So who's brewing this weekend?

[jcav]

The wife and I are throwing a 60th b-day party for our neighbor next month. I let her pick what style of beer she wanted as it's her birthday. I couldn't believe she picked my pumpkin beer that I make every Thanksgiving as the beer she wanted. I tried to talk her out of it to no avail. So yesterday I brewed my Pumpkin Ale that has 16 pounds of pumpkin and the spices smelled so good on the back lanai. The birthday girl to be came over and got all the spices together for the flame out addition that I put in a screen tube. She also got to pitch the yeast for her beer. She had a great experience and learned a thing or two as well. All in all a great day!

John

 

[DuncB]

All went well once the power went on. Temp had dropped to 47, so I bumped to strike at 66 and doughed in the rest of grain.
Seems to be fermenting well.

 

[tenordrummer4life]

I've got an Oktoberfest-style SMaSH beer coming up on Sunday. Excited to play with Munich and Tettnang hops for the first time!

 

[Willy]

Got all the grains measured out today for an 11 gallon batch of American Pale Ale. Milling brew day, tomorrow. Grains used, about 23 lbs total. Golden Promise and Red X - 9 lbs, 8 lbs.
2 pounds of pilsner, 3 lbs flaked corn and about 8 oz each of biscuit and carapils. Hops... casacade, centennial and azzaca . This is a "what I got left" brew day batch, I am really low on grains and making a run to the Carolina Malt House early next week for enough grain for the next 5-9 months.

 

[lumpher]

Going to brew a Dirty Blonde Ale. Never tried 1, but it looks like it will add some complexity to a regular Blonde, and still light enough for the Texas Summer.

 

[Zadkiel]

Sick of hearing about it? Are you kidding? This is a homebrew forum. We live to hear all about it!!

OK, well. first grain brewday overall went well. There were mistakes for sure, but they weren't huge.

Biggest one was pH, perhaps my overconcerrn about pH and trying too hard to chase it and messing it up with a combination of a miscalibrated meter and bad decisions. Smaller mistake was completely missing one of my hop additions. And then doing a 15 minute hopstand, for the hops that I didn't put in lol.

But my efficiency was off the chart, at 93%, meaning my Cali Common is gonna be about 6%. The colour is also completely wrong, a dark brown instead of the coppery amber it's supposed to be, but fermentation went super well, from 1.054 to 1.012 in about 4 days, and it already tastes good, even with all the extra acid I had to add to the fermenter to get the pH to a remotely sensible level.

it's not right, but the next one will be a lot better thanks to it, and it's going to be very drinkable, so yay, win/win.

 

[MaxStout]

OK, well. first grain brewday overall went well. There were mistakes for sure, but they weren't huge.

Biggest one was pH, perhaps my overconcerrn about pH and trying too hard to chase it and messing it up with a combination of a miscalibrated meter and bad decisions. Smaller mistake was completely missing one of my hop additions. And then doing a 15 minute hopstand, for the hops that I didn't put in lol.

But my efficiency was off the chart, at 93%, meaning my Cali Common is gonna be about 6%. The colour is also completely wrong, a dark brown instead of the coppery amber it's supposed to be, but fermentation went super well, from 1.054 to 1.012 in about 4 days, and it already tastes good, even with all the extra acid I had to add to the fermenter to get the pH to a remotely sensible level.

it's not right, but the next one will be a lot better thanks to it, and it's going to be very drinkable, so yay, win/win.

Or it could become the serendipitous beer that turns out great.

 

[lumpher]

it's not right, but the next one will be a lot better thanks to it, and it's going to be very drinkable, so yay, win/win.

You know what's IS right? A beer that tastes good, so it sounds like that 1 is right.

 

[BongoYodeler]

OK, well. first grain brewday overall went well. There were mistakes for sure, but they weren't huge.

Biggest one was pH, perhaps my overconcerrn about pH and trying too hard to chase it and messing it up with a combination of a miscalibrated meter and bad decisions. Smaller mistake was completely missing one of my hop additions. And then doing a 15 minute hopstand, for the hops that I didn't put in lol.

But my efficiency was off the chart, at 93%, meaning my Cali Common is gonna be about 6%. The colour is also completely wrong, a dark brown instead of the coppery amber it's supposed to be, but fermentation went super well, from 1.054 to 1.012 in about 4 days, and it already tastes good, even with all the extra acid I had to add to the fermenter to get the pH to a remotely sensible level.

it's not right, but the next one will be a lot better thanks to it, and it's going to be very drinkable, so yay, win/win.

Sounds good!! As long as you’re having fun, and end up with something drinkable, it’s a win in my book. Just for some perspective, I have very few perfect brew days.

 

[DuncB]

@Zadkiel
You could always add some boiled water to get your target alcohol level.
When you say 93% efficiency which efficiency do you mean, you achieved your target volume and had more extraction?

 

[jdauria]

Cream ale on deck for tomorrow.

 

[Zadkiel]

@Zadkiel
You could always add some boiled water to get your target alcohol level.
When you say 93% efficiency which efficiency do you mean, you achieved your target volume and had more extraction?

brewfather, when I selected brewzilla 35 as the equipment profile, automatically set the efficiency value to 78%, which resulted in an estimated OG of 23L @ 1.046, but what I actually ended up with was 24L (boil off was lower than expected) @ 1.054 - in order to get brewfather to show 1.054, I had to increase the efficiency value to 93%

I assumed this was because I did a manual sparge - I think because the brewzilla doesn't have an inbuilt sparge function, and you have to do it manually, that their default efficiency value might not include it.

 

[Zadkiel]

You know what's IS right? A beer that tastes good, so it sounds like that 1 is right.

I just meant 'right' in as much as it matching the beer I was trying to make

 

[JohnDBrewer]

Taking it on the road, club brew day at a local brewery. Packed up all my crap up and looking to brew a California Common. Not the whole system, just the boil kettle, propane stand and a bag.

 

[Willy]

Cool and overcast day to brew. All finished with the mash and boil, pH and OG right on target. Whirlfloc in, whirlpool on and cooling down quickly. Thankfully no rain to speak of, just the wimpy spray of misty wet. No drops. I should be able to finish up without getting rained out.

 

[YeastFeast]

Hazy IPA brewing on Monday. 7.5%. Heavy Riwaka & Nelson from YVH recent “New Zealand sale”. 1.2 L Coastal Haze starter going now. Only have a stout on tap right now, needed a Hazy in the rotation. Cheers.

 

[DuncB]

That starter is an interesting colour, mine are always much more orange.

 

[YeastFeast]

That starter is an interesting colour, mine are always much more orange.

Yeah, it looks very grey, i questioned that when i posted that pic. I think it was spinning so fast that it makes it looks whitish.

It’s chillin in the fridge now, color looks much better…

 

[SFC Rudy]

Dunkle Weizen

 

[TexasTea]

Did my next to last extract batch today in the small Vevor kettle before switching to all grain. Big Basin- American Amber Ale, OG 1.062, pitched at 66F (Lutra), ambient temp 80F. I want to compare with the previous batch (pitched at 95F Lutra) ambient temp 80F. I Use Palmers method- 3 gallon water boil with 1/2 the malt added , add the other half at flameout, dilute with refrigerated water to make 6 gallons. I had previously purchased the 16 gallon Vevor kettle to do all grain. I figure I can do 7 or 8 gallon all grain batches, easily in that since my stainless fermenter (also Vevor) can hold 8 gallons .

 

[RonnieBiggs]

Happy brewday

 

[jdauria]

Nothing on deck to brew this coming weekend, but will be quick carbing my Berliner Weiss and finally kegging my Dunkel.

 

[wepeeler]

Brewing an Altbier in about 6 hours!

 

[Broothru]

Not so much “What” but rather “Where”:

Got the opportunity to brew my Munich Helles recipe at a local brewpub today with their staff in their 3 barrel on-site pilot brewery. They actually do the majority of their brewing off-site at their canning facility where they brew the majority of their beers on much larger systems. But In Maryland, you have to actually brew a portion of your product at the restaurant to ‘qualify’ as a brew pub. Strange liquor laws.

The back fermenter in the first picture is where my ‘baby’ is starting to bubble. Great day to brew, and great opportunity to brew in a “Pro-Am” setting.

 

[Willy]

Brewing now... Just mashed in an American Brown Ale, and evolution of 8 batches over the last year that became Live At The Apollo (James Brown Tribute). So tasty and my third iteration of the same recipe. Love it! About 5.8% ABV to 6% depending on how dry or sweet I want it to be. centennial and Magnum hops in the last 30 minutes/20 minutes.

 

[Broothru]

Brewing now... Just mashed in an American Brown Ale, and evolution of 8 batches over the last year that became Live At The Apollo (James Brown Tribute). So tasty and my third iteration of the same recipe. Love it! About 5.8% ABV to 6% depending on how dry or sweet I want it to be. centennial and Magnum hops in the last 30 minutes/20 minutes.

“Wow! I feel good, I knew that I would!
I feel nice; sugar & spice…

Post that tribute recipe, to the Godfather of Soul!

 

[Willy]

“Wow! I feel good, I knew that I would!
I feel nice; sugar & spice…

Post that tribute recipe, to the Godfather of Soul!

Baird's MO 56.6%. (3L)
RED X 21.1%. (11L)
Brown Ale 10.2%. (65L)
Flaked Oats 7.1%
Chocolate 3.5% (350L)
Coffee. 1.3%. (150L)

Hop addition
30 min centennial
20 min magnum

Yeast US-05

ABV 6.0%
SRM 24
IBU 27

Single step mash at 149.7°F for 60 minutes. 60 min boil. Whirlfloc, whirlpool, etc.

 

[Broothru]

Baird's MO 56.6%. (3L)
RED X 21.1%. (11L)
Brown Ale 10.2%. (65L)
Flaked Oats 7.1%
Chocolate 3.5% (350L)
Coffee. 1.3%. (150L)

Hop addition
30 min centennial
20 min magnum

Yeast US-05

ABV 6.0%
SRM 24
IBU 27

Single step mash at 149.7°F for 60 minutes. 60 min boil. Whirlfloc, whirlpool, etc.

I like the idea of using Red X with the Brown for color. I imagine it gives a beautiful mahogany tone to the beer. Oats for body and mouthfeel, mix of coffee and chocolate malts for flavor. Looks like a great malt bill!

 

[Willy]

I like the idea of using Red X with the Brown for color. I imagine it gives a beautiful mahogany tone to the beer. Oats for body and mouthfeel, mix of coffee and chocolate malts for flavor. Looks like a great malt bill!

Sometimes I add some carapils for a foamier, longer lasting head. (12 oz for a 8 gal batch is typical).

This is my go to "rally" beer for brewer's baseball games. When I pour a glass, we score runs. So... It is vital that I have a healthy batch as we approach October. The last batch was brewed in late May. We are like 45-16 since then... Almost a .750 clip . Crazy.

 

[Broothru]

Sometimes I add some carapils for a foamier, longer lasting head. (12 oz for a 8 gal batch is typical).

This is my go to "rally" beer for brewer's baseball games. When I pour a glass, we score runs. So... It is vital that I have a healthy batch as we approach October. The last batch was brewed in late May. We are like 45-16 since then... Almost a .750 clip . Crazy.

That’s a red hot record. Keep up the winning streak. Don’t want to jinx the rally, but at some point (maybe the inevitable slump) you might try putting in a ‘reliever’ like chit malt in place for carapils. I’ve been experimenting with it and it’s proving to be a good ‘closer’ for foam, body and stability.