South Carolina SC midlands area brewers

[TravelingLight]

As I continue to draw down my stash in prep for moving in 3 or 4 months, I figured I need to start planning for my future acquisitions (thinking a Coffin Keezer, made up halfway nice so that I can keep it in a public area instead of the garage...) and maybe a fruit press rigged up to act as a grain press. Apparently this is really big for Belgian brewers to ensure they're extracting all possible liquid from their spent grain.

Any thoughts on either?

I'm curious how you would do the fruit press. I assume you BIAB/MIAB? I'm just trying to figure out how you could incorporate the fruit press, over the kettle? But maybe I'm not thinking about it correctly. What about a bucket with a bunch of holes drilled, inside another bucket. Put the bag in the bucket with holes, then inside the other bucket, then press down? I'm just thinking out loud here...

 

[carpathia]

So, I'll admit, I haven't seen them on the homebrew scale, and there seems to be a difference between a mash press and a mash filter press (which uses cloth membranes between plates full of grist), but, in essence, yes, a fancier version of two buckets with the bottom one having holes. HBT had a thread I saw a while ago where someone did just that, and it ended up causing wort to shoot out the top/sides.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/20-fruit-press.html?variant=WE102
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EQFX11K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

These seem close to what I had in mind, with the idea being that chunks of the mash could be cycled/filtered through to avoid squeezing by hand an extremely hot and heavy bag full of grain into a bucket, and all the fun that entails.

The other problem I had with developing this concept on HBT is that most posters are both from 10 years ago, and are also claiming you'll extract tannins unnecessarily by applying pressure, which is demonstrably false, as tannin extraction is a function of mash pH.

 

[carpathia]

TL: How'd your stout from back in August turn out?

 

[TravelingLight]

TL: How'd your stout from back in August turn out?

Rounded out better than I had originally hoped. It finished out at 1.036 IIRC (10% ABV), which was a hair higher than I wanted. So I warmed it up, roused it, etc., but it was done. I threw it in a keg to bulk age, which is where it is now. But I'm about to rack it onto coffee and bourbon/oak. Well, actually I will probably only do about 3 gal on coffee/bourbon/oak and keep 2 gal clean.

 

[catdaddy66]

Rounded out better than I had originally hoped. It finished out at 1.036 IIRC (10% ABV), which was a hair higher than I wanted. So I warmed it up, roused it, etc., but it was done. I threw it in a keg to bulk age, which is where it is now. But I'm about to rack it onto coffee and bourbon/oak. Well, actually I will probably only do about 3 gal on coffee/bourbon/oak and keep 2 gal clean.

That sounds pretty... Stout!

 

[carpathia]

That sounds like a delightlfully fully-bodied stout.

 

[SHAIV]

Hey guys. Its been a while. That stout does sound good. Ive actually been trying some stouts lately and enjoying them including epics big bad baptist. Sounds kind of similar to the batch you just described. Curious though when you add coffee to it how are you doing it? Cold brew? Or just put some beans in with the oak and bourbon?

 

[SHAIV]

Also i just wanted to show you guys my new wort pump i made last week

Theres also another build underway...

 

[carpathia]

What is the benefit to measuring temperature on the outlet?

 

[TravelingLight]

Hey guys. Its been a while. That stout does sound good. Ive actually been trying some stouts lately and enjoying them including epics big bad baptist. Sounds kind of similar to the batch you just described. Curious though when you add coffee to it how are you doing it? Cold brew? Or just put some beans in with the oak and bourbon?

I've never done the cold brew method. Too much room for error and too much tasting, dosing, and math IMO. I "dry bean" mine by hanging ~4oz coarsely crushed beans in a keg and racking the beer into said keg. That way I can taste with a picnic tap as it progresses. But I've never gone longer than 48 hours on beans.

 

[catdaddy66]

I've never done the cold brew method. Too much room for error and too much tasting, dosing, and math IMO. I "dry bean" mine by hanging ~4oz coarsely crushed beans in a keg and racking the beer into said keg. That way I can taste with a picnic tap as it progresses. But I've never gone longer than 48 hours on beans.

On the blonde stout I recently brewed that is how I added the coffee, whole beans. Mine were loose in the fermenter (along with 4oz of cocao nibs). Awesome coffee aroma and flavor.

 

[SHAIV]

What is the benefit to measuring temperature on the outlet?

Im planning to use it for recirculating/whirlpooling. I removed my thermometer from my kettle and replaced it with another valve. I put it there because i had it and i will be whirlpooling while chilling so the benifit is i know what the temperature is while whirlpooling and chilling and heating as well. Also i think it looks cool lol

 

[carpathia]

Im planning to use it for recirculating/whirlpooling. I removed my thermometer from my kettle and replaced it with another valve. I put it there because i had it and i will be whirlpooling while chilling so the benifit is i know what the temperature is while whirlpooling and chilling and heating as well. Also i think it looks cool lol

Actually, yea, that let's you know if a one pass/second pass will melt your fermenter or not

 

[carpathia]

Anyone have the recipe for keystone ice or Natty daddy? Asking for a friend.

 

[TravelingLight]

Anyone have the recipe for keystone ice or Natty daddy? Asking for a friend.

But seriously, have you had one yet? I keep eye balling the singles in the store around the corner...you know, for R&D.

 

[carpathia]

Not yet; I was debating on getting a 4 pack and using them to fill a growler for my boss who won our office's NHL season pool, but figured that'd be too mean.

I mean, as far as trying one for R&D; sometimes you want a nice, 5-year bottle conditioned imperial coffee stout, other times you want a 40 out of a paper bag. Different problems call for different solutions.

 

[SHAIV]

I remember hearing John kimmich say somewhere that occasionally he likes to drink a light beer from a big mainstream brewery. I cant remember exactly what he said but thats the gist

 

[SHAIV]

Ok so i built a ferment chamber. Its up and running but not quite finished yet. Heres a few shots of it. I only spent about $100 on it since i had plenty of screws on hand and i already had the ac unit basically brand new. What you guys think?

 

[TravelingLight]

Ok so i built a ferment chamber. Its up and running but not quite finished yet. Heres a few shots of it. I only spent about $100 on it since i had plenty of screws on hand and i already had the ac unit basically brand new. What you guys think?
View attachment 624553View attachment 624554View attachment 624555

Looks awesome! That's basically what I was planning to build until I found a perfect smaller chest freezer. Have you run some temp tests on it yet to see how cold you can get it and how well it maintains? Any insulation in the lid or on the floor? That would be my only questions. Great job though!

 

[SHAIV]

Looks awesome! That's basically what I was planning to build until I found a perfect smaller chest freezer. Have you run some temp tests on it yet to see how cold you can get it and how well it maintains? Any insulation in the lid or on the floor? That would be my only questions. Great job though!

Thanks man! Yes there is insulation in the lid and the floor. But i used an extra piece of plywood on both in the inside to hold it together better and i figured wood could support 3-4 fermenters better than the styrofoam insulation. Theres two layers of half inch styrofoam on the sides. I sealed it up with reflective duck tape and some window gap silicone. I did do some test runs. It held 40 deg temps well but would not do 30 deg! Lol i think it froze up! I got that inkbird thermometer in there to record max and min temps so i know how its performing. Its working wonders so far and now i can turn my chest freezer into a full blown keezer! Haha. Ill be brewing a session ipa tonight to test it out!

 

[carpathia]

Ok so i built a ferment chamber. Its up and running but not quite finished yet. Heres a few shots of it. I only spent about $100 on it since i had plenty of screws on hand and i already had the ac unit basically brand new. What you guys think?
View attachment 624553View attachment 624554View attachment 624555

Perty!

 

[catdaddy66]

Here is my S Cackalacky common! Disregard the rumpled blanket in the corner...

 

[SHAIV]

Perty!

Thanks man. I brewed that session ipa last night and im exited about it. The chamber is holding strong. Im going to the store tomorrow n get some latches to hold down the lid then all i need is a strong handle to lift the lid upView attachment 624844
Man that bubbler looks small in there! I need to fill it up!

 

[TravelingLight]

Here is my S Cackalacky common! Disregard the rumpled blanket in the corner...View attachment 624809

I just kegged a janky ass cali common. Absolutely not even close to style. But I was given three ingredients, two hops, and two yeasts and challenged to brew a beer. So I went with an amarillo-heavy cali common.

 

[SHAIV]

Idk what happened to my last pic but i put the finishing touches on my chamber just now. A handle and some latches to hold it down

My bubbler looks so small in there. I definitely built the chamber with room to grow! I need more fermenters! Bigger fermenters

 

[catdaddy66]

Idk what happened to my last pic but i put the finishing touches on my chamber just now. A handle and some latches to hold it down

View attachment 624982

View attachment 624983

My bubbler looks so small in there. I definitely built the chamber with room to grow! I need more fermenters! Bigger fermenters

It looks lonely... Lol

 

[SHAIV]

Yep. This is also a test run of sorts too. Its working beautifully so far. I need more fermenters too. Maybe a stainless or a small conical Or a fermonster.

 

[TravelingLight]

Yep. This is also a test run of sorts too. Its working beautifully so far. I need more fermenters too. Maybe a stainless or a small conical Or a fermonster.

Fermonster is where it's at! I love my 7gal Fermonsters. That's about the only thing I ferment in these days.

 

[SHAIV]

Fermonster is where it's at! I love my 7gal Fermonsters. That's about the only thing I ferment in these days.

Yes im looking into getting one. What is an easy way to connect a closed transfer system to the lid? I know you have a nice setup but just getting started what do you suggest for me on a budget? I know its a #10 stopper and morebeer sells a double hole stopper for it i was thinking that might work but idk

 

[Maverick986]

Yes im looking into getting one. What is an easy way to connect a closed transfer system to the lid? I know you have a nice setup but just getting started what do you suggest for me on a budget? I know its a #10 stopper and morebeer sells a double hole stopper for it i was thinking that might work but idk

Check this thread out, it may be what you're looking to do. I have Fermonsters myself, and looking that this route whenever I start kegging.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...ransfers-from-fermonster-to-corny-keg.664270/