I like this time at night on HBT

[bottlebomber]

How're you liking your 10 inches of snow Airborne?

 

[Varmintman]

Well I am feeling lazy today. I should rack my beer to open a fermenter up and reset my corona for beer instead of bread flour. By the way do not ever think you can mill 4 pounds of wheat by hand on a corona mill. Just trust me it is better to use a regular flour mill.

I should brew as well today using my new no sparge mash tun but all I can do is sit here drinking coffee

 

[Airborneguy]

How're you liking your 10 inches of snow Airborne?

Not even close here. I'd say 6 at the most, and that's pushing it. I finished 2 of my cars in about 20 minutes and did my driveway in like 5. Joke!

 

[BobbiLynn]

Well I am feeling lazy today. I should rack my beer to open a fermenter up and reset my corona for beer instead of bread flour. By the way do not ever think you can mill 4 pounds of wheat by hand on a corona mill. Just trust me it is better to use a regular flour mill.

I should brew as well today using my new no sparge mash tun but all I can do is sit here drinking coffee

I'm getting ready to rack now. I like the plastic fermenter buckets but do not like not being able to see inside. I go by appearance, taste to know when to bottle since I don't do readings, with the buckets I'm at a loss. Plus get one freed up for when my new supplies arrive. Getting my brew area outside cleaned up too. Nice relaxing day.

 

[Varmintman]

I'm getting ready to rack now. I like the plastic fermenter buckets but do not like not being able to see inside. I go by appearance, taste to know when to bottle since I don't do readings, with the buckets I'm at a loss. Plus get one freed up for when my new supplies arrive. Getting my brew area outside cleaned up too. Nice relaxing day.

I got a empty fermenter now and I am going to brew tonight. I must be a simple man because I am so excited to do a no sparge brew. All that work getting the sparge water ready really took time away from drinking while brewing. Heck I figure I can get 2 more beers down just by not sparging:rockin:

 

[barneygumble]

This is some interesting reading. I work a second/third shift swing. So I am up late. Alot. I try not to let my job keep me up, but after work....

Anyway, haven't posted much since spring on these forums. I take summers off the e-world and go play on my lake, brew little and go play on my lake, and start brewing again late Aug/Labor Day. Plus I hosted the second marraige in 9 months for two daughters in July, so I was kinda busy. Then some shtuff hit the fan this fall. Finally having time again.

This thread is going to be so much fun to post in, as I slip into alcohol induced unconciousness.

 

[BobbiLynn]

I got a empty fermenter now and I am going to brew tonight. I must be a simple man because I am so excited to do a no sparge brew. All that work getting the sparge water ready really took time away from drinking while brewing. Heck I figure I can get 2 more beers down just by not sparging:rockin:

I got an empty now too but have to wait til Tuesday for more supplies. That saddens me. Not sure why sparge water is so much work? Just to heat the water to temp? Fill up the pan, put it on the other burner. Then all I do is put the big strainer over the pot with the grain bag in it, pour the hot water evenly over it with a glass measuring device. Am I doing it wrong?

 

[Varmintman]

I got an empty now too but have to wait til Tuesday for more supplies. That saddens me. Not sure why sparge water is so much work? Just to heat the water to temp? Fill up the pan, put it on the other burner. Then all I do is put the big strainer over the pot with the grain bag in it, pour the hot water evenly over it with a glass measuring device. Am I doing it wrong?

Nope you are doing it right. I just like the idea of putting all the water in at once letting it sit then opening the valve and letting it rip. Going to be easy peasy for me

 

[BobbiLynn]

Nope you are doing it right. I just like the idea of putting all the water in at once letting it sit then opening the valve and letting it rip. Going to be easy peasy for me

I guess short-cuts/time savers are cumulative. Keep cutting back on time for brew day/bottling day/racking day, etc. Over time with all the tricks you learn, cut back on time quite a bit. But I would have to drink really fast/chug to down 2 in the time it takes to sparge.

 

[GunnyB]

I got a empty fermenter now and I am going to brew tonight. I must be a simple man because I am so excited to do a no sparge brew. All that work getting the sparge water ready really took time away from drinking while brewing. Heck I figure I can get 2 more beers down just by not sparging:rockin:

I've read about the No Sparge method. What kind of efficiency does it give you? If there's a loss, do you make adjustments to the grain bill? Jus wonderin

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Got some PacMan, some 1272 and some 1084 spinning out. I'll have a few trillion cells here by the end of next week. Had a casualty today though. My brewbuddy broke one of my better starter jugs. A spider landed on him in the basement and he dropped a jug full of iodophor solution. Made a hell of a mess. I had a back up but the bottom is shaped different. Makes a lot of noise on the stir plate. When it gets warm I'll have to hit up the fruit stand and get a couple more. I swear, he breaks something about every time he comes over.

 

[Varmintman]

I've read about the No Sparge method. What kind of efficiency does it give you? If there's a loss, do you make adjustments to the grain bill? Jus wonderin

I read just today it depends on your grain bill. Batches over 1.040 efficiency starts to drop pretty bad. I have not done it yet but I am going to tonight

 

[Airborneguy]

I came really close to brewing a small batch tonight, but I decided to do it tomorrow instead. I haven't brewed in a LOOOONG time and I really can't wait to get going again, but I'm just too shot tonight.

 

[Varmintman]

Oh man I bet I get pretty good efficiency tonight. I set up my corona after grinding wheat into flour for bread with it and ended up with a LOT of flour. I ran a test run and things looked perfect so I hooked up the drill and ended up with a pretty fine grind.

Tossed a ton of rice hulls and hoping that the braid works as good as everyone says

 

[TNGabe]

Oh man I bet I get pretty good efficiency tonight. I set up my corona after grinding wheat into flour for bread with it and ended up with a LOT of flour. I ran a test run and things looked perfect so I hooked up the drill and ended up with a pretty fine grind.

Tossed a ton of rice hulls and hoping that the braid works as good as everyone says

Are you wet milling or conditioning or whatever you want to call it? I use a corona mill and don't need rice hulls with 50% wheat grist bills.

 

[Varmintman]

Are you wet milling or conditioning or whatever you want to call it? I use a corona mill and don't need rice hulls with 50% wheat grist bills.

Well my corona has stones not the steel plates. It is very old I have to say

This is my first brew with this tun and my first brew with a braid instead of a manifold. Lots of firsts so I figured I would toss a bunch of rice hulls in just in case

 

[Cygnus_X1]

On the subject of brewing plans...I was going to bottle and brew tonight until this little disaster occurred:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/fl...ment-autosiphon-25774/index3.html#post4885731

Couldn't just hold back and wait, the LBHS doesn't open until Tuesday, and it would be Tuesday night until I could get an autosiphon, bottle, and free up the fermenter.

So they are bottled, but with too much air.
And brew day will be tomorrow.
Sticking with "kits" until I get the process down.
Then I can graduate to grain brewing and such.

 

[Varmintman]

On the subject of brewing plans...I was going to bottle and brew tonight until this little disaster occurred:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/fl...ment-autosiphon-25774/index3.html#post4885731

Couldn't just hold back and wait, the LBHS doesn't open until Tuesday, and it would be Tuesday night until I could get an autosiphon, bottle, and free up the fermenter.

So they are bottled, but with too much air.
And brew day will be tomorrow.
Sticking with "kits" until I get the process down.
Then I can graduate to grain brewing and such.

You know I have never used a auto siphon. I just siphon using a racking cane into my bottling bucket and use a valve on the bottling bucket. And I use the term bottling bucket rather loosely since it is a 10 gallon walmart tote I put a valve on.

Simplicity rocks for me in the end

 

[Cygnus_X1]

Well, I just couldn't get a siphon going with the racking cane.
It would start, then air in the tubing, and then stop.

Most assuredly I am doing it wrong, but don't know what!

 

[Varmintman]

Well, I just couldn't get a siphon going with the racking cane.
It would start, then air in the tubing, and then stop.

Most assuredly I am doing it wrong, but don't know what!

I used to have that problem as well. I got one of the better bottle tops that you blow into to start the siphon. I raise the siphon hose above the level in the better jar and start blowing and lowering ant the same time keeping all air out of the line.

Works great for me and has stopped a ton of headaches

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Well, I just couldn't get a siphon going with the racking cane.
It would start, then air in the tubing, and then stop.

Most assuredly I am doing it wrong, but don't know what!

Do you have a tubing clamp or are you pinching the hose? Pinching can be hit or miss. Also, you have the little "foot" that goes over the end of cane right?

 

[Varmintman]

Man not having anything to do during the mash is boring. I did the dishes and then cleaned a bunch of bottles and still have 15 minutes left.

I missed my mash temp by 2 degrees low so I pulled 8 cups of wort and boiled it and then dumped it back in again. That got me to the perfect mash temp so I closed it up and walked away. Next thing I do is dump it in the boil pot and off to the rodeo

 

[Dan]

Starting my first batch of cheddar cheese tonight. Feels just like the first time I brewed. Did a lot of reading and know what to do. But what seems like magic once your good at it is frustrating and exciting when you first start out. So much to learn. Temp control and sanitation are just as important making cheese as beer. I found out during this StarSan is used at dairies. This process has much similarity to making homebrew. Loving it. Got to go; my curds and whey are waiting.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Man not having anything to do during the mash is boring. I did the dishes and then cleaned a bunch of bottles and still have 15 minutes left.

I missed my mash temp by 2 degrees low so I pulled 8 cups of wort and boiled it and then dumped it back in again. That got me to the perfect mash temp so I closed it up and walked away. Next thing I do is dump it in the boil pot and off to the rodeo

I've had to do a decoction myself once in a while. Kind of sucks when it's spur of the moment.

 

[Leadgolem]

Starting my first batch of cheddar cheese tonight. Feels just like the first time I brewed. Did a lot of reading and know what to do. But what seems like magic once your good at it is frustrating and exciting when you first start out. So much to learn. Temp control and sanitation are just as important making cheese as beer. I found out during this StarSan is used at dairies. This process has much similarity to making homebrew. Loving it. Got to go; my curds and whey are waiting.

Do tell? I'd like to hear how things go with your cheddar.

 

[Leadgolem]

My citric acid should be here on Monday.

 

[Dan]

Do tell? I'd like to hear how things go with your cheddar.

Thanks! I'm going to post some pics along the way. Nothing in depth because I am an extreme newbie with cheese making and there are many people here who could explain it better.

Details aside, the following pic is the result of two gallons of grocery store Whole Milk 2 hours into the process. This will yield two pounds of cheddar. Most of those hours as the rest of the even longer process will be waiting. Very similar to beer.

Doesnt look like much other than orange tinted cottage cheese at this point. In a few more hours I'll start pressing the moisture out of it. That will take 36 hous or so. I'll post a pic when it goes into the cheese press.

Timer just went off. Time for the next step. Which I forget exactly what it is.. need to scan the recipe quickly.

 

[BobbiLynn]

Now I am looking up how to make cheese. Looks like it can be made from soy milk. Lactose intolerance sucks.

Cygnus, if you get air bubbles in your bottles, just wait for them to die down before capping. I'm sure it will be fine.

That song was so.... cheesy.

 

[BobbiLynn]

Doesnt look like much other than orange tinted cottage cheese at this point. In a few more hours I'll start pressing the moisture out of it. That will take 36 hous or so. I'll post a pic when it goes into the cheese press.

Timer just went off. Time for the next step. Which I forget exactly what it is.. need to scan the recipe quickly.

Would love to see more of the process too. What made the milk turn orange?

 

[Leadgolem]

Food coloring me thinks. Maybe annatto.