Random Brewing Thoughts

[EvenMoreJesus]

Is this done without adding priming sugar? Before or after FG is reached?
This is the part that's confusing me.

With priming sugar once a stable terminal has been reached. Might also want to make a terminal acid shock starter, just to make sure, but with champagne yeast it might not be necessary. I don't know, I don't reyeast.

I keg once a stable FG is reached and always bottle from the keg. My guess is the few times we picked up THP, we didn't carefully limit oxygen exposure during transfer. THP aged out on those same beers 3+ months later.

The one good thing about THP is that is ages out pretty quickly. Especially if you store your bottles at normal ambient room temperature.

 

[TripleSixHoppia]

Is this done without adding priming sugar? Before and after FG is reached? This is the part that's confusing me.

Bottle the same way you did when you first started homebrewing. Your just adding fresh yeast to the mix with the bottling sugar to insure a fast fermentation and re-uptake of oxygen that's in the bottle.

Think a kveik based sour culture will churn the same results?

Kveik is a little finicky in low pH environments.

I do a kveik only primary fermentation with no brett or LAB. Then my "souring/finishing culture" is Belle Saison, fruit driven bretts, and LAB. I like having the saison culture because it drys the beer out quick and creates esters for brett to further breakdown. But since it only has 10 or so points of gravity, it doesn't get that funky super spicy saison character. I can usually be safely in bottle in 2-3 weeks. And since brett doesn't need much sugar to affect flavor, it can further develop in bottle. This also helps me fight the negative effects of oxygen on aging sour beers. Personally I'd rather have beers spend 3-6 months ageing in bottles than in bulk containers. I'm pulling that influence from Champagne producers.

 

[EvenMoreJesus]

And since brett doesn't need much sugar to affect flavor, it can further develop in bottle.

This also helps me fight the negative effects of oxygen on aging sour beers.

I'd rather have beers spend 3-6 months ageing in bottles than in bulk containers.

More brewers, both homebrewers and commercial ones, need to read and understand these three statements.

 

[SirDickButts]

SWEET! got the answers I was looking for! Badass! Thanks, guys!

 

[JCastle1]

Personally I'd rather have beers spend 3-6 months ageing in bottles than in bulk containers.

Been doing this with my saisons lately and I love the results. Packaging at FG and conditioning in the bottle for 8-12 weeks at least.

 

[agrippin]

Been doing this with my saisons lately and I love the results. Packaging at FG and conditioning in the bottle for 8-12 weeks at least.

Same here. They hit 1.000 and I bottle soon after to free up some fermenting space after about 6 weeks of primary unless I'm doing some spice/fruit additions. Bottles from the summer are tasting very lively and refreshing.

 

[SirDickButts]

https://www.mainiacalyeast.com/hop-terpenes/

Galaxy, Saaz and Amarillo terps still available

 

[JCastle1]

https://www.mainiacalyeast.com/hop-terpenes/

Galaxy, Saaz and Amarillo terps still available

5ml is a lot for home use! That's easily enough for a 1BBL batch.

 

[TripleSixHoppia]

5ml is a lot for home use! That's easily enough for a 1BBL batch.

It comes with a syringe for smaller doses. .5ml in a keg is very noticeable.

 

[SirDickButts]

https://sleightbeerlab.com/product-category/yeast-pitches/

dried kveik presale on deck..

 

[TripleSixHoppia]

https://sleightbeerlab.com/product-category/yeast-pitches/

dried kveik presale on deck..

I picked up a gram of Simonaitis. The description is kind of confusing, but I hope it's the blend with the LAB and not a single strain. I let my pure culture go of this blend, I'd like to have it again.

Also copped "Bring the Funk", "Tropical IPA (trois), and "Hothead" from Omega. Northern brewer has free shipping over $30 right now.

 

[SirDickButts]

I copped some Simonaitis as well.
I just copped some midtbust from mainiacal...laerdal didn't sound interesting.

https://www.mainiacalyeast.com/online-shop/

 

[MikeJones]

My LHBS is closing down. I don't really brew but I'm friends with the guys there. The owner is moving on and that's great for him but sucks for the area.

 

[Gonzoillini1]

My LHBS is closing down. I don't really brew but I'm friends with the guys there. The owner is moving on and that's great for him but sucks for the area.

Don't have any data to back me up (although I've read a number of articles regarding this topic recently from Tonsmeire and others), but it seems like running a homebrew shop these days would be a very tough gig to make successful. Lots of perishable inventory, low margins, a reduced number of folks (seemingly) involved in the hobby, and lots of competition from the big online players.

My local shop makes most of his yearly revenue during wine season, and the homebrew side of the world just helps him to break even for most of the year.

 

[JCastle1]

Don't have any data to back me up (although I've read a number of articles regarding this topic recently from Tonsmeire and others), but it seems like running a homebrew shop these days would be a very tough gig to make successful. Lots of perishable inventory, low margins, a reduced number of folks (seemingly) involved in the hobby, and lots of competition from the big online players.

My local shop makes most of his yearly revenue during wine season, and the homebrew side of the world just helps him to break even for most of the year.

With the ability to get fresher ingredients and more variety online I just don't see why I'd order locally unless in a pinch.

 

[MikeJones]

Don't have any data to back me up (although I've read a number of articles regarding this topic recently from Tonsmeire and others), but it seems like running a homebrew shop these days would be a very tough gig to make successful. Lots of perishable inventory, low margins, a reduced number of folks (seemingly) involved in the hobby, and lots of competition from the big online players.

My local shop makes most of his yearly revenue during wine season, and the homebrew side of the world just helps him to break even for most of the year.

They have a pretty robust online presence...the biggest east coast based company I believe. Also he stocks and sells ECY which I'm not sure if anyone else does.

 

[smithj21541]

Don't have any data to back me up (although I've read a number of articles regarding this topic recently from Tonsmeire and others), but it seems like running a homebrew shop these days would be a very tough gig to make successful. Lots of perishable inventory, low margins, a reduced number of folks (seemingly) involved in the hobby, and lots of competition from the big online players.

My local shop makes most of his yearly revenue during wine season, and the homebrew side of the world just helps him to break even for most of the year.

The turn over in my area has been pretty consistent. The two shops I used when I started to Brew have both closed. Those were both a good 20min drive to get to. The shop that is still open "local" I have never really been impressed with so after the last one I preferred closed I sucked it up and bought a mill so I could start buying bulk ingredients online.

With the ability to get fresher ingredients and more variety online I just don't see why I'd order locally unless in a pinch.

Agreed, and for me the most local shop is still 20min away one way. My goal this year is to really home in my yeast handling to stretch each packet I order both to reduce ordering yeast and to see if with sanitary handling my beer can improve over generations of yeast.

 

[smithj21541]

Somewhat related to the above post. I am looking to simplify recipes and want to switch to as high quality and flavorful base malt as possible. Not overly concerned about cost as more wanting the most character out of each Brew. Leaning towards Vienna malt but interested in some feedback from you all.

 

[Gonzoillini1]

Somewhat related to the above post. I am looking to simplify recipes and want to switch to as high quality and flavorful base malt as possible. Not overly concerned about cost as more wanting the most character out of each Brew. Leaning towards Vienna malt but interested in some feedback from you all.

I think it really is dependent on the styles of beer you brew most often, but if I had to pick one base malt to use for all time, I'd pick Golden Promise.

It's light enough to work where 2Row / Pale malt is typical, but has more character. It doesn't have the toasted / nutty / biscuity character I get from Marris Otter, but has this wonderful honey / lightly toasted character that works so well across so many styles.

Vienna is a great choice, but I'd be concerned about diastatic power for use as the only base malt in any beers with a large amount of "character" malts.

 

[JCastle1]

Agreed, and for me the most local shop is still 20min away one way.

I'd probably buy more often if mine was 20 minutes away. More like an hour each way but they'll deliver if I let them know like 2-3 days in advance. They only carry two base malts and a few specialties and no hops at all so I still buy everything online anyway.

 

[JCastle1]

Somewhat related to the above post. I am looking to simplify recipes and want to switch to as high quality and flavorful base malt as possible. Not overly concerned about cost as more wanting the most character out of each Brew. Leaning towards Vienna malt but interested in some feedback from you all.

Golden Promise. I've made my best SMaSH beers by far with that malt.

 

[smithj21541]

I think it really is dependent on the styles of beer you brew most often, but if I had to pick one base malt to use for all time, I'd pick Golden Promise.

It's light enough to work where 2Row / Pale malt is typical, but has more character. It doesn't have the toasted / nutty / biscuity character I get from Marris Otter, but has this wonderful honey / lightly toasted character that works so well across so many styles.

Vienna is a great choice, but I'd be concerned about diastatic power for use as the only base malt in any beers with a large amount of "character" malts.

Golden promise was also in the running. I focus on West coast IPA and session IPA, and throw in some pale Belgian and pale sours. I really want to limit the amount of character malts in my recipes this year.

 

[smithj21541]

I'd probably buy more often if mine was 20 minutes away. More like an hour each way but they'll deliver if I let them know like 2-3 days in advance. They only carry two base malts and a few specialties and no hops at all so I still buy everything online anyway.

Yikes! Though in socal 20min can feel a lot worse. Lol Plus with my two kids to look after it's easier for me to rely on morebeer.

 

[Gonzoillini1]

Golden promise was also in the running. I focus on West coast IPA and session IPA, and throw in some pale Belgian and pale sours. I really want to limit the amount of character malts in my recipes this year.

Honestly based on what you just described I can't think of a better base malt than Golden Promise. It has way more character than pale / basic 2 row, finishes just as dry for the most part, and works very well with other continental malts (Dingemans Pilsner + Golden Promise is such a great base for Belgian styles).

When making IPA (and God bless you for still loving / making West Coast style IPA's in 2019...), just a little carapils, proper water profile, and a hop bursting / modern late hop addition profile will give you a very nice beer every time (as long as fermentation temp / water profile / etc... are all solid).

The only downside at all is that it is pricier than Canadian 2Row or the like when it comes to a commercial setting, but for homebrewers I really don't see any negatives at all.

 

[JCastle1]

The only downside at all is that it is pricier than Canadian 2Row or the like when it comes to a commercial setting, but for homebrewers I really don't see any negatives at all.

Yeah, over twice as expensive as the Rahr 2-row I use but for homebrew I don't mind using it once in a while.

 

[Gonzoillini1]

Yeah, over twice as expensive as the Rahr 2-row I use but for homebrew I don't mind using it once in a while.

However, if you are in a position like smithj2154 where you aren' necessarily concerned about cost, can you think of any American / Belgian styles where you'd rather have Rahr 2-Row than Golden Promise?

Obviously some styles will call for a Pilsner malt, but if you are blending (which is one of the things I've found makes for a far better beer than using just one base malt, ie 65% Golden Promise / 35% Rahr 2Row as my portion of base malt) I really can't think of a time I'd rather have just the Rahr 2Row.

 

[smithj21541]

Yeah, over twice as expensive as the Rahr 2-row I use but for homebrew I don't mind using it once in a while.

However, if you are in a position like smithj2154 where you aren' necessarily concerned about cost, can you think of any American / Belgian styles where you'd rather have Rahr 2-Row than Golden Promise?

Obviously some styles will call for a Pilsner malt, but if you are blending (which is one of the things I've found makes for a far better beer than using just one base malt, ie 65% Golden Promise / 35% Rahr 2Row as my portion of base malt) I really can't think of a time I'd rather have just the Rahr 2Row.

A full sack at morebeer isn't quite but it is close to double the cost. But I feel like the added cost will even out if I'm using less specialty malts and still getting good character out of my beer.

 

[JCastle1]

However, if you are in a position like smithj2154 where you aren' necessarily concerned about cost, can you think of any American / Belgian styles where you'd rather have Rahr 2-Row than Golden Promise?

Obviously some styles will call for a Pilsner malt, but if you are blending (which is one of the things I've found makes for a far better beer than using just one base malt, ie 65% Golden Promise / 35% Rahr 2Row as my portion of base malt) I really can't think of a time I'd rather have just the Rahr 2Row.

I'd definitely switch to Golden Promise for my IPA and wheat ale (dump the Caravienne + 2row and use only GP + wheat). I don't brew Belgians often so I can't say but it would probably make a really nice (slightly darker) pilsner too, probably almost any other type of lager except the Helles.

 

[reverseapachemaster1]

Another option is to look at the craft maltsters popping up. Some of them are putting out great malts with a lot of depth of flavor. Often not cheap but a lot better than anything I've used from the larger US and Canadian maltsters.

I'd definitely switch to Golden Promise for my IPA and wheat ale (dump the Caravienne + 2row and use only GP + wheat). I don't brew Belgians often so I can't say but it would probably make a really nice (slightly darker) pilsner too, probably almost any other type of lager except the Helles.

I don't really see why it wouldn't work for most Belgian beers. Might be a little off for a tripel or saison.

While not the same I brewed an English golden ale with 100% maris otter, London Ale III and first gold hops and had several people tell me they really liked the pilsner I brewed.

 

[smithj21541]

Another option is to look at the craft maltsters popping up. Some of them are putting out great malts with a lot of depth of flavor. Often not cheap but a lot better than anything I've used from the larger US and Canadian maltsters.

I've wondered about this as well. But, I'm not familiar with any names do you have any I should look at?

Based on the last few posts I'm going to order ten lbs of GP and try a proof of concept for my next IPA.