Second Batch!!!

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Cheapo

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Hey everyone!

I seem to like to post during the boil here. My second batch is boiling right now. I did an amber ale recipe, but the guy at LHBS converted it to extract for me, and wants me to get a couple under my belt before I necessitate a mash tun for myself hahaha.

This was the AG version :

8lb pale malt extract

.25 oz carapils

.1 oz chocolate

.65 oz whole nugget hops (boil)

.5 oz whole cascade (finishing)

.5 oz whole goldings (finishing)

nottingham ale yeast


It's smelling so good already, I put the boil hops in about 20 minutes ago. I'm going to remove from heat and then add the finishing hops, I'm a lower IBU kind of guy so I'd rather get maximum aroma from them.

I was thinking about doing secondary in halves and trying one half with toasted canned pumpkin.....


Oh, aaaaand I may have gotten a 32L kettle for an early xmas gift! Harder to power on the stove though :smack:
 
Sounds like you have the bug.....That guy at the LHBS wont be able to keep you from giving him some money for that MT for long! :D

BTW - Think you'll end up with a good beer here, but maybe closer to a pale, than an amber (color wise anyway) ....
 
Hahaha, yeah, it's a bit addicting isn't it! You're probably right about the pale, I should read up on some of the classifications of the types I guess....

I made a mistake and spiked the temperature up a bit, adding hot water thinking that it would be colder than the wort itself to cool it down.....sigh....now to re-chill it in my kettle....


*edit* Just the transfer back to my kettle seemed to take a few degrees off, maybe it wont take that long......I just dont want the higher risk of infection that's coming along with this
 
I bet the color will be fine...even the pale malt extracts turn out red when all is said and done.
 
Ok, so I cooled it again and pitched my yeast (WOW does the nottingham smell better than the generic coopers) and my OG on this batch is 1.042.
 
There is a limitless supply of ideas/projects/things to learn within the hobby. If you have lots of extra pesky cash lying around, we can help you with that problem. Welcome!
 
Checked on it last night, and a lot of the 'in your face hoppy' flavor has mellowed and fermented out :) Cant wait to taste when it's done......and start another batch ;)
 
Dude, the first one being done and the next one starting aren't mutually exclusive!!

Bucket + Lid + Airlock + thermometer = ~20 bucks.

You know you wanna....
 
I have an empty Better Bottle w/airlock and an empty primary.....hmmmmm...... I was actually curious whether I could round up enough bottles to be able to bottle if I started a 3rd brew. Would it be better to use the other primary, or the carboy, for secondary if I plan to rack onto pumpkin and spices?
 
I have an empty Better Bottle w/airlock and an empty primary.....hmmmmm...... I was actually curious whether I could round up enough bottles to be able to bottle if I started a 3rd brew. Would it be better to use the other primary, or the carboy, for secondary if I plan to rack onto pumpkin and spices?

If you use a secondary, the idea is to have as little head space as possible. Are you considering racking your Pale Ale onto pumpkin and spices??
 
I have an empty Better Bottle w/airlock and an empty primary.....hmmmmm...... I was actually curious whether I could round up enough bottles to be able to bottle if I started a 3rd brew. Would it be better to use the other primary, or the carboy, for secondary if I plan to rack onto pumpkin and spices?

My local store sells new bottles and I think they are a very good investment as they can be reused until they break. If you are careful that could be years away.

If you do decide to secondary you want a container (usually a carboy or Better Bottle) that will be filled nearly to the top. Your secondary fermentation will not be as vigorous and you want the space above the beer to be filled with CO2 to minimize oxidation of the beer.
 
hey 501, yeah I thought about it. I moved the primary from inside the kitchen to the beer room tonight, so I'll give er 3-4 days to settle down, then check gravity readings. I wonder what the best way to add the pumpkin would be, could be kinda messy getting it into a carboy :S
 
I would think the oils in the pumpkin would destroy your head retention. I've included pumpkin in my mash, and in the boil but never in the secondary. If you do decide to try it, please post here again, I would love to hear how it goes.
 
definitely. I've read some pumpkin recipes, thinking of it from the getgo, and I saw a few that did it in the secondary to retain more flavor. I'll just have to be super diligent in my technique to retain as much head as possible. Hope it works!
 
Quick update: I checked both brews (of THAT weekend, ;) ) tonight, and this one is sitting at 1.009 -down from 1.042. Wondering when I should rack onto pumpkin.....I'll check the readings in 3 days again, and if it's holding steady maybe I'll do it then....any thoughts, anyone?
 
1.005....stiillll fermenting....I'll let er go for a few more days and probably check again tuesday
 
Its actually pretty cool in my beer room. No heat, but insulated like a regular house. This has been between 37-42 F. I figured maybe I had them too cold in there, but theyre still happily munching away....
 
1.005....stiillll fermenting....I'll let er go for a few more days and probably check again tuesday

1.005 seems really low. What is your anticipated FG for this batch?

Its actually pretty cool in my beer room. No heat, but insulated like a regular house. This has been between 37-42 F. I figured maybe I had them too cold in there, but theyre still happily munching away....

How big is your room? Sounds like you may have a perfect opportunity to add a little controlled heat in there to make the ideal ferm chamber! How warm does it get in there in the summer?
 
its more of a storage room, converted to the man-cave hahaha. not sure about summer, we moved in in september and left it alone. Its about 8 x 8, and use about half of it. Im still trying to get the landlord to flip the breaker for some power in there, and i'll add a ceramic heater for small bursts of warmth, just enough to take the edge off.
I didn't have a target in mind, and I tossed the package directions....plus it had additions. So Im unsure. I temperature corrected my gravity using the spreadsheet formula posted on here, and my hydrometer is calibrated for 15 C I believe. It's a spagnols hydrometer.
 
Just had a look back at your OP, and it appears you used nottingham ale yeast. Don't know if you planed it, but it's the only "ale" yeast I know of that had a chance in that cold of an environment. Think it's good to the low 50's per specs, but as your seeing it's pretty forgiving. Also it has a high attenuation, so I suppose the 1.005 is very possible.
As for the room, maybe invite the landlord over for a couple home brews to help butter him up. Sounds like it would be an ideal brew space with just a little bit of help/electricity.
 
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