Random Brewing Thoughts

[Snarf1]

Non-self centering stirplates suck!

 

[Skittle34]

I remember someone here split their 5 gallon berliner batch into 5 different fruited 1 gallon berliners. Is that what you are interested in?
If I were to experiment with 1 gallon berliner batches, I'd go DME all the way. 4lbs of DME (2lb wheat, 2lb pilsen) was sufficient for a 5 gallon batch, so if math serves me right, you'd need about 12 ounces (6 & 6) for a 1 gallon berliner. No hop, no boil, probably done with brew day in 20 minutes tops.

So just pour the DME into the fermentor, add water, and pitch dregs/bugs? That simple?

 

[drgarage1]

So just pour the DME into the fermentor, add water, and pitch dregs/bugs? That simple?

You can. I'd go all_grain. at those quantities, you can do it stove-top

 

[Beerontwowheels]

So just pour the DME into the fermentor, add water, and pitch dregs/bugs? That simple?

I heated my wort up to 180* or so iirc. I also used some hops.

You can. I'd go all_grain. at those quantities, you can do it stove-top

You could certainly go all grain. I was keeping it extremely basic since it sounds like shadowane was just gifted with a basic 1G kit. Brew in a bag style all grain brewing would be fine and wouldn't add much equipment cost.

 

[blue_bleeder]

Non-self centering stirplates suck!

I built mine so I am not even sure what you are talking about.

 

[Snarf1]

I built mine so I am not even sure what you are talking about.

I'm not handy with the electronics. I have a little cigar box one my buddy built me that's ok. But I've also got a couple commercial ones from salvage. The smaller one will pull the stir bar to where it needs to be if the plate is off. I used to have my buddies fancy big plate for 4 liter starters that did the same. Now I've got one that won't center the bar and it's hard to get it going properly. It appears to have stopped working last night so I guess that's what I get for not being happy with what I have.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

I'm not handy with the electronics. I have a little cigar box one my buddy built me that's ok. But I've also got a couple commercial ones from salvage. The smaller one will pull the stir bar to where it needs to be if the plate is off. I used to have my buddies fancy big plate for 4 liter starters that did the same. Now I've got one that won't center the bar and it's hard to get it going properly. It appears to have stopped working last night so I guess that's what I get for not being happy with what I have.

Sounds like it might just be based on the strength of the magnet. I don't know **** about magnetics, but that's my guess. I bought a stirstarter from Bell's Supply Store. For 40$, it works like a charm and has a lifetime warranty.

 

[Snarf1]

Bayou burner has two settings today, ridiculous speed and not boiling. Won't stay lit at anything else. Have disconnected, reconnected, unscrewed, rescrewed, cleaned holes, banged out build up, etc. I guess this is my punishment for not brewing at home for three months.

 

[FTowne1]

Bayou burner has two settings today, ridiculous speed and not boiling. Won't stay lit at anything else. Have disconnected, reconnected, unscrewed, rescrewed, cleaned holes, banged out build up, etc. I guess this is my punishment for not brewing at home for three months.

The turkey fryer that I used for the first time today has an obnoxious electric timer built in to it. It shuts itself off every 15 minutes if you don't hit the reset button beforehand.

 

[Snarf1]

The turkey fryer that I used for the first time today has an obnoxious electric timer built in to it. It shuts itself off every 15 minutes if you don't hit the reset button beforehand.

I have seen that! A friend has one as a backup or something. I'm almost done with my 5 hour boil. It's the only way to get anything like decent efficiency on 25 lbs of grain with my set up. Even then, I'm only getting 65%. I've got some 2nd runnings on the stove for starters at least. DME is so damn expensive. Says the guy who just ordered beer online...

 

[TheGordianKnot]

The turkey fryer that I used for the first time today has an obnoxious electric timer built in to it. It shuts itself off every 15 minutes if you don't hit the reset button beforehand.

If that fryer is anything like the one I had started with, then some duct tape will hold it down so you can just control flow and turn on/off with the dial... Man that safety button was a pita

 

[FTowne1]

If that fryer is anything like the one I had started with, then some duct tape will hold it down so you can just control flow and turn on/off with the dial... Man that safety button was a pita

I didn't even think about permanently holding the button down. Great idea. I'll throw some zip ties around it on my next brew day.

 

[falc0n26001]

So for 1-gallon BIAB you could just use a large pot on a stove? No mash tun? Also, Russian River does a 20-minute mash, so even all-grain could be pretty quick.

 

[FTowne1]

So for 1-gallon BIAB you could just use a large pot on a stove?

Yep, that's the beauty of it. Minimal equipment and it allows you to brew a larger variety of beers over extract.

 

[ncaudle]

I didn't even think about permanently holding the button down. Great idea. I'll throw some zip ties around it on my next brew day.

just bear in mind you'll need to add fresh batteries every time you brew...

 

[Beerontwowheels]

just bear in mind you'll need to add fresh batteries every time you brew...

If this was a joke, it went over my head.

 

[Five28 hz]

I rarely ever have more than 2 or 3 beers fermenting at a time and my upgreyed budget this year is going to a fermentation chamber, so
A. 2 mini fridges with a chamber built on to house 2-3 carboys a piece?
or
B. 2 - 5cuft chest freezers and no hassle other than wiring up the stc 1000?

 

[Snarf1]

I rarely ever have more than 2 or 3 beers fermenting at a time and my upgreyed budget this year is going to a fermentation chamber, so
A. 2 mini fridges with a chamber built on to house 2-3 carboys a piece?
or
B. 2 - 5cuft chest freezers and no hassle other than wiring up the stc 1000?

How's your back? I don't want to lift carboys into / out of a chest freezer. Everyone I know who does that uses carboy handles and that's not safe IMO. No idea what one would do to get better bottles in/out.

 

[FTowne1]

just bear in mind you'll need to add fresh batteries every time you brew...

Damn, it'll burn through them that fast?

 

[SirDickButts]

How's your back? I don't want to lift carboys into / out of a chest freezer. Everyone I know who does that uses carboy handles and that's not safe IMO. No idea what one would do to get better bottles in/out.

and that is why i love buckets. hahaha.

 

[Snarf1]

Haven't taken a family picture in a while.

In front is a rhubarb saison with CS & JP dregs that was dry hopped with Nelson earlier this week.

Front row on pallet L to R:

Same saison on scuppernongs. It had a dry German white wine thing going on and I think the tannins and extra grape flavor will be killer.

Heritage malt, Cantillon brett primary with lots of dregs on peaches.

Biere noel destined for barrel (possible solera) if I can ever brew enough.

Flanderish brown with spices and squash. Lacto bomb that I'll probably dump.

Back row:

Strong golden with local wildflower honey. My first 'Russian River method' beer. Pitched BKY C2, ECY03b, ECY04 brett blend after fining and racking to secondary. Added Wyeast L. Brevis, L. Delbrueckii, Pedio blend about 6 weeks later. Excited about this one.

Flandersish red blend on leftovers from framboise.

Oerbier Reserva inspired brew that has bandaid that won't go away and has become a lacto bomb. Dumper.

Dulle Teve inspired triple base that stalled at 1.030 and got JP & Tilquin dregs. My first really ropey beer. Snotacular when i sampled. Very tropical with some weird stuff that I think will clear. Excited about this one, too.

Not pictured: the other half of the beer I have aging.

 

[Snarf1]

and that is why i love buckets. hahaha.

Still heavy to lift over the edge of a freezer and a whole different set of problems, especially for the kind of stuff I tend to brew.

 

[falc0n26001]

Haven't taken a family picture in a while.

In front is a rhubarb saison with CS & JP dregs that was dry hopped with Nelson earlier this week.

Front row on pallet L to R:

Same saison on scuppernongs. It had a dry German white wine thing going on and I think the tannins and extra grape flavor will be killer.

Heritage malt, Cantillon brett primary with lots of dregs on peaches.

Biere noel destined for barrel (possible solera) if I can ever brew enough.

Flanderish brown with spices and squash. Lacto bomb that I'll probably dump.

Back row:

Strong golden with local wildflower honey. My first 'Russian River method' beer. Pitched BKY C2, ECY03b, ECY04 brett blend after fining and racking to secondary. Added Wyeast L. Brevis, L. Delbrueckii, Pedio blend about 6 weeks later. Excited about this one.

Flandersish red blend on leftovers from framboise.

Oerbier Reserva inspired brew that has bandaid that won't go away and has become a lacto bomb. Dumper.

Dulle Teve inspired triple base that stalled at 1.030 and got JP & Tilquin dregs. My first really ropey beer. Snotacular when i sampled. Very tropical with some weird stuff that I think will clear. Excited about this one, too.

Not pictured: the other half of the beer I have aging.

Niiice! What makes it "Russian River method"?

 

[Snarf1]

Niiice! What makes it "Russian River method"?

Clean primary, then brett and some time for it to get established, then bacteria. If you don't have the American Sours book, the chapter breaking down methods of different breweries is really good. I need to get some oak to put in there now that I think about it.

 

[FTowne1]

Clean primary, then brett and some time for it to get established, then bacteria. If you don't have the American Sours book, the chapter breaking down methods of different breweries is really good. I need to get some oak to put in there now that I think about it.

I need to get myself a copy of that book.

 

[falc0n26001]

Clean primary, then brett and some time for it to get established, then bacteria. If you don't have the American Sours book, the chapter breaking down methods of different breweries is really good. I need to get some oak to put in there now that I think about it.

Oh yeah! I have that book, and I remember that now. That book is awesome. They go over Russian River, Upright, Jolly Pumpkin, Bullfrog, Anchorage, Hill Farmstead, Cascade... all really different methods too.

 

[user 305778]

To follow on my dream of making small batches of berliner weiss (the 1 gallon post I made earlier) are there any books I can read to get started? Seems like I can do full grain just because 1 gallon is so damn small that I can do it on my stove easily. I don't mind the work involved.

 

[ncaudle]

Damn, it'll burn through them that fast?

if you force that button pushed into the on position, yes

 

[TheGordianKnot]

if you force that button pushed into the on position, yes

Tape the button down, brew, finish brew, cut tape... That's what I always did and never had a problem with the batteries not lasting a really long time

 

[ncaudle]

Tape the button down, brew, finish brew, cut tape... That's what I always did and never had a problem with the batteries not lasting a really long time

but you cut the tape off when your done, some might forget.
I have to replace mine every 1.5-2 brew sessions and I manually push that damn button every 10 minutes...