apples and pears more than a citrus type. Still a while away from being ready to drink, just wondering if anyone had some thoughts on the tastes from experience?

Sharkbrewingco said:
I have a question about dry hopping a 1 gallon batch. I have no problem doing it with one hop except for taking the muslin bag out of the bottle when finished. Has anyone tried it with 2 or more? How do you add the additional hops assuming you are using a muslin bag?
Click to expand...

fuzzy2133 said:
I have always tied some floss (no flavor, no wax) to retrieve the bag, then bottle with the bag still in and gently pull them out YMMV. I like whirlpool additions over dry hopping so depending on how much you are thinking, it might be better to drop them in without a bag and cold crash before packaging.
Click to expand...

I've dry hopped a couple only so far. First time no bag with pellets.... you can guess how that went :p

Second time pellets in a bag. I rack from my secondary to another carboy with the bottling honey/sugar mixture to bottle from. So to retrieve the hop bag from the secondary just tipped it over the sink and got my fingers in the bottle neck and hauled the mushy thing out. :eek:

Really should get my hands on some no wax floss.... :D
 
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Opiate42 said:
So has anyone used Jarrylo before? Grabbed some from my LHBS when the dude said he didn't sell much of it, and threw it into a SMaSH with 2-row to test it out.

Smell was amazing in the boil and bottling, fruity but like apples and pears more than a citrus type. Still a while away from being ready to drink, just wondering if anyone had some thoughts on the tastes from experience?
Click to expand...

No experience however I got 4oz Jarrylo and 4oz Azacca from the AHA renewal I need to brew with. Now do not forget to update us (me :D) with tasting notes! :mug:
 
Project Belgium has begun! Pulled dregs from two Trappist ales (one w Brett). I'm going to throw 4 (2 gallon) split batches at each yeast: Belgian Pale, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quad. Hoping to have 8 yummy beers (1 gallon each) and a Brett culture to keep active from now on.


url]
 
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Another project I am starting with small batches is bourbon oaking.

I recently made a RIS and Wee Heavy. I am soaking oak cubes in bourbon and will add to .5 gallon of each beer. There are various opinions and advice on amount and time. I added .5 oz of bourbon cubes to a mason jar and covered w Wild Turkey 80, which will be split between the two beers. I will soak the oak while they are in primary and add to secondary.

Ideally I'll have the discipline to let all bottles sit for 6 months 😁

View attachment 1432752127857.jpg
 
Daveyg said:
Question about gravity readings, since I an brewing small one gallon batches I have never taken a gravity reading for not wanting to waste the sample, is it worth looking into a refractometer? Is it as accurate as a hydrometer?
Click to expand...

I originally got a refractometer for small batches because I did not want to loss a beer or two to take hydometer reading. For pre-fermentation it is as accurate as a hydrometer as long as you put a consistent amount of wort on it. As others have said the calculations for determining the gravity once fermentation begins is questionable, for me the Sean Terril calculator works well for FGs over 1.010, below that beersmith seems to work better. A refractometer will give consistent numbers post fermentation so if you are only looking for stable gravity they work great.

What I started to do to not lose beer on small batches and still use a hydro is to let the left over trub and break material to separate over night and collect the clear wort on top to take a OG reading. Have not found a good way to save a beer for FG, so I just ferment a little extra.
 
fuzzy2133 said:
Now do not forget to update us (me :D) with tasting notes! :mug:
Click to expand...

Will do! Should be able to sample some it this weekend! :tank:

MaddDogg84 said:
Another project I am starting with small batches is bourbon oaking.

Ideally I'll have the discipline to let all bottles sit for 6 months 😁
Click to expand...

Have some oak chips and plan on using brandy, just haven't figured a recipe yet, but it's in the works :D Will be the first time oaking anything.
 
Opiate42 said:
Will do! Should be able to sample some it this weekend! :tank:



Have some oak chips and plan on using brandy, just haven't figured a recipe yet, but it's in the works :D Will be the first time oaking anything.
Click to expand...

Brandy sounds awesome. Mother In Law sent us home w what I thought was Apricot Brandy, but w help realized it was Apricot flavored Brandy liqueur. Bummer as I had my heart set on oaking my Wee Heavy w that instead of the bourbon. Man, Apricot Brandy Wee Heavy sounds awesome but don't want to ruin my first batch w a new fermentable variable. Maybe 2016.

View attachment 1432772817580.jpg
 
MaddDogg84 said:
Brandy sounds awesome. Mother In Law sent us home w what I thought was Apricot Brandy, but w help realized it was Apricot flavored Brandy liqueur. Bummer as I had my heart set on oaking my Wee Heavy w that instead of the bourbon. Man, Apricot Brandy Wee Heavy sounds awesome but don't want to ruin my first batch w a new fermentable variable. Maybe 2016.
Click to expand...

Whoa factor: HIGH
 
Hoping y'all could give me a hand or offer me some advice. I've recently transitioned from 5 gallons to 1 gallon and 2.5 gallon brewing and from extract brewing to all grain brewing. Can you recommend any equipment: i.e. a false bottom mash tun or any other equipment that would be smaller and more focused for brewing smaller batches like the 1 or 2.5 gallons?

I know it is a silly question but was hoping maybe someone would have some insight.

Thanks and cheers
 
BlackSheep92 said:
Hoping y'all could give me a hand or offer me some advice. I've recently transitioned from 5 gallons to 1 gallon and 2.5 gallon brewing and from extract brewing to all grain brewing. Can you recommend any equipment: i.e. a false bottom mash tun or any other equipment that would be smaller and more focused for brewing smaller batches like the 1 or 2.5 gallons?



I know it is a silly question but was hoping maybe someone would have some insight.



Thanks and cheers
Click to expand...




I recommend doing BIAB for small batches of all grain. I do one gallon batches of Brooklyn Brew shop kits in a two gallon pot and a 5 gallon paint strainer bag from Lowe's.View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1435069492.819488.jpg

And my fermentor is a little 2 gallon bucket I got from my local homebrew store.View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1435069586.966487.jpg
 
I just started all-grain brewing and I just had a couple of 2 gallon jugs lying around so I decided to get my process down on 1 gallon batches and I have no regrets! I went with the BIAB method and just mash in my pot and it couldn't be simpler.

The only complaint I have with BIAB with batches this small is that its harder to maintain mash temps in a pot, so it might be worth it to spend $15 or so and buy a mini-cooler for a mash tun that you can just plop a bag into and keep your temps more even.

Just my $0.02
 

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