Gainesville, FL

[elmetal]

Holy **** dude! That's terrible!


Get better!

 

[ArcaneXor]

I've had one of those before - irritating as hell. Get better soon!

 

[chefchris]

wow, you know, I remember you leaning on a chair and rubbing your eye. that sucks dude.

you sure it wasn't citrus juice in your eye?

 

[ghpeel]

Maybe it was a little Citra in my eye

Naw, I knew I f*cked it up when I walked into the moss hanging from that tree. No worries. No permanent damage and I've had the last 2 days off sick. woot!

Just pitched my cream ale. Had to use an ale pale for the fermentor cause I got stuff in my glass carboys. It was actually nice! Might start using them more now that I don't really feel the need to watch the fermentation anymore.

 

[elmetal]

why didn't you ferment in the cube?

 

[ghpeel]

I don't have a bung big enough to fit the opening on the vessel, so I just dumped it into an ale pail. If the shop has one of those big-ass 2-inch wide bungs, then I'll grab that and start fermenting in the cube.

 

[elmetal]

just unscrew the lid and ferment that way... I do just aluminum foil in my fridge (thanks chris for getting rid of my fear of no airlock)

it works fine

 

[chefchris]

yup, I use an tin foil during active fermentation. once that subsides I'll replace it with an airlock.

 

[Yambor44]

yup, I use an tin foil during active fermentation. once that subsides I'll replace it with an airlock.

Whats the point? Set the airlock on and forget it! :fro:

 

[elmetal]

some say the 2-3psi that the airlock creates inhibits cell reproduction..

I just use tinfoil cus airlocks dont fit in my fridge.

also try buying another lid for your cube. drill a hold and get a rubber bung at home depot and then you have your closed lid for cooling and drilled lid for airlock... just a thought

 

[elmetal]

I may have killed fermentation in the apa. I dropped it to 55f accidentally overnight... I hope it's ok

 

[ldgenius2000]

Eh 55 isn't enough to kill it, maybe slow it down or hibernate but once it's back up you should be fine.

 

[matt415]

felipe- where do you get that cheap distilled water from?

 

[elmetal]

it's still bubbling... and was at 55.. go us05! now they're both at 63

the water we used was RO, we got it from publix, the big machines at the entrance. it's 30 cents a gallon but you gotta add salts since it is theoretically stripped.

 

[ghpeel]

On my cream ale, I used about 4.5 gal of that $.30/gal RO water from publix, plus another 2 gal of "spring water". I figure that the spring water is pretty hard, so it will balance out the RO a bit. That water chemistry stuff is a little science-y for me. Ghetto brew is easier!

 

[elmetal]

to any of yall that don't have a kegerator

http://gainesville.craigslist.org/app/1574945917.html

120 bucks. ****ing great deal in my opinion (if it comes with co2 tank)

 

[Yambor44]

to any of yall that don't have a kegerator

http://gainesville.craigslist.org/app/1574945917.html

120 bucks. ****ing great deal in my opinion (if it comes with co2 tank)

Thanks! Going to check it out this afternoon.

 

[elmetal]

also if anyone is still lacking and wants a ferm fridge

http://gainesville.craigslist.org/hsh/1575182887.html

50 bucks

 

[ghpeel]

I can't tell, is it big enough for a 6 gal carboy? I guess you could take out the bottom pull-out drawer.

 

[elmetal]

I have 2 fridges around that size and I can fit my better bottle (6g) in both. I just had to bend the freezer out of the way, it sits on top of the drawer. there's a hump in the back so you can't leave it on the bottom without the drawer or the door won't close.

I would say arrange to meet him, bring the bottle, look at the freezer, if it looks like you can fit it by removing the drawer or bending it, get it.

also, look for the coolant coils running through the freezer (unlikely) but if they're there, bending becomes risky.

 

[Yambor44]

Snag! Cleaning her up right now. Thanks for the heads up elmetal! I stopped by HAW (Hoggetowne Ale Works) on my way out. Met the other Chris. Super nice guy and very helpful and passionate about homebrewing.






This is what it was housed in. I removed it for cleaning. Probably won't use it as it takes up a lot of space.


Big red on the right is a Coca Cola bottle. I'll probably run it over to the local distributor as its just the right thing to do (and I probably can't get it filled ).

 

[chefchris]

nice assist!

 

[elmetal]

Nice! You snatched that quick!!

 

[ArcaneXor]

My first brewday since November is underway: My 5-grain Koelsch attempt (down from the eight grains I had originally considered). My first every double-infusion mash went very well - hit the temps (143, 159) spot-on and the tun is filled to the rim. Now heating up my sparge water.

Anyone every notice how nasty mash water tastes after 5.2 and CaCO3 has been added?

 

[ghpeel]

Post that recipe if you get a chance.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Might want to wait to see how it turns out before trying to recreate this...

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 4.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.045 SG
Estimated Color: 5.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 26.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.00 lb Koelsch Malt (4.0 SRM) Grain 82.05 %
0.50 lb Munich I (Weyermann) (7.1 SRM) Grain 5.13 %
0.50 lb Vienna Malt (Weyermann) (3.0 SRM) Grain 5.13 %
0.50 lb Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (2.0 SRM) Grain 5.13 %
0.25 lb Carahell (Weyermann) (13.0 SRM) Grain 2.56 %
0.60 oz Magnum [13.00 %] (90 min) Hops 24.7 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh [3.00 %] (10 min)Hops 1.6 IBU
0.50 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 gm Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565) [Starter Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Double Infusion, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 9.75 lb
----------------------------
Double Infusion, Light Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
30 min First Rest Add 11.70 qt of water at 153.6 F 143.0 F
30 min Saccrification Add 4.88 qt of water at 206.1 F 159.0 F

 

[patrck17]

I made a Guinness clone today. First time I've done an all grain in a few months. I remember now what annoys me about my cooler infusion mash method... I never seem to manage to hit the right temperature, and my thermometers never seem to be right. I have 2 thermometers and 1 said the mash was 164 and the other said it was 145. I broke out a lab thermometer and it was on the low side so I trusted the low and topped off with a bit of boiling to get it in the 150 range, though depending on where you probe it would vary a bit. I don't know what it is with me and thermometers I've gone through at least 3-4 cause they don't seem to be accurate in the mash temp range. In the end the sample I took a gravity reading for was much higher than I expected, 1.060 +, but there was a lot of gunk floating around in the bottom I think keeping it afloat so it may actually be lower. I am not too worried about it else I would take another sample. It smells good and is really sweet so either way I expect some good beer in a few weeks.

One thing I was trying to do this week was whirlpool my brew kettle but this didn't really work well for me the way I've seen in some pictures. It just kinda stirred everthing into suspension, so I ended up leaving no wort in the kettle. Has anyone successfully done the whirlpool thing? I used to just dump into the fermentor from the kettle with a funnel but I wanted to try to do like others with the whirlpool and leave some of the gunk behind. Anyways good brew day hope the rest had fun too. Nice snag on the kegerator Yam.

 

[Yambor44]

Patrick,

I've NEVER had a successful whirlpool. I think for me, it's the thermometer probe getting in the way of me getting a good swirl going.

 

[ghpeel]

Whirlpooling never really worked for me either, but I don't have a lot of patience. I keep meaning to find a way to siphon off the trub in my No Chill vessel, but it got gunked up every time, so now I just pour it all put the last little bit of sediment into the carboy.

 

[patrck17]

K glad it isn't just me. This beer I actually went semi no chill route. I still havn't pitched yet it is in the fermentor now in the swamp style cooler I made. Basicly a large blue rubbermaid storage bin filled with water with the cooling unit from my old college fridge submerged. It went in about 100 degree's so I think I will wait till tomorrow morning to pitch. I havn't tried this no chill thing, nor have I really read much about it, but I figure whatever itle probably still taste good. Here in Florida even in the winter the immersion chiller technique isn't too fast and waste a lot of water, so I decided on doing it this way.

 

[Yambor44]

Patrick, look at Harbor frieght for a sump pump. They normally have them pretty cheap. Then you can pump water or Ice water like I do from a cooler thru your chller and back into the cooler. Saves a ton of water.

I have an ice machine and start with ice water and the pump in the cooler right out of the gate but you can start with your tap water first. I pump the water into the chiller and out (hot) to a keggle and catch 7-10 gallons for cleaning when I'm done. Then switch the outflow from the chiller to the cooler.

 

[ghpeel]

Damn! I pitched my cream ale from last weekend on Tuesday and it's already at 1.014. It actually tastes "creamy" lol. I guess its from the flaked corn? Slightly fruity too, which is weird, but I'm thinking that will drop out. Not even a hint of "corn" in the taste too, thank goodness. It's got pilsner but I did a 75 min boil. This beer tastes better in the sample that I would have thought.

 

[patrck17]

Bad ass Peel. My Cream Ale's always turn out pretty boring, though I've never used flaked corn, that may be the trick. Not to give off the wrong impression, I've made many cream ales and they are always good beer... just not too complicated.

 

[Pick]

Hi Guys! Mike from High Springs here. Just getting back into it after 6 years. Was at Hoggtowne on Saturday, picking up supplies.

 

[Yambor44]

Hi Guys! Mike from High Springs here. Just getting back into it after 6 years. Was at Hoggtowne on Saturday, picking up supplies.

Was that you I met there Mike? (I gave someone the website address). Either way, welcome back to the obsession and welcome to one of the best information sources out there!

 

[Houblon]

Hi Guys! Mike from High Springs here.

Greetings from near trenton/newberry

 

[Pick]

Houblon are you just east of Newberry? If so, may have been to a Christmas party a few years ago.

 

[Houblon]

Nope just west of Ma and Pa`s store.

 

[Pick]

I went to some folks place that was west of Newberry out in the woods. I think he worked for UF. Had 4 or 5 homebrews on tap.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Wow, I've never fermented this low. Koelsch is at 59 degrees and fermenting happily. The two-step starter (1-l on stirplate, then 2 l in gallon jug) really did its job!
I did undershoot my OG by five points, so I had to add the trub-laden whirlpool remnants to get it up to 1.044.
I really have a good feeling about this one!