Random Brewing Thoughts

[lopejuice1]

Random brewing question, looking for some random brewing thoughts.

I don't do any kegging for various reasons and I'm looking for a way to purge the head space in bottling buckets/secondary. Was thinking of using my oxygen stone but attaching a disposable tank of co2 like the ones they make for paintball. Is that co2 food grade? is there even such a thing? Also will the pump be sufficient/efficient for what I'm trying to do? Is there an easier way? Thanks!

 

[Thorpe]

Random brewing question, looking for some random brewing thoughts.

I don't do any kegging for various reasons and I'm looking for a way to purge the head space in bottling buckets/secondary. Was thinking of using my oxygen stone but attaching a disposable tank of co2 like the ones they make for paintball. Is that co2 food grade? is there even such a thing? Also will the pump be sufficient/efficient for what I'm trying to do? Is there an easier way? Thanks!

Yes, there is such thing as food-grade CO2, and I'm guessing that the small CO2 tanks at Home Depot are not food grade.

 

[ncaudle]

Random brewing question, looking for some random brewing thoughts.

I don't do any kegging for various reasons and I'm looking for a way to purge the head space in bottling buckets/secondary. Was thinking of using my oxygen stone but attaching a disposable tank of co2 like the ones they make for paintball. Is that co2 food grade? is there even such a thing? Also will the pump be sufficient/efficient for what I'm trying to do? Is there an easier way? Thanks!

doesnt the CO2 tank have different threads from a Oxygen tank?
I don't keg either and am planning on picking up a 5lb CO2 tank over the holidays and attach a simple tube onto it to purge out secondaries, etc

 

[Five28 hz]

I think you'll still need a regulator to purge secondaries and bottling buckets so you can dump the co2 in at <10psi

 

[ncaudle]

I think you'll still need a regulator to purge secondaries and bottling buckets so you can dump the co2 in at <10psi

wouldnt a tube with a shutoff valve work, just to do a quick blast of CO2 into a empty carboy to put down a blanket of CO2?
or would that use up the CO2 too fast? like I said above, non-kegger...

 

[Five28 hz]

It could work, but you'll blow through co2 so fast that you would spend less money to just buy a $40 regulator up front, then you get the added benefit of being able to top off beers that you're conditioning if you steal a sample of a year old Saison.

 

[FTowne1]

I bottled an IPA today, and my siphon pulled out a ton of hop sludge while going in to the bottling bucket. I let it set for an hour or so before I bottled, but it appears that there was still quite a bit that made it in to the bottles. Will some of it settle out with the yeast, or will this beer just look ugly?

 

[Beerontwowheels]

I bottled an IPA today, and my siphon pulled out a ton of hop sludge while going in to the bottling bucket. I let it set for an hour or so before I bottled, but it appears that there was still quite a bit that made it in to the bottles. Will some of it settle out with the yeast, or will this beer just look ugly?

It should settle out. Once it's carbed, just get them in the fridge for a few days and everything should precipitate out. Pour very carefully!

 

[FTowne1]

It should settle out. Once it's carbed, just get them in the fridge for a few days and everything should precipitate out. Pour very carefully!

Right on! Thanks!

 

[Beerontwowheels]

All this kumquat talk has me thinking I'll fruit at least a portion of my brett saison on kumquats. Tastes good plain, but some citrus might push it to great.

 

[BadJustin]

Better Bottles. Worth it? LHBS has 3 of the 3 gallon ones on clearence for 16 a piece?

 

[Snarf1]

Better Bottles. Worth it? LHBS has 3 of the 3 gallon ones on clearence for 16 a piece?

BB is much better than carboy because of weight and plastic v glass safety. Only reason to buy new glass instead is for big beer primary. The '6.5' gallon carboy holds at least a gallon more than 6 gallon BB. Would love some 3 gallon BB for split batches. 3 would be just right for splitting 5g batches for different fruits.

 

[BadJustin]

BB is much better than carboy because of weight and plastic v glass safety. Only reason to buy new glass instead is for big beer primary. The '6.5' gallon carboy holds at least a gallon more than 6 gallon BB. Would love some 3 gallon BB for split batches. 3 would be just right for splitting 5g batches for different fruits.

And that's exactly what I wanted them for. At 16 a piece, tough to say no. Thanks for the input.

 

[user 305778]

Did my first ever brew day on Saturday. It was just a simple Amber Ale but it was an all grain kit which was neat. Decided I need a couple things if I do it again, namely one more big pot and a better strainer.

At this point since I don't have a lot of experience, my only real question is whether there is an easier way to keep the mash temperature steady when I have it on the stove. Checking it with a thermometer every few minutes just felt really inexact. Since I'm only brewing 1 gallon it's easy to do on the stove in a 2 gallon pot. Can I leave the lid on to try to keep the heat trapped? Or do I really just have to stand around and stir it every few minutes with the thermometer to get a decent reading?

 

[Snarf1]

Did my first ever brew day on Saturday. It was just a simple Amber Ale but it was an all grain kit which was neat. Decided I need a couple things if I do it again, namely one more big pot and a better strainer.

At this point since I don't have a lot of experience, my only real question is whether there is an easier way to keep the mash temperature steady when I have it on the stove. Checking it with a thermometer every few minutes just felt really inexact. Since I'm only brewing 1 gallon it's easy to do on the stove in a 2 gallon pot. Can I leave the lid on to try to keep the heat trapped? Or do I really just have to stand around and stir it every few minutes with the thermometer to get a decent reading?

With a non-recirculating infusion mash, it's about impossible to get an accurate temp. I've noticed as much as 5 degree difference at different spots in the mash even with lots of stirring. With most modern malts, mash temp isn't nearly as important as most people think it is.

 

[user 305778]

With a non-recirculating infusion mash, it's about impossible to get an accurate temp. I've noticed as much as 5 degree difference at different spots in the mash even with lots of stirring. With most modern malts, mash temp isn't nearly as important as most people think it is.

That's good to know. I'm a bit obsessive about following instructions (which is why I'm good at baking) so it's hard to not care. So really as long as it sits around 45-55 ish degrees it'll be fine? Or even 40-55?

edit: I'm also in the process of making some spent grain bread. Hope it turns out well as it smells really good.

 

[Snarf1]

That's good to know. I'm a bit obsessive about following instructions (which is why I'm good at baking) so it's hard to not care. So really as long as it sits around 45-55 ish degrees it'll be fine? Or even 40-55?

edit: I'm also in the process of making some spent grain bread. Hope it turns out well as it smells really good.

I assume you're talking Celsius and I only speak 'Murican, but 10° C is probably more of a range than you want. Although the google is telling me that's well below sacc rest, so maybe you forgot a 1? Either way, 10 degrees is more of range than I would shoot for. I try and get within at least 4°F.

Got home from a few days out of town and went to check on fruit beers. Damn those things trap CO2, push out through &/or clog airlock when they don't get punched down for a few a days. What do other people do? 6 g BB is my biggest option for fruit beers, trying to get anything into/out of glass is just too much of a PITA. I've thought about buckets a few times since the 8 gallon ones seem like they would be a good size, but I'm really worried about O2 uptake.

Scuppernong beer is doing well and peach is great. I hope some of the peach flavor makes it through fermentation.

 

[user 305778]

No I'm an idiot and meant 145 to 155 farenheit.

 

[Snarf1]

No I'm an idiot and meant 145 to 155 farenheit.

I don't think you'll see more than a few points difference in FG in that range, but as I said above I do try and keep it a little tighter.

 

[user 305778]

Any tips on keeping it at that temperature?

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Any tips on keeping it at that temperature?

If the pot fits in your oven (and is oven safe), you can keep it in the oven for an hour at your desired temp. Other than that, it's all about insulation (wrap a sleeping bag around the pot after removing from the stovetop).

 

[user 305778]

Would you put a lid on it too?

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Would you put a lid on it too?

During the mash, absolutely. Never put a lid on during the boil. That can lead to off-flavors (DMS).

 

[user 305778]

During the mash, absolutely. Never put a lid on during the boil. That can lead to off-flavors (DMS).

Yeah I meant during the mash. Keeping a lid on during the boil would also keep it from reducing properly.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[TheMitz]

I've decided to abandon all commercial funky/sour strains for dregs. Brewed a super simple sour (60% 2-row, 35% wheat, 5% 6-row) and threw in a yeast started I made with Crooked Stave St. Bretta dregs. Left in primary for a month, poured pureed sour cherries on for another month and bottled. Came out so much better than my previous experiments with White Labs and Wyeast strains! Very tart, not overly acidic with a great cherry flavor/funk. Next I'm using the same yeast with some oak chips and blueberries.

 

[Snarf1]

I've decided to abandon all commercial funky/sour strains for dregs. Brewed a super simple sour (60% 2-row, 35% wheat, 5% 6-row) and threw in a yeast started I made with Crooked Stave St. Bretta dregs. Left in primary for a month, poured pureed sour cherries on for another month and bottled. Came out so much better than my previous experiments with White Labs and Wyeast strains! Very tart, not overly acidic with a great cherry flavor/funk. Next I'm using the same yeast with some oak chips and blueberries.

All of the blends range from suck (WL & Wyeast) to ok-ish (ECY), but in the ten or so beers I've made with commercial blends, I haven't had one that didn't need dregs to help it along and won't use any of the commercial blends again. I'm surprised your CS dregs beer isn't that acidic. CS dregs tend to make some sour bombs. I like dregs, but some of the individual strains shouldn't be written off. I feel like there is more control to having individual strains or your own blends to pitch than just adding dregs and hoping you get something along the lines of what you're thinking.

Heck, even White Labs has a couple good brett strains, even though their bacteria is absolute **** and the cell count is a joke. WLP 645 may or may not be (just) brett clausenii, but whatever it is it's the only strain I've tried for brett(?) primary that I want to use again. Wyeasts lacto's are good and the pedio seems to be from the couple times I've used it, but that's been in a blend with the lacto and both of those beers are still working. ECY03B is my jam for brett bottling.

 

[SirDickButts]

my friend and i decided to build a collar for my 2nd kegerator today...

im gonna leave this kegerator at his crib. maybe we should start slangin' kegerator collars. LOL.

 

[Skittle34]

Double hinged or single hinged?

 

[SirDickButts]

Double hinged or single hinged?

we used the hinges from the chest freezer, which are counterbalance hinges.

 

[Skittle34]

Gotcha! sounds pretty nifty