What I did for beer today

[loganklaas]

Brewed 5 gallons of an Old Rasputin clone. That makes 105 gallons brewed in 2022. In Idaho, it’s 100 gallons per adult in the household with a maximum of 200 gallons. It’s my wife and I, so we’re good to go!

 

[hout17]

Bottled my Raging Irish Red ale today. This was small batch biab for about 24 twelve ounce bottles when it was all set and done. Sampled it and it is quite good and you can't tell it's at a little over 6% abv this one could be dangerous.

Getting ready to try a bomber of my '71 Bodds attempt to see where we are at carbonation wise but it should be close.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Finally bottled a Christmas beer I brewed. Better late than never.

 

[seanjwalker1]

Finally bottled a Christmas beer I brewed. Better late than never.

I'm going to be way late . Only been a week in the fermenter. I usually won't even look at the fermenter for min 21 days but I'm gonna have to push this one. 2 batches ! I'm usually spot on by the 24th but not this year. What I keg will be ok but the bottles won't be ready. So looks like Xmas beer is gonna be New Years beer.

 

[seatazzz]

Coming down to the wire at soon-to-be-previous job; big boss is coming on Wednesday to chat with us all and 'smooth over' the transition to the California folks taking over our jobs. Not that there's anything to do. All of the furniture in our office was left by the previous tenant, so it's ours if we want it; there was a small end table in my office that I snagged. A shelf across the bottom, a few blocks made from 2x4s to raise it up, a hole for the mill and some grooves for it to sit in, a chute made from an old grain bag, and four wheels will make it my new mill stand. Husband won't be happy; his non-brewing self had a plan in mind for what I should build from scratch.

 

[seatazzz]

ARRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!! Rant on! Checked the co2 tank this morning and it was, well, tanking. Disconnected and took to work with me to exchange at LHBS down the street. Got it home, checked the kegerator, kegs, manifold, connections, everything with my 5lb tank. All good, so hooked up the new 20lb tank. Still wanted to do some tests on the regulator, so tried to turn off the main valve. Nope. Won't close. Fiddled with the nut on the valve, nothing. Made sure it wasn't backflow from the kegs too. So tomorrow I have to take the tank, with regulator attached, to our local welding shop so they can do something in a controlled environment, and spend another $30 on an exchange. Going to take the receipt to my LHBS when the owner gets back from vacation (very good friend of mine) and I'm sure he'll make it good. Not his fault but his supplier. Still.....ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

 

[seanjwalker1]

ARRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!! Rant on! Checked the co2 tank this morning and it was, well, tanking. Disconnected and took to work with me to exchange at LHBS down the street. Got it home, checked the kegerator, kegs, manifold, connections, everything with my 5lb tank. All good, so hooked up the new 20lb tank. Still wanted to do some tests on the regulator, so tried to turn off the main valve. Nope. Won't close. Fiddled with the nut on the valve, nothing. Made sure it wasn't backflow from the kegs too. So tomorrow I have to take the tank, with regulator attached, to our local welding shop so they can do something in a controlled environment, and spend another $30 on an exchange. Going to take the receipt to my LHBS when the owner gets back from vacation (very good friend of mine) and I'm sure he'll make it good. Not his fault but his supplier. Still.....ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

That's a real bummer. Been there done that 2x in my 3 years of kegging.

 

[seatazzz]

A few weeks ago I ordered a big roll of stocking bandage (the kind used under plaster casts for broken bones) from Allmymoneyzgone, with the idea it would make nice hop socks. Seems a bit thick for that purpose, so it's been sitting on the shelf. Yesterday I kegged an Orange Coriander Wit, and decided to make a bag from that bandage for the orange peel/crushed coriander seed to go in the keg. Long story short, this beer has a HUGE orange nose/flavor, and slight spiciness from the Coriander; so yes the beer gets through the fabric, with little to no particles coming out of it. Then I got to thinking; I have a nice hop spider that I got a couple of years ago, but have never found the right kind of bag that will work with pellet hops, without getting all clogged up. A big o-ring from a keg, a quick seam on one end with the serger, and that stocking bandage fits perfectly on the spider. I use my BIAB false bottom in my BK so the hop bags (currently I use my BIAB hoist to suspend them in the BK) won't hit the bottom and scorch. Going to give it a try on Sunday with the house WF lager, thinking it will work great. Would work as well with a knot tied in the end for anyone else thinking of this route.

 

[leedspointbrew]

Bottled my AOH - Absegami Original Hibernian. Too much chocolate malt - turned out more like a brown ale or dark mild than an Irish Amber. Tastes good though; Fuggles and EKG are like peanut butter and jelly.
Now I have a fairly large backlog of bottles for the holidays. Cheers!

 

[seanjwalker1]

A few weeks ago I ordered a big roll of stocking bandage (the kind used under plaster casts for broken bones) from Allmymoneyzgone, with the idea it would make nice hop socks. Seems a bit thick for that purpose, so it's been sitting on the shelf. Yesterday I kegged an Orange Coriander Wit, and decided to make a bag from that bandage for the orange peel/crushed coriander seed to go in the keg. Long story short, this beer has a HUGE orange nose/flavor, and slight spiciness from the Coriander; so yes the beer gets through the fabric, with little to no particles coming out of it. Then I got to thinking; I have a nice hop spider that I got a couple of years ago, but have never found the right kind of bag that will work with pellet hops, without getting all clogged up. A big o-ring from a keg, a quick seam on one end with the serger, and that stocking bandage fits perfectly on the spider. I use my BIAB false bottom in my BK so the hop bags (currently I use my BIAB hoist to suspend them in the BK) won't hit the bottom and scorch. Going to give it a try on Sunday with the house WF lager, thinking it will work great. Would work as well with a knot tied in the end for anyone else thinking of this route.



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A few weeks ago I ordered a big roll of stocking bandage (the kind used under plaster casts for broken bones) from Allmymoneyzgone, with the idea it would make nice hop socks. Seems a bit thick for that purpose, so it's been sitting on the shelf. Yesterday I kegged an Orange Coriander Wit, and decided to make a bag from that bandage for the orange peel/crushed coriander seed to go in the keg. Long story short, this beer has a HUGE orange nose/flavor, and slight spiciness from the Coriander; so yes the beer gets through the fabric, with little to no particles coming out of it. Then I got to thinking; I have a nice hop spider that I got a couple of years ago, but have never found the right kind of bag that will work with pellet hops, without getting all clogged up. A big o-ring from a keg, a quick seam on one end with the serger, and that stocking bandage fits perfectly on the spider. I use my BIAB false bottom in my BK so the hop bags (currently I use my BIAB hoist to suspend them in the BK) won't hit the bottom and scorch. Going to give it a try on Sunday with the house WF lager, thinking it will work great. Would work as well with a knot tied in the end for anyone else thinking of this route.



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One of my qualifications in the army was cast tech. It's called a stockinette. If I remember...40 years ago !... stockinette, webro, plaster of Paris. Little hop sacks are pretty much same thing, lighter material.

 

[seatazzz]

Because I am super excited at the moment, need to report that the stockinette bandage (thanks @seanjwalker1 for correcting my terminology!) hack on the hop spider is working VERY well! The few times I've used the spider before, the pellet hops clogged the bag up to the point of overflowing; this thing is keeping the hops down in the wort where they belong (with the help of 10 marbles), no green gunk on the sides of the BK as with my other bags, and I can smell those lovely Hallertau Blanc bittering hops doing their thang. Already planning to make some reuseable dry hop bags to use with sous vide magnets. Fabulous brewday goin on here!!

 

[seanjwalker1]

Because I am super excited at the moment, need to report that the stockinette bandage (thanks @seanjwalker1 for correcting my terminology!) hack on the hop spider is working VERY well! The few times I've used the spider before, the pellet hops clogged the bag up to the point of overflowing; this thing is keeping the hops down in the wort where they belong (with the help of 10 marbles), no green gunk on the sides of the BK as with my other bags, and I can smell those lovely Hallertau Blanc bittering hops doing their thang. Already planning to make some reuseable dry hop bags to use with sous vide magnets. Fabulous brewday goin on here!!

I would never presume to correct you ! You are light-years ahead of me in brewing knowledge ! It just triggered a long lost memory. It was 1984..ahem ahem, cough and blush...when I 1st became cast qualified at Wurzburg Army hospital in Germany , and I didn't even utilize those skills much as a medic and then eventual nurse. Just a triggered memory.

 

[seatazzz]

I would never presume to correct you ! You are light-years ahead of me in brewing knowledge ! It just triggered a long lost memory. It was 1984..ahem ahem, cough and blush...when I 1st became cast qualified at Wurzburg Army hospital in Germany , and I didn't even utilize those skills much as a medic and then eventual nurse. Just a triggered memory.

It's not often anymore that I come across something that really changes my brewing process, but this one is a serious game changer. I tend to make a lot of IPAs with late additions, that contribute a lot of green gunk (I only use pellet hops, never leaf) to not only the BK but the fermenter; if this can give me cleaner beers, AND cleaner yeast slurry to use across multiple styles, I will be VERY happy. This is one of those days when I'm so giddy with excitement I have to tell the entire world (at least the HBT world).

And don't disparage what you do! You experiment with a lot of different styles that I haven't gotten to yet (and maybe never will since I'm kinda set in my ways, and sometimes scared of trying new recipes) and I always enjoy your posts!

 

[seanjwalker1]

So..checked the FG on the experiment Sugar Cookie, 1.010 and the spiced Xmas beer, 1.010. The Sugar cookie was...well ..NOT Sugar Cookie ! Really weird tasting, a bit of funk in the beginning, slight taste of stale sugar cookies in the back of the mouth. Not happy ! Never use cookie mix in the recipe again lesson learned !! So down the drain 3 gallons went !! Good day Sir ! Xmas beer is ok. I could have used a bit more ginger and cinnamon. So gonna do a tea of cinnamon and ginger and add a touch of pecan flavor and add that or maybe just cinnamon and pecan. Last year I added pecan and peach and it was really good but no peach to this one. Then ill let it settle and keg 1.75G and bottle the rest. Fermenter is on the back balcony in 27° cold weather for last hour crashing down the yeast.

 

[grampamark]

Got back from the city this afternoon and checked the gravity of the Fizzy Yellow Lager I brewed a couple of weeks ago. Down to .004 so I moved it to the cold storage room which is down to 36°F. Outside temp right now is -15°F. Now I have room in the ferm fridge for one more batch before the end of the year.

 

[Pkrd]

Kegged my Taiheke pale ale.
Tidied up the kegerator somewhat.

Filled a keg with grapes and blueberries for christmas fizzy fruit.

 

[South Arm Brew]

So..checked the FG on the experiment Sugar Cookie, 1.010 and the spiced Xmas beer, 1.010. The Sugar cookie was...well ..NOT Sugar Cookie ! Really weird tasting, a bit of funk in the beginning, slight taste of stale sugar cookies in the back of the mouth. Not happy ! Never use cookie mix in the recipe again lesson learned !! So down the drain 3 gallons went !! Good day Sir ! Xmas beer is ok. I could have used a bit more ginger and cinnamon. So gonna do a tea of cinnamon and ginger and add a touch of pecan flavor and add that or maybe just cinnamon and pecan. Last year I added pecan and peach and it was really good but no peach to this one. Then ill let it settle and keg 1.75G and bottle the rest. Fermenter is on the back balcony in 27° cold weather for last hour crashing down the yeast.

Sorry to hear about your Sugar Cookie XMas beer! I brewed one as you know, and it’s ok, but others think it’s outstanding. If it’s your thing, sweet beer and all. I could drink 1 at a time but not more. Gave it away at our annual brew club beer exchange and received many positive replies over the last couple of days. Maybe someone else likes it…. I usually don’t think I brew my beer that great when I over try, but people respond positively to it. Just saying! Merry Christmas!

 

[BrewMan13]

Over the weekend I kegged the wee heavy. Got great attenuation. Not sure how "to style" it will be as I tried to use mostly stuff I already had on hand, though it does meet all the specs (except technically the FG is low due to the aforementioned attenuation). Also cold crashed the Baltic porter after a kind of stuttered d-rest (heat lamp died and waited a couple days to get a new one). Should keg that this coming weekend, and that's all the homebrew related activity until the spring (save for periodically sampling the imperial stout in the barrel)

 

[seanjwalker1]

Sorry to hear about your Sugar Cookie XMas beer! I brewed one as you know, and it’s ok, but others think it’s outstanding. If it’s your thing, sweet beer and all. I could drink 1 at a time but not more. Gave it away at our annual brew club beer exchange and received many positive replies over the last couple of days. Maybe someone else likes it…. I usually don’t think I brew my beer that great when I over try, but people respond positively to it. Just saying! Merry Christmas!

Honestly I didn't have high hopes for it. I knew better than to use cookie mix with all the crappy ingredients in it. But that's why it was a brewsperiment. Learned what doesn't work !!

 

[seatazzz]

So here's the dry hop sock I made; tested in the fermonster, it's a bit awkward but should work. Phallic resemblance not intended, I swear. The little side pockets on the bottom have magnets sewn inside, the top will get stitched shut after adding dry hops. Hoping this works, it was fun to make.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Printed my labels for 12 BOC… very behind planned schedule, but it is happening.

 

[Ren06]

Checked the gravity on my blueberry melomel last night, started at 1.142, now sitting at 1.012 !!! Im hooked on D-47 now because it leaves alot of the fruit character behind instead of the ec-1118 which is kind of neutral. I think i found my new yeast. Most likely in a few days i’ll rack off the fruit and let the yeast do its job.

 

[grampamark]

Kegged the Fizzy Yellow Lager I brewed a few weeks ago and put it in the kegerator to finish lagering. Also harvested a couple of jars of yeast slurry (34/70).

 

[seatazzz]

Got my order from brewhardware two days early (thanks @Bobby_M !!) with eight new liquid posts for the kegs; and learned something new. All but ONE of my nine kegs are Cornelius, that odd man out is a Firestone; which means the new posts don't fit it. I never knew the different brands had different post thread sizes, oops. Going to check all the old posts as they come off to see if one fits, pretty sure one will (9/16 will go on a 19/32 thread but not the other way around, hope I didn't totally screw the threads), and I have a couple of new poppits that will work for it. Feeling rather sheepish this evening.

 

[grampamark]

The answer to “what fits which keg” can be found here.

 

[Pkrd]

Kegged my Taiheke pale ale.
Tidied up the kegerator somewhat.

Filled a keg with grapes and blueberries for christmas fizzy fruit.

We cracked into the pale ale and the fizzy fruit today.

The grapes were fantastic but the blueberries pretty much exploded with the rapid decompression.

 

[seatazzz]

Woke up to clear ice coating everything outside; had planned to go see my dad today (he's in memory care) but told my mom I ain't driving in this mess, it's supposed to warm up this afternoon but the ice won't go away completely until probably tomorrow. So I'm working on a cold-fermented lager recipe for Monday, knitting in the warm house with a couple of dogs to keep me company, and sipping on the Wit. Last big ice storm we had was in 2012, but for that one there was still a lot of snow on the trees, not to mention high winds.

 

[grampamark]

Pulled a gravity sample of the Cold Smoke clone I brewed a couple of weeks ago. Finished at 6.3%. The real thing is advertised as 6.5. Close enough for homebrewing.

 

[bike2brew]

Bottled Belgian style Tripel today. 44 bottles total. In fermentation 19 days, finished @ 1.011, ~85% attenuation, 8.7% abv.

 

[seanjwalker1]

Was supposed to do a transfer of the Xmas spice beer that's been cold crashing a week in the Arctic garage. But the wife has had me running hell bent to stores for hours and hours these last 3 days buying last min gifts that really nobody cares about. It's too late anyway to be carbed in the keg or bottles for Xmas so figured I'd let it ride a few more days. About to crack this puppy open and give a salute to the Fat man in the red suit bringing...I hope...Xmas brewing goodies tomorrow . Happy Christmas Eve to all of you !!