Recent content by Dcpcooks

Cocoa powders contain between 10 and 24% fat. Much depends on the brand and quality. Higher quality cocoa contains more cocoa butter than cheaper quality varieties. Cocoa butter is not readily soluble in alcohol. It’s not 100% soluble in everclear so it’s definitely not 100% soluble in beer...

Juicy Neipa with Citra Mosaic and Galaxy, 1318 with 10% white wheat and 5% oats. Mostly whirlpool hops.

Depending on the chocolate you used you could be looking at fats that have separated and risen to the surface.

If you want to step you’ll need a jacketed mash tun.. direct fire is way to risky. Remember the old saying do it right or do it twice.

I’m in the food biz and after 7 years running my business I’m finally making 5% at the end of the day. I didn’t get paid the first year. Lost money the 2nd and made a salary (smaller than my previous salary) the 3rd year... I didn’t make any real money until I paid of the bank after year 5...

Food service is not the savior of a brewery. It’s a second business that your attempting to run. Look at the BA data, brewpubs fail at twice the rate compared to stand alone breweries.

You can bring it down in a tub of cool water. Drape a towel or shirt over it and the evaporation will help keep it cool. Keep in mind fermentation creates heat during active fermentation. You’ll probably see some fruity eaters and possibly some fusel alcohol from the high fermentation...

There are a few breweries in the area. Zumbeer is in Waukegan. He’s a small set up. Tighthead is in mundelein about 20-25 min away. Only child is in Gurnee about 15-20 min away. There is a new brewery Kings and convicts in Highwood. You could probably catch the train and head south a...

Floor malted pilsner for my Germans and farmhouse ale Best malz pils or MFB pils for my saisions Breiss brewers malt for ipa Base malt MO for Stouts and English beers. Wild naked oats neipa Unmalted white wheat neipa Flakes oats and malted white wheat. Everything else that needs oats...

I’ve smelled that smell and I’ve never been able to Taste it! Humm I just quit adding agents altogether

I’m a fan of an IC during the whirlpool to knock temps below 160ish. I use a large amount of late addition hops, mostly whirlpool additions. I don’t want my plate chiller in that mix, too much mass for the system. Once I’ve finished my whirlpool and let it settle I pump wort through the...

If your looking for juicy but not overly bitter you may want to consider all late additions rather than a traditional hop schedule. I’ve been playing around with all whirlpool additions the past four or five batches and I’ve been getting great results. The last few batches got three ounces...

I know of two breweries in Chicago the use ESB as a main house yeast and bring in some London ale strains for specialty beers. They usually run two to three yeasts

Two days is pretty quick but not impossible. I’d take a gravity sample to insure you know where your at. You have plenty of time left on the yeast. Yeast won’t die off for 3-4 weeks at the earliest.

Is it possible to brew cheaper than buy commercial? Yes it’s possible. If you loose your mind and build out an all electric set up with conicals and a glycol chiller you’ll have to wait along time to hit break even. I lost my mind and I’m still waiting to get close to a break even but I...