It's the only way to fly IMHO. The no atmosphere is worth it alone, then throw in your already carbonated, oh wait and fermented at a higher temperature like room temperature (within certain parameters) done faster if you want... what?
I am just getting back into the swing of things after a long hiatus. My first attempt back into the swing of things, I failed horribly with a stuck mash on a late night start to a brew session. No problem, I'll just try again using rice hulls next time.
The addition of the hulls and a coarser crush on this 6 year old grain did the trick. I think the most helpful thing was... (drum roll "imagined" if you will)
NOT POURING MY GRAIN IN FIRST on top of my false bottom!!!! Before any water!!!! Idiot mistake I didn't even think about until starting to add water. Oooofff, cement under the FB, no equipment to scoop and strain the grain, not to mention the time at night. I called it a learning experience, and have now moved on. No I don't want to talk about it because it still hurts my butt a little, lol.
Seriously though, that second attempt was gold! Lautered like a champ, and sparged with more than enough information on gravity to adjust my "forgotten" old numbers down perfectly for next time. I was so amazed all over again how dark pilsner liquid looks in the grant and kettle. 90 minute boil went without a hitch and, chilled to 58*F recirculating back into the kettle. Pitched my yeast, and ran everything through the Therminator plate chiller one last time on its way to the fermentor. Wrapped a clean towel around the neck of my fermentor keg, and I kept swatting the rising foam to the sides until full. Re-installed the keg spear and lock ring, and tapped with the keg connector containing the spunding valve Tuesday @8:30pm.
This was my first time using the new Duo-Tight plastic thingy, and it wasn't a bad experience. I cranked it down and checked it like a hawk. Wednesday 58*
[email protected] the next morning 6:30am, wow! Ok, so I start releasing until I hear it and back off a full turn from there. I'm hoping I don't have anything leaking out when I come home from work. 58*
[email protected] psi 4:30pm, I again start releasing until I hear a hiss, and then back off what I think will get me in the ball park of my calculated psi. This time it was almost ready to blow, so I figured I better go 2 turns this time. 58*
[email protected] 11:00pm. I turn it down and it takes a little over halve a crank before its spewing. I back if off a quarter and check in the morning. Thursday 60*
[email protected] 6:45am and shes going!!! I crank it down a little above 26psi and check it again when I get home moving it down until I am at my 2.7 volumes of CO2, which equated to 25.9psi @60*F.
I checked every day and finally had no hiss the next Wednesday, basically 1 week exactly. It will sit until this coming Wednesday, upon which I will grab a FG sample to degas. Then, transfer into a CO2 purged keg containing gelatin (another 1st time thing for me) to clear for 2-3 days before a final destination into a serving keg or 3. Can't wait to taste old shitty ingredients in a beer brewed with cobwebs on the mash fork and brewer.