Hugh Heffe PICS, and VIDEO

Here are the pics that I have of brewing and my blow off... we made it home from church and within minutes the foam was shooting out of the airlock and it sounded like a pressure cooker. See the pics of my homemade blow off tube as it sits at 69 degrees in the freezer!
Links:

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/DSCN0085.jpg

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/?action=view&current=DSCN0083.flv

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/BrewStand.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/MLTGuts.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/SSSparger.jpg

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/?action=view&current=DSCN0091.flv




Pol

Here are the stats on this one...

1lb 6 Row
3lbs Pilsner
6lbs Wheat

20 minute mash at 123F
60 minute mash at 150F

Sparge runoff 6.75 gallons @ 1.044
60 minute boil
OG 1.054
81% EFF.

Hallertau H. 60 mins .5oz
Willamette 15 minutes .5oz

WLP300 starter

Ferment bagan in 8 hours
At 18 hours BLOW OFF
At 36 hours the blow off finally subsided

My first Heffe... have to say, it was an awesome brew to make!

Killer man, love the brewstand, I have one similar, might have to copy your idea.
Cute kid by the way!


Dan

Yeah, I dig that stand man! And is that a thermometer inside your MT? Nice job man! Oh, and I too like the idea of teaching the offspring the ways of the brewer early on. Keep it up!

P.S. Only us brewers would be entertained by a video of an airlock bubbling away... nice!

Yes, the therms are in the MLT and HLT both... they rock!! Lost 1-2 degerees over an hour mash. Thanks for the compliments on the brewing and my daughter, she is one smart 4 yr old. By the way, not a SINGLE drop leaked from my ball valve assemblies or the therms... I was seriously in heaven with this new system. Making a starter was nice too, when it came time to pitch all I had to do was pour it in.

First brew on this stand, I was seriously impressed, happy with my decision to build it. Any inquiries welcome!

Pol

Yeah what is it about the airlock that is SO facinating?! I brewed my first hefe saturday night, not AG, my next project is to fabricate my mash/lauter tuns then it's AG for me.

I am very jealous of your blow-off! It's been 32 since I pitched and the bubbles are still commin rapidly but I don't expect any blow-off I'm using a 6.5gal carboy I think it would be really difficult for any foam to shoot out.

But cool pics and video. You gave me a great idea for my AG set up, that rack rocks.

Wow - that's some serious blow-off!

That IS a 6.5 gallon carboy that I am using! That is the blow off from a 6.5 gallon carboy... it was freaking violent! By the time I fashioned the blow off tube and removed the airlock, I just pulled slightly on the airlock and it popped out into my hand... there was alot of pressure. It is pretty calm now at about 48 hours, still bubbling nicely, but not a glass pressure cooker like before lol. My JC refrigerator control is working NICE, keeping it at 70F.

Pol

Whoa...thats a hell of a lot more action then my hefe. I noticed that your OG was higher then mine as well my I got an OG 1.047, I used Wyeast 3068 Wheinstephen Wheat.

I am currently looking at parts to make an AG setup.

I think that perhaps the AG heffes have a more violent ferment... My OG was targeted at 1.050, but I did NOT expect 81% efficiency out of my new system. 1.054 was where it settled, now at 48 hours the blow off is done as I said, and it is just bubbling once every few seconds. Yesterday it was FRANTIC, today you can still see the yeast and such swirling and churning pretty rapidly. This is my first heffe... so this is all pretty new to me. My starter was 24 hours old and at high krausen when I pitched it, if that matters.

Is it just me, or does the sight of airlock bubbles turn you on!!!:cross:

Umm, I think it may just be you

It was pretty cool though....

I'm now officially concerned about my hefe I brewed yesterday. It has no blowoff setup right now and this was a huge previous slurry pitch. It was cranking up pretty good this morning but I'm at work now. Wasn't sure if it was peaking or just getting started.

Ugh, lunch isn't agreeing with me; maybe I should go home.

Mine blew like a volcano.... 5 minutes after returning home from church... I am SOOO glad that I got home when I did. Next time, the blow off goes on from the start.

This is my first Heffe... is it "common" to have a big blow off like that, and then afterward, only a bubble every 5-10 seconds? I mean, the beer is still churning, and granted, during the blow off it probably fermented more than most beers do in days... but is it "common"? There is still about 2" of krausen on top, as compared to 12-13 inches yesterday LOL

Pol

The Pol said:

This is my first Heffe... is it "common" to have a big blow off like that, and then afterward, only a bubble every 5-10 seconds? I mean, the beer is still churning, and granted, during the blow off it probably fermented more than most beers do in days... but is it "common"? There is still about 2" of krausen on top, as compared to 12-13 inches yesterday LOL

Pol

Click to expand...

With rabid ferments, yep. Not just wheats, but I've had some batches on slurry that were to FG after 2 days. Wheats though seem to take longer for the krausen to fall.

Desert, how did your Heffe fare? Did it blow off? Or were you "ok"? My wife would have KILLED me if it had blown off in the house. Granted, prior to placing it in my freezer, it was in the laundry room on laminate flooring LOL


Pol

The Pol said:

Desert, how did your Heffe fare? Did it blow off? Or were you "ok"? My wife would have KILLED me if it had blown off in the house. Granted, prior to placing it in my freezer, it was in the laundry room on laminate flooring LOL


Pol

Click to expand...

It actually WAS blowing out the airlock rather aggressively but not really flying all over the place yet . Would have taken a pic but it was urgent to get the blow-off setup. Mine is in a fermentation chiller in the shed so big messes could always be hosed down.

but I did just get my ranco controller today so I can finally get my chest freezer setup tonight.

Sweet, I recieved my Johnson Controls controller this week too. It is chilling at 69 degrees as we speak. Without it, I would have been scared to see how hot that wort would have gotten with that violent ferment. I have an 8cu ft freezer, the lower "step" is where my fermentor goes and my "blow off jar" sits on the upper "step". It is the best purchase I have made for the consistency and quality of my beers.

Pol

HOLY BANANA... I am on day 5 of the ferment at about 70-71F on my HEFFE with the WLP300 yeast, my fermenting chest smells like bananas! I cannot wait to bottle this stuff up nice and fizzy and pour some out when it is 90F outdoors.

Pol

Additionally, at day 5, it is still chugging along, still churning and still has about 1" of krausen yet... these heffes really are active ferments!

Bottled on day 13... OG 1.053, FG 1.011. Perfectly balanced banana and clove notes with a distinct banana smell. Very pleased! 79% mash eff... 79% attenuation!

I gotta keg mine probably tomorrow. I still got krausen on the top too. Just adjusted the temp controller down to 50 to see if that drops. I have'nt checked but assume ferm is done after 2 weeks...

Sweet Desert... I wish I had kegged mine, BUT I think that with all of that yeast in there, it will carbonate in the bottles QUICKLY. My brew had a few bubbles on top yet, saved and washed the yeast, we will see if I can get er to keep a while in the fridge. OR, I will place my yeast in my fermenting fridge and set it at about 40F to help preserve it without freezing it! Sounds plausible?

Where did you get that sparge arm? Is it homemade? I WANT ONE !

I bought it from Northern Brewer... it is SS... it was also $40 of my allowance money, but it looks shiney and spins!

In the bottles 2 weeks... WOW, this stuff is so good, one of the best brews yet out of my garage! My wife is getting me a kegging system I think and that will be great to carbonate and dispense my new project, Helles Bells... Happy brewing yall... even when the world kicks your teeth in.

Pol

The Pol said:

In the bottles 2 weeks... WOW, this stuff is so good, one of the best brews yet out of my garage! My wife is getting me a kegging system I think and that will be great to carbonate and dispense my new project, Helles Bells... Happy brewing yall... even when the world kicks your teeth in.

Pol

Click to expand...

Does your wife like the beer too and is that why she is purchasing the kegging system?

If so, I wish I had a wife like yours. LOL. I have to buy all of my own equipment but it all comes out of the same pot in the end I suppose.

Enjoy!

-- Trev

Okay, this beer is so awesome... I got buzzed last night off of one... and I am buzzed now off of one... heh heh... it is not even 5% ABV LOL

My wife likes all my brews, but she is a BMC sort of girl too... well, nothing I can do about that. She loves my Razzberry Ale, that is coming up after my Helles Lager.

The Pol said:

Okay, this beer is so awesome... I got buzzed last night off of one... and I am buzzed now off of one... heh heh... it is not even 5% ABV LOL

Click to expand...

Nice huh? I just got buzzed off of one of my 22 Oz. Fat Tires. This stuff is great! not sure what the ABV is either, can't remember because I am so buzzed.

Will be bottling my hefe in the next day or two.

Cheers,

-- Trev