Never a taking readings , been homebrewing since'95-96

[4of7]

Seems a seriously big deal to some.

I'm a musician, I know artists who swear you must use a metronome and yet they still produce terrible rhythms, and I know of others that have never used a metronome who have the best rhythm in the world. Some know the art, some don't. Do what works best for you... But you cannot judge the beer just by the tools he uses or doesn't use. I know woodworkers that produce beautiful furniture using old manual handheld tools... I know woodworkers who produce crap with the most expensive saws... Don't judge the end product by their methodology or the tools they use.

Personally, I'd love to try a pint of his beer.

I just have to say, I hope he isn't drinking all of that by himself!

Thanks for your support,,I have many growlers , for parties,

 

[mongoose33]

No I not here to troll.. just saying I don't take hhydrometer readings.

Above you said never. Now it's don't.

You got me, you're trolling. I'll check out now.

 

[4of7]

Stop it Patrick, you're scaring him.

I learned to read the carboys,,what do you ferment in

 

[MaxStout]

This thread is certainly entertaining.

I get what OP's saying and doing here. He's been brewing for 20+ years and his method works. Some chefs carefully measure out each ingredient and watch their processes to a tee. Others throw in a pinch of this, rounded cup of that, toss it in the oven and they do fine. Neither is wrong.

I take good notes, try to limit the variables, so that if something goes wrong, I have a better chance of isolating the cause. My tack is different. Not better nor worse, but it works for me and I brew pretty good beer (most of the time). I like re-creating beers I've done successfully. If a recipe and process works, I don't mess with it. Then I move on to try a new recipe. If it works, I keep that one tucked away for next time.

 

[TxBigHops]

This is homebrew talk, that is why I posted it here, I have been given lots of @%$$#!!!, blank here for this post,I am not a troll,I am just brewing my own brew like a artist,do I make mistakes sure, have my brewday gone sideways,sure,I do not take OG or FG, readins, does it matter,sure to some here, looks like you make alot of beer,,its not that I think skipping these steps are not important, but I can follow instructions and make beer... if I want stronger abv,,I could just add more dme, now I am using 2v ebiab, I have 3.5-4hour brewdays,,normal size grain bill 22-24,,why? I have a hard time with the weight,,heres a question for you do you harvest yeast , I do out of the keg,that I posted,,,works great,,,works great, underpressure, at the end of the transfer,,,,first time,,,,was great surprise as I can save money now and have new batches takeoff with in 45 min,,,heres a question do you harvest yeast or remove trub,,,if so care to share

Not sure why you're going off on me? Mine was one of the more supportive, less critical posts. You say you posted because... This is homebrew talk... You didn't ask any questions. You didn't invite discussion on any topics. You just throw out that you don't take readings. So what? You got a bunch of criticism, which if you thought it through in the least, you should have fully expected. So again, I see very little value coming from this. That's my take. YMMV.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

 

[4of7]

Above you said never. Now it's don't.

You got me, you're trolling. I'll check out ...thanks for taking a look

thanks for your support with the homebrew talk

 

[VVbrewery]

I sometimes forget to take OG and occasionally have after giving it plenty of time to ferment taking FG and if it's hit the estimate I leave it another 3-5 days and keg it. Do I make world class beers? I dunno. Do I make beers I and other people like? Most of the time. I have a friend that is a great cook and never follows a recipe. He also brews pretty much the same way, a little of this a little of that. He makes some fantastic beers, maybe not "to style" but he doesn't care about that. Guess what I'm saying is everyone has their own way of doing things.

 

[4of7]

Not sure why you're going off on me? Mine was one of the more supportive, less critical posts. You say you posted because... This is homebrew talk... You didn't ask any questions. You didn't invite discussion on any topics. You just throw out that you don't take readings. So what? You got a bunch of criticism, which if you thought it through in the least, you should have fully expected. So again, I see very little value coming from this. That's my take. YMMV.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

I am sorry if you felt it was a personal..it was not meant ..I posted my way of brewing.....I knew from reading homebrew talk for years , that some would understand ..I have told by many homebrew stores to take readings,,did I invite discussion,sure that is why I posted,,I wanted the homebrew talk,,,where else do I go for that..Yes I expected both the criticism and the understanding... Did I think this post thru., sure,,,by the way,,I told my wife in 95 it would good idea to open a homebrew pub, she said bad idea..thanks for your input in the talk,,,"Stay strong and Brew on"

 

[4of7]

This thread is certainly entertaining.

I get what OP's saying and doing here. He's been brewing for 20+ years and his method works. Some chefs carefully measure out each ingredient and watch their processes to a tee. Others throw in a pinch of this, rounded cup of that, toss it in the oven and they do fine. Neither is wrong.

I take good notes, try to limit the variables, so that if something goes wrong, I have a better chance of isolating the cause. My tack is different. Not better nor worse, but it works for me and I brew pretty good beer (most of the time). I like re-creating beers I've done successfully. If a recipe and process works, I don't mess with it. Then I move on to try a new recipe. If it works, I keep that one tucked away for next time.

Thanks ,remember its about brewing beer

 

[Qhrumphf]

I am not a troll,,,lol,,care to share your steps that you follow, because like me who posted here , like to read ,homebrew talk from what others are doing.

Simple. Cap 0.5-1P above FG (when depending on how/if I'm going to dry hop so I don't get a geyser, if I'm dry hopping through the top I'll burp so it doesn't pick up carbonation but I usually like to slurry dry hop under pressure) and then add VDK force tests with normal daily gravity readings until grav is stable and passes for VDKs. Then crash to about 50. Put a couple PSI on it if it doesn't have pressure already. Knock off cold break and then harvest slowly to collect all I can of good fluffy thick yeast without punching holes in the cone and stop when it starts to thin. Then knock off the rest of the cone until it's really thin slurry (I don't go to straight beer), and dry hop if I'm gonna (usually then sit for 3 days), then fine and crash to 33 and bump the PSI up to 15. In some cases with hops prone to hop creep (Cascade mainly) I'll dry hop at ferm temp when I cap before fermentation is over, and keep doing VDK/gravity tests after the 3rd day until I'm confident that any creep is dealt with, but I won't plan on harvesting from those beers (or with NEIPAs dry hopped during high krausen- basically I won't harvest after dry hopping).

 

[4of7]

I sometimes forget to take OG and occasionally have after giving it plenty of time to ferment taking FG and if it's hit the estimate I leave it another 3-5 days and keg it. Do I make world class beers? I dunno. Do I make beers I and other people like? Most of the time. I have a friend that is a great cook and never follows a recipe. He also brews pretty much the same way, a little of this a little of that. He makes some fantastic beers, maybe not "to style" but he doesn't care about that. Guess what I'm saying is everyone has their own way of doing things.

Thanks

 

[4of7]

Simple. Cap 0.5-1P above FG (when depending on how/if I'm going to dry hop so I don't get a geyser, if I'm dry hopping through the top I'll burp so it doesn't pick up carbonation but I usually like to slurry dry hop under pressure) and then add VDK force tests with normal daily gravity readings until grav is stable and passes for VDKs. Then crash to about 50. Put a couple PSI on it if it doesn't have pressure already. Knock off cold break and then harvest slowly to collect all I can of good fluffy thick yeast without punching holes in the cone and stop when it starts to thin. Then knock off the rest of the cone until it's really thin slurry (I don't go to straight beer), and dry hop if I'm gonna (usually then sit for 3 days), then fine and crash to 33 and bump the PSI up to 15. In some cases with hops prone to hop creep (Cascade mainly) I'll dry hop at ferm temp when I cap before fermentation is over, and keep doing VDK/gravity tests after the 3rd day until I'm confident that any creep is dealt with, but I won't plan on harvesting from those beers (or with NEIPAs dry hopped during high krausen- basically I won't harvest after dry hopping).

Could i do this with the glass carboys..not the dry hopping,,just interested in harvesting yeast

 

[Qhrumphf]

Could i do this with the glass carboys..not the dry hopping,,just interested in harvesting yeast

Not easily. Only way to do it is racking to a secondary and then washing the yeas left behind. But then you're gonna bring in O2 if only through racking gear, and I wouldn't trust putting any pressure on a glass carboy at all to force transfer. As I said, it's the principal benefit to a conical. You could do this in a non-unitank, but constantly keeping the tank under positive CO2 pressure as soon as fermentation dies down keeps O2 out.

You probably could do it with your "kegmenter" if you get a sanke speared lid. Although I wouldn't trust cleaning a sanke spear without using hot caustic.

 

[beernutz]

No I have the tool, just saying I don't use the hydrometer

Then the joke, apparently, is on you.

FWIW, I have brewed since 1991 and I always take an OG reading unless I forget.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I have never taken a readings, sure I know the why and how. I have been brewing since 95- 96. Just saying..Og and Fg

Yeah, well I've been brewing since '76 and I dont even know what a hydrometer is. I'll bet you're still brewing with hops too, like a total n00b.

Pffft, 2017 join dater LOL.

 

[4of7]

Yeah, well I've been brewing since '76 and I dont even know what a hydrometer is. I'll bet you're still brewing with hops too, like a total n00b.

Pffft, 2017 join dater LOL.

You got it..B pale..not much hops cuz I share with some who do not like hoppy

 

[4of7]

Then the joke, apparently, is on you.

FWIW, I have brewed since 1991 and I always take an OG reading unless I forget.

Its all about the beer, ..homebrew talk is good place to read and learn,,I diy a ebrutus 20, and I liked it,,but I also go to aussise homebrew talk , for a different point of view

 

[4of7]

Not easily. Only way to do it is racking to a secondary and then washing the yeas left behind. But then you're gonna bring in O2 if only through racking gear, and I wouldn't trust putting any pressure on a glass carboy at all to force transfer. As I said, it's the principal benefit to a conical. You could do this in a non-unitank, but constantly keeping the tank under positive CO2 pressure as soon as fermentation dies down keeps O2 out.

You probably could do it with your "kegmenter" if you get a sanke speared lid. Although I wouldn't trust cleaning a sanke spear without using hot caustic.

The kegmenter has a 4 inch tc lid, I would not have gone with sanke,,, sorry I have another question , when trub is dumped,how does the conical not bubble air into it when valve is open to "burp is there a dip tube pick up

 

[Qhrumphf]

The kegmenter has a 4 inch tc lid, I would not have gone with sanke,,, sorry I have another question , when trub is dumped,how does the conical not bubble air into it when valve is open to "burp is there a dip tube pick up

Positive CO2 pressure. Either built up from being capped, or directly applied.

 

[4of7]

Okay thanks,that makes more sense to me

 

[50calshooter]

I have never taken a readings, sure I know the why and how. I have been brewing since 95- 96. Just saying..Og and Fg

Iv'e been brewing for more then 10 years and up until last year I never measured OG or FG and calculated ABV. I do it now because I bootleg and my customers want to know the ABV.

 

[Zuljin]

I don't use a pot. BIAB. Brew in a bottle.

 

[4of7]

Iv'e been brewing for more then 10 years and up until last year I never measured OG or FG and calculated ABV. I do it now because I bootleg and my customers want to know the ABV.

Wow , I have lived in dry parts ,,never been to homebrew bootleg, do you take orders or give out free samples to try,,.how did you make beer for 10 years and not take the readings?.many here have been saying i am a "Beer Troll".. it is just the way it was for me....i do understand the how and why.,but it is not important to me ,if i want the b pale to be stronger i can max out the mash tun with more grain or i can add dme

 

[applescrap]

I am not getting to comfortable yet, but I have many thoughts. So many thoughts. I have just watched this thing unfold. In case you didnt know there is an ignore button. Sadly, now you see a spolier, or whatever it says. People used to just disappear. Man I miss that. That needs fixed srsly. Funny thing, many of the same people on this thread gave me the exact same comments for the exact same reason. They have all come out havent they.....

You are a troll
You are a noob
Your pallete sucks
Your beer sucks....

And on and on. Quite frankly a little unspirited, many of the real hostiles that frequented here seem either gone or more reluctant.

You have handled yourself like a champ. Me not so much. See they hide behind the report button if you retaliate. And since you are weird guy against mainstream you are getting the slap.

I must admit, reading your stuff is like looking at my initial posts here. The lack of punctuation and or weird punctuation. You use ,, I used .... . We speak in prose. Which would be great if this wasnt a forum filled with engineers. I did this for months and looking back wish I wouldnt have. I was new to forums and this is my only online exsistance period. I didnt know the rules or etiquette, worse didnt care. You are better than that, better than me. Dont make those mistakes or some will find it hard to see your brilliance.

John Palmer said brewing is a blend of art and science. Thats what we are essentially getting at. Opening up a little I have found that these really bright minded engineers know about all kinds of amazing stuff. They are really smart and even though they we dont see eye to eye on a lot of stuff they have deeply enriched my life. And as i see you poking around in our shared passions they will yours too. Careful to not let your artistic beliefs take away from what we all share and can learn from each other. I am willing to play by the rules here because this site ultimatley has been awesome.

I am not saying that you have crossed any lines and I doubt you would. Me, well, I am who you thought I was.

Up until last week or whenever I never owned, used, or cared about hydrometer measurements. I brew quickly and warm ferment lagers. But I have come to really like the idea of this thing. I am just floating the thing in a bucket. Now it has me curious about all kinds of stuff and I am happy to be able to test it. Just made a kbs clone and it came down to 1.011 or whatever, I dont know how to read it obviously. But this was mashed lower. I am thinking more alcohol. Also I want to have some idea of my efficiency purely from and ego standpoint, which is kind of sad. I take similar notes to yours, so I am willing to bet any measurement you could add would be intriguing if nothing else. I mostly needed a hydrometer to do party girls with stouts and barley wines.

You said to many hits to the head in another thread and our shared passion for punctuation, did you play sports. I played football and wrestling. Well anyways, nice to meet you and look forward to what you have in store.

 

[SEndorf]

Wow... That's.... poetic.
No hostility here.
Just pointing out a simple, basic procedure that most of us take advantage of.
If someone has an (inexpensive) hydrometer and posts their bradaggio of brewing sans hydrometer, it begs the question. What's the point?
I'm all for counterculture...…..

 

[brewcat]

Readings are all about quality control. They are especially nice to have building a new recipe. I guess I could see skipping with developed recipes. But for me it is nice to brew and see the same numbers.

 

[4of7]

I am not getting to comfortable yet, but I have many thoughts. So many thoughts. I have just watched this thing unfold. In case you didnt know there is an ignore button. Sadly, now you see a spolier, or whatever it says. People used to just disappear. Man I miss that. That needs fixed srsly. Funny thing, many of the same people on this thread gave me the exact same comments for the exact same reason. They have all come out havent they.....

You are a troll
You are a noob
Your pallete sucks
Your beer sucks....

And on and on. Quite frankly a little unspirited, many of the real hostiles that frequented here seem either gone or more reluctant.

You have handled yourself like a champ. Me not so much. See they hide behind the report button if you retaliate. And since you are weird guy against mainstream you are getting the slap.

I must admit, reading your stuff is like looking at my initial posts here. The lack of punctuation and or weird punctuation. You use ,, I used .... . We speak in prose. Which would be great if this wasnt a forum filled with engineers. I did this for months and looking back wish I wouldnt have. I was new to forums and this is my only online exsistance period. I didnt know the rules or etiquette, worse didnt care. You are better than that, better than me. Dont make those mistakes or some will find it hard to see your brilliance.

John Palmer said brewing is a blend of art and science. Thats what we are essentially getting at. Opening up a little I have found that these really bright minded engineers know about all kinds of amazing stuff. They are really smart and even though they we dont see eye to eye on a lot of stuff they have deeply enriched my life. And as i see you poking around in our shared passions they will yours too. Careful to not let your artistic beliefs take away from what we all share and can learn from each other. I am willing to play by the rules here because this site ultimatley has been awesome.

I am not saying that you have crossed any lines and I doubt you would. Me, well, I am who you thought I was.

Up until last week or whenever I never owned, used, or cared about hydrometer measurements. I brew quickly and warm ferment lagers. But I have come to really like the idea of this thing. I am just floating the thing in a bucket. Now it has me curious about all kinds of stuff and I am happy to be able to test it. Just made a kbs clone and it came down to 1.011 or whatever, I dont know how to read it obviously. But this was mashed lower. I am thinking more alcohol. Also I want to have some idea of my efficiency purely from and ego standpoint, which is kind of sad. I take similar notes to yours, so I am willing to bet any measurement you could add would be intriguing if nothing else. I mostly needed a hydrometer to do party girls with stouts and barley wines.

You said to many hits to the head in another thread and our shared passion for punctuation, did you play sports. I played football and wrestling. Well anyways, nice to meet you and look forward to what you have in store.

Here is question, can you build the pizzaoven by just looking at that picture? Can you watch the brutus 20 vid on youtube and build that? Can you look at the control panel and build that kit from auberins? Just saying,I have taken many hits to the head,my thinking gets jumbled,sorry about that,,I am hear because of the homebrew talk. Am I new to brewing ,only the 2v ebiab 15 gallon ,and 50l keg.I have been brewing for awhile my way my style .this post was only to show how I brew. To me it is about the beer..look at b pale.that is the way i brew.3.5-4 `hour brew days

 

[4of7]

Wow... That's.... poetic.
No hostility here.
Just pointing out a simple, basic procedure that most of us take advantage of.
If someone has an (inexpensive) hydrometer and posts their bradaggio of brewing sans hydrometer, it begs the question. What's the point?
I'm all for counterculture...…..

The 7 kegs you have listed,did you make them ? Or did you follow someone else. I understand the basic procedures and the why. I follow instructions and I got beer . I ebiab in 2v, what if the instructions are for 3v?.The point is about the beer

 

[4of7]

Readings are all about quality control. They are especially nice to have building a new recipe. I guess I could see skipping with developed recipes. But for me it is nice to brew and see the same

.did you read my notes on b pale brew day, I am sure that you could follow it and repeat it. Do the og or fg matter to me ? No, the recipes I read are only guideline ,.if I drink b pale and I want a higher abv, what would you do?,I would just add more grain or dme . Maybe mash longer,or boil longer,cuz I make my own beer with my own recipes all under my control..I do respect the readings you like to do.Here is a question for you,is 1v or 2v or 3v . It is about the beer

 

[4of7]

Iv'e been brewing for more then 10 years and up until last year I never measured OG or FG and calculated ABV. I do it now because I bootleg and my customers want to know the ABV.

How much is the beer