It was December 3, but I think drop off deadline was in November. I had a 1st place American Stout, and a 3rd place Specialty IPA (NEIPA). I was worried about the NEIPA because it was super green and honestly not even fully carbed/conditioned in the keg. But I had to get it in.
Welcome! I'm downtown as well, Rosewood area. I've got essentially the same setup as you. I brew mostly hops and mixed ferm sours, with some stouts sprinkled in as well.
Kevin's reign is over! LOL. We had elections last month. Kevin is the new VP of Education. His wife, Wendy, is the new president.
Got an address and time? Im in Aiken and interested in attending.
Nice! I feel like we already know each other, but it will be good to put a face with the name.
That was a straight up Old Testament ass whoopin.
Must have been played at low tide!
I'm curious how you would do the fruit press. I assume you BIAB/MIAB? I'm just trying to figure out how you could incorporate the fruit press, over the kettle? But maybe I'm not thinking about it correctly. What about a bucket with a bunch of holes drilled, inside another bucket. Put the bag in the bucket with holes, then inside the other bucket, then press down? I'm just thinking out loud here...
Rounded out better than I had originally hoped. It finished out at 1.036 IIRC (10% ABV), which was a hair higher than I wanted. So I warmed it up, roused it, etc., but it was done. I threw it in a keg to bulk age, which is where it is now. But I'm about to rack it onto coffee and bourbon/oak. Well, actually I will probably only do about 3 gal on coffee/bourbon/oak and keep 2 gal clean.
That sounds pretty... Stout!
I've never done the cold brew method. Too much room for error and too much tasting, dosing, and math IMO. I "dry bean" mine by hanging ~4oz coarsely crushed beans in a keg and racking the beer into said keg. That way I can taste with a picnic tap as it progresses. But I've never gone longer than 48 hours on beans.
On the blonde stout I recently brewed that is how I added the coffee, whole beans. Mine were loose in the fermenter (along with 4oz of cocao nibs). Awesome coffee aroma and flavor.
But seriously, have you had one yet? I keep eye balling the singles in the store around the corner...you know, for R&D.
Looks awesome! That's basically what I was planning to build until I found a perfect smaller chest freezer. Have you run some temp tests on it yet to see how cold you can get it and how well it maintains? Any insulation in the lid or on the floor? That would be my only questions. Great job though!
