Pub Ale brew day

[Dude]

Heating up the sparge water and milling grain. Already noticed a problem with the ****ING weldless thermothingy I got from Northern Brewer. It leaks where the thermometer goes in. I even water tested this stupid thing beforeheand, I guess the heat is affecting it. I;ll have to let it leak today, troubleshoot later.

I'm definitely selling this stupid HLT and getting another sabco welded pot. This weldess BS is ridiculous.

So...back to milling.....more updates to come....

 

[Dude]

Into the boil now....it sure is nice having an HLT where you can heat sparge water up to temp while you sparge....

This recipe has some brown sugar in it...when would you guys add it?

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

This recipe has some brown sugar in it...when would you guys add it?

The one time I used brown sugar I caramelized it with some water in a saucepan (per the recipe) and added it to the kettle pre-boil.

 

[Dude]

Okay....thanks.....
I am goign to try to keep the dark caramelization colors down in this recipe....so I think I might just add some water to the sugar to dissolve a little bit and add it to the boil with about 15 minutes left....

I'm eating a taco salad lunch now.....is sour cream a gift from the gods?

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

.....is sour cream a gift from the gods?

Indeed it is. I also like the 'Mexican' cream you can get at a lot of groceries now.

In unrelated news, your avatar continues to give me the urge to spank all of the attractive women in my building (the three of them). :rockin:

 

[RichBrewer]

First of all, I hope you are thinking about us poor saps who are working and would rather be brewing.

Second, Baron von BeeGee's idea sounds good to me. I've used brown sugar before but I never could detect it in the finished beer. I would think carmelizing it would impart more flavor.

Enjoy your brew day.

 

[Dude]

First of all, I hope you are thinking about us poor saps who are working and would rather be brewing.

Second, Baron von BeeGee's idea sounds good to me. I've used brown sugar before but I never could detect it in the finished beer. I would think carmelizing it would impart more flavor.

Enjoy your brew day.

Okay, maybe I will caramelize it then......

I'm REALLY enjoying it today...it is SO nice brewing on a decent system. It sure feels warmer here than 60 degrees.....but I am running around a little bit and I am into my 3rd beer. :rockin:

Right now I am doing a taste comparison of my smoked porter (its death is imminent, gotta get the comparison in NOW) against Stone's smoked porter.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

I'm brewing this weekend come hell or high water. Hell seems more likely, but either way I'm on.

 

[Dude]

Right now I am doing a taste comparison of my smoked porter (its death is imminent, gotta get the comparison in NOW) against Stone's smoked porter.

Iron Orr brewery smoked porter: Woodsy, smoky aroma. Opaque in color and nice head, good lacing in glass. taste is definite smoke. Smooth, a touch low in carbonation. Fine beer!

Stone smoked porter: Not as much smoke aroma--almost a peat smoked aroma rather than rauch malt. GREAT head retention. Great glass lacing. Opaque in color. Tastes more alcoholic than IOB version. Excellent example of a porter, I'd prefer more smokiness in the flavor though.

I have to give the nod to Stone here....it is just a fine beer. Maybe if mine was carbonated more and it had a little more burn to it, it would be tops. I'll be honest, they are damn close (not in taste, in score)--and I like my smoked aspect better.

Two very different beers though.

 

[El Pistolero]

Iron Orr brewery

I'm picturing the dude dressed as in the movie, only with dress blues on top but his normal boxers and flip-flops on the bottom, with an apron on standing at an ironing board...is that pretty much what you had in mind for your brewery logo?

 

[Dude]

I'm picturing the dude dressed as in the movie, only with dress blues on top but his normal boxers and flip-flops on the bottom, with an apron on standing at an ironing board...is that pretty much what you had in mind for your brewery logo?

How'd you guess?



Nahh...the actual design is coming along, but slowly. I am so NON-ARTIST, it looks kind of stupid, but I've asked my artist friends over and over and they aren't helping me, so I've resorted to doing it myself. I'll unveil it someday.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

In unrelated news, your avatar continues to give me the urge to spank all of the attractive women in my building (the three of them). :rockin:

Three cheers for Dude's avatar!

:rockin:

 

[Dude]

Well...this batch is in the books. A success on many accounts.

My SG was 1.054, which means my efficiency was through the roof. 10 points higher than I anticipated. I diluted it with water to get it down to 1.044. Now this means I start adjusting recipes to get around 80%, which is what I've been getting lately. It is the crush--I know that. Since I've been milling my own, it has been MUCH better. i went from high 60s to mid 80s. :rockin:

The shirron chiller is a dream. No kidding, it got the wort to 70 degrees in 5 minutes flat. I don't know what the fuss is about cleaning it either. I find it easier to clean than my CFC. The hopstopper helps because no hop residue gets through that, which keeps the shirron clear of hop gunk. :rockin:

And then, I get an e-mail from my local beer store, an order came in today and I now have a CASE of Hop Rod Rye waiting for me at the store. A case. I am in Hop Rod heaven. On top of that, he is saving 2 750ml bottles of Dogfish Head "*************" Imperial Pilsner for me! :rockin:

Damn it's good to be a gangster.

 

[Ize]

Well...this batch is in the books. A success on many accounts.

And then, I get an e-mail from my local beer store, an order came in today and I now have a CASE of Hop Rod Rye waiting for me at the store. A case. I am in Hop Rod heaven. On top of that, he is saving 2 750ml bottles of Dogfish Head "*************" Imperial Pilsner for me! :rockin:

Damn it's good to be a gangster.

OMG yer killin me! A CASE???? Lucky Lucky DUDE! :rockin:

Congrats on the sucessful brewday. The temp reduction is IMPRESSIVE...


Ize

 

[alemonkey]

Lucky B*stard.... We can't even get Hop Rod here...I've been wanting to try it for a long time.

I'm going to CA next month, have to pick some up then.

 

[todd_k]

Indeed it is. I also like the 'Mexican' cream you can get at a lot of groceries now.

In unrelated news, your avatar continues to give me the urge to spank all of the attractive women in my building (the three of them). :rockin:

At least you have 3....

 

[MrSaLTy]

.... It is the crush--I know that. Since I've been milling my own, it has been MUCH better. i went from high 60s to mid 80s.

Sometime if you get a chance.... snap a pic of how your crush looks. I have been trying to decide about how much to crush the grain in my new mill and any help from somewone who gets good efficiency would be great. Sounds like you have your setup pretty dialed in already dude.

 

[Brewsmith]

Dude, I hear you with the Stone Smoked Porter. Good stuff. I have to get some more.

Now as far as the brewing on a Tuesday morning goes, I jealous!

 

[Dude]

Sometime if you get a chance.... snap a pic of how your crush looks. I have been trying to decide about how much to crush the grain in my new mill and any help from somewone who gets good efficiency would be great. Sounds like you have your setup pretty dialed in already dude.

Will do. I plan on brewing again in a week so I'll make sure to get a pic.


Well, so much for high temperature paint!

This is the cremated remains of the paint after 1 session. I'm going to try the super heat grill paint on the bars that are all charred in the pics. Hopefully that works!

 

[SwAMi75]

And then, I get an e-mail from my local beer store, an order came in today and I now have a CASE of Hop Rod Rye waiting for me at the store. A case. I am in Hop Rod heaven. On top of that, he is saving 2 750ml bottles of Dogfish Head "*************" Imperial Pilsner for me! :rockin:

Damn it's good to be a gangster.

Ya know, I was planning on spending 5 days with the wife and kiddo, but I might just have to cut the trip short and get on the road.........

 

[Dude]

Sometime if you get a chance.... snap a pic of how your crush looks. I have been trying to decide about how much to crush the grain in my new mill and any help from somewone who gets good efficiency would be great. Sounds like you have your setup pretty dialed in already dude.

MrSaLTy--here's a pic of my crush, as requested. Like I said I get quite a bit of flour but my efficiency has jumped since I've been crushing my own, and no problems with stuck mashes. YMMV.

 

[MrSaLTy]

Thanks Dude! Appreciate you taking the time to help a brotha out. What mill do you use and do you know what your gap is set at?