20gal, new rig batch

[Libertytree]

We've got a new batch on the barbie! g'day Glass :)

Doing the 1st batch using the upgrades. It's a lil more work in the set up but overall it's pretty stress free. This is a new deal so I'm investing more time getting familiar with things but this is THE way to go, at least for volume brewing.

I'll post more specifics later but here's the new brew kitchen.

5916

Now, to the brew.

put 13gals water in fermenter.
7.5gals boiling in cookpot.
12 lbs Pilsner LME
3.3 lbs Light LME
3.3 lbs Wheat LME
4oz's Columbus hops @ 60mins
4oz's Northern Brewer hops @ 20mins
10lbs sugar
90 grams Coopers Ale yeast

SG Hydrometer reading of 1.038, adjusted for 79 degrees temp.

[Glass]

looks good. Pleased to see the cook pot and burner setup. Did the burner come with that stand? I was contemplating if my car really needs to be in the garage or whether I should turn it into a brewery. Is the tub for chilling?

Nice one

[Libertytree]

looks good. Pleased to see the cook pot and burner setup. Did the burner come with that stand? I was contemplating if my car really needs to be in the garage or whether I should turn it into a brewery. Is the tub for chilling?

Nice one

Yeah, the burner, stand, the propane hose and regulator all come together., you just supply the propane. The tub is for chilling, water and frozen bottles are added together to get the temps down asap.

Thanks man. If it were my choice there would never be a car in the garage.

[Libertytree]

This is challenging, much more than I thought beforehand. Boiling and cooling 7.5 gals of liquid is a formidable task! The cold water that WAS in my tub could cook shrimp! I was going to get some ice but that would have been a waste of money. I'll let is cool and then throw in some ice packs so that it is handle-able, in 3gal portions.

[Glass]

I ended up having 2 x 10L (2.5Gal) buckets on stand by with some frozen bottles chilling water in them. I really needed about 20 gal of cold water. That was in addition to what was in the trough I sat it in. Most of the cooling came from adding the water to the heated wort than the surrounding water IMO.

I guess you're in a different boat because you can't add cold water directly in to the batch - at this stage - like you can with the kit. Would that be right?

[BrewTech]

This is challenging, much more than I thought beforehand. Boiling and cooling 7.5 gals of liquid is a formidable task! The cold water that WAS in my tub could cook shrimp! I was going to get some ice but that would have been a waste of money. I'll let is cool and then throw in some ice packs so that it is handle-able, in 3gal portions.

Don't wanna say I told ya so... :p

http://cdn.instructables.com/F4F/8SKE/FZWXOZP8/F4F8SKEFZWXOZP8.MEDIUM.jpg

so I won't!

[Libertytree]

Don't wanna say I told ya so... :p

http://cdn.instructables.com/F4F/8SKE/FZWXOZP8/F4F8SKEFZWXOZP8.MEDIUM.jpg

so I won't!

Like I said, little steps at a time. Cooling 2.5 gals is a LOT different than cooling 7.5 gals, I knew that going into this but it's more than what I thought and can afford, so i'm winging it. Every brew has its wacky, unforeseen moments but mine seem to push the limits of brewing and that's a good thing because if a fuck up like me can do it then anyone can :)

[Libertytree]

I ended up having 2 x 10L (2.5Gal) buckets on stand by with some frozen bottles chilling water in them. I really needed about 20 gal of cold water. That was in addition to what was in the trough I sat it in. Most of the cooling came from adding the water to the heated wort than the surrounding water IMO.

I guess you're in a different boat because you can't add cold water directly in to the batch - at this stage - like you can with the kit. Would that be right?

No, can't add cold water, wish I could but you've given me an idea! Maybe I can figure out how I could put bags of ice in the fermentor? I'll have to get a bag of ice and let it melt in my measured bucket, seeing how much cold water it yields.

[Libertytree]

Don't wanna say I told ya so... :p

http://cdn.instructables.com/F4F/8SKE/FZWXOZP8/F4F8SKEFZWXOZP8.MEDIUM.jpg

so I won't!

There is definetly a wort chiller in my near future!

[BrewTech]

No, can't add cold water, wish I could but you've given me an idea! Maybe I can figure out how I could put bags of ice in the fermentor? I'll have to get a bag of ice and let it melt in my measured bucket, seeing how much cold water it yields.

Don't do that. Sounds like an excellent way to ruin all your hard work and patience.

[Glass]

Don't do that. Sounds like an excellent way to ruin all your hard work and patience.

yes I agree about introducing that could spoil your brew although the coil is introduced. Its a different process to kits and it needs different solutions.

I'm wondering how much water would need to go through the coil during the chill? It would seem like a lot to me. What do they do on the big jobs? Do they drop/have refridge elements in there or something? or are they running water as well? Realizing the big boys are using something custom.

recycling would come in to play. I was watching that guy with the brew room. He has about 30 videos on building his room. He has some very amazing stuff including a heat exchanger column. i think you need to look from about vid #25 (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPKK8TO5M6T0yvorq-e_uCiSmekjWC9Q6). Dont know how much water that one uses but its for hard core home brewers with lots moolah I think.

[BrewTech]

yes I agree about introducing that could spoil your brew although the coil is introduced. Its a different process to kits and it needs different solutions.

The immersion coil will either be immersed in the boil 5 mins before flameout to sanitize, or will be sanitized chemically prior to immersion in the wort.


I'm wondering how much water would need to go through the coil during the chill? It would seem like a lot to me. What do they do on the big jobs? Do they drop/have refridge elements in there or something? or are they running water as well? Realizing the big boys are using something custom.

Commercial brewers generally use something called a paraflow heat exchanger (http://solemnoathbrewery.com/sob-stories/the-heat-exchanger/). It's set up basically like an automotive radiator. Stainless plates are arranged with seals between them to separate the liquids. Cold water (or possibly chilled glycol, for lager temps) is flowed through in one direction, and the wort passes through in the other direction on the other side of the plates. The heat passes through from the wort to the cooling medium. Of course the cooling water is getting hot, so the hot water can be used for other purposes in the name of efficiency.

[Glass]

The kiwi brew guy made one of those. He shows it here after testing it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58kMxenwhLY#t=07m49s

[Libertytree]

Took a peek inside the fermenter and this one is rockin! 4-5 inches of foam and you can hear it goin at it. Night and day from the last batch and I must say it's got me feelin pretty damn good.

[Glass]

good news. you got past the wort chilling hurdles ok. Nature sounds like she's happy in there.

[Libertytree]

good news. you got past the wort chilling hurdles ok. Nature sounds like she's happy in there.

The wort chilling NEEDS to be improved no doubt, but it's not a deal breaker to not have it cool off asap. This'll play out one way or the other but here's what happened, it was so damn hot I just had to let it set and cool off over night, so, the next morning I got up and transferred it then. My brew friend said he's done it 2-3 times with out any problems. This is what I call brewing in the most ridiculous manner possible, pushing every boundary known, lmao.

She's still rockin! And it smell great in there too!

[Neuro]

What is the benefit of cooling the wort quickly? Does slow cooling change the chemical composition of the wort? Or does it increase the risk of contamination of unwanted bacterias and fungus?

[BrewTech]

What is the benefit of cooling the wort quickly? Does slow cooling change the chemical composition of the wort? Or does it increase the risk of contamination of unwanted bacterias and fungus?
Yes and yes. Quick cooling of the wort results in an effective cold break, which is the precipitation of proteins and other material out of the wort prior to fermentation. These proteins, left in the beer will lead to haze and more rapid staling.

The other reason for quick cooling (more important IMO) is, as you said, decreasing the risk of contamination. Once the wort is below 140F, bacterias and other microbes can grow in the wort causing infection. A short cooling period ensures the yeast can be pitched quickly and begin fermenting, essentially crowding out any other microorganisms. Most microbes will not survive the rapid pH drop as fermentation gets going.

John Palmer explains the idea in more detail here (http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter7-4.html).

[Libertytree]

What is the benefit of cooling the wort quickly? Does slow cooling change the chemical composition of the wort? Or does it increase the risk of contamination of unwanted bacterias and fungus?

That's a big part of it. The other thing is the wort has to be brought down to a temp that allows for the yeast to be pitched so that fermentation can begin.

Edit to add: That's why BT is a Brew guru..and me, nowhere close :)

[Glass]

That's a big part of it. The other thing is the wort has to be brought down to a temp that allows for the yeast to be pitched so that fermentation can begin.

Edit to add: That's why BT is a Brew guru..and me, nowhere close :)

But you could be the next "Luke Beermaker". Just follow the guidance of the brewing worlds Yoda in BT. I can tell the force is strong with you. The force of carbonation? hehe.

Hows the batch going?

[BrewTech]

That's a big part of it. The other thing is the wort has to be brought down to a temp that allows for the yeast to be pitched so that fermentation can begin.

Edit to add: That's why BT is a Brew guru..and me, nowhere close :)

I just regurgitate what I've learned from folks much smarter than me. And don't undersell yourself... you're coming along just fine IMHO.

[Libertytree]

Today is day 7, I wanted to get a reading yesterday but shit happens and it didn't happen. Got one today though.

OG was 1.038

Todays reading is 1.005, with temp adjustment @73F

ABV calculation if bottled today is 4.33%

Will take a reading tomorrow and Sat to see exactly where it's gonna finish, if it's not already finished?

[woodman]

ABV calculation if bottled today is 4.33%
A perfect guzzling beer. Nothing better after a hard work session than pounding a couple mild brews down.

[Libertytree]

A perfect guzzling beer. Nothing better after a hard work session than pounding a couple mild brews down.

I'm a sipping, long haul beer drinker, though when the sweats a rollin I'm sure the 1st 2-3 get somewhat guzzled :)

I'm gonna give the fermenter a good shake and maybe invigorate things a bit, maybe I can get the reading to go down a tad, thus increasing the ABV%, we'll see. If not, that's cool by me too.

I do want to make one of those high octane batches, probably a 5gal special batch.

[Glass]

I'm gonna give the fermenter a good shake and maybe invigorate things a bit, maybe I can get the reading to go down a tad, thus increasing the ABV%, we'll see. If not, that's cool by me too.

Can we do that? <- that question can be sounded 2 ways. Please take it as a interested inquiry...... seeing as I got maybe 3.4% and I want to be a better brewer. ;)

does dreaming about beer mean anything?

[Libertytree]

Well, BT talked about doing it, was something about aeration or some such, it made sense.

I'm on the same page as you dude, better brewer and all :) I haven't ran a kit beer batch...yet..but the beers on the lighter side don't normally lend themselves to high octane % levels but I think there are exceptions, especially if you tailor X recipe to X volume. I'm not sure about that so don't hold me to it. I'm learning too.

I've been studying those calculators at brewersfriend, running different numbers and the results (on screen/paper) seem to say that a lighter beer can indeed be made to pack a punch, what the limit is I'm not sure of either. That's why I decided to use those 2 cans of Muntons I had in addition to the Pilsner, to jack up the ABV%. Of course my BIG variable is the volume I'm running and reading/understanding that Batch Stats calculator is confusing as all hell but I took a shot and it seems to have worked (hope I didn't jinx myself)?

A dream without beer is a nightmare :) Or...you're a drunk :)

[Libertytree]

Today the reading came out after temp adjustment to 1.007...2 points higher than yesterday. Hmmmmm? We'll see what it looks like tomorrow but it does seem weird.

[Libertytree]

Two days in a row with 1.005, looks like I'll be bottling tomorrow :) I'll check it beforehand but I don't see it going any lower.

[Glass]

I have to ask, 20gl = ~80liter. How many bottles it that? Are they big bottles? I guestimate it would be more than 18 dozen 330ml.

how are all the other aspects looking? aroma, colour, taste? It sounds like you nailed it for expected FG. nice one.

[Libertytree]

I have to ask, 20gl = ~80liter. How many bottles it that? Are they big bottles? I guestimate it would be more than 18 dozen 330ml.

how are all the other aspects looking? aroma, colour, taste? It sounds like you nailed it for expected FG. nice one.

I'll answer part now and be more definitive a bit later.

I'm guessing that it'll be roughly 9+ cases. 24 12oz bottles X 9 = 216+ bottles. I'll have the exact numbers afterwards.

As far as the FG goes I was hoping that maybe it would go as low as 1.002 but I also pretty much knew it probably wasn't obtainable. I'm happy with the 1.005 and it might have even crept down a point? Gonna go get started on the bottling now and I'll fill in the details later on today.

Additional info... Color is what they call "deep gold", American Pale Ale. The smell is nutty and floral. The taste is somewhat bitter and dry on the finish but the nuttiness carries over with a very slight hint of sweetness, almost like a non sweetened tea, it also actually looks like tea too. Again I got a 1.005 for a FG.

The sugar added for carbonation will help out a little in the taste dept and the carbonation itself will aid it too. I think this could be my best batch yet, knocked on wood, no jinxes!

[EE_]

I'll answer part now and be more definitive a bit later.

I'm guessing that it'll be roughly 9+ cases. 24 12oz bottles X 9 = 216+ bottles. I'll have the exact numbers afterwards.

As far as the FG goes I was hoping that maybe it would go as low as 1.002 but I also pretty much knew it probably wasn't obtainable. I'm happy with the 1.005 and it might have even crept down a point? Gonna go get started on the bottling now and I'll fill in the details later on today.

Additional info... Color is what they call "deep gold", American Pale Ale. The smell is nutty and floral. The taste is somewhat bitter and dry on the finish but the nuttiness carries over with a very slight hint of sweetness, almost like a non sweetened tea, it also actually looks like tea too. Again I got a 1.005 for a FG.

The sugar added for carbonation will help out a little in the taste dept and the carbonation itself will aid it too. I think this could be my best batch yet, knocked on wood, no jinxes!

Best of luck for your best batch yet!
That's a lot of beer!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AkkPyx5Odlw/TXXc9vnoUYI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/NlftBeeypKE/s1600/ice+cold+beer.jpg

[Libertytree]

That's the exact color of this batch!

[Glass]

thats a nice colour and I especially like the frosting on that glass. mmmmmm frosty.

That is an awful lot of stubbies (small beer bottles) to bottle. A man could work up a thirst.

[Libertytree]

thats a nice colour and I especially like the frosting on that glass. mmmmmm frosty.

That is an awful lot of stubbies (small beer bottles) to bottle. A man could work up a thirst.

What is this thirst you speak of?

[Glass]

What is this thirst you speak of?

the one that gets quenched by the quality control that is always required when bottling

[Libertytree]

I wound up with 216 12oz bottles...= 9 cases.

[Glass]

That sounds like a good number. I feel a drinking song coming on. 216 bottles of beer on the wall. 216 bottles of beer. I think we know how that one turns out.

[Dogman]

Funny how the size and output creeps up..


LOL!

[Libertytree]

Day 11 in the bottle. Decided to try it out and I am beyond happy! By FAR the best batch yet! I really almost hated to crack the top on this one, the last batch really sucked overall and I was scared that this one might be too. Thankfully this ain't the case!!! Wooohooooo!

More details later but I couldn't help but sharing this good news.

[Glass]

dancing bananas

good news. I know this was a kind of baptism of fire for the new rig. so glad its a winner.

[Libertytree]

17 days in, the color is a dark amber, it has a slightly sweet, nutty taste with a flavorful finish. The carbonation is better everyday as is the taste. This batch reminds me of the New Castle Ale I drank years ago. It's much clearer than the other batches and seems to have a better overall balance but there's something I haven't been able to figure out that would really make it a great batch.

I reckon that's why we keep on brewing, looking forward to that next great elusive batch.

[EE_]

17 days in, the color is a dark amber, it has a slightly sweet, nutty taste with a flavorful finish. The carbonation is better everyday as is the taste. This batch reminds me of the New Castle Ale I drank years ago. It's much clearer than the other batches and seems to have a better overall balance but there's something I haven't been able to figure out that would really make it a great batch.

I reckon that's why we keep on brewing, looking forward to that next great elusive batch.

?
In the United States, most beers are served much too cold for serious appreciation. In fact, ice-cold temperatures ruin the flavor of good beer. The average refrigerator is set to keep food and drinks chilled at around 38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (about 4 degrees Celsius), but serving beers at this temperature has several negatives, including the following:

•The colder the beer, the less carbonation is released; the less carbonation that’s released, the less aroma the beer gives off.

•The palate is numbed to the point that it can’t discern many of the beer’s flavor nuances. (So this explains why some beers are best served just above the freezing mark!) Why bother drinking a beer if you can’t taste it? May as well have a Slurpee.

Cold temperatures = less carbonation released = less aroma = less taste = why bother? Save the really cold temps for lawnmower beer — the kind you chug down after mowing the lawn (taste? who cares?).


Quality beers shouldn’t be served colder than 44 degrees Fahrenheit. Here are some general temperature guidelines for different beers:

•Serve most premium lagers between 42 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit (6 to 9 degrees Celsius) and quality ales between 44 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit (7 to 11 degrees Celsius).

•Serve authentic Stouts as warm as 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius), which is British cellar temperature.

•Serve some high-gravity Barleywines, Old Ales, and barrel-aged Stouts only very lightly chilled or at room temperature, like a snifter of brandy.

[Libertytree]

I very much know and appreciate how temperature affects the taste buds and the taste of wine and beer and distilled spirits for that matter but drinking a half warm beer on a hot day sucks! I try my brews at different temps and when I'm trying to really critique them I'll try them not fully chilled so that I can pick apart what it is I taste, just like I did when it was my job to do so with wine.

Sometimes it's surprising how a beer can be so-so when ice cold but as it warms it starts opening up and becomes better. There's also the opposite of that and ya know not to waste too much time and to drink it accordingly.

[Libertytree]

Ok, I've left this batch stay on the sidelines since coming back from the race and drinking the extra Buds from that. Decided to crack a couple of these and see the current status of this lot. I'm not disappointed at all! There's still the nutiness but it's not as prominent and there seems to be a cocoa taste to it that's not very sweet but just a little, the finish is mostly dry but it's very thirst quenching. I got a feeling a feller could start pounding on these and wind up fucked up pretty quick if he wasn't careful.

They've had a decent/better head on'em but it seems they could use a little extra carbonation...that seems to be a theme around here. BUT...that's bitchin bout minor details that don't really affect the overall result. At the end of the day I'd give this batch an 8 out of 10, and was effort well spent.

Given the way this batch came together and the calamity of failures in the process, I'm friggin tickled beyond belief because I doubted myself throughout the whole damn deal. I don't know if this is the elusive perfect batch or not but I'm happy as hell with it.

[Dogman]

So nothing is lost in the mistakes, or false starts in general, it is all adsorbed and brain cells are taught...Grin!

[Glass]

Time is what the beer wants. Patience is what the brewer needs. I'm glad I'm not making 7year whiskey.

Its great that it's coming into it's own. It was an ambitious effort. 20 Gals is a huge amount by itself. Add the complexity of the recipe. I'd say it's well done. Pat on the back. Have a beer.

[Libertytree]

Time is what the beer wants. Patience is what the brewer needs. I'm glad I'm not making 7year whiskey.

Its great that it's coming into it's own. It was an ambitious effort. 20 Gals is a huge amount by itself. Add the complexity of the recipe. I'd say it's well done. Pat on the back. Have a beer.

Time is indeed a friend! The carbonation is a whole lot better and the head is tight, light smaller bubbles. Not perfect but leaps better than before and I can afford to let it keep refining itself while I'm in the process of putting together the next batch. I'd have no problem sharing this anyone and if they don't like it...at least it was free :)

[woodman]

There is nothing so fine as sipping upon a brew that was self-made and tastes great. It is like appreciating your own art work without feeling too grandiose. Just a damn fine thing. Being able to replicate it, now that is the thing. Take notes on every batch.

[Glass]

good brews is good news. Sharing beer with mates is priceless. Looking forward to hearing about the next batch.

[EE_]

Time is indeed a friend! The carbonation is a whole lot better and the head is tight, light smaller bubbles. Not perfect but leaps better than before and I can afford to let it keep refining itself while I'm in the process of putting together the next batch. I'd have no problem sharing this anyone and if they don't like it...at least it was free :)

Maybe you're hoping for more carbonation then can be expected from the type of beer you're making?
I drink Yuengling Lager mostly and it's not really a heavily carbonated beer like a budwiser. It does pour a nice head though.
So as long as you're getting good head, just enjoy!

[Libertytree]

EE, below you'll see a post in another homebrew thread I just made. I had remembered what you said in this thread about judging things based on different styles/types of beers and was gonna tell ya that you were indeed right. What I didn't remember was you stating that you drink Yuengling primarily, no offense meant dude, it's just the color of the grass from my side of the fence. It does make me want to get your opinion on this though.

"I reckon this is as good as any place for this. Today I was duped into going to someones house only to find out to my surprise that I had been recruited to help load a truck for their move, yeah I was miffed at 1st but the dude needed help and I was there, so what the hell...goter done. So......

In the course of it he says he has beer and later on I got one, a Yuengling(bottles). I've had it before, it's not swill and it's not top of the line either but some would say it's way better and higher quality than a Bud. That's besides the point though... I cracked it open and the carbonation caught my immediate attention! It was no more or less carbed than mine, if anything it mightv'e been a lil less. I drink all my brews from the bottle and never a glass and was comparing apples to apples in that regard.

Next thing was the taste...It tasted like a watered down, very shitty version of what I make in a plastic fucking garbage can!! LMFAO :) And in not even close to optimum conditions to boot!

The end result besides a sore back was that I now know that my carbonation problem isn't the problem I thought it was, though I'll still tweak it a bit. Secondly, it made me way proud of the thought and labor I put into my brewing and that I must be doing something(s) right. I wish I would have had one to give that dude.

[EE_]

EE, below you'll see a post in another homebrew thread I just made. I had remembered what you said in this thread about judging things based on different styles/types of beers and was gonna tell ya that you were indeed right. What I didn't remember was you stating that you drink Yuengling primarily, no offense meant dude, it's just the color of the grass from my side of the fence. It does make me want to get your opinion on this though.

"I reckon this is as good as any place for this. Today I was duped into going to someones house only to find out to my surprise that I had been recruited to help load a truck for their move, yeah I was miffed at 1st but the dude needed help and I was there, so what the hell...goter done. So......

In the course of it he says he has beer and later on I got one, a Yuengling(bottles). I've had it before, it's not swill and it's not top of the line either but some would say it's way better and higher quality than a Bud. That's besides the point though... I cracked it open and the carbonation caught my immediate attention! It was no more or less carbed than mine, if anything it mightv'e been a lil less. I drink all my brews from the bottle and never a glass and was comparing apples to apples in that regard.

Next thing was the taste...It tasted like a watered down, very shitty version of what I make in a plastic fucking garbage can!! LMFAO :) And in not even close to optimum conditions to boot!

The end result besides a sore back was that I now know that my carbonation problem isn't the problem I thought it was, though I'll still tweak it a bit. Secondly, it made me way proud of the thought and labor I put into my brewing and that I must be doing something(s) right. I wish I would have had one to give that dude.

See there, glad you got a different perspective.

I think you home-brewers develope a more acute sense of taste regarding beer.
You certainly are thinking a whole lot more about what you're drinking and the different nuances of each brew.

Before long, when you least expect it, you may even become a...

Beer Snob! (or the highest industry standard name "A Brewtech") :)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trts9cSdcl0/T-ub_79XXUI/AAAAAAAAAC0/cNdDioyreqY/s1600/sam-beer-snob.gif
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/07/57/d6/0757d66dd8f6768488d5586479b66050.jpg
http://i1.wp.com/www.alaskacommons.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/married-to-the-sea-addicted-to-craft-beer-e1353143802404.gif
http://www.ncbrewing.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/beer_snob.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/wtxrb.jpg

I'm just kidding about the beer snob thing, but it does come with the territory. It's good to be passionate about it. Ya can't help that. :D


As far as Yuengling, I like it better then Bud, but I wouldn't call it a premium beer. The price is reasonable and with today's food prices, I don't need to to get hooked on expensive beer. I like bourbon, so...

Other beer news...
The 'World Beer Fest' is coming to town next weekend. I was thinking about going, but it will depend if I feel like cracking off a $45 dollar entry fee next saturday. You'll probably have to eat something too, so it could be an expensive day.

It is all you can drink all day! You get a 2oz, glass to carry around with you...think you could get your money's worth?

Here's the beer line up...I bet Mr. brewtech has sampled a few of these.
http://allaboutbeer.com/gather-for-beer/world-beer-festival/raleigh-nc/beer-line-up/

[Glass]

fortunately I don't know any beer snobs for real. I guess now I know about them I better keep an eye on myself. Make sure I don't be one. I'm pretty sure I just want more fizz on all of these I'm brewing. I have good news on that.

[EE_]

fortunately I don't know any beer snobs for real. I guess now I know about them I better keep an eye on myself. Make sure I don't be one. I'm pretty sure I just want more fizz on all of these I'm brewing. I have good news on that.

http://www.craftbeer.com/attachments/0004/7912/beersnob.png
http://beerwhiskeyandbrotherhood.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/10-signs-of-beer-snob.jpg
https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/5615883008/h5D7F30AC/

[Glass]

Ok. I'm torn. I might need clarification on a couple points there.

If my beer comes from a keg, that over rides "superior selection" bias right? Beer from mates keg trumps everything AFAIK.

What if I just talk loudly about beers and how crap they are in front of the beer selection in the store? I'm I could be talking about a beer by coincidence right? Wouldn't you want someone to save you from a mistake?

I think that's at least 2 but there could be more.

[EE_]

Ok. I'm torn. I might need clarification on a couple points there.

If my beer comes from a keg, that over rides "superior selection" bias right? Beer from mates keg trumps everything AFAIK.

What if I just talk loudly about beers and how crap they are in front of the beer selection in the store? I'm I could be talking about a beer by coincidence right? Wouldn't you want someone to save you from a mistake?

I think that's at least 2 but there could be more.

Glass http://www.netanimations.net/finger-pointing-down-animation-gif.gif
http://www.primermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/BeerSnob/BeerSnob_BeerSnob.jpg

[Libertytree]

I've been around more snobs than I care to remember. They were a part of what soured me in the wine world and ultimately out of it. In another thread here I told BT about my experience at the local brew shop, they were fucking snobs in the in highest degree. When I told them I brewed 20 gal batches in a trash can they treated me like a piece of shit and I will NEVER be one of those cockholsters, NEVER!

[Glass]

yeah I'd really appreciate EE_ stop posting my selfies. ;)

everytime I go to my LHBS they wish me luck with my next brew. I'm pretty sure they are being genuine. I think.

I got given 1 dozen different world brews. I should be able to snob it up big time now in the What are you drinking now thread. Actually there are a couple of craft beers in there that I'm keen to try. Bit much $$ for me to buy to try so very welcome gift.

[Libertytree]

Cool gift. Make some notes to compare your batches to.

[Libertytree]

Just cracked another one of these bad boys, I'm tickled as hell! Surprised as well, because I thought it might have topped out. Not the case at all, it's better still and I have 4 cases to boot, woohoo! This is one instance where I wish we had personal transporters so I could share.

One thing puzzles me though, bottles with less of a shoulder don't seem to develope as well as bottles with a steeper shoulder. I can't figger that'n out.

I wonder if these beers being in the fridge for over a week did anything particular that helped them? vs a beer that's only been in the fridge for 24hrs? Hmmm.

[Neuro]

Other beer news...
The 'World Beer Fest' is coming to town next weekend. I was thinking about going, but it will depend if I feel like cracking off a $45 dollar entry fee next saturday. You'll probably have to eat something too, so it could be an expensive day.

It is all you can drink all day! You get a 2oz, glass to carry around with you...think you could get your money's worth?

Here's the beer line up...I bet Mr. brewtech has sampled a few of these.
http://allaboutbeer.com/gather-for-beer/world-beer-festival/raleigh-nc/beer-line-up/
$45 worth of beer in 2 oz glasses, how many would that be? 200?

[Neuro]

Just cracked another one of these bad boys, I'm tickled as hell! Surprised as well, because I thought it might have topped out. Not the case at all, it's better still and I have 4 cases to boot, woohoo! This is one instance where I wish we had personal transporters so I could share.

One thing puzzles me though, bottles with less of a shoulder don't seem to develope as well as bottles with a steeper shoulder. I can't figger that'n out.

I wonder if these beers being in the fridge for over a week did anything particular that helped them? vs a beer that's only been in the fridge for 24hrs? Hmmm.
Longer time allows the yeast residue settle better?

[Glass]

Just cracked another one of these bad boys, I'm tickled as hell! Surprised as well, because I thought it might have topped out. Not the case at all, it's better still and I have 4 cases to boot, woohoo! This is one instance where I wish we had personal transporters so I could share.

One thing puzzles me though, bottles with less of a shoulder don't seem to develope as well as bottles with a steeper shoulder. I can't figger that'n out.

I wonder if these beers being in the fridge for over a week did anything particular that helped them? vs a beer that's only been in the fridge for 24hrs? Hmmm.

good news. great news! time, patience. Pays off. Play the long game as it were. Please tell me more? Flavours, colours. Interesting observation about the shoulder of the bottle. Do you mean more gradually tapered bottles are better or worse? Those that have a harder angle from bottle body to neck are doing better?

[Dogman]

$45 worth of beer in 2 oz glasses, how many would that be? 200? Reminds me of a drinking played when in the military.

One shot 1oz. Per minute for one hour!

Very few won! And this was drinking the watered down stuff served on base.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forum Runner

[Libertytree]

good news. great news! time, patience. Pays off. Play the long game as it were. Please tell me more? Flavours, colours. Interesting observation about the shoulder of the bottle. Do you mean more gradually tapered bottles are better or worse? Those that have a harder angle from bottle body to neck are doing better?

Bottles with a harder angle seem to be better. I'll get a pic of this brew in a glass later today and give a more detailed description too.

[Libertytree]

Here's the pic, as you can see it's not a very clear beer and it had a better head on it before I fumbled around with the camera and found a good location for the pic. The taste/flavors have remained consistent, a nutty, slightly sweet taste but with more carbonation and life to it. One thing that does strike me is that I think I need to increase the bittering hops, it could stand a little more of an edge/bite. I don't know if that's the right terminology or if I'm on the right track or not but I'm gonna make that adjustment next batch. One other note...there's a reason I don't drink out of a glass! It might as well have a damn spigot on it, a bottle or a can is fine but a glass just has too big of a hole in it! There ain't no throttle! I'd be tore up from the floor up in short order if I took to doing that regularly.

6209

[Glass]

well it's a nice looking brew. Going by colour the first thing I thought when I saw it was English bitter ale. And that reminds me of a very heavy night I spent in London drinking with some university buddies and a crew of KPMG guys. Man could they drink. Not enough but I give em kudos for trying. I had a big meeting in Oxford the next day. oh was I crook but we got through it and got the contract.

I've been drinking a fair bit of coopers sparking and orig pale ales. Both of these are nice carb but fading head. In that way they are like the canadian blondes I brewed. As was pointed out earlier, was I expecting something the style doesn't do? I think so. I'd like to try something like your recipe.

Keen to see how it turns out as you fine tune it. I'd be stoked with what you have there. for sure.

[Libertytree]

Well, instead of buying kits why not buy the ingredients separately? Are they available to you like that or do you have to go with kits?

My beer edumakation is sorely lacking, all I really have to go on is the beer guide BT posted but experience trumps that and I just haven't tried all those styles of beers. I suspect you're right about expectations per styles and their characteristics. I've only had one other person try my beer, the internet tech who shared it with his two buddies and they wanted to buy some from me! lol It was a great compliment but I don't think I'm following the guidelines very well and wouldn't know it if I were.

I've got to find a lighter malt, that's my 1st step in fine tuning this for what I really want to drink most of the time. After that I can then focus on smaller specialty batches.

[Neuro]

Here's the pic, as you can see it's not a very clear beer and it had a better head on it before I fumbled around with the camera and found a good location for the pic. The taste/flavors have remained consistent, a nutty, slightly sweet taste but with more carbonation and life to it. One thing that does strike me is that I think I need to increase the bittering hops, it could stand a little more of an edge/bite. I don't know if that's the right terminology or if I'm on the right track or not but I'm gonna make that adjustment next batch. One other note...there's a reason I don't drink out of a glass! It might as well have a damn spigot on it, a bottle or a can is fine but a glass just has too big of a hole in it! There ain't no throttle! I'd be tore up from the floor up in short order if I took to doing that regularly.

6209
I think I see the reflection of a ghoul, in the upper right corner of that beer glass...

[Libertytree]

Prolly my reflection :)

[Neuro]

Prolly my reflection :)
You were standing facing the beer glass at a 90° angle from where you held the camera? Seems like a difficult way to photograph beer in my opinion, but maybe I am old fashioned?

[Libertytree]

Well hell....my friggin beer or the glass is haunted!

[Neuro]

Well hell....my friggin beer or the glass is haunted!
Yes! That would explain why your beer has that ghoulish cloudyness.

[Libertytree]

The cloudiness doesn't bother me. This could have a positive in it, if maybe the glass stays colder longer. It looks more like an ET with a shit eatin grin.

[Glass]

yep I am absolutely going to get into all grains. working towards that goal. I've been scoping out the LHBS to see who is stocking which grains, who has the best range of hops and yeasts. Freshness also. Some shops have real high turnover of this stock and some seem a bit slow. I've been asking lots of questions when I go in. Seeing how the people deal with me. Like you I found a few stores don't seem interested OR they are only interested in people buying $700 kegerators.

This place where I have been shopping recently are real nice people. they love beer, they love people who love beer and they are always busy busy. They have the biggest range of hops and yeasts I have seen so far. And their prices are the best for all the shops that a close by.

I'm going to do brew in a bag to begin with. BIAB. I won't need as much gear to get started and what gear I get will work with the AG as I progress.

[Libertytree]

What is the draw to all grain?

[Glass]

ah I see what you mean. natural progression I suppose. I could be accused of having comprehension problems. hehehe.

[Libertytree]

To me it would be an economic thing but I also like the expanding knowledge thing as well.

[Glass]

the brew kits are really just cans of liquid pre-hopped malt extracts + sugar. I've been looking at doing as you do, unhopped malt extracts + hops and steeping some grains. So I guess we have:
Pre-hopped malt extracts - where I am at
Plain malt extracts to add hops to - where you are at?
Brew in Bag grain brewing. that is really steeping grains and adding malt extracts - unhopped or pre-hopped
All grain brewing - mashing etc

so I am probably getting my methods a bit mixed up. Watching some YT's a guy called GashSlug does a cold steep of grains + unhopped or prehopped malts as opposed to doing a grain boil + malts. This is what I will do as the next technique I try. Then I will look at going to BIAB - boiling grains or hot steep??. Then maybe to AG. AG will need more space than I have right now.

if I'm pushing your thread OT let me know. I'll take it elsewhere.

[Libertytree]

It's fine, keep it here.

Yeah, I use non hopped extract and add a hop or combo of hops.

Before I get into AG I want to get really proficient at this, plus it seems to me that there's additional equipment for it and it's just not in the budget.

[Libertytree]

Question, Glass....Do you always pour your beer into a glass? The reason I ask this is because I'm thinking that a non mass produced beer is just not naturally "that" carb'ed and by pouring it into a glass a lot of the co2 is expended by the pouring. (?) Ever drink them straight from the bottle and notice a difference in carb and taste?

[Glass]

funny you mention this because I don't. I drink from the bottle so I really don't know how carb'd the beer is from the macro breweries. I considered this when I posted about the Ales I've been drinking and expectations of a style.

Because the homebrew goes into a glass, I have started doing it more for the other beers. Of course the Coopers shop beers are bottle conditioned so I've been pouring them into a glass. The EMU bitter Ale I was drinking a while back, I also started pouring in a glass and noticed it wasn't really super heady. Steady carb but not a lot of head.

I think the taste is different from a glass for many of the beers as well. I think it's a good point.

[Libertytree]

Why does homebrew always go into a glass? Why not judge them both from the bottles instead of the glasses? I think this is an important angle and I appreciate your opinions bro.

[Glass]

at the moment I am bottling 740ml/24Oz? bottles and also decanting the beer, leaving the yeast in the last little bit of beer in the bottle. The Coppers store bought ales contain a fair bit of yeast as well so I've been leaving that behind in the bottle. I've got about 5 or 6 cases of smaller bottles to use on the next batch. I might try from the bottle and see.