questions I can't explain...

here are some random brewing questions that I have which may be easy to answer.

1. I saw on a show called Brew Dogs that they fermented outside and on top of a building. Anyone catch that? My question is, how the hell did that happen? Doesn't this require a sealed environment in a sanitary vessel?

2. What exactly does Starsan do? I know it's a sanitizer, but does merely washing the utensils and then rinsing them/dunking them in starsan make them sanitary?

3. When carbonating in a corny keg, will the beer carbonate over time vs agitating the vessel?

4. When storing beer in a keg, how long can I keep it stored at room-type temps? how much co2 pressure should be in the keg if I'm storing the beer - is it different then carbonation pressure?

5. When fermenting (either primary or secondary) how long can I keep it in the carboy after attenuation is complete?

6. Someone once told me that they brewed wrong on purpose to see how the beer would turn out and they said it still turned out pretty good. Is beer really that forgiving?

7. If I get good at brewing extract, can I turn out as good a beer as an all-grain brewer?

8. When Kegging, can my keg get warm, then cold, then warm, then cold again and still be drinkable? I ask because of the freezing temps in Michigan, I've had to bring my keg in the house on a few occasions because it's so damn cold in the garage fridge... it even froze once...

9. When dry hopping, do you use the sack or just pour the hops in the carboy?

10. is there a disadvantage to force carbonation?

11. too many questions?

THanks in advance.. I appreciate the help, I learn something every time I brew and every time I get on this site...

 

I have no kegging experience so I'll skip those:

1. More control generally means better beer. Less control (open fermentation in open air generally means infected beer. But, that may be what you are going for (lambic).

2. Starsan is a citric acid sanitizer. Everything must be visibly clean for it to work. If it's not visibly clean, the bacteria has a place to hide.

5. A couple months in primary. Quite a long time in secondary. Hop aromas will dissipate with time.

6. I don't know what "brewing a beer wrong" means. There are a lot of things that can be screwed up and still result in good beer. Some won't result in good beer.

7. IMO, the main difference between extract and all grain is control. You can control everything with all grain. You can't control much with extract. The more control you have, the more likely you will get what you want. But there are also more ways to screw up.

9. Hops in a bag with marbles is a preferred method. If they aren't weighted, they will float and could impart less flavor / aroma.

 

I'll a crack at the ones I think I can answer:

1. No it doesn't check out this video from Sierra Nevada:


2. As previous poster stated, needs to be clean or it can't be sanitized

4. Storing warmer from what I have read/researched requires more PSI than storing cold

5. I think of that depends on style. An IPA you wouldn't want to leave it in there too long as taste will fade. But I have read ppl leaving it in the fermenter for months.

7. Personally I started with a few extract batches now AG. Processes are a bit different and require more equipment but once you get used to your equipment and process you can make damn good beer!

8. I have always heard warm/cold/warm is a myth but I have nothing to back that up

9. I dry hop loose in the secondary. I dump the hops in and rack on top of them, they will settle and I also cold crash to help them settle. I then use gelatin in the keg and/or secondary to help clear.

10. Not as long as you are careful and don't over-carb. I forced carbed my first 2 keg batches and they were a bit over carbed. I now try to carb in a 7-10 days unless I REALLY need it carbed quick.

11. Never, that's what's awesome about this forum! People are always willing to help!

 

It is a TV show, believe every thing you see on tv? open fermentation is possible but some of the stuff I see them do on Brew dogs defy sense

2 Star san is a super high acid mix, it kills bacteria that way

3 Depends on the method used, I force carbonate with a carbonation stone, set the pressure and come back in 30 minutes, next day change the top and start dispensing

4 depends on how you want it to taste. I store mine already carbonated and cold. as with any food item, it starts to break down with time and heat.

5 Sooner off the trub the better

6 brewed wrong? how did he do that?

7 All the skills you learn extract brewing transfer to all grain. Most guys learn extract first till they get the basics down pat then go all grain

8 temperature swings in beer are not recommended, get yourself a used freezer and make a temperature controlled storage area out of it

9 sack

10, no disadvantages, it makes a clearer beer because there is no yeast in it, and that makes a better tasting beer

11 no

 

1. How did the original brewers get their yeast hundreds of years ago? White Labs hasn't been around that long. When you open ferment you are hoping that you capture a wild yeast that will ferment your beer. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes you capture something like what we expect when we buy beer, sometimes the yeast will make a sour beer.

2. As mentioned above, starsan is an acid santizer. The acid breaks the bacteria's cell walls.

3. CO2 will dissolve in liquids. The amount that dissolves depends on pressure and temperature.

4. Years.

5. Months. If your equipment is sanitary you can go many months in primary. There is a slight chance of yeast autolysis that increases with time.

6. This is how new recipes are made, using different ingredients to make different beers. Sometimes they come out great, sometimes not so great but yes, beer recipes are quite forgiving.

7. Medals are won in competitions by extract brewers and all grain brewers. I can make great beers either way, but usually my beers are more like just OK. There is a lot more control possible with all grain but there are a lot of things that can go wrong too.

8. Once your beer is finished and in the keg, the temperature doesn't matter much except not too cold (frozen beer can crack a keg) and not super hot. If you are fairly comfortable, your beer will do fine too.

9. Yes. I prefer to let my hops go loose for more contact but then I have to filter them out when I get ready to bottle or keg.

10. You can over or under carbonate your beer when force carbonating. Neither is serious, just a minor inconvenience that can be adjusted easily, unlike bottles where once you cap them you have to accept the level of carbonation you get and deal with it.

11. NO, provided you learned something from asking the questions and aren't just yanking someone's chain.