Homebrew Experiments and Test Batches

[slim chillingsworth]

I dove into brewing pretty hard in January when I finally moved into a house with the space for an all grain setup. I've managed in four months to acquire a 10 gallon all grain system, a four tap kegerator, and a conditioning fridge. I finally feel like I have the potential to control every element of the brewing process.

At this point, though, I am aware that diving in was a good start, but now I need to take a step back and work slowly to do everything I can to improve my brewing. I want to experiment with different techniques and ingredients. Basic, boring brewing projects that will teach me a lot.

I'm going on a short brewing hiatus (well, not entirely) while saving money for a trip through the west coast, but when I get back in September I will be doing a series of test batches. So far I plan to do the following:

-Split a 4 gallon batch among 4 jugs and ferment with different yeasts
-Split a mash between my BK and HLT and do side-by-side boils with different hop schedules
-A couple of single malt, low hop, clean yeast batches with different base malts

I really would like some other ideas for experiments. Or, if you have experiences of your own you'd like to share, please do. I would specifically like a good sparge technique experiment, and anything else to help learn more about the effects of different ingredients.

Thanks for any help.

 

[nl724]

I would personally try using a basic pale ale grain bill (like maybe 7# 2 row) and a medium hopping schedule and just add one specialty grain. With each new batch change the specialty grain and that way you can tell how one grain in one given quantity will affect the flavor of the beer. This would take a long time, but the rewards would be endless. Keep everything constant except the specialty grain. Water, yeast, hops, quantity...I hope you like to drink A LOT of beer

 

[broadbill]

I agree with nl724: Go with a basic pale ale recipe, keep the base malt the same and change up the the specialty malt types and amounts. You can do the same with hops. On top of learning about different grains and their effect on the beer, you'll work our your "house beer" recipe that is your and only yours!

If you want to learn more about the technical issues with brewing, I would suggest writing up an depth procedure of your brew day and post it here for feedback. FWIW, most experiments you could envision playing with technique probably has already been done by someone around here. Alot of time, I think we (the collective homebrewing community) tends make the brewing process more complicated than it really needs to be since that is the fun of it! Making it better or more efficient, sometimes a second set of eyes is all that is needed.

Also, check out some style books (Ray Daniels' book for example) to see out different grains lead to different styles.

 

[slim chillingsworth]

I like the idea of just changing out specialty grains. I want to play around with base grains as well.

I will definitely write up a detailed post about my brew-day techniques for critique/advice, good call.

 

[slim chillingsworth]

So here's a basic, general write up of a brew session.

Equipment:
HLT: Keggle on a Bayou SQ14 Burner
MLT: Coleman Extreme 70 qt cooler with copper manifold
BK: Keggle on Bayou SQ14 Burner

I begin by bringing about 5 gallons of water up to around 160 in my brew kettle for preheating my mash tun. While this heats I fill my HLT with 8 gallons of water (tends to be my standard for 5 gallon recipes) and treat it with the following:

3 tsp 10% phosphoric acid (Austin water is very alkaline)
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp gypsum
1/4 tsp epsom salt

(salt additions are based on my own calculation from a water report in comparison to the desired composition of brewing water in a couple of different resources)

Once the mash tun is filled with it's pre-heat water, I begin raising the temperature in my HLT (only one propane tank at the moment). I bring it up to a couple of degrees above my desired dough-in temperature (usually around 170). I then drain the water from my MLT into a bucket that I later add PBW to for cleaning. I fill my MLT up with my desired amount of water and let it settle to the temperature where it should be upon adding grains. I add my pre-crushed grains (AHS crush, no mill yet) and stir until everything is well mixed, at which point I take a pH strip reading (been ending up a little low, and I will be adjusting my phosphoric acid addition next time). I throw a temperature probe in and close the top once it settles to the temp I want. I usually hit my mash temp within a degree or two.

After about 40 minutes I begin heating my sparge water to about 170, and when it's there and an hour of mashing has passed, I add the recommended amount (calculated through Beersmith) of water for my first batch sparge and let it settle for 5 minutes. I recirculate until the wort runs clear, and then drain the tun. Then I add my second amount of sparge water, mix, and after letting it settle for 5 minutes I drain it again until I collect my desired pre-boil volume. (If I'm FWH-ing I will obviously have collected this wort onto my first hop addition).

I take a pre-boil gravity reading and bring the wort up to a full rolling boil. I then begin a 60 minute timer and follow my hop and other ingredient additions. Once an hour has passed, I cool with a 50' copper immersion chiller to under 80 degrees, drain into a Better Bottle fermenter and aerate by shaking. I will then add my yeast, which is generally a starter that has been sitting on a stir-plate for at least 24 hours. I transfer the carboy to my fermenting fridge (usually at 65) and wait about a week to take a hydrometer reading. Depending on the style and what I intend on doing with it, I will transfer to secondary, keg it, or just leave it alone to condition once I get a steady hydrometer reading over 3 days.

So far I've had fairly good luck, especially since adding the fermentation fridge. It has undoubtedly made the biggest difference of any of my upgrades.

Feedback?

 

[slim chillingsworth]

Bumping this because I typed all of that up at the suggestion of another user.

 

[malkore]

BYO had an issue on mini-batches, I think it was July or August of 2007. They were actually just doing 1 gallon batches, rather than a 'base' 4 gallon batch that they then split up.

 

[slim chillingsworth]

I'll look into that issues. Seems like it would be kind of a waste of time, though.

 

[malkore]

I'll look into that issues. Seems like it would be kind of a waste of time, though.

the focus of the article is experimental brewing, so you don't end up with 2 cases of nasty beer, or beer you simply do not like.

And its sacrilege to say any sort of brewing is a waste of time!

 

[Haterade]

I love small batches. I like variety and would probably get sick of 2 cases of the same beer unless it was absolutely awesome and to be quite honest, none of my beers have really been THAT good.

Wal-Mart sells 2gallon water containers with notched tops for like 6.97$ apiece. I've got quite a few of them and use them to split batches, especially when I'm playing with different yeasts which I happen to be on a big kick with right now. You can fill them to 1.75 gal each, pitch a different yeast or dry hop differently, and since they have a notched top, they will ferment just fine without an airlock. Of course, aggressive brews will blow them up so I wouldn't put a hefe in one for instance.

If you're a big fan of variety, small batches are the way to go. Not the most cost or time effective, but good for some.

 

[slim chillingsworth]

And its sacrilege to say any sort of brewing is a waste of time!

of course i mean that only in the way that you can make a lot more in the same time and do split batch experiments. unless of course the experiments are in the mash tun.