Syracuse, ny - round 5 group grain buy

[CidahMastah]

Payment sent in the mail today.

Update: Cidah, I just saw the later post with the revised estimate. Earlier today, I sent a check for $275 as I figured the number was still jumping around and I wanted to make sure I was covered.

that should cover it for sure! I will let you know the difference when i hear back from the buyer

 

[CidahMastah]

Both tasty beers. I'm going to try my first pils soon... Have you made an urquell clone before? I'd be interested in the recipe or any pointers

I haven't done this recipe before but it is the BYO clone so if it is like any other clone I had tried, it should be good. Have been waiting to do this one for a long time.

For lagering though, in general I know the right way to do it is:
1. build a big starter, about twice the size you would normally use for the batch based on O.G.
2. Also it is key to chill the wort down to about 45F, then pitch yeast and work your way up to the 55F over several days to avoid diacetyl.
3. After your ferment of about 2weeks you can pull it out of the refridge and let it return to room temp for a 1-2 day diacetyl rest.
4. Then you toss it back in to lager for a month or two at 32F ish (or longer).

I am still trying to decide if I am going to do a mash out decoction. I know that if I do, I will only do a single decotion at mash out and a single infusion mash and boil the decoction for about 20-30 minutes. All the reading I have done leads me to believe that if a decoction helps, it probably doesn't matter from a 1 vs. a three, more the cook time for color and the different flavor. i.e. since you aren't using the decoction to achieve conversion based on poorly unmodified malts, you are using the decoction to get a cooked flavor from the grains and deepen the color hue. so your decoction cook time is what is key to adding a different flavor to a brew, if any.

I know Denny doesn't believe there is a difference in using a decoction, yet lots of people say there is. Denny is pretty experienced, so I don't know that I am convinced this is more than the emperors new clothing.

Though I have never done a triple decoction so I will have to try it some day!

I can dig the recipe up later as well

 

[copyright1997]

that should cover it for sure! I will let you know the difference when i hear back from the buyer

I'm just trying to get started on the next group buy. So, are you ready to start a thread for it?

 

[CidahMastah]

I'm just trying to get started on the next group buy. So, are you ready to start a thread for it?

Haha - you are serious!?

I like your enthusiasm!

 

[copyright1997]

Haha - you are serious!?

I like your enthusiasm!

Joking. Sort of. But last time, you *did* open a new thread within days of the delivery. Plus, we do need to get prepared for spring.

At this rate, I am going to have to dedicate a room in the house to grain storage.

 

[CBK]

At this rate, I am going to have to dedicate a room in the house to grain storage.

Sounds to me like you need to get busy making beer.

 

[CidahMastah]

I can get one started, but first I want to close this order out

Yeah I need to get to brewing myself. Need to catch up for all this lack of brewing lately.

 

[Smashing]

Geesh, I have 160 lbs coming and nothing to put it in! I gotta get moving!

 

[CBK]

Geesh, I have 160 lbs coming and nothing to put it in! I gotta get moving!

I know they are not designated as food grade but I have had good results with the home depot buckets. They are quite inexpensive about 5 bucks with a lid. Another option are pet food containers. A 5 gallon bucket will hold almost half of a 55lb bag.

 

[jhenderson27]

CBK we already had this debate. If you go to walmart the same oriced buckets/lids are technically food safe. I use lowes buckets and lids. Works great! Homer buckets are nice too, lowes is closer!

 

[copyright1997]

Sounds to me like you need to get busy making beer.

Very true. Actually will be trying to brew today.

 

[Mparsons327]

I also use lowes buckets with no problems!

 

[CBK]

Very true. Actually will be trying to brew today.

Good luck to you and your brewday.
Jhendeson I will check out the buckets at walmart which is closer to me. Thank you for the heads up.

 

[jeffb418]

I use the "Space Bags" they sell at walmart. The larger sizes will fit an entire 55# bag, then hit it with a vacuum or shop vac and your grain is vacuum sealed! I then put them inside rubber maid containers to stop the chance of mice ever chewing them (havent had pests in 4 years, but better to be safe then sorry.

 

[CidahMastah]

I have had a few questions from folks about payment. So let me clear this up to help people along.

In short:
a. No need to pay until we get actuals
b. you can pay ahead with the estimate if you are trying to help expedite the order.
c. The estimates will vary, but the largest variance will be the shipping cost per bag could be as much as a $2 per bag difference.

Here is some more detail:

1. No need to pay now, but you can - Copyright paid now because he is sending a regular check (he is getting me his check early so the group won't be held up by 3-5 business days of processing time for a personal check; and the 1-2 days it will take the post office to deliver it).
2. If you pay with a certified check or money order, I won't need to cash it before cutting a check to the buyer. i.e. if you pay with a personal check when we get the actuals, it might be 3-5busniess days for check processing and 1-2 days mail shipment before I can get the order moving ahead. Of course we won't have the actuals until Wednesday at soonest based on hte buyer's lack of power predicament (i.e. it will be hard to turn this around fast unless all the stars align).

So with that in mind, my estimates are exactly that. They will flucuate slightly up or down dependent on shipping costs, etc. The price of the grain itself should stay within a dollar of what you calculated per bag (a bag of CM2ROW shouldn't deviate more than a dollar total for the whole bag cost). Shipping could vary considerably from $6.80-8.90 per bag - we just won't know until we see it. So I estimated 7.20 per bag ish, because I think that is the likely price give or take.

oop - one more thing. The order is well over $2,800. So I know my checking account won't have that much extra kicking around in it. i.e. I will need a fair amount of "checks cashed" into my account before I can have enough $$ to cover the check to the buyer.

 

[Mparsons327]

I will have a money order in the mail as soon as you have all the details! Do you have any idea when the delivery might be? I'm hoping sometime next week so I can come that weekend!

 

[CidahMastah]

I will have a money order in the mail as soon as you have all the details! Do you have any idea when the delivery might be? I'm hoping sometime next week so I can come that weekend!

My tentative hope/ schedule is to get the cost from NCM by COB this Wednesday at latest. Then get actual prices out to everyone and get money back.

With luck I will have the checks by the end of the week.

If we get good execution:
11/2 - wednesday Actual cost out to HBTers
11/4-11/5 receive all the orders for the grain buy (if money orders I will process the order for delivery by COB Friday if possible).
11/9-11/11 Jhenderson receives grain and checks the delivery for accuracy. Grain pick up right after that.

Any slow payments, mail delays, inability of the buyer to get a timely quote form NCM, etc. push the grain delivery to the right.

 

[Smashing]

I'll be getting you a money order. It's the least I can do for ya.

For storage, a local place was selling recycled food grade cylinders. I believe they were 10 gal with screw on air tight lids. What type of bag does the grain come in? I'd assume it was the woven plastic kind.

 

[jeffb418]

I'll be getting you a money order. It's the least I can do for ya.

For storage, a local place was selling recycled food grade cylinders. I believe they were 10 gal with screw on air tight lids. What type of bag does the grain come in? I'd assume it was the woven plastic kind.

Also you can go to most Wegman's bakery department and ask for buckets. They give away a ton of food grade buckets from frosting and such for free. You just have to clean and air them out. A lot of people who make maple syrup hit them up in the early fall. Just ask anyone in the bakery dept.

 

[rustbucket]

oh yeah.. i just finished boiling my starter for my LHBC - milk stout!!!! i haven't brewed in over a month now...

BTW Cidah, my kitchen smells like rhino farts right now from all that cider fermenting...

2 - 6 gallon carboys
8 - 1 gallon milk jugs (testers)

 

[CidahMastah]

oh yeah.. i just finished boiling my starter for my LHBC - milk stout!!!! i haven't brewed in over a month now...

BTW Cidah, my kitchen smells like rhino farts right now from all that cider fermenting...

2 - 6 gallon carboys
8 - 1 gallon milk jugs (testers)

Nice, what yeast did you end up going with? Rhino farts means it is working!

Check my gallery for a pic I just threw up today (my barrel of cider fermenting!)

 

[jhenderson27]

and what do these "rhino farts" smell like. It does not sound like a pleasant thing.

 

[CidahMastah]

and what do these "rhino farts" smell like. It does not sound like a pleasant thing.

Haha - I don't always get them (this years ferment doesn't have them so far), but usually they are yeast type and condition dependent.

Sulphur stink!

I would just imagine a giant rhino arse in your face after a big fiber filled meal. Then a "boom" and a mighty wind blowing your hair back as if a supermodel on a photo shoot... Like a dog fart, but much worse...

but think of it as this - it is like poisonous gas LEAVING the ferment! Better than staying in there

 

[rustbucket]

where did you get that barrel?

i think that would be part of next year experiments!

for my primary yeast i used the two carboys (L1118)

then i have tests of All but the (1) i bumped the gravity to about 1.060 with table sugar and am going to ferment down to mid sweet (1.015-1.020)(i think thats mid sweet) number (1) i didn't add any sugar started at 1.050 and this one im going to let go dry. lucky they are all in gallon jugs so i can stop fermentation much easier..... by sticking it in the fridge.

1 - red del/ empire - L1118
2 - S-04
3 - S-04 which im going to put Cinnamon stick in
4 - Champagne yeast
5 - Nottingham
6 - Wyeast cider yeast (from my starter i tasted the decanted liquid this stuff is really sulfury)
7 - Nottingham with 2oz of molasses for upping gravity
8 - doing the caramel apple recipe on here with champagne yeast (caramelized sugar into primary and then secondary) (this is straight macoun apples) since i had an extra two gallons

all the rest are a mixture of (Red delic, Golden delc, Empire, Macoun) with some gala in there

with my set up, i had recieved 10 bushels and pressed just about 30 gallons out of it... so im getting roughly 3 gallons a bushel!

 

[bierhaus15]

Out of curiosity, I fermented a regular gallon of local apple cider (uv treated) with some Notty a few weeks ago. The cider was supposedly a mix of culinary apples with some crab apples for tartness or something (1.045 OG). Anyways, I tried some sunday and the stuff is freaking delicious. My friend and I drank the whole gallon, straight from the carboy, on Sunday during the football game. Woke up with the worst bloody hangover, but the stuff was good!

 

[rustbucket]

Out of curiosity, I fermented a regular gallon of local apple cider (uv treated) with some Notty a few weeks ago. The cider was supposedly a mix of culinary apples with some crab apples for tartness or something (1.045 OG). Anyways, I tried some sunday and the stuff is freaking delicious. My friend and I drank the whole gallon, straight from the carboy, on Sunday during the football game. Woke up with the worst bloody hangover, but the stuff was good!

so what was your question? haha

 

[CidahMastah]

Out of curiosity, I fermented a regular gallon of local apple cider (uv treated) with some Notty a few weeks ago. The cider was supposedly a mix of culinary apples with some crab apples for tartness or something (1.045 OG). Anyways, I tried some sunday and the stuff is freaking delicious. My friend and I drank the whole gallon, straight from the carboy, on Sunday during the football game. Woke up with the worst bloody hangover, but the stuff was good!

you can drink young cider before it ferments dry and it usually tastes great with some residual sugar - but the alcohol hasn't softened yet and the hangover can be pretty bad!

I was planning on doing an active fermenting cider at my pressing to serve, however it got too complicated to time it right.

rust bought the barrel from bronstein container in jamesville

 

[rustbucket]

you can drink young cider before it ferments dry and it usually tastes great with some residual sugar - but the alcohol hasn't softened yet and the hangover can be pretty bad!

I was planning on doing an active fermenting cider at my pressing to serve, however it got too complicated to time it right.

rust bought the barrel from bronstein container in jamesville

just out of curiosity what was the cost of it?

 

[Smashing]

Also you can go to most Wegman's bakery department and ask for buckets. They give away a ton of food grade buckets from frosting and such for free. You just have to clean and air them out. A lot of people who make maple syrup hit them up in the early fall. Just ask anyone in the bakery dept.

I work there. I have bunches of those buckets but I think they're 4gal.

 

[CidahMastah]

just out of curiosity what was the cost of it?

just realized that you probably mean the whiskey barrel - buffalo trace - that cost me 90, but he said they are 120 this year. Right now I have a plastic food grade barrel for the primary for the cider - must not have attached it correctly. That one costs about 62 for the open head design. I plan on racking out of that and back into glass after about a month or so.