What I did for beer today

[grampamark]

Went through my dwindling stash of base malts to see if I could make up a leftovers recipe. Came up with what could be described as an Amber Lawnmower beer. 4.4 ABV, 20 IBU, 11 SRM, all numbers right at the minimum of the style guidelines for an American Amber. Then I ordered 80 lbs of base malts from Morebeer. Oh, and poured a beer.

 

[seatazzz]

Kegged the NEIPA I did last weekend on Loki, with HBC 586 hops. I did a small batch a while back that was quite tasty, and since I needed something quick on tap decided to do it again, in a 5g batch. Yeast slurry will be used in a competition beer due in a few weeks. Which has me sitting here perusing a calendar, and figuring out how many bottles I will need by the end of July. THREE comps coming up (two state fairs and the Best of the Bay). Last competition depleted my bottle supply to just a few; so thinking of ways to convince the husband that we need to buy some commercial beer (preferably Ninkasi, you just look at the labels funny and they fall right off the bottles). If I send all four beers that I am prepping for the first competition I'll need 36 total. Damn that's a lot of beer. Argument for the defense will include the fact that commercial beer will keep my grubby paws off the competition beers. Argument for the plaintiff will include the words 'expensive', 'lack of space', and 'you drink too much'. Defense might then bring out expert witness 'friend who runs brewpub' that husband tends to listen to more than his wife in brewing matters. Who might just let me borrow one of his canners. Things to think about.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Kegged the NEIPA I did last weekend on Loki, with HBC 586 hops. I did a small batch a while back that was quite tasty, and since I needed something quick on tap decided to do it again, in a 5g batch. Yeast slurry will be used in a competition beer due in a few weeks. Which has me sitting here perusing a calendar, and figuring out how many bottles I will need by the end of July. THREE comps coming up (two state fairs and the Best of the Bay). Last competition depleted my bottle supply to just a few; so thinking of ways to convince the husband that we need to buy some commercial beer (preferably Ninkasi, you just look at the labels funny and they fall right off the bottles). If I send all four beers that I am prepping for the first competition I'll need 36 total. Damn that's a lot of beer. Argument for the defense will include the fact that commercial beer will keep my grubby paws off the competition beers. Argument for the plaintiff will include the words 'expensive', 'lack of space', and 'you drink too much'. Defense might then bring out expert witness 'friend who runs brewpub' that husband tends to listen to more than his wife in brewing matters. Who might just let me borrow one of his canners. Things to think about.

Something to ponder… getting a couple cases of new bottles to use for competition. I know, I know not as much fun, however I have had 1st place beer go the BOS and have the second bottle suck. Same beer, packaged the same day (hopefully the same way) so now I use new, and have the reruns for home use and sharing.of course you might do a much better job of cleaning than I do, if so get your bottles full and enjoy!

 

[ba-brewer]

Something to ponder… getting a couple cases of new bottles to use for competition. I know, I know not as much fun, however I have had 1st place beer go the BOS and have the second bottle suck. Same beer, packaged the same day (hopefully the same way) so now I use new, and have the reruns for home use and sharing.of course you might do a much better job of cleaning than I do, if so get your bottles full and enjoy!

I do the same thing but it feel strange to say it out loud to people you give beer to.

The amount of work required to get labels off I think the extra price is worth it.

 

[mac_1103]

The amount of work required to get labels off I think the extra price is worth it.

I find that most labels just slide right off after an day or two soaking in oxiclean. Some are are a lot more stubborn. Those get soaked longer. A few require additional effort that probably isn't worth the trouble.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I do the same thing but it feel strange to say it out loud to people you give beer to.

The amount of work required to get labels off I think the extra price is worth it.

For the record, when I’ve participated in 12 BOC the last 2 times I purchased new bottles. Partly because i didn’t want to scrub bottles and to save the embarrassment of someone possibly getting a ****** beer in the 3. This way if they think it’s ****** then… wait…

 

[mac_1103]

A craftsman never blames his tools, but I guess they never said anything about blaming your materials.

 

[JAReeves]

Bought a 55# bag of Maris Otter and the side grains for a British Brown. Support your LHBS (if you have one)!

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

What I did for beer today is realize I need to brew real soon. After hanging 4th of July banners in the beer garden I sat at the bar for a pint. My cherry wheat sputtered after a half pour, ugh, that brew was so good! Time to figure what's next.

 

[JAReeves]

Doing a closed-transfer of my Whole-Leaf Cascade Blonde Ale. Prepping out the Crabapple Lambic for 12BOC2023, which will get brewed tomorrow. Setting up a Hopped Cider with 4oz. of Cascade. The Hopped Muscat Wine is amazing, so high hopes for the cider as well.

 

[wetmk]

Doing a closed-transfer of my Whole-Leaf Cascade Blonde Ale... View attachment 823958

Great pic! What's in the barrel?

 

[wetmk]

Kicked a keg of saison, cleaned it, and filled it with a wheat beer.

 

[seatazzz]

Tapped the last cream ale I did on Novalager, in the fermzilla. Think I finally beat the acetaldehyde bogey; this one is slightly sweet, but none of the puckery tang that I've been getting. Needs some conditioning time, but cautiously optimistic that it will be a good one. Good thing too; for the first time in months I only have two on tap, this one and a mediocre NEIPA. Got a Strata Pale fermenting but it won't be ready for at least another week. I see a quick trip to the store in my future for (gasp) beer.

 

[Langerz]

Racked my first stout from primary to secondary and added coffee beans. Took a FG sample and was spot on. Tasted sample. Hard to tell uncarbonated but very promising

 

[JAReeves]

Great pic! What's in the barrel?

That ex-port barrel has Merlot. I have two others, a rum barrel with a Hibiscus/Guava Saison and a bourbon barrel I inoculated with Brett that's holding a Barley Wine.

 

[wetmk]

That ex-port barrel has Merlot. I have two others, a rum barrel with a Hibiscus/Guava Saison and a bourbon barrel I inoculated with Brett that's holding a Barley Wine.

Impressive. Leaves me thinking, "I am not worthy." I hope they all work out to your expectations. Now I'll have to drink this.

 

[BrewZer]

FINALLY brewed my 2023 Lawn Mower Ale, but since it's on the 4th of July, I'll have to come up with a name more suited to the occasion. It's all 2-row with Vicky and a touch of Perle for bitterness and an ounce of Saaz for bouquet and flavor. US-05, do your stuff! Hit 1.050 after the boil, so I'm hoping for about 4.5% ABV (so I don't pass out after cutting the grass!).

 

[seanjwalker1]

Took a trip in my mind to Europe for the Fourth. Might be blasphemy but it's soooo good !!! Happy 4th !!

 

[day_trippr]

Fired up the Mark II to clean a pair of kicked kegs...

...then kegged 10 gallons of my "Ballantine IPA" experiment, and then 10 gallons of my 15th batch of Julius clone...

And now I have four carboys to clean.
I wish the Mark II could do a decent job of them but it can't, so it'll be hand-washing for me...when I get to it later

Cheers!

 

[hout17]

Fired up the Mark II to clean a pair of kicked kegs...

View attachment 824044

...then kegged 10 gallons of my "Ballantine IPA" experiment, and then 10 gallons of my 15th batch of Julius clone...

View attachment 824045

And now I have four carboys to clean.
I wish the Mark II could do a decent job of them but it can't, so it'll be hand-washing for me...when I get to it later

Cheers!

That's surprising with the mark II. I've been cleaning my glass carboys with it for years with just a little bit of pbw added. Haven't had to use a carboy brush in a long time. It usually takes about 20 minutes for the mark ii to do it's magic for me.

Edit: Happy 4th!

 

[day_trippr]

Interesting. I wish I had that kind of success. I brew in 6.5g Italian glass carboys (smooth sides), use 1 oz of PBW in room temp water, and if there's even a hint of a krausen ring it never gets cut. Really all the Mark II does is shoot a singular stream straight up and relies on the "trickle down" of the cleanser to get the job done - which works surprisingly well on my corny kegs but simply doesn't work well on the carboys.

One of these days I'll try adding a small spray ball (has to fit through the carboy neck, so ~29mm max diameter) positioned down low where it can directly attack the krausen ring, and see what that does...

Cheers! (and Happy Fourth to you and 'Murricans everywhere! )

 

[seanjwalker1]

Interesting. I wish I had that kind of success. I brew in 6.5g Italian glass carboys (smooth sides), use 1 oz of PBW in room temp water, and if there's even a hint of a krausen ring it never gets cut. Really all the Mark II does is shoot a singular stream straight up and relies on the "trickle down" of the cleanser to get the job done - which works surprisingly well on my corny kegs but simply doesn't work well on the carboys.

One of these days I'll try adding a small spray ball (has to fit through the carboy neck, so ~29mm max diameter) positioned down low where it can directly attack the krausen ring, and see what that does...

Cheers! (and Happy Fourth to you and 'Murricans everywhere! )

Yeah the spray balls work really well. I never even used the sprayer that came with it. You can probably find the right size. Pretty cheap on Amazon, I think I paid like $9 and change about 18 months or so ago. The one I bought is full of spray holes so gets all over.

 

[day_trippr]

The one I bought is full of spray holes so gets all over.

If by chance you can identify the ball you bought it would be greatly appreciated

Cheers!

 

[seanjwalker1]

If by chance you can identify the ball you bought it would be greatly appreciated

Cheers!

I'll try to look back on my Amazon history

 

[seanjwalker1]

I'll try to look back on my Amazon history

Here it is. Looks like it's gone up a few bucks but I've had good success with it. On Amazon.

 

[seanjwalker1]

Better pic, sorry. Went up to $15.99

 

[day_trippr]

Thanks very much for the link. Sadly the 40mm diameter is too large to fit through the neck of my carboys - needs to be <29mm.
I suspect I'll have to drop down to a 3/8" NPT threaded ball to find one small enough to fit.

Thanks anyway, I appreciate it

 

[JAReeves]

Interesting. I wish I had that kind of success. I brew in 6.5g Italian glass carboys (smooth sides), use 1 oz of PBW in room temp water, and if there's even a hint of a krausen ring it never gets cut. Really all the Mark II does is shoot a singular stream straight up and relies on the "trickle down" of the cleanser to get the job done - which works surprisingly well on my corny kegs but simply doesn't work well on the carboys.

One of these days I'll try adding a small spray ball (has to fit through the carboy neck, so ~29mm max diameter) positioned down low where it can directly attack the krausen ring, and see what that does...

Cheers! (and Happy Fourth to you and 'Murricans everywhere! )

I bought a CIP ball from Bezoan for about $20 that fit the neck of my carboys, worked like a charm. The threads even matched the top of the Mark II, so no mods necessary. Double check the neck of your carboys before you order, I think I searched through a couple different ones before I got the one I wanted.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0152FG7UE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[day_trippr]

I have six of these 6.5 gallon Italian carboys and they all measure the same 29mm neck ID...

Cheers!

 

[JAReeves]

View attachment 824088 View attachment 824089


I have six of these 6.5 gallon Italian carboys and they all measure the same 29mm neck ID...

Cheers!

Darn.