Syracuse, NY area - Group Grain Buy

[rustbucket]

haha, im a nerd when it comes to excel... (could be because i use it for everything, especially in school.. stupid engineering) but i was taking pre-boil gravity to see what my eff out of my mash-tun were, plus brew house efficiency.. exct.. i take every piece of data i can.. ..

when i get a good digital thermometer.. im going to take temp measurements of my mash tun and make a graph of temperature loss over the hour mash time.. (data point every 2-5 minutes... haha

 

[jhenderson27]

Bed bath beyond. I got a awesome thermo. There that i can rin into my tun and constantly monitor without opening lid. Started at 155 for last mash and dropped only to 151-152 by end

 

[CidahMastah]

I think the thermal mass of the 10G batches helps to reduce the losses. On my batches I only lose about 1-2 degrees and we pop the lid to stir a couple times during the mash. This is mashing outside in the god awful cold too. I do throw towels on the top of the mashtun to help insulate.

That is the beauty of the electric herms I am working on. Automatically maintained mash temps, strike water temps, boils. Basically, you can sit back and bang a spoon on stuff to make it sound like you are working on on the brew - but you won't be, you will be sipping a brew

 

[jhenderson27]

Ha, trust me ive got the sipping portion down. I donn wanna go all fancy setup, i like the variables here and ther. Besides 2* isnt gonna change much to the average palate.

 

[CidahMastah]

No problem with that!

I love brewing as is, but lately it seems like when I brew I also have to bottle, keg, clean carboys etc. All my work stuff is in the basement, while my brewing goes on in my driveway (nice to be able to safely leave the set up rocking while I do that). Plus, I will pay for my system in propane savings in the first year.

My set up isn't all fancy at all, very basic workhorse set up. I just got real peeved when my 185k btu @ss ripper of a burner was blown out due to wicked winds, which are common up here. That and, since all the brewing goes down at my house, and with some 90 minute boils, I have been killing my propane tanks regularly.

Not to mention it is just a really fin project to take on...

 

[rustbucket]

i think that once i get a house of my own.. ill make and electric system for winter and crappy weather (cold) and keep my propane system for use during summer time.... while i sit in the garage and enjoy the nice warm breeze and sun.. ha (this is all saying that i don't build a garage with heat)

right now mine drops a good amount if i only fill the MLT half way.. i think once i get these brews that i have planned done for the year, i might move to 10g batches.. (im trying to get my system down right now and exploring new styles and recipes)

 

[CidahMastah]

i think that once i get a house of my own.. ill make and electric system for winter and crappy weather (cold) and keep my propane system for use during summer time....

right now mine drops a good amount if i only fill the MLT half way.. i think once i get these brews that i have planned done for the year, i might move to 10g batches.. (im trying to get my system down right now and exploring new styles and recipes)

Yeah with 10G in my current set up the mash really isn't a concern. If I want to do a 5G batch though, the dead head space creates a heat loss issue. My pots are 15g or 60 quart. So the Herms set up will be ideal for that. Honestly, I really only care about the boil and strike water usage for the 10 g batches. Using a 5500w element reduces your strike water heat up time and the time from your wort collection to boil.

My personal opinion is that when you step up to 10 gallon batches electric becomes more attractive. In the same vein, if you have larger pots but do smaller mashes, the electric herms is nice as well.

Necessary..., nope. Cool project with some big advantages? I think so. But then again I love to tinker so building it isn't work, its a lot of fun (plus you can sip on a brew while you build).

 

[CidahMastah]

Farmerjoe - just curious, when were you planning on grabbing your grain? No rush, just was making plans for my weekend and wanted to you if you were planning on swinging over.

 

[FarmerJoe]

I won't be able to make it up until next weekend. Wanted to go this weekend, but I volunteered to pick up some extra hours at my part-time job this weekend. I didn't even think about the grain until half an hour I said yes to the hours , then I was pissed at myself lol.
So yea, I plan on going next weekend, I'm leaning towards Sunday, but I'll let you know for sure in a couple more days to see if it's good with you.

 

[CidahMastah]

ok sounds good.

 

[TwoGunz]

I just stumbled on this thread while browsing the forum. Glad to see so many central new yorkers, I may have to get in on the next grain buy as I'm planning on getting my all grain setup going soon. I've been waiting for winter to finally break so I can pull out the lawn chair and propane burner.

 

[jhenderson27]

Throwing this out.to anyone. Cam into a igloo 5g gott cooler, phils phalse bottom with ball valve, anyone interezted? Or know of anyone...make offer

 

[rustbucket]

farmerjoe.. just sending this so that you know.. um.. on friday the 22nd im going up to vermont.. so ill be in teh albany area going to the interchange and onto 90 north.. its up to you if you would like me to meet you somewhere in there just off 90 or something while im on my way up that way.. (this would be mid afternoon sometime like 12-3pm) that is what im planning anyways..

but i figure i would give you heads up..

 

[gerglegat]

Hi,
I just noticed you mentioned traveling through Albany, Does this group buy service Albany and Southern Vermont? I want to order a sack but haven't found anything in the Albany area. Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[gerglegat]

Would like 2x on the next order. When is anoither order expected to be placed?
Thanks

 

[jhenderson27]

I would have to say its gonna be a bit. We just got our grain in not long ago. It took a bit for us to close out. However depending on how many step forward it could happen in a month or 2ish

 

[FarmerJoe]

Hey gerglegat, I live in Albany and have purchased in both buys. Perhaps in future orders we can work something out where I could go to Syracuse for pickup, and you could pick up your order from me.

 

[CidahMastah]

Hey guys - please keep posting interest as you have it, but as the other gents noted - we are looking at interest in only a few bags right now; maybe 5-7. I wouldn't consider opening anything up until we have at least 30+ bags of interest. Last time people promised buys beyond 45 bags and I opened it up. Well all the sudden people change there minds and we were shy. So if you promise, do you best to be accurate.

The main reason why is... if you string along an order for several weeks or months, people stop watching. So payment time comes and the payments are staggered, i.e. delayed order, etc.

nuff' said!

I will say, having all the extra 2row and specialties has been great fun. Chewing through that on my 10G batches!!

 

[CidahMastah]

Hi,
I just noticed you mentioned traveling through Albany, Does this group buy service Albany and Southern Vermont? I want to order a sack but haven't found anything in the Albany area. Any suggestions?
Thanks

Anyone can participate in the group buy, but you do need to pick up, or arrange pick up of your grain from Syracuse area NY. i.e. if you can work something out with someone (i.e. farmerjoe), it would cut your travel in half, and might be worth doing.

OR

Get a bunch of local buddies and make a drive down sharing expenses, and buy lots of grain.

 

[FarmerJoe]

Oh yea cidah, you going to be home Sunday afternoon?

 

[gerglegat]

Group Buy:
Thanks FarmerJoe. I'm sure we'll be able to work something out as I'm from Cuse as is one of my brewing buddies. Also, I'll throw this out there: I live a few minutes from Bennington, VT (work in Albany). Maybe there's some interest that way if needed for your orders. I'm new to this thread and not sure of your groups protocol. Maybe you as a group are not in any rush to place orders?? I'm sure as the group gets low on supplies (Brew More!)we'll be able to join your next buy, correct?
Thanks

 

[CidahMastah]

The only rule from the group is to pay for your order in a timely fashion and pick it up

If there is interest from enough people an order can go out. However you need 42 bags of grain to make an order happen.

 

[CidahMastah]

Oh yea cidah, you going to be home Sunday afternoon?

Should be - pending weather I am prepping and possibly putting in apples trees all weekend.

 

[CidahMastah]

So if I have it right I am adding the following people to the notification list:

gerglegat
twogunz
brewdiver

Please let me know if I missed anyone.


Just for fun, I checked my grain consumption. So far I have kicked over three bags of 2-Row, and cracked into my Rye, Wheat and of course used some of each of the specialties that I got. livestrong? nope, brewstrong!

 

[BrewDiver]

So if I have it right I am adding the following people to the notification list:

gerglegat
twogunz

Please let me know if I missed anyone.


Just for fun, I checked my grain consumption. So far I have kicked over three bags of 2-Row, and cracked into my Rye, Wheat and of course used some of each of the specialties that I got. livestrong? nope, brewstrong!

Dont forget me. I should be good for 2 bags, maybe 3.

 

[CidahMastah]

added! I thought there were a couple more

 

[rustbucket]

cidah your a monster!.... haha, this month ill be cracking into a new bag of grain, the wheat, and rye..

um.. just so you know.. im making a smoked rye ipa..(my own recipe) if its any good... ill give you the recipe!

and that barleywine that i made a couple months ago.. i racked it into a secondary.. and the taste of it is really good... very malty backbone.

 

[CidahMastah]

cidah your a monster!.... haha, this month ill be cracking into a new bag of grain, the wheat, and rye..

um.. just so you know.. im making a smoked rye ipa..(my own recipe) if its any good... ill give you the recipe!

and that barleywine that i made a couple months ago.. i racked it into a secondary.. and the taste of it is really good... very malty backbone.

Well I only get half the credit - I am splitting the batches

Very cool on the smoked Rye. I just put my rye IPA and a torpedo into fermenters this past weekend - so it will be a bit, but when it comes around I will let you know how it turns out. Just fine tuned my electric brew setup so it should be good to go for my blood orange hefe. I am still trying to decide about dry hopping the rye IPA....

Very cool on the barley wine. My buddy is very interested in doing one, as am I. It would be a great way to burn some grain up.

My pipeline is chugging! Probably because for a bit there, I nearly have half a pallet of grain in my house. And my wife wanted me to clear it out!

 

[jhenderson27]

I went and snaked a sample of torpedo at 10 days fermenting. Its rocking hoppy. Its dryhopping now. Botteling sunday

 

[CidahMastah]

I went and snaked a sample of torpedo at 10 days fermenting. Its rocking hoppy. Its dryhopping now. Botteling sunday

I have been drinking my torpedos daily... man they are good. Had to get another batch going in a hurry because the torpedo will be missed when it is gone!