Recent content by SouthBay

someone asked a few comments back about which chocolate was used. I can't recall what i started with, but i've tried it a few times now, and despite changing the chocolate (going away from fat free, etc), it still turns out consistent. I'm thinking it'd be neat to try with a chili-chocolate...

Hendricks gin is awesome, btw. Two slices of cucumber, some Hendricks, a tiny spritz if lime and some black pepper, shaken, then topped with a splash of tonic = excellence. Not so sure about cucumber beer. The peel sometimes is a harsh bitter flavor.

Some thoughts: 1, sugar washes can get nasty without something to provide some backbone. Hot isn't the right word. Off flavors will SHINE in a sugar only wash 2, sugar washes will need additives since there aren't any nutrients in it. I suggest trying with either brown sugar or some...

Of course not. But, if it turns out awesome, you have to let us know what you ended up changing!

I tried their 'Double Rainbow' and thought it was pretty good, but haven't seen the Insane with Grain yet. I brewed this up again today, using 4oz cocoa nibs and 2 oz dark chocolate, and used some BRY97 yeast. we'll see how it turns out.

I haven't rebrewed it yet, but have all the stuff to do another one for my next brew, probably in the next week or two. I don't know that i'd change much on it, truth be told, but have some extra cocoa nibs lying around. I'll likely up the chocolate a bit (4oz dark chocolate, 4 oz nibs) to see...

Many reds use a lot of crystal malts, though. Depending on how sweet you like it, you may be ok, especially if you mash lower. Never had the brews you mentioned, so I can't compare. Reds are deceptively hard to get right in my experience

You could probably add the rum too. Depending on the rum, itll give some rum flavor, but itll be faint. Spiced rum frequently has some orange in it anyways, but it usually gets buried behind copious amounts of vanilla

kind of. I find that two cups of grain is about .9 lbs or so, give or take. If I fill the cup up so its heaping, its about 1 lb. its not perfect, but it may get you through in a pinch.

Batch sparging is only slightly less efficient. In fact, i average 80-81% consistently with a single batch sparge AND a thin mash. I actually don't want it to be any more efficient. So, i wouldnt worry about efficiency as a number to start with. its more important to have a CONSISTENT...

I enjoy their wing sauces, but every time I go, my wallet keeps complaining to me about being raped.

I did an IIPA with Magnum to bitter, and a blend of Citra and Simcoe for all the late hopping and dry hops. It came out really fruity, but with some stank on it from the simcoe. I reallly recommend the combo of Citra and Simcoe if thats the flavor profile you're after.

Danstar has a new attenuative ale yeast that flocs quickly as well... Bry-97 ... That with some munich/vienna/pils, and maybe some c20 would make a solid alternative to a true okto

+1 on the esb malt. Marris otter is a great malt, but the pale ale malt isnt quite as flavorful, imo.

Magnum is about as smooth a bittering hop as you can get. So smooth, in fact, that I usually double up the size of the addition on big ipas compared with equivalent centennial or chinook