I have bad news. You're going to die.
.....Then again, so is everybody. So, at least you'll have company.Denver city will give you a recycling can for by-weekly pickup. All you have to do is check the box off on the form.
I like this time at night on HBT
- Thread starter Dan
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
.....Then again, so is everybody. So, at least you'll have company.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
LG, your banana wine is fantastic! I've decided I need to experiment with some bananas now too. I also like the coffee wine, but it occurs to me that I prefer wine that is sweet like the banana is. For that reason I'm sipping on some of your coffee wine with a splash of crème de cocoa in it. It's almost like coffee liquor that way. I'm enjoying them both very much! Thanks again!
No problem. I was pretty pleased with the banana wine too. I've already got revisions for both recipes planned.
I backsweeten the coffee wine heavily before drinking. I just do that in the glass instead of the whole bottle.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
No problem. I was pretty pleased with the banana wine too. I've already got revisions for both recipes planned.
I backsweeten the coffee wine heavily before drinking. I just do that in the glass instead of the whole bottle.
What do you back sweeten with? Also, does the coffee wine have a lot of caffeine?
I keep a bottle of simple syrup around for sweetening drinks of all kinds. I would say the coffee wine has about as much caffeine as the same volume of coffee.
1 part water, 2 parts granulated sugar, a splash of lemon juice. Stir on medium heat until the sugar is all dissolved. For a gallon, you only need about 1 tsp of lemon juice. The acid helps the sucrose break into fructose and glucose, so the syrup doesn't crystallize in the bottle.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
Thunder_Chicken
Well-Known Member
Well, it finally happened...I broke my first hydrometer. I was going to rack my IPA and brew another batch tonight, but I really want a hydrometer if I brew. I'll pick one up on the way home tomorrow and try again Thursday. I'm glad it broke before I started the mash.
I was going to rack my IPA and brew another batch tonight, but I really want a hydrometer if I brew. I'll pick one up on the way home tomorrow and try again Thursday. I'm glad it broke before I started the mash.
Well, it finally happened...I broke my first hydrometer.
Isn't is 1500 posts when it becomes manditory to start using a refractometer? I can't remember all the rules. I only break hydrometers when I do not immediately put them back in the storage tube and in the drawer when I am done with them. If I leave them sitting out, even to dry, they are usually doomed.
I have a Droid Razr Maxx or something like that. It has a micro HDMI jack. I assume this is an output. If so, I should be able to plug this into a TV with HDMI input with the proper cable adapters and use the larger monitor for viewing streaming video right? We need some entertainment at deer camp and I am trying to set something up cheaply. I have a few small flat screen computer monitors. Can those be adapted to an HDMI input? I will start googling but I thought someone may have done something like this. I have never even used the HDMI jack on the phone.
Thunder_Chicken
Well-Known Member
Well, I was carrying my thermometer and hydrometer into the kitchen (both in their cases) when the end cap came off the hydrometer tube and the hydrometer flew out and smashed against the wall.
I'm usually very good about cleaning, drying, and restoring the hydrometer and thermometers to their cases when done.
Ah well, it gave me a good 10 months of service. I don't like the idea of a refractometer; a hydrometer is a direct measure of gravity and doesn't require any corrections or fiddling.
I only use the refractometer pre-ferment. It is great to take a quick reading at any point during the mash or boil and be reasonably close. If I need a dead on reading or any reading after fermentation has started I reach for the hydrometer. I don't think you would regret owning a refractometer or a Themapen for that matter.
Thunder_Chicken
Well-Known Member
I've heard good things about both, but I like low tech and I have careful calibrations of my cheapo thermometer and hydrometer so accuracy isn't an issue. I have other more pressing things to blow money on. I might buy myself a Fermwrap and a temperature controller so I can brew through the winter (and keep lacto nice and toasty all year for Berliner Weisse
). I'm looking at the costs and they aren't nearly as bad as I thought.
I've heard good things about both, but I like low tech and I have careful calibrations of my cheapo thermometer and hydrometer so accuracy isn't an issue. I have other more pressing things to blow money on. I might buy myself a Fermwrap and a temperature controller so I can brew through the winter (and keep lacto nice and toasty all year for Berliner Weisse
Temp control is priority one IMO. So I think you have your priorities straight:rockin:
I am not sure how you calibrated your themos. I had collected up about 7 when I got my themapen. They were all perfect at freezing and boiling but some differed by up to 10 degrees at mash temps in comparison with the certified themapen. That caused us a lot of problems so be careful.
Thunder_Chicken
Well-Known Member
Temp control is priority one IMO. So I think you have your priorities straight:rockin:
I am not sure how you calibrated your themos. I had collected up about 7 when I got my themapen. They were all perfect at freezing and boiling but some differed by up to 10 degrees at mash temps in comparison with the certified themapen. That caused us a lot of problems so be careful.
Freezing point and boiling point calibration, plus check against a NIST calibrated thermometer from school.
I figured you had some good resources. I wish I had a few years back.
Now, just get one of these, a project box and a few cheap extension cords and you have a universal heat/cool temp controller. I built two and one is out on loan probably never to be seen again.
Here is the link to the 120V Fahrenheit model:
http://www.dwyer-inst.com/Products/Product.cfm?Group_ID=622&sPageName=Ordering
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
So, I finally threw together my 5 gallon batch of peach wine with my homegrown peaches. Pitched Cotes des Blanc yesterday. It's fermenting along nicely. The entire back room smells like a cross between cider, sulfur, and rotten peach farts. That's normal right??
We have 20 gallons of apple wine bubbling in here. It stinks but the gravity sample tasted pretty good. The final product is at least six months away and hopefully worth the wait. I have enough apples for another 20 gallons
I wish I could grow peaches or even pears. It is snowing now so I have that over you.
Yes. It's the peaches, they are sort of nutrient deficient for your yeast. As long as you don't really overdo the sugar they will be fine. You might want to degass if it stays sulphury for more then about 3 days. Otherwise you can't always get the aroma out.
Don't wait 3 days if you feel the urge to degass. You could hurt yourself. It will likely be sulphury but it's natural. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Seriously though, my last batch of apple wine stunk terrible of sulfer even after several months especially racking onto campden. I never thought it would go away but it did and the wine was spectacular.
Well yeah, they would. You put sulfur in it.
Usually it works out fine, if you really spiked the ABV with something nutrient deficient like table sugar you need to be a little careful. Sometimes the sulfur will change chemical structures and you won't be able to remove it. That sometimes happens when your yeast get cannibalistic from a sever nutrient deficiency. Dropping an old sanitized copper penny or two in the fermenter doesn't hurt either. The Copper oxide reacts with some of the sulfur compounds. Causing them to fall out of the liquid.wikipedia said:
I do know that campden is a sulphur compound. I'm not stoopid man
I did not realize however that a penny still had any value. Does it have to be a penny or could I use a piece of copper tubing or maybe a copper elbow? I'm messin' with ya. The copper thing is new to me. My last batch took forever to clear. Maybe a penny or two would have helped?
OP
OP
I sure do want to give some advice, but friends, to me this is advanced brewing way beyond my scope.
Doesn't mean I won't hang out here
Cheers! You guys are amazing!
Doesn't mean I won't hang out here
Cheers! You guys are amazing!
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
I actually did use quite a bit of sugar in this. I did throw in about double the amount of yeast nutrient than recommended on the package. The sulfur is even stronger this morning. According to many wine recipes I've read recently a lot of them recommended stirring often, so I've been doing that. Every time I do stir I notice a lot of co2 de-gassing out. Will that be sufficient? Also, should I put a piece of copper in it?
EDIT: So, I decided to check gravity on it. Primarily so I could taste it. It's gone from 1.101 to 1.075 in 24 hours, so it's obviously still very sweet. It tastes pretty fantastic, though. The sulfur aroma is there, but no sulfur in the taste. I still decided to drop a little 1/2" piece of 3/8" copper tubing in for good measure. I hope I don't regret that. I noticed that when I stir the fruit bag down under the surface of the liquid it off-gasses. It's strange how it fizzes up almost like a huge 5 gallon cup of soda pop. Definitely a different experience as compared to fermenting beer...
EDIT: So, I decided to check gravity on it. Primarily so I could taste it. It's gone from 1.101 to 1.075 in 24 hours, so it's obviously still very sweet. It tastes pretty fantastic, though. The sulfur aroma is there, but no sulfur in the taste. I still decided to drop a little 1/2" piece of 3/8" copper tubing in for good measure. I hope I don't regret that. I noticed that when I stir the fruit bag down under the surface of the liquid it off-gasses. It's strange how it fizzes up almost like a huge 5 gallon cup of soda pop. Definitely a different experience as compared to fermenting beer...
Stauffbier, what is your avatar?
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
Thunder_Chicken
Well-Known Member
Got my new hydrometer today. I'm hoping the stars line up and I can brew tomorrow night. I have a lot to do tomorrow though, not sure if I'll have the energy, but we'll see.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
My hydrometer broke in the exact same way as yours. Now I always support the caps when I carry it in the tube as a result. So far, so good. Knock on wood!
Today I checked on a mini 1.5 gallon brown ale that I party-gyled out of a recent doppelbock grist. I ended up adding espresso grounds and lactose at flame-out on a whim. The coffee aroma is so strong I got a little worried, but the flavor isn't overwhelming with coffee. It actually reminds me of Coffee Bender from Surly. At any rate... When I opened it to check gravity today I found these brown/green loogies floating around in it. These strange floaties are a first for my experience. Fermentation aint pretty, but it's beautiful to me!
bottlebomber
Well-Known Member
It seems like pears will usually grow where apples thrive.. Hell, I've seen apples and pears growing from the same tree.lschiavo said:We have 20 gallons of apple wine bubbling in here. It stinks but the gravity sample tasted pretty good. The final product is at least six months away and hopefully worth the wait. I have enough apples for another 20 gallons
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a grafted tree that had a root base sprout wild shoots allowing both fruits to thrive on the same root system. I've seen that once or twice as well.. I once saw a fruit tree like this in bloom. One half of the tree had white flowers on it and the other half had red flowers. It was cool to see..
Probably not, very small amounts of copper oxide are a specific for sulfur compounds.I do know that campden is a sulphur compound. I'm not stoopid man
I'm messin' with ya. The copper thing is new to me. My last batch took forever to clear. Maybe a penny or two would have helped?
Your probably fine then. A fair amount of sulfury stuff will dissipate on it's own.
Anything copper that doesn't have a protective coating on it should work. Just don't use it if it's got that blue-green corrosion on it. That's a form of copper oxide that's actually toxic. It should just look kinda dull.
Some of the sulfur compounds in solution will bond with the copper oxide. The resulting compounds aren't water soluble like the originals. So they drop out of solution, and you can just rack off from over top of them.
I've thought of making a copper whisk out of some electrical wires for degassing so I could do both at the same time. I finally decided that it wasn't worth the effort.
EDIT: I had some rocket fuel cider go skunky, so I did some research. You have to use the copper before the sulfur compounds change composition. That takes about 3 days if they stay in the brew. Degassing regularly lets them turn into a gas and get carried away. Nutrients prevent yeast from going cannibalistic. Cannibalistic yeast produce huge amounts of sulfur compounds, and a number of other not so tasty things.
Generally, you are going to have enough gas exchange that the levels of the sulfur compounds produced by your fermentation can escape. It's really only if the yeast runs out of nutrients and starts releasing enzymes to dissolve dead yeast cells that the rate of production gets high enough that you are going to have a problem.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
It seems like at one time I read something about some breweries incorporating copper into their systems... IIRC it was a way to increase yeast health.
Does anybody have a rootbeer recipe they'd like to send me or link to? That keg of sugar free orange stuff just kicked, and I'm wanting something a little more sophisticated then sugar, root beer flavoring, and water.
I've got a bottle of sassafras tea concentrate. The wonderful rum vanilla extract. Some gentian root, thanks to a nice HBT member. Kola nut, and kola nut extract. A small bottle of palm sugar syrup.... That's all I can really think that might be nice in root beer right now.
Oh, and it's interesting to observe that 30 psi is perfect for sugary soda with a 20' 3/16" dispensing line. It is WAY to high for sugar free stuff though. That keg never did stop foaming really badly. The cream soda on the other hand, pours perfectly.
I've got a bottle of sassafras tea concentrate. The wonderful rum vanilla extract. Some gentian root, thanks to a nice HBT member. Kola nut, and kola nut extract. A small bottle of palm sugar syrup.... That's all I can really think that might be nice in root beer right now.
Oh, and it's interesting to observe that 30 psi is perfect for sugary soda with a 20' 3/16" dispensing line. It is WAY to high for sugar free stuff though. That keg never did stop foaming really badly. The cream soda on the other hand, pours perfectly.
It's interesting that these comments were made back to back.
I think the anti-fungal properties if copper aren't really present until you have levels of the copper compounds that are a lot higher then you'd get with a few pennies in your fermenter. Generally, I put in 2 pennies per gallon of the skunky brew.
Copper was often used for brewing vessels (especially boil kettles), which had benefits wrt sulphur but especially because of how well it conducts and distributes heat.
I just put a bit in my boil if I want it.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
I'm only going on memory, so don't quote me on this one.
As far as your rootbeer question... I know this probably isn't what your after, but I just add a 1/4-1/2tsp of rootbeer concentrate to a glass of vanilla cream soda. It tastes as good as any good rootbeer I've ever had. I got the concentrate at my grocery store where the extracts are..
Oh, I don't know. Using BB's cream soda as a basis for a root beer recipe doesn't seem like a bad idea.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
Oh, I don't know. Using BB's cream soda as a basis for a root beer recipe doesn't seem like a bad idea.
Yeah, I was telling my daughter how cool it is to have a keg full of vanilla cream and rootbeer all in one. BB's recipe is definitely good stuff! I mix it with all kinds of flavorings and liquors.
Here's a spitball recipe.
4.5 lbs sugar
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 lb lactose
1/4 cup vanilla extract
2 oz root beer concentrate
6 oz sassafras concentrate, it isn't that concentrated
Water
Sugar, lemon juice and a little water in a pan. Get a couple of quarts of water ready. Cook sugar in the pan until it starts caramelizing. Add the 2 quarts water. Fully dissolve sugar. Add lactose, fully dissolve. Add vanilla, root beer concentrate, and sassafras concentrate. Mix thoroughly. Add to keg. Add water to volume in the keg.
4.5 lbs sugar
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 lb lactose
1/4 cup vanilla extract
2 oz root beer concentrate
6 oz sassafras concentrate, it isn't that concentrated
Water
Sugar, lemon juice and a little water in a pan. Get a couple of quarts of water ready. Cook sugar in the pan until it starts caramelizing. Add the 2 quarts water. Fully dissolve sugar. Add lactose, fully dissolve. Add vanilla, root beer concentrate, and sassafras concentrate. Mix thoroughly. Add to keg. Add water to volume in the keg.
Similar threads
