Can ya help a fellow brewer who's down on his luck get back on his mash paddle?

Alright, I'll try and keep this short and sweet. I have avoided posting lately 'cause, well, if ya don't have anything nice (positive) to say...


I have been pretty bummed about brewing. 3 AG batches at the beginning of the summer (my first) and 2 I had to dump. The 3rd was great but now it is getting funky. I was not able to brew after those fiascos due to major house remodeling mess.


So, I am a bit discouraged.

However, I have a plan.

Step one was today. I brewed an extract version of my pale ale. I figured, simplify, an go back to the beginning. I did a full wort boil but totally extract/ steeping grains. If this turns out sh!te, well....

I don't want to think about it.

My next step is to either do a PM or...

A mini AG batch, or rather a succession of mini AG batches. This is where I could use some advice.

I figure doing a 1 gallon mini batch would be a good way to rebuild my confidence. If it is a flop, oh well, only a few #'s of grain gone. If it works, than I build from there. I was thinking of just doing a bunch of extracts for a while to build up some stock, but I have about 40# of MO just sitting there getting stale...
I read the BYO article about mini batches from the May/June issue and at first I thought it was a waste of time, now I think it is just what I need to get back on track. Although it did not provide enough info for me.

Here is the recipe I am using, first the original then the scaled down version:

Fairfax Falls Fog, A Vermont Common Beer:

9 # MO
.75 # Crystal 60L
.25 # Caraaroma

1 oz. Northern brewer (60 minutes)
.50 Perle (15 minutes)
.50 Perle (1 minute)

Mash at 155° for 60 minutes.
Boil 90 minutes
Ferement at 60° for 2 weeks, lower to 55° for 1

Then scaled:

1.80 # MO
.15 # Crystal 60L
.05 # CaraAroma

.30 NB (? minutes)
.12 Perle (?)
.12 Perle (?)

Okay. As you can see from the hop schedule I have no idea how long the actual boil should be. When I input it in my brewing software if I do not use at least a 60 minute boil I get very low utilization. However, if i am boiling only about 1.5 gallons, I will have nothing left with a 60 minute boil! How long would I boil this? How much should my initial boil be to arrive at 1 gallon in the end??? i am sure more questions will arise but, that is all I have at the moment. Anyone do small batches like this?

I am also going under the idea that I can pitch a single propagator pack of Wyeast 2112 in this without a starter. My thought is that, if succesful, I can then step up the batch using the yeast cake from this one and then do maybe 2.5 gallons and up...

Any thoughts? Tips, advice?

Enouragement? Should I just pack it in...


Grrrr, I hope this extract batch turns out!

Keep pluggin' man. Take it from someone more miserable than you right now, the only answer is to keep pluggin'. It'll get there.

Just gotta have faith. :rockin:

I'll let the others comment on the hop sched since in all honesty I haven't a clue at this point. I just understand the frustration of wanting to be able to do something and have what seems like all the sh!tstorms in the world pile up on you... one, after, another.

If ya ever need an ear. You know where to find us.

Ize

Thanks Ize.

A sympathetic ear is appreciated. Here's to both of us brewing on [raises a pint of commercial craft brew]

Fill those carboys (or what have you) with apfelwein for now. That's my strategy.

Dude we got your back! Keep plugging away at the brews. I had a bit of a bad spell and got two infected batches a while back too, but you gotta keep your chin up and look the brewing gods in the eye's and say "F* you and your F*ing infections I will get this right and there aint nothing you can do about it!" Any time you need to vent or rant feel free we'll help you out.

Cheers

I think you have a sound plan there, knight. Don't get discouraged if that extract brew turns out bad too. It would be telling you that there's nothing wrong with your mashing technique and point to a problem with equipment or water. Replacing any plastic utensils might rid you of the problem.

knights of Gambrinus said:

Fill those carboys (or what have you) with apfelwein for now. That's my strategy.

Click to expand...

ROFLMAO!

Brothers fighting the good fight indeed. I have 5 gals of apple juice just to the left of me waiting to go in one of my 5 gal. carboys. :rockin:

Ize

Actually...

I just mentioned my most recent downfalls. All in all it has been a rather craptastic year for brewing. I had several bad extract batches when I intially joined this fine forum. I think I overcame the problem with those though. It was definately a different problem. Those were at least drinkable though not enjoyable.

Now that I think of it. The only really good brew I have made this year was the two PM batches I did. One an oatmeal stout and the other my APA (which I just brewed in extract form)

Oh, well. Thanks for the encouragement folks.

Any small batchers out there?

knights of Gambrinus said:

...However, I have a plan...

Click to expand...

As soon as I saw that I knew you'd be fine.

It really does sound like you're having contamination issues. Can you describe some of the bad flavours that caused you to dump the batches? Have you thought about refreshing all your plastic equipment (buckets, hoses, syphons, spoons, etc)? What do you use to sanitize and how do you go about it?

I think most of the people on this sight are small batchers. Probably not the people who post the most, but the rest of us who are noobies with our $65.00 beer kits making 5 gallons of EG. I like this post.... http://homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=34401&highlight=lazy+brewer

mrk305 said:

I think most of the people on this sight are small batchers. Probably not the people who post the most, but the rest of us who are noobies with our $65.00 beer kits making 5 gallons of EG. I like this post.... http://homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=34401&highlight=lazy+brewer

Click to expand...

5G is the 'standard' batch I think you'll find (I've almost never seen a recipe for less than that anyway). When people talk about small batches they're usually talking about less than 5G (1, 2.5 or 3 usually).

mrk305 said:

I think most of the people on this sight are small batchers. Probably not the people who post the most, but the rest of us who are noobies with our $65.00 beer kits making 5 gallons of EG.

Click to expand...

I am talking SMALL 1 gallon batch as stated above.

Brad. No, unfortunately I have not been able to describe the off flavors so that anyone could pinpoint it. I have gotten all new plastic. Hoses, airlocks, racking canes (actually got a stainless one) rubber stoppers, a new bottling bucket and I stopped using my funnel.

I sanitize with Iodopher. 6 ml in 2 gallons of water (recomended is 3/10 of an ounce to 3 gallons which works out to about 9 ml, or 3 ml per gallon) 2 minutes minimum contact time. I soak glass (and some plastic) in a bleach solution (2 TB per 5 gallons) overnight after use to clean then I rinse repeatedly with HOT water. I rinse most stuff again with boiled water before use and then sanitize with iodopher. I have also used oxyclean on bottles lately though I am a bit unsure about that. It works GREAT for removing labels but I am a bit worried about residue...

knights of Gambrinus said:

I am talking SMALL 1 gallon batch as stated above.

Brad. No, unfortunately I have not been able to describe the off flavors so that anyone could pinpoint it. I have gotten all new plastic. Hoses, airlocks, racking canes (actually got a stainless one) rubber stoppers, a new bottling bucket and I stopped using my funnel.

I sanitize with Iodopher. 6 ml in 2 gallons of water (recomended is 3/10 of an ounce to 3 gallons which works out to about 9 ml, or 3 ml per gallon) 2 minutes minimum contact time. I soak glass (and some plastic) in a bleach solution (2 TB per 5 gallons) overnight after use to clean then I rinse repeatedly with HOT water. I rinse most stuff again with boiled water before use and then sanitize with iodopher. I have also used oxyclean on bottles lately though I am a bit unsure about that. It works GREAT for removing labels but I am a bit worried about residue...

Click to expand...

Sounds like you're covering all the bases there. I'm not familiar with oxyclean so I can't comment. How about your environment when you're brewing? Are you in the kitchen or a basement (thinking airborne dust, contaminents etc)?

Also do you make starters? Maybe your yeast aren't getting started quick enough and something else is getting a bit too much of a foothold.

Maybe your fermentation temperatures as well? You said you can't describe the off-flavours, maybe they're fruity in nature (which is likely too high of a fermentation temperature)?

knights of Gambrinus said:

Actually...

I just mentioned my most recent downfalls. All in all it has been a rather craptastic year for brewing. I had several bad extract batches when I intially joined this fine forum. I think I overcame the problem with those though. It was definately a different problem. Those were at least drinkable though not enjoyable.

Now that I think of it. The only really good brew I have made this year was the two PM batches I did. One an oatmeal stout and the other my APA (which I just brewed in extract form)

Oh, well. Thanks for the encouragement folks.

Any small batchers out there?

Click to expand...

Sure! I make a lot of small batches, but just to test the brewing characteristics of some of my propagated yeast cultures.

Listen guys, It just isn't as bad as you think it is...... It's just time to regroup, assess the situation and proceed. If the equipment is sanitized, instructions are followed, and it's extract, you can't miss. You are going to make great beer. Sometimes bad results are because of over extending ourselves. Stay in familiar ground for a while . Invent some of your own recipes using extracts for a while. I'm telling you, it's all OK.

After you are full of yourself as the worlds greatest brewer, then make a small AG run like you would use in a PM just to see what you have to do. Read, Read.

What's good about it is it's a hobby. Your welfare does not depend upon it.

RDWHAHB. Cheers..

Well, I have gone back to using pretty much strictly dry yeast. Although the 3rd AG batch that turned out okay at first was using wyeast 1728 and a rather healthy starter.

My only suspect at this time is too long cooling. I just used my new immersion chiller on this extract batch and was able to reach 75 in about 25 minutes. I would like to think that was where I went wrong before but I do not know. It only took me about 45 minutes before without a chiller (though it was rather water intensive!) I was in the kitchen for some batches. Outside for others. Pretty much always brought the brew in and pitched in the kitchen though.

How long a drive is it for you to get down to Brattleboro? Yankee Ingenuity's having a get-together at Glibbidy's place on 10/6 (I think that's the date). Come on down and brew with us... pretty sure 2nd Street will be coming over, I think Vermicious was going to make the drive, I've got to touch base with the good Kaiser and get him to make the trip out, hopefully a few other folks will come.

Nothing like brewing (and drinking) with a bunch of your buddies when you start to get discouraged...

You made a great label. That's a good start. Keep trying!

I really appreciate the support folks.

Bird, I'll have to think about that. Sounds like fun. it's about a 2 hour drive. I'll check the gatherings page presuming that is where the plan will be.

Now, can anyone give some feedback on brewing a 1 gallon All grain batch?

Specifically amounts of preboil wort to collect and time for boiling? Any other tips or tricks to brewing small. Like I said, the BYO article really only gave me enough info to get thinking about it. I don't feel it really was all that in depth.

Thanks again.

Hell, it's almost a two hours drive for me! Linky is here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=35716&highlight=yankee