What I did for beer today

[3 Dawg Night]

Got my kegging system dialed in. Everything pours really nicely now!

 

[DBhomebrew]

Measured out my water and milled grain last night between 1-2am.

Wasn't even thinking as I poured the 2nd runnings into the kettle from the sparge bucket. Almost overflowed with another good amount still in the bucket. Huh.

While measuring in my half-sleep I had used the strike figure for both strike and sparge! An extra 3/4gal on top of the intended 4.5 in a 5gal kettle ain't gonna work!

So, I pulled out a second pot and am giving some heavy wort reduction a go. Plans change, roll with them!

 

[DBhomebrew]

Shake, shake, shake, shake. Shake, shake. Shake, shake, shake.

While I twiddle my thumbs waiting for some wort to reduce, figured I'd report about my first SNS starter. First starter, really.

Simply, I'm sold.

I usually see the first signs of fermentation anywhere between 18-48 hrs after pitch.

I pitched and shook the starter while brewing the batch using some of the pre-boiled wort (boiled for a minute or two on the side, cooled, then pitched). At about 11a. At 11p, the starter was showing small signs of fermentation and I went ahead and pitched it into the beer before going to bed. Woke up at 7a to find a thin krausen had formed. By dinnertime it was chugging along full throttle.

I know I have a few improvements as to how I incorporate this into my process, but straight away I am very pleased.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Got it all in the pot!

That's 5.98 gallons total water into a 5 gallon kettle.

 

[seanjwalker1]

Reduction will really add another dimension to your brew! I reduce for my Wee Heavys' and Doppelbocks. Is all that gonna fit comfortably in your fermenter ? Might need a blow off. Looks good by the way

 

[DBhomebrew]

Reduction will really add another dimension to your brew! I reduce for my Wee Heavys' and Doppelbocks. Is all that gonna fit comfortably in your fermenter ? Might need a blow off. Looks good by the way

Yup! My kettle is my volume bottleneck. I ended up putting 4 gallons of wort into a 5gal fermenter. A quart more than planned with an extra 2pts of gravity.

Yes, the reduction sure was tasty! Like malty caramel sauce. Would've tasted great on a scoop of ice cream!

 

[Transamguy77]

I drank one! The last couple of weeks have been kicking my rear end, it’s already been a long week and it was nice to just listen to the pouring rain while having a Murphy’s. And it looks like getting back to brewing is going to be a couple of more months......

 

[Billagio]

I cleaned out the garage floor and installed a rope cleat on the wall to start rigging a BIAB hoist

 

[DBhomebrew]

They sure don't kid with calling it GoldenPromise!

 

[3 Dawg Night]

Added a drip tray to my keezer. Maybe I can keep the floor from getting sticky now. Still need to stain it to match the collar.

 

[Sunfire96]

Bought ingredients for an easy extract pale ale with Centenntial and Cascade, and using Voss kveik. Hoping to brew tomorrow! Excited to try out my Tilt hydrometer for the first time

 

[seatazzz]

Degassed the keg that my murky American Strong is in, and added some gelatin. Should have done it on kegging, but other things intervened. Right now sipping on some delicious Apple Pie Cider from Washington Gold Cider, and looking forward to the chilling Watermelon Cider that the man (right now obsessed with ciders) brought home. A bit later will give the currently fermenting hard seltzer a test and taste, to see if it's worth boiling down 2.5lbs of blackberries into syrup for flavoring. Hoping it will be.

 

[KYBLUE]

A little kegerator maintenance. Changed out the the gauge on the Duotight in-line regulator to a 30psi model., refilled the CO2 tank and cleaned the lines.

Put nine 50ml tubes of US05 yeast in the freezer. Gonna try to build up a yeast bank. Voss Kveik up next.

CHEERS!

 

[Beerstein]

My dad stripped the threads on my 27L fermzilla. Fought off the urge to buy a Spike Flex and ordered replacement parts instead.

 

[seatazzz]

Made the slightly painful decision to bury at sea the American Strong I brewed for an upcoming competition. Already sent two bottles of it off to the state fair, but it's going to fail miserably. Murky as all get out, way too bitter, and just doesn't taste right. Added some gelatin the other day to help it clear out, but nothing doing. Time *might* help, but I can't take the chance. There's a strong bitter aftertaste that I cannot for the life of me deduce how it got there; used the usual grain bill, hops, although I did have to add some DME to up the gravity. Going to brew it up again tomorrow, I've got three and a half weeks before entries are due so if I push this one a bit fast I'll be fine.

 

[Billagio]

Hmmm lets see....Bought a 10gal spike+ and all the gubbins, 8gal Delta FermTank, pH meter, new hydrometer, temp gun, Dark Star burner, brew bag.....

Oh and new shelve in the garage to store it all

 

[seanjwalker1]

Made the slightly painful decision to bury at sea the American Strong I brewed for an upcoming competition. Already sent two bottles of it off to the state fair, but it's going to fail miserably. Murky as all get out, way too bitter, and just doesn't taste right. Added some gelatin the other day to help it clear out, but nothing doing. Time *might* help, but I can't take the chance. There's a strong bitter aftertaste that I cannot for the life of me deduce how it got there; used the usual grain bill, hops, although I did have to add some DME to up the gravity. Going to brew it up again tomorrow, I've got three and a half weeks before entries are due so if I push this one a bit fast I'll be fine.

Possibly the mash temp or over mashed increasing tannins ? How long are you letting your gelatin sit ? A lot of material I read when I first started using gelatin would say 2 days, a few days but I found through trial and error 10-14 days worked best. Just my 1 cent. Good luck in your 2nd batch!

 

[seanjwalker1]

Made the slightly painful decision to bury at sea the American Strong I brewed for an upcoming competition. Already sent two bottles of it off to the state fair, but it's going to fail miserably. Murky as all get out, way too bitter, and just doesn't taste right. Added some gelatin the other day to help it clear out, but nothing doing. Time *might* help, but I can't take the chance. There's a strong bitter aftertaste that I cannot for the life of me deduce how it got there; used the usual grain bill, hops, although I did have to add some DME to up the gravity. Going to brew it up again tomorrow, I've got three and a half weeks before entries are due so if I push this one a bit fast I'll be fine.

And at least you have the pride to bury your mistakes at sea ! I slink with shame like a thief in the night and dump it on the side of the garage nervously looking left and right hoping the neighbors don't catch me in my dastardly deed !!!

 

[seanjwalker1]

Made an attempt to stamp numbers in my brew kettle using carbon hardened 1/4 inch stamps. Forget it! Hammered that sucker for 5 min, barely made a scratch ! So it's plan # 2, electrolyte etching which I didn't want to do. That or a sight glass but I'm leaning toward etching. So it's off to Wally-World or Harbour Freight when I get time to get some thin pos and neg wires and a fully charged Alkaline 9v, order some numerical self adhesive reusable stencils from Ama-Almighty-Zon so I'm set back for a couple of days. Should a just ordered a freaking pre stamped kettle but one has to learn ! Not defeated yet !

 

[seatazzz]

Made an attempt to stamp numbers in my brew kettle using carbon hardened 1/4 inch stamps. Forget it! Hammered that sucker for 5 min, barely made a scratch ! So it's plan # 2, electrolyte etching which I didn't want to do. That or a sight glass but I'm leaning toward etching. So it's off to Wally-World or Harbour Freight when I get time to get some thin pos and neg wires and a fully charged Alkaline 9v, order some numerical self adhesive reusable stencils from Ama-Almighty-Zon so I'm set back for a couple of days. Should a just ordered a freaking pre stamped kettle but one has to learn ! Not defeated yet !View attachment 739032

Did I mention my new kettle has the volume markings already.....you are way more handy than I am, I would never be brave enough to attempt that on my own!!!

 

[seatazzz]

Made the trip to soon-to-be-closed favorite LHBS to pick up grain order, and went to three different stores looking for vittle vaults. Our Costco had them for a while (we use them for pet food) but don't carry them now. Allmymoneyzgon has them and they are ordered. Sitting here gobsmacked because I have NEVER had more than 100lbs of grain on hand at one time, and between what I brought home today and what I still had I've got over 250lbs of grain in my house, wow. Should hold me until December at least.

 

[seatazzz]

Possibly the mash temp or over mashed increasing tannins ? How long are you letting your gelatin sit ? A lot of material I read when I first started using gelatin would say 2 days, a few days but I found through trial and error 10-14 days worked best. Just my 1 cent. Good luck in your 2nd batch!

The absolute only thing I did different with this batch compared to previous good ones, was my gravity was way off so I added a pound of DME towards the end of boil. It was fresh, still in a sealed bag, and it didn't scorch. Yeast was good slurry from a previous batch that turned out well so I don't think it was that. I don't mind the murkiness so much, it's the really weird super bitter aftertaste that has me flummoxed. I think it was just Ninkasi messing with me...I've had a bunch of good brews in a row, it was time for her to take me down a peg or two.

 

[seanjwalker1]

Did I mention my new kettle has the volume markings already.....you are way more handy than I am, I would never be brave enough to attempt that on my own!!!

My other 3 kettles, 2 Chapman and 1 Anvil are all ready made . I just wanted to experience building 1 myself.

 

[JJinMD]

Got second degree burns on my arm from some hot wort! Oh well, brew on!

 

[seatazzz]

Got second degree burns on my arm from some hot wort! Oh well, brew on!

I have two interesting burn scars on a couple of body parts that I don't show to anyone but my husband, due to hot wort and a disconnect that decided to disconnect before I wanted it to.

 

[JJinMD]

I have two interesting burn scars on a couple of body parts that I don't show to anyone but my husband, due to hot wort and a disconnect that decided to disconnect before I wanted it to.

Yikes! I am fortunate it is only my left arm and I have a very high tolerance for pain. I am bandaged up and trying to knock myself out with some skeeter pee! Rather not get into details (jt is kind of gross right now) , but if it gets worse, I will likely seek medical assistance...

 

[seanjwalker1]

Yikes! I am fortunate it is only my left arm and I have a very high tolerance for pain. I am bandaged up and trying to knock myself out with some skeeter pee! Rather not get into details (jt is kind of gross right now) , but if it gets worse, I will likely seek medical assistance...

Seek assistance anyway. Always for any burn worse than a first degree.

 

[BrewMan13]

Picked up a silver for my schwarzbier in the "Malt Madness XV" competition in Pennsylvania. I'm almost happier for my score of 42.5 as it's my highest score in a BJCP sanctioned competition so far! @Dgallo did very well too!

 

[DBhomebrew]

Well, it wasn't done for beer.

Decided my 80/- SMaSH was done needing temp control and shifted it over to an inside closet. Removed the Inkbird from the fermentation chamber transferring control to its onboard thermostat. Set for 20°F, it's now a freezer full of various chops, roasts, and steaks, chickens, and Mama's milk.

Very glad my first kveik attempt is coming out well.

 

[Novacor]

Kegged my Cream of Three Crops with Lutra today. Tastes super clean, can't wait till its cold and carbed! Got better than usual conversion durin the mash and it fermented all the way down to 1.004, came in at 6.2% abv. Gonna let it carb up slowly ay serving pressure, probably tap it Labor Day weekend.