What I did for beer today

[Brewing in WA]

First batch using the Brewzilla Gen 4. Didn't get the boil off Brewfather expected so I ended up with almost a 6 gallon batch. OG was low but the Alaskan Amber clone should come in around 4.5% ABV is all works out.

 

[bike2brew]

Bottled a batch yesterday.
Old ale secondaried on about 1.5g/L dry hops, some boiled french medium toast oak cubes and Brett C.
Spent almost a year in secondary and stabilised a few months ago.
1.080-1.007.
About 10% abv with priming sugar included, ~70 IBU originally.

That's a textbook definition of patience!

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

Tbh you kinda forget it's down in the basement after a few months.
Assuming the ordinary pipeline is in order ofc...

 

[Novacor]

Got my Winter Warmer into the keg. Finished up at 9%, looking forward to getting this one carbonated.

 

[govner1]

Cleaned the keg that was the last of my Märzen. Annual defrost of my Florida room kegerator and cleaned the lines from my Märzen then put my American Stout (keg conditioned) on tap.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Bottled my 7% abv Coconut Stout... Brewed it back on 11/04, smelled fantastic! With a little luck, it'll be ready by Festivus!
Also, added dry-hops to my Amber Ale, tho I'm afraid I may have done so too soon, this beer still has about 2 points to go.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Yesterday a made strong hop tea/concentrate for hop water. Some will be combined with cold steepEd dark malt to be added via closed transfer to an LME (yes I use it sometimes when time is short and NB kits are at a fabo price) Kolsch in a kegmenter that is too dark and sweet to be a Kolsch. Hoping it passes as an Alt when I’m done Or at least be a decent amber.

 

[tdf]

I brewed my house pale ale using Vista hops. I've only had 1 beer with them, but it was delicious. I love the USDA hop breeding program.

 

[HM-2]

Wrote a recipe for an 8% double WCIPA.

44% pilsner
44% GP ale
8% Munich II
4% English Caramalt

22 IBU of Centennial at 30
33 IBU of Amarillo/Centennial/Mosaic at 15
20 IBU of Amarillo/Centennial/Mosaic at whirlpool
3oz dry hop

US-05

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Bottling my Mosaic IPA on a rainy Sunday.

 

[jcav]

Today I kegged my Bier de Garde! Sample is a beautiful amber color and since I used WLP 515 Antwerp Ale yeast, it's got that Belgiany thing going but subdued and tons of malt. It's also nice and dry and coming in at 7% ABV. Even this young and flat I can tell once it's carbed and melded it's going to be good. Gonna be on tap for Christmas (if it's ready).

John

 

[ba-brewer]

I used WLP 515 Antwerp Ale yeast, it's got that Belgiany thing going but subdued and tons of malt.

So you are getting some clove/phenolics for this yeast?

When I first used that yeast I got some phenolics but the last times I used it was clean. It used to mention it was phenolic on the whitelabs page but that has been removed. The yeast tree DNA study places it as a lager yeast which explains the sulfur mention on the WL page but then it should not be phenolic.

I used to use Wyeast 3655 Belgian Schelde ale yeast too so I thought maybe I mixed the two up earlier giving it a phenolic flavor/aroma. If you are getting phenolic flavor/aroma maybe I did not mix the two up.

 

[jcav]

So you are getting some clove/phenolics for this yeast?

When I first used that yeast I got some phenolics but the last times I used it was clean. It used to mention it was phenolic on the whitelabs page but that has been removed. The yeast tree DNA study places it as a lager yeast which explains the sulfur mention on the WL page but then it should not be phenolic.

I used to use Wyeast 3655 Belgian Schelde ale yeast too so I thought maybe I mixed the two up earlier giving it a phenolic flavor/aroma. If you are getting phenolic flavor/aroma maybe I did not mix the two up.

No, I have used this yeast many times for my Belgian Pale Ales. It's got some light funk and you can tell it's Belgian but it is not phenolic. No clove, but I do get some pepper with this yeast and it is very clean. It is also more like a lager yeast and many brewers choose to use a lager yeast instead of an ale yeast to make Biere de Garde, so I thought it would be a great choice. I didn't want to use a German lager yeast and I wanted to keep it more French/Belgian for this one (I tried to use all French grain and hops). I also get a slight creaminess to the beer's mouthfeel when I make my Belgian Pale Ales which is really good, so when it is ready to tap I wonder if I will get that in this beer. I really like this yeast and I look for it every year when it comes available. I get it directly from White Labs. I do get a sulfur smell when it's fermenting but not in the beer. Hope this helps!

John

 

[lumpher]

After I replaced all the poppet valves with brand new ones, including the body of the poppets, I tore down 6 of my 8 kegs and did a deep clean, since most of them had been sitting for a while. Now I need to cycle some Star-San through them and let them soak in it, but that's for another day.

 

[day_trippr]

Jarred the yeast from a 5L starter of London III. Then got everything set up for a brew tomorrow - and hopefully an earlier start than I usually pull off. And I'm planning on brewing another beer on Thursday (hence the starter activity today) with an away-from-home day Wednesday so I can't let this one slip...

Cheers! (Just a little bit of pressure )

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Brewed 22.5 litres of Sussex Best Bitter today. I’ve posted the recipe before.

 

[day_trippr]

hopefully an earlier start than I usually pull off.

[Announcer: "It was not to be"]

Sigh...Better later than never. I'm 30 minutes into the mash - which is going swimmingly. Mash-in temp settled nicely, pH as well, the circulation is strong, and so far I haven't forgotten anything . Full speed ahead!

Wrapping the brew day up...chilling to 170°F before whirlpooling 6 ounces of Citra...

Filling the carboys...

All gassed up...

Chamber 1 loaded and ready to rock...

With any luck I'll be doing this all again Thursday

[edit] It's ~7 hours post-pitch and the yeasty beasts are already farting up a storm.

Cheers! (GO TEAM YEAST! )

 

[vtmikko]

Bottled my rye IPA.

 

[jcav]

Made a yeast starter for a Pennsylvania Porter I am brewing this weekend, using lager yeast.

John

 

[Mr. Vern]

Full speed ahead!

Nice fermenting chamber.. inspires me to clean up my equipment and maybe add some dedicated gas fixtures. After 4 years of use my converted fridge is due for service.

 

[day_trippr]

Thanks, it's a Craig's List fridge from 2008 iirc and has been super reliable.
If all goes well with tomorrow's brew you'll see its Craig's List sibling to the right. And its interior woodwork is actually painted

Cheers!

 

[day_trippr]

Here I go again! Struck at 9:30...

To be continued...

[edit] Very strange - I had updated this post yesterday evening to wrap up the brew day but that has all gone missing.
Can't have that! Gonna go with an abbreviated version.

Fly sparge was interrupted by a neighbor visit, but eventually he left and things progressed. I had done a mashout so wasn't worried about thinning this brew with a protracted mash.

Chilling to 170°F whirlpool temp

Hop Blocker did its job

Carboys gassed up and placed in Chamber 2, next to Monday's brew

Second pair of kegs hooked up for gas purging.

Enjoyed a Julius from batch 15

Cheers!

 

[HM-2]

Kegged my pressure fermented Doppelbock.

It's pretty hot, but already tasting very good. Definitely needs a few weeks' to a couple of months' lagering to round out the booziness but it'll be perfectly drinkable by Christmas.

 

[MaxStout]

I tightened up the rollers on my Monster Mill (2 roller). I had it at about .030", but doing BIAB, decided to reduce the gap to .022. My efficiencies haven't been too bad, usually around upper-70s, but I know I can eke out more efficiency with a tighter crush.

After setting the gap I found that tightening the two set screws draws the rollers a few thousandths closer for some reason, probably tolerances. So I gapped to .025 and after tightening the set screws it became exactly .022.

I ran a pound of malt through it, and no problem. The crush was nice. Wish I had some wheat on hand to check as well, but guess I'll find out next wheat beer. The mill is driven by a 1HP Baldor motor with belt and pulleys, so no lack of power. But some time I should run 1/2 lb of wheat through it to make sure the hard kernels don't just roll around on top of the rollers.

EDIT: I found some white wheat malt in my bucket of leftovers. Ran some through, it all passed just fine, with a nice crush. Good to know now and not having to re-adjust on brew day.

 

[day_trippr]

Mill knurling varies but I run my wheat/oats/rye mill with a .025" gap which works very well. Your 0.022" with biab will likely work great.

Cheers!

 

[grampamark]

Kegged a Blonde Ale I brewed last month. An attempt to get close to, if not perfectly clone, a Blonde brewed here in MT by a brewery called Jeremiah Johnson. Their Blonde doesn’t have a name, just Blonde Ale. I call it JJ Blonde.

Their website, and the label, provide the same info. Two row, Munich, Caramel, and wheat malts, and Noble hops. The stats are 5.4 ABV, 30 IBU, and 4.9 SRM. Using what I had on hand I went with 65% two-row, 20% Munich 10, 10% flaked wheat, and 5% C40. Saaz at 60 and Perle at 30 and 10. I ended up at 5.3 ABV, 28 IBU, and a calculated by Beersmith 5.9 SRM.

The real deal on the left, my kegging sample on the right. The taste is very similar. I‘m looking forward to this when it’s carbed up and cleared in a couple of days.

 

[Rish]

Brewed an imperial stout that will be the base for my try at something close to Mexican Cake. OG 1.104, 50 IBUs. I'll make individual tinctures of the spices and habanero and blend to taste at bottling.

 

[wetmk]

Bottled 5 liters of a tripel, kegged the rest. Kegged an Irish Stout.

 

[TheCache]

Brewed a schwarzbier - mmmm, dark lagers... my favorite part of the winter months.

 

[seanjwalker1]

I miss reading all these post and replying. Been down and out for 2 months, terrible case of sciatica since Nov and then pneumonia went and invited itself into my lungs. Been a rough 2 months, no alcohol while on this nerve pain med, no Old Fezziweg for Xmas, wife axed the Christmas Porter, she knew I'd break down and sneak one...I'm in no beer Hell ! Any who...Merry Christmas all you wonderful magnificent sons of you know what brewers !!!

 

[JAReeves]

I miss reading all these post and replying. Been down and out for 2 months, terrible case of sciatica since Nov and then pneumonia went and invited itself into my lungs. Been a rough 2 months, no alcohol while on this nerve pain med, no Old Fezziweg for Xmas, wife axed the Christmas Porter, she knew I'd break down and sneak one...I'm in no beer Hell ! Any who...Merry Christmas all you wonderful magnificent sons of you know what brewers !!!

Feel Better!

 

[Rish]

I'm in no beer Hell!

I've been wondering where you were. Hope you get everything straightened out soon! Skål, sláinte, prost!

 

[ba-brewer]

Merry Chrismas to all of the people here.

Hope you start feeling well soon @seanjwalker1

 

[seanjwalker1]

I've been wondering where you were. Hope you get everything straightened out soon! Skål, sláinte, prost!

Vielen Dank brau Kamerad. Gute Wienachten ! Alles

 

[Langerz]

Milled grain, measured out water and salts for first brew on new indoor electric system. Going for a Two Hearted clone since that was the first brew with my original set up

 

[seanjwalker1]

I feel a bit guilty. I'm not supposed to have any alcohol till I finish with these bloody nerve pills. Wife doesn't want me making or buying. But today while picking up a few things for the wife at the store, this beauty caught my eye.... On sale after Christmas for $17 ! 4 great beers and a glass ?!? Common ! What's a brew lover to do ?!? The temptation was too great ! The brew God's were on my shoulder whispering in my ear ! Now just gotta be slick and hide it by blending it in with all the other beers in the collection. If I get busted I'll just be like the bad kid in the Polar Express and keep repeating I didn't do it.. I didn't do it

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I feel a bit guilty. I'm not supposed to have any alcohol till I finish with these bloody nerve pills. Wife doesn't want me making or buying. But today while picking up a few things for the wife at the store, this beauty caught my eye.... On sale after Christmas for $17 ! 4 great beers and a glass ?!? Common ! What's a brew lover to do ?!? The temptation was too great ! The brew God's were on my shoulder whispering in my ear ! Now just gotta be slick and hide it by blending it in with all the other beers in the collection. If I get busted I'll just be like the bad kid in the Polar Express and keep repeating I didn't do it.. I didn't do it

It’s only a crime if you drink it too soon, I’ll tell you!

I just finished packing some entries for the first competition of 24 that I’m entering. So it begins.

 

[day_trippr]

Took a 5 liter 1318 starter off the stir plate and stuck it in a fridge, then set up two pairs of carboys full of hazies for soft-crashing prior to dry hopping...

Next up: non-beer effort debugging a dead section of xmas tree lights

Cheers!

 

[MaxStout]

Bottling double-header. First, 5.25 gal of Kolsch, then 3 gal Mott's juice hard cider.

 

[Wigglebutts Brewery]

Monitoring “pretend” lager FV cooler. Workshop concrete floor is about 50f so I got an Inkbird seed mat and hooked it up to an Inkbird temp controller. The carboy‘s on the concrete floor, wrapped in the temp controlled mat and buried under a sleeping bag. Temp has been holding solid at set 52f. The yeast is doing its magic, all is good! In the meantime the temp controlled chest freezer has two carboys at 67f.