More to it than I thought.

[Altrez]

I suggest getting past the MrBeer kits ASAP. They are generally considered toys. You could get some drinkable, maybe even decent beer, but you should get much better results with the NB kits. I started with their 5 gallon extract kits. The second one was the Patersbier kit and I rate it in the top 20 of my 85+ batches.

I agree with you. For now I just really want to enjoy experimenting with the Mr. Beer kits for a few months. I like them and the are easy. The LBK's can also be used for other kits.

SWMBO watches this show I think it is called cut throat kitchen were they have all these crazy things you can make your opponent use to cook with.

I want to be the guy who wins the NHC with the dollar store Mr Beer light kit



-Altrez

 

[PADave]

For extract brews?

No, AG. I just don't like cleaning things in general. Always have to grin and bear it to get er done.

 

[PADave]

I suggest getting past the MrBeer kits ASAP. They are generally considered toys. You could get some drinkable, maybe even decent beer, but you should get much better results with the NB kits. I started with their 5 gallon extract kits. The second one was the Patersbier kit and I rate it in the top 20 of my 85+ batches.

+1 on this. And if you want to do 2 gallons, just buy 2 of the NB kits and brew at the same time. I'm sure you'll get much better results. Just looked at what a Mr. Beer kit consists of, not much, mixing kool-aid. At least get something with some steeping grains and hop pellets.

 

[Altrez]

+1 on this. And if you want to do 2 gallons, just buy 2 of the NB kits and brew at the same time. I'm sure you'll get much better results. Just looked at what a Mr. Beer kit consists of, not much, mixing kool-aid. At least get something with some steeping grains and hop pellets.

I have 3 NB kits I am going to brew soon. I do want to try this Mr. Beer kit as well.

http://www.mrbeer.com/refills/recipes/partial-mash-recipes/sticky-wicket-oatmeal-stout-partial-mash

-Altrez

 

[MaryB]

I fill the fermenter or secondary(I have started skipping the secondary and ferment in a bottling bucket) with hot tap water, add PBW and let it soak until it cools down form the 140 my tap water is at. Scrub with a paper towel so no scratches, run the valve multiple times wile it is hot and pour it back in to clean that. When cooled I dump it and rinse and set upside down to dry.

No, AG. I just don't like cleaning things in general. Always have to grin and bear it to get er done.

 

[Altrez]

Hello All,

Well I have 2 batches fermenting right now. I just opened the door to check on last night's batch and it is doing great.

When I open the door a sweet bread like smell hits me from all the venting.

The OG for both was around 1.042 however I do not know what FG should be.

-Altrez

 

[freisste]

The OG for both was around 1.042 however I do not know what FG should be.

-Altrez

Pretty good rule of thumb is 75% attenuation. So you will drop 3/4 of the points above 1.000. In the case of a 1.042 OG, 1.010-1.011 is likely.

Another quick math rule of thumb I have is that since the correction factor after all the ABV math plays out is 131 (and 131*0.75 is about 1), your gravity points should roughly give final ABV. So a beer with OG of 1.042 will be roughly 4.2%.

Note the above ONLY works for "normal" beers. Adding or specifically mashing to achieve unfermentable sugar (lactose in a stout, for example) will throw this out. Same with abnormally attenuating yeasts like Belgians. The yeast in a 1.080 OG Belgian won't stop at 1.020, rather more like 1.008 resulting in more than 8%ABV.

I'm sciency enough at work. I treat beer more like art and don't worry about every detail when planning (though I do generally measure accurately and use real numbers, this just helps me talk to people about beer quickly and generally instead of going to the Internet for attenuation values and getting my calculator). I'm guessing ballpark numbers won't work well for you, considering the rest of this thread.

 

[Altrez]

Pretty good rule of thumb is 75% attenuation. So you will drop 3/4 of the points above 1.000. In the case of a 1.042 OG, 1.010-1.011 is likely.

Another quick math rule of thumb I have is that since the correction factor after all the ABV math plays out is 131 (and 131*0.75 is about 1), your gravity points should roughly give final ABV. So a beer with OG of 1.042 will be roughly 4.2%.

Note the above ONLY works for "normal" beers. Adding or specifically mashing to achieve unfermentable sugar (lactose in a stout, for example) will throw this out. Same with abnormally attenuating yeasts like Belgians. The yeast in a 1.080 OG Belgian won't stop at 1.020, rather more like 1.008 resulting in more than 8%ABV.

I'm sciency enough at work. I treat beer more like art and don't worry about every detail when planning (though I do generally measure accurately and use real numbers, this just helps me talk to people about beer quickly and generally instead of going to the Internet for attenuation values and getting my calculator). I'm guessing ballpark numbers won't work well for you, considering the rest of this thread.

Thank you for taking the time to post! That was very helpful. Ballpark numbers are fine for now.



-Altrez

 

[Altrez]

Hello Everyone,

I am starting to think ahead about my brewing water and how important it is in the long run. I like the idea of an RO system but I also like the idea of using distilled water. At some point I want to start building my perfect water profile for each brew.

You can add salts to each type of water to make the right type of water for each beer. I have all the equipment to test PH, PPM etc. I am looking at going the distilled route for a few different reasons. One is a friend of mine will buy 5 gallons of distilled water from me a few times a week instead of the super market. Not much money I know but there is a return there.

It also eliminates the cost of buying water at the store and having to haul it back home. So in the long run that should help offset the cost.

Theses are the three products I am looking at:

http://www.durastillwatersystems.co...fill-water-distiller-with-4-5-gallon-reserve/

or this one:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ANW7HQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

or this one:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N0U4S5U/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


The first one is overkill I know however I like the fact it can churn out 8 gallons a day.

Any feedback would be great.

Thanks!

-Altrez

 

[McKnuckle]

I have the inexpensive one that's the third link you posted. I brew mostly small batches, 2-3 gallons, with a very occasional 5 gallon batch. I enjoy using this small distiller and it reduces my well water to an excellent base for brewing. The crap left behind is... astonishing.

I keep a 5 gallon water cooler jug and numerous 1 gallon plastic jugs around, and I usually will run the distiller til they're all full. I use the water for brewing, but also in the room humidifier that I keep with my guitars.

I think others will tell you it's inconvenient, but at the scale I brew, I am happy with the simplicity of this product. No hookups, no filters, just a coffee machine-like gadget that gives me a gallon at a time.

 

[Altrez]

I have the inexpensive one that's the third link you posted. I brew mostly small batches, 2-3 gallons, with a very occasional 5 gallon batch. I enjoy using this small distiller and it reduces my well water to an excellent base for brewing. The crap left behind is... astonishing.

I keep a 5 gallon water cooler jug and numerous 1 gallon plastic jugs around, and I usually will run the distiller til they're all full. I use the water for brewing, but also in the room humidifier that I keep with my guitars.

I think others will tell you it's inconvenient, but at the scale I brew, I am happy with the simplicity of this product. No hookups, no filters, just a coffee machine-like gadget that gives me a gallon at a time.

Hello McKnuckle,

Thank you for the post. I have been reading reviews about the unit you have. Did you notice a strong plastic smell / taste when you first started using it?

Do you think it will last awhile or does it seem cheaply made?

Thanks!

-Altrez

 

[chickypad]

Altrez sorry if I missed it (this thread is getting long!) but did you say what your water source is or if you've gotten a water report? Just wondering if you know for sure that you need the RO system or distiller. Worth finding out if you don't know, you might get lucky like those in my area and find your tap water is pretty much like RO.

 

[55x11]

Altrez, I think you need to invest in a whole-grain setup and some nice 6G fermentors (I recommend better bottle - plastic PET is safe, but glass has some advantages too). Mr. Beer fermenters are horrible - they don't seal well, you can't see the beer well, no easy way to monitor fermentation process, etc.

Our of curiosity, how much $ have you spent on equipment thus far?

(I am doing the same calculation for myself - I started with $30 kit, scaled up to maybe $300-400 in purchases in my first year, but kegging and bar setup and scaling up to 10+ kegs and 8 taps made me spent another $2,000 or a bit more.)
But I also brewed 200+ gallons of beer over a little over a year, and I keep brewing at 10-20 Gallon rate per month.

 

[PADave]

The first one is overkill I know however I like the fact it can churn out 8 gallons a day.

Any feedback would be great.

Thanks!

-Altrez

Go big or go home man. You'll need that extra capacity once you start doing those 10 gallon batches. :rockin:

 

[Altrez]

Off Topic:

Guinness Nitro IPA is some of the worst beer I have ever had. I powered down the six pack but damnnnn it is terrible.



-Altrez

 

[Altrez]

Altrez sorry if I missed it (this thread is getting long!) but did you say what your water source is or if you've gotten a water report? Just wondering if you know for sure that you need the RO system or distiller. Worth finding out if you don't know, you might get lucky like those in my area and find your tap water is pretty much like RO.

We get our water from the sub division and they get it from the city. It's not bad however I do not think it tastes good. I would like to start with a source that I make and build on that.

I have not got a water profile yet.

-Altrez

 

[Altrez]

Altrez, I think you need to invest in a whole-grain setup and some nice 6G fermentors (I recommend better bottle - plastic PET is safe, but glass has some advantages too). Mr. Beer fermenters are horrible - they don't seal well, you can't see the beer well, no easy way to monitor fermentation process, etc.

Our of curiosity, how much $ have you spent on equipment thus far?

(I am doing the same calculation for myself - I started with $30 kit, scaled up to maybe $300-400 in purchases in my first year, but kegging and bar setup and scaling up to 10+ kegs and 8 taps made me spent another $2,000 or a bit more.)
But I also brewed 200+ gallons of beer over a little over a year, and I keep brewing at 10-20 Gallon rate per month.

Hi 55x11,

It is hard to say how much money I have spent for brewing as everything I have bought I can use with other things. I have spent around 2 grand after I got my first $20 kit.

Everything I have purchased is being used for beer brewing atm.

I am planing on buying this fermenter after I reach my 100 gallon goal.

http://www.ssbrewtech.com/collectio.../chronical-7-gal-fermenter-brewmaster-edition

-Altrez

 

[55x11]

Hi 55x11,

It is hard to say how much money I have spent for brewing as everything I have bought I can use with other things. I have spent around 2 grand after I got my first $20 kit.

Everything I have purchased is being used for beer brewing atm.

I am planing on buying this fermenter after I reach my 100 gallon goal.

http://www.ssbrewtech.com/collectio.../chronical-7-gal-fermenter-brewmaster-edition

-Altrez

7 gallons only? pfff....

As long as you are bypassing $30 glass or PET fermenters, I would think you should go for something like this instead:

http://www.psychobrewllc.com/tanks/fermenters/10-bbl-jacketed-fermenter.html

Go big or go home.

 

[Altrez]

7 gallons only? pfff....

As long as you are bypassing $30 glass or PET fermenters, I would think you should go for something like this instead:

http://www.psychobrewllc.com/tanks/fermenters/10-bbl-jacketed-fermenter.html

Go big or go home.

I can't drink 10BBLs of beer a week that would be a waste Perhaps this one http://www.psychobrewllc.com/tanks/fermenters/2-5-bbl-dimple-jacketed-fermenter.html

-Altez

 

[McKnuckle]

About the distiller... It had a slight off odor for the first gallon or so, then that disappeared and the product is clean since then. I estimate that I've distilled about 50 gallons so far. It's good to drink also.

A bit hard to tell though, since the deposits left from the well water are foul smelling. So I can't be sure it was ever the distiller itself.

Is it a quality unit? I figure if it gets through 100 gallons it has paid for itself and proven the concept to me.

 

[Altrez]

After a bit more googling I think this fermenter looks pretty good at 20 gallons and I can make a nice Fermentation Chamber for it as well.

http://conical-fermenter.com/20-Gallon-Conical-Fermenter-with-Thermowell-and-Thermometer.html

Anyone use theses?

-Altrez

 

[Jwin]

After a bit more googling I think this fermenter looks pretty good at 20 gallons and I can make a nice Fermentation Chamber for it as well.

http://conical-fermenter.com/20-Gallon-Conical-Fermenter-with-Thermowell-and-Thermometer.html

Anyone use theses?

-Altrez

I never understood ss conicals on the home brewing level
It's 90% bling. 10% function
Speidel fermenters will serve just as well and u can put two of the square 15g ones in a stand up freezer for 1/3 of the price
I push my beer out of mine with co2 and everything.

 

[Altrez]

I never understood ss conicals on the home brewing level
It's 90% bling. 10% function
Speidel fermenters will serve just as well and u can put two of the square 15g ones in a stand up freezer for 1/3 of the price
I push my beer out of mine with co2 and everything.

Hello Jwin,

Could you please post some more information about the fermenters and co2 hookup?

Thank you!

-Altrez

 

[Altrez]

Update:

A few things I have noticed is that when I open the Fermentation chamber there is a very strong smell of sweet yest. Also the temperature is harder to control with the LBK's in full beer making mode.

I checked with my fluke IR meter and even the walls of the fridge have gone up a degree.

Interesting.

-Altrez

 

[PADave]

Update:

A few things I have noticed is that when I open the Fermentation chamber there is a very strong smell of sweet yest. Also the temperature is harder to control with the LBK's in full beer making mode.

I checked with my fluke IR meter and even the walls of the fridge have gone up a degree.

Interesting.

-Altrez

Yep, more than co2 gets blown out during active fermentation. And those little yeasties are giving off heat doing their thing.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Update:I checked with my fluke IR meter and even the walls of the fridge have gone up a degree.

Interesting.

-Altrez

Oddly, this is likely a function of the thermal mass involved with your smaller volumes and probably large, frost-free refrigerator. Just like with a regular fridge, the more you have in it, without blocking airflow, the more stable the temp.

Start putting 40-100#'s of wort in there and as long as you anticipated the temp rise and start a little low, you will see very stable temps...especially if you can unplug the defrost timer in your model fridge (should technically not affect a fermentation chamber but some click in regardless based on time).

 

[PresqueIsleBrewer]

I understand wanting to make a good product( I've been striving for 8 yrs to continually improve my results. That said as many suggest, Rdwhahb,( Relax don't worry have a homebrew. )There is no doubt that my results have improved greatly since i started, the enjoyment is the same as when started. The part of your brain where you feel stress and anxiety is a different place than where you are when engaged in a task. In the early days, home brewing got me through some challenging times in my life. Since then I continue to get fulfillment and satisfaction from creating a product that is on par or better than something i can get at the store (and far exceed any thing I can get from Miller/Coors or Inbev. No matter the quality of your efforts there is great satisfaction in the fact, " I made this" and if your results are less than desired it is a great motivation to learn and improve.

 

[FatDragon]

A distiller seems like overkill. RO filtration will get your water pretty damn near distilled purity but faster and a lot cheaper. Also, it looks like those distillers are like filtration pitchers in that you'll constantly have to empty the distilled water into a tank or jug of your own and fill the reservoir of the distiller to keep water flowing. Seems like a whole lot of unnecessary hands-on time for what you're trying to achieve. Given the choice between running your brewing water from a filtered tap or filtering it all through a Brita pitcher, which would you choose? If you buy one of those smaller distillers, it appears that you're essentially choosing one or the other.

 

[McKnuckle]

A small distiller is nice because there is no waste water used. You put in a gallon of crap water, and out comes a gallon of distilled water. You rinse the chamber and start again. You decant the freshly distilled water into a jug or your mash tun.

RO units have a waste factor, and are usually permanently or at least intrusively hooked up to plumbing. Plus there are filters to replace. Nothing wrong with that, but it's not for everyone.

Anyway, if you need tens of gallons at a time, a small distiller is not practical. I need between 3-8 gallons for my brews, so it's perfect for my needs.

 

[Altrez]

A distiller seems like overkill. RO filtration will get your water pretty damn near distilled purity but faster and a lot cheaper. Also, it looks like those distillers are like filtration pitchers in that you'll constantly have to empty the distilled water into a tank or jug of your own and fill the reservoir of the distiller to keep water flowing. Seems like a whole lot of unnecessary hands-on time for what you're trying to achieve. Given the choice between running your brewing water from a filtered tap or filtering it all through a Brita pitcher, which would you choose? If you buy one of those smaller distillers, it appears that you're essentially choosing one or the other.

Hi FatDragon,

I think short term the basic model has a place as I am only doing 1 gallon and 2 gallon brews. However when I move up to 10 plus gallons a week or more I do not want to spend 3 days distilling water.

The big issue is do I just go ahead and buy all the stuff to make the big batches now and save money.

-Altrez