Dry hopping is adding hops in the fermentation (usually in a bag to make removal easier). I don't remember where I happened across this, but generally hops get added at 3 primary points depending on what their point is: 60 minutes - bittering 30 minutes - flavour last few minutes or flameout - aroma Bitterness happens to some degree at all these points, so total IBU's have to be adjusted according to some equation in the article I cannot place. If I figure out where I got this, I will post it up. As for oak. I haven't tried it. But down at the brewery right now the special reserve on tap in the tap room is a Belgian (wit/strong/something, but not spiced) that was barrel aged for 6 months. It was the first beer in the barrel since Buffalo Trace got rid of it. Makes it very bourbony, sweet and strong (as in ABV). A kick on its own or a nice blending beer. Fat Belgian, indeed.
Dry Hopping- http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2008/05/21/dry-hopping-enhanced-hops-aroma/ Good read from Beersmith.com I dry hopped pellet hops in the secondary for 7 days with the Simcoe. I filtered the hops out as I racked to the bottling bucket. Good luck on the Barleywine, I've heard 6-12 months for it to age properly. I don't think i'd be able to control myself from taste testing it all away before 6 months bhiku- that Belgian sounds fantastic!
The Fat Belgian is fantatsic. I got a bit more info on it this weekend: a Belgian Wit that wasn't finished with any of the spices but put into the bourbon barrel in a basic Belgian Wit form. It was about 8-9% abv before aging and since it was the first in that barrel it now probably sits somewhere in the 10-12% or possibly as high as 14% abv. :yumyum: It's fairly stealthy, too. It's not that you don't know there is alcohol in it, you just don't notice it coiling you in it's grip while quaffing a pint until you stand up. Good thing I only live a 10 minute walk from the brewery. :biggrin: Gridlocked and Ryan - score on the kegs! Me = jealous. I have really come to dislike bottling.
Dirty kegs are dirty. I really should have taken before and after shots. 3 hours of cleaning and they are a whole lot better. I still need to give them a sani-soak + replace all rings & plastic bits.
Very nice find on the kegs. Wish I was ready to start kegging but lack of large cooling vessel stands in the way. Cracked open a 2 week old Simcoe IPA and boy was that tasty. Very nice grapefruity blast from the dry hop. Doesn't really seem to fall into the IPA category, tastes more like a pale ale. Now to hold back from drinking the entire batch before it hits 4 weeks. Irish Red Ale/Red Raspberry Ale are mighty tasty although i'm not sure i'm a fan of extract flavoring in beers. Kinda medicine like in taste. I'd like to try making a wheat or hefe with real raspberries. Mmmmm Brewed Midwests new Rocky Pale Ale on Sunday evening, didn't seem too impressive going into the primary but time will tell and the recipe called for hops that I have not used so i'm excited to get a taste.
If you guys want to get in on that keg deal, the dude has a LOT of them still availiable. They are, however, VERY dirty and require some elbow grease but I think it's worth it. I have one of those TEENY mini-fridges that a co-worker gave me. I was seriously thinking of building one of these FERMENTATION CHILLERS which could be built to suit and looks EASY and cheap:
Its actually a good thing that you added the malt syrups to the pot without a boil going. I that is what I'm reading it as what you did. When I was doing extract, I took some of the steeping water from the main pot. I put it into another pot and stirrd in my malt syrups. This way, the syrups dont stick to the hot bottom of the main pot, carmelise, burn and create off flavors or off color. Once it was all stired in well and incorporated to the water, I'd slowly beat it back into the steeping water and turn up the temp for boil.
I need some ideas for a nice brown ale. I want to brew tomarrow. If not a brown, then maybe a good rye recipie. I'f been trying to come up with a good malty and well hoped rye. So far everything has turned out, just not the way I had invisioned it. I've been trying to dig around for a Founders Redd Rye clone....but nothing.
xBrian- My buddy brewed this up and it was super tasty. First rye beer i've ever tasted but I was very impressed. Midwest has the kit. Dry Rye Roggenbier w/Munton’s 6 gm dry yeast Price: $25.95 Availability: Usually ships in 24-48 hours Catalog Nbr: 225 Ship Weight: 10 Qty: Price: $25.95 Product Description: Dry Rye Roggenbier: Rye is an under utilized ingredient in the brewing world, basically made most popular in the Roggenbiers (rye beers) of Regensburg, Bavaria. Rye lends a uniquely dry and bready character to the glass, and with a weizen backdrop it goes great on a warm day when dry and crisp are in demand. Our ingredients for this recipe include: 6 lb. Wheat liquid malt extract, 12 oz. Rye Malt, 4 oz. Wheat malt, 6 oz. Caramel 40°L, 4 oz. Flaked rye specialty grains, 1 oz. French Strisselspalt, 1 oz. Hersbrucker pellet hops, priming sugar, muslin bag, and yeast.
Do you add the malt before the boil or near the end? From what I learned from the MHBA is they add the malt with about 20 minutes left on the boil to keep it from burning to the bottom. That's what i've done the last few times. The other thing I'm trying to figure out is a lot of my beers have some of the same specific flavor. I can't explain it, but I can't figure out what I'm doing to cause some of them to kind of melt together flavor wise. Not sure if it's my brewing kettle (which I need to buy a new one, mine is on "loan" from a friend who wants it back) or what. Any thoughts?
Yeah, I know to pull the pot off of the burner when adding the extract so it doesn't burn. After doing some research on the whole "problem" I found out that I'll be a little low on the IBU's because of the water being "full" of extract and not much room for the hop isomerization. I'm fine with that as the last Anchor Steam that I had was uber bitter and I am not going to mind a little less than the actual style.
Gridlocked - I was looking through the May/June Zymurgy (magazine) today and saw they have a recipe for "Big Hitter Barleywine" on p.52. They have an extract version if you don't want to do the all-grain recipe, too. Highlights: OG: 1.108 FG: 1.020 ABV: 11.6% IBU: Approx. 100 2 weeks in Primary, 5 months in Secondary AHA's general recipe link: http://www.beertown.org/homebrewing/recipe.asp (It might not be there however as it is in the current issue.)
My Sunday afternoon: Consisted of enjoying a few Russian Imperial Stout while brewing my Imperial Stout in the garage. The propane burner is SWEEET!!! Thank you RYAN!!!!
2 month old cascade My cascade rhizome quickly shot over the top of my 7ft. trellis 2 months after planting. You can see a new line running from the top of the trellis which runs up to the tip of my shed. Can't wait to see if/how much it will produce the 1st year. Excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon Ted. My Sunday 1 week ago was spent brewing a Rocky Pale Ale. If you have some beers bottled we might have to do a bottle trade this Saturday.
My Sunday Afternoon was spend on the couch hungover. That hangover continued to yesterday. :eek3: I'm glad the burner worked for you. Did you get a new regulator for it?
Paul, My california Common should be grossly over carbonated but in the bottle for ~2 weeks by the weekend. I am going to try to bottle my Liberty Cream tonight or tomorrow -depending on stuff at home, but that will be a couple of weeks. We'll see, but I'll definatley trade you a couple bottles. Ryan, I LOVE that burner, man! Nope, no regulator yet I just used your method and used the knob for the control. :biggrin: I turned the handle the wrong way a couple of times and MAN that cranked up the heat for a few bubbles on the garage floor.
Sounds good Ted. I'll bring a couple Simcoe IPA bottles for ya. How much hops did you use for bittering on that Liberty Cream?
Paul, that Simcoe EPA is going to be my next batch. That was a GOOD beer! I assume you got the kit from Midwest, but did you do anything to alter it? I REALLY liked it and wish I had more. :biggrin:
Being that at the moment I only have one beer fridge, I guess I won't be brewing for a little while. :emo:
While we're on that subject, let me address that because it really pisses me off sometimes (not saying that you, or anyone else is saying it) When I go to beer tasting fests, which I go to most major ones here in the cities, I just *LOVE* it when I hear some wanna-be beer snob say "Oh Finnegan's.. all I taste is potatoes." No *******, you don't. We use a 1 lb bag of hashbrowns for A WHOLE BATCH of finnegans. We're talkin big boys batch, not us homebrewers 5 gal batch. What is potatoes? It's a starch. What's a Starch? It's sugar. So what happens to the potatoes? It gets broken down into sugar which feeds our friend the yeast. So, my bottom line. I don't really care if you do or don't like Finnegans. What I'm asking is when some asshat says "All I taste is potatoes" you punch them in the face. /end rant. :cheers2:
Also while we're all looking at my fridge, I noticed the boone's farm got in the picture. Ever year we throw a "urban" themed party which has liqueur requirements. You can only drink one of the following: -40oz malt liqueur -Box Wine -Boone's Farm -MD 20/20 -Hard liqueur that was bought on the bottom shelf. Must come in a plastic container. (i.e. white wolf, etc etc) That bottle + a half bladder of box wine are still in my fridge, just waiting for the next party. lol.
oh yeah bro, I'm not pointing that at you or anyone else on the board, it's just my little rant. I'm sure you'll help
Boone's Farm was hugely popular with the high-school girls when I lived down in Savage/Prior Lake. Don't tase me bro.
Finnegan's is all i need for a good night of drinking... oh and other people because otherwise i am just an alcoholic (the people help me cover it up)
That is one well stocked fridge. ienvy Ted, glad you enjoyed the Simcoe IPA it turned out great and am going to have another go at very soon myself. I did in fact adjust the recipe a bit i'll have to check my notes to confirm but: 60 min- 1oz Simcoe 15 min- 1/2oz Simcoe 5 min- 1/2oz Simcoe Dry yeast- Safle US-05(2 weeks in primary) Dryhop- 1oz Simcoe for 7 days (Secondary) I might have done a late extract addition, i'll let ya know. When I do this kit next time I think i'll dial the 60 min addition down to 3/4 oz. and pick up another 1oz to dryhop with so it'll be a nice hop bomb with a bittering level in the Pale Ale range instead of an IPA. Boundary Waters Wheat in Primary as of last night! Can't wait to give it a taste.
Kit-Also i'm fairly sure that this kit actually comes with Safle US-05 dry yeast instead of the Muntons as listed in the link below. If i'm using dry yeast I always swap out Muntons for US-05 http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=7736
A few things.. 1. Join the new homebrewers social group. http://www.mnsubaru.com/forums/group.php?groupid=17 2. Just got back from a lunchtime run over to heaven, I mean northern brewer. Picked up some supplies for ted and I. All new seal rings for our kegs along with lube (for the kegs, not for ourselves). While I was there I also bought my next kit. I picked up an American Wheat. I know, nothing special/fancy. I wanted something a little lighter for the summer that the wife would enjoy. She hates my hoppy beers. I'll probably start brewing that either this weekend or next friday because I have the day off. Time to start really busting ass on getting those kegs all cleaned up. -Ryan
Yay! I have a social group. Think I'll go have a beer to celebrate. If you guys ever need a road trip I can get ya a tour at the brewery here in town (about 2 hour drive from the Cities all on I-94). Or come out on a Friday or Saturday when the Tap Room is open. I just picked up a Stainless bulkhead kit (Ball Valve, Nipple, Coupler, some washers, a silicone o-ring) and also some Stainless mesh line and copper adaptors to connect it to the bulkhead. These should fit perfectly into the cooler I got a few months ago and as soon as I get it all assembled, all-grain here I am (for about $60-$65). Hopefully I have some time in the next few weeks to put it to the test!
The Simcoe kit showed up today. The dude that packed it wrote "Right ON!" next to the yeast substitute note. I thought that was funny.
Just finished putting the new seals on the kegs. They hold air nice and tight. Now I need to fill it.
Have you ever been to midwest brewing? Their selection is alot larger and prices are much lower. Gonna brew an esb on saturday. Not sure what the grain bill will be yet, my buddy and I are still working that out. Still have to keg my Arrogant bastard clone. That thing used a whole lot of grains, but I made 5 gallons of it for under $20, including the mammoth load of hops.
I went with the US-05 as you suggested. I just finished bottling up my Liberty Cream Ale. I'm excited to try that one! Ryan, what regulator set up did you go with? I have not had any time to work on either of my kegs since I took the chunk out of my finger trying to take the parts apart. I hope I can get to that soon. A buddy of mine yanked an Argon tank from his work for me and Toll will exchange it for a CO2 for me. BOOYA! I'm just about out of my california common. A bunch of guys from my fishing league came over last night after the contest. They LOVED it and now I only have a handful of them left. :emo: Hey, do any of you guys know of anyone that needs a brew kit? My buddy's neighhbor wants to get rid of one but I don't know what is in it or what he's asking. Does anyone want me to find out?
Yes, that's where I go most of the time, and it's closest to my house. Problem is they don't always have all the same items as northern, and northern is just down the road from my work. So I'll bounce between the two of them. Most of the time I go to midwest though just based on the fact that it's closest to my house. I know tonyM was looking to get into brewing. He's planning a wedding right now though so his funds might be short. Does your neighbor have a brew kettle? I really need to pick up a 7 gal brew kettle.
Right on, I sent him a PM. Ryan, did you take the poppet valves out of the posts on your kegs? Mine have been soaking in some uber soapy water since I picked them up and they still don't want to come apart too easy. I'm thinking about jsut getting new posts so I don't get any gunk in there.
yeah, I had to pound mine out. They don't come out real easy the first time. Too much OJ nasty stuff. Just bring the whole set over to my place along with all the parts like we talked about in the e-mail and I'll clean it all up for you man :cheers2:
I did a bit of searching and couldn't find the answer or tips/suggestions that I was looking for. I picked up a mini-fridge from a co-worker for $40.00 but it needs a bit of work so that I can fit two kegs into it. From internet searches, I've found how to tweak the door so that's no problem. I will also need to move the thermostat but I don't think that will be difficult either. This was a good article but didn't do it for me. The problem is the coil. I have one like the picture below With it hanging down as it is, I can't fit the kegs into it. Can I do one or any of the following: 1. Take a dowel or some kind of cylindrical object and bend the coil over onto itself making it like a much lower profile? I know that I need to keep from crushing the coils but I don't know what kind of a bend they can take without kinking. 2. Fab up a couple simple brackets that will allow me to invert the whole thing so it's an upside down "U" shape? 3. simply fold it down and re-mount it so that the bottom now would be along the back wall. Any suggestions, tips or pictures would be a huge help. My kegs are too tall for this to work:
My understanding (which could be totally wrong) is that you can't f with those. That's why i'm looking for a fridge that doesn't have the ****ty freezer part.
I uguess it doesn't really matter for me... I jsut F'd up the one here at work. There was a ton of ice on the coil (3" on all sides ) and I was trying to chip it off to see it and I punctured it and "ssshsshhhhhhhh" whoops. So, I guess I am going to have to bring the one that I have at home for a replacement here at the office and continue my hunt for a kegerator. I'll hit up AplianceSmart, I guess. I'm an idiot.
I'm kinda curious to see everyones setup. Would it be appropriate to start a whole new thread for this? Or should we just put it in here?
