culdeus
Footballguy
My 36Q SS fryer was just $44 at Academy.If anyone is looking for a turkey fryer, check out this deal on eBay: 30 QT Aluminum Turkey Fryer
$25 plus $12 shipping in US
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***OFFICIAL*** Footballguys homebrew thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter culdeus
- Start date
The longer it sits in secondary, the clearer the beer will be. If it's a dark beer, it doesn't do much. In a lighter beer, the longer it sits in secondary, the more "stuff" will fall out of suspension, and the clearer it will look in the glass when you pour one out.I've left mine in secondary any from two weeks to a year (kinda forgot about that one.) The only thing you may need to think about, depending on the length of time the beer is in secondary, is possibility of adding additional yeast when it comes time to bottle. Adding yeast at bottling isn't necessary unless the beer has been sitting for 6 months or so.
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culdeus
Footballguy
How do you forget about beer for a year?
Kids, wife, work, vacations, not enough time to bottle, etc. A lot of bad excuses, I know, but I did end up bottling it, and it tasted ok. Not the best beer I brewed, but it was drinkable. I think it was an old ale (literally and figuratively.) It definitely was crystal clear, though, I will say.
valhallan
Footballguy
I don't even know what Academy is. But anyway, this is a good deal and I just wanted to share it with my fellow FBG brewmasters while supplies last.My 36Q SS fryer was just $44 at Academy.If anyone is looking for a turkey fryer, check out this deal on eBay: 30 QT Aluminum Turkey Fryer
$25 plus $12 shipping in US
I'm pretty sure you don't want to brew your beer in aluminum.I don't even know what Academy is. But anyway, this is a good deal and I just wanted to share it with my fellow FBG brewmasters while supplies last.My 36Q SS fryer was just $44 at Academy.If anyone is looking for a turkey fryer, check out this deal on eBay: 30 QT Aluminum Turkey Fryer
$25 plus $12 shipping in US
valhallan
Footballguy
Done it before.I'm pretty sure you don't want to brew your beer in aluminum.I don't even know what Academy is. But anyway, this is a good deal and I just wanted to share it with my fellow FBG brewmasters while supplies last.My 36Q SS fryer was just $44 at Academy.If anyone is looking for a turkey fryer, check out this deal on eBay: 30 QT Aluminum Turkey Fryer
$25 plus $12 shipping in US
culdeus
Footballguy
DONE
Bottled today and had just enough empties to do this.
I'm never bottling more than 12 22oz bombers again. The rest will go tap-a-draft. That whole bottling process took about 2 hours and was a big pain. I can handle a dozen bottles as that's one bottling bucket full of solution.
Two 12oz bottles exploded when I was capping them. That sucked.
Final gravity (If I'm reading this right) was ~ 1.02 but who the hell knows.
I'm much better with the siphon now and I tried some of the flat, warm beer and it wasn't half bad. I've got some hope this "oldcastle" turns out ok.
Knowing now what I didn't know the first time I bet I can shave off a full 90 min to 2 hours easy on the process and do a better job.
Bottled today and had just enough empties to do this.
I'm never bottling more than 12 22oz bombers again. The rest will go tap-a-draft. That whole bottling process took about 2 hours and was a big pain. I can handle a dozen bottles as that's one bottling bucket full of solution.
Two 12oz bottles exploded when I was capping them. That sucked.
Final gravity (If I'm reading this right) was ~ 1.02 but who the hell knows.
I'm much better with the siphon now and I tried some of the flat, warm beer and it wasn't half bad. I've got some hope this "oldcastle" turns out ok.
Knowing now what I didn't know the first time I bet I can shave off a full 90 min to 2 hours easy on the process and do a better job.
The Gator
Footballguy
Twats this? BTW, congrats.
Organized Chaos
Footballguy
Nice... What was your Original Gravity?Also, I agree about the bottling, I keg most of my beer, but it will sit alot longer if I have to bottle it.DONEBottled today and had just enough empties to do this.I'm never bottling more than 12 22oz bombers again. The rest will go tap-a-draft. That whole bottling process took about 2 hours and was a big pain. I can handle a dozen bottles as that's one bottling bucket full of solution.Two 12oz bottles exploded when I was capping them. That sucked.Final gravity (If I'm reading this right) was ~ 1.02 but who the hell knows.I'm much better with the siphon now and I tried some of the flat, warm beer and it wasn't half bad. I've got some hope this "oldcastle" turns out ok. Knowing now what I didn't know the first time I bet I can shave off a full 90 min to 2 hours easy on the process and do a better job.
bentley
Footballguy
DONEBottled today and had just enough empties to do this.I'm never bottling more than 12 22oz bombers again. The rest will go tap-a-draft. That whole bottling process took about 2 hours and was a big pain. I can handle a dozen bottles as that's one bottling bucket full of solution.Two 12oz bottles exploded when I was capping them. That sucked.Final gravity (If I'm reading this right) was ~ 1.02 but who the hell knows.I'm much better with the siphon now and I tried some of the flat, warm beer and it wasn't half bad. I've got some hope this "oldcastle" turns out ok. Knowing now what I didn't know the first time I bet I can shave off a full 90 min to 2 hours easy on the process and do a better job.
Happy drinking.
Organized Chaos
Footballguy
The Gravity of the beer determines how much sugar is in the beer...You take readings when you first get done (Starting or Original Gravity) and this help you get an idea of what ABV your beer will be close to. Then, you take readings when your beer is done fermenting to see if the yeast is actually done eating the sugars. Then you take a Final Gravity reading before you bottle.There is a formula to determine your alcohol % based on your OG and FG readings, but I usually just punch it into promash to find mine.Twats this? BTW, congrats.
The Gator
Footballguy
The Gravity of the beer determines how much sugar is in the beer...You take readings when you first get done (Starting or Original Gravity) and this help you get an idea of what ABV your beer will be close to. Then, you take readings when your beer is done fermenting to see if the yeast is actually done eating the sugars. Then you take a Final Gravity reading before you bottle.There is a formula to determine your alcohol % based on your OG and FG readings, but I usually just punch it into promash to find mine.Twats this? BTW, congrats.
f'n culdeus, next time explain it like this. 
culdeus
Footballguy
Organized Chaos
Footballguy
Nice job on the first brew...Here's a sierra nevada pale ale like recipe if you want it.
Code:
Pale AleA ProMash Recipe ReportBJCP Style and Style Guidelines-------------------------------10-A American Ale, American Pale AleMin OG: 1.045 Max OG: 1.060Min IBU: 30 Max IBU: 54Min Clr: 5 Max Clr: 14 Color in SRM, LovibondRecipe Specifics----------------Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00Total Extract (Lbs): 8.00Anticipated OG: 1.057 Plato: 14.02Anticipated SRM: 7.8Anticipated IBU: 87.7Wort Boil Time: 60 MinutesPre-Boil Amounts----------------Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per HourPre-Boil Wort Size: 5.88 GalPre-Boil Gravity: 1.048 SG 12.00 PlatoFormulas Used-------------Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppgYield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.Color Formula Used: MoreyHop IBU Formula Used: RagerAdditional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %Grain/Extract/Sugar % Amount Name Origin Potential SRM----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 87.5 7.00 lbs. Muntons LME - Light England 1.037 5 6.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40 6.3 0.50 lbs. Caramel Pils Malt Belgium 1.034 2Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.Hops Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.00 oz. Perle Pellet 8.25 78.6 60 min. 2.00 oz. Cascade Pellet 5.75 9.1 2 min.Yeast-----safale us56The Gator
Footballguy
Jaysus
Good times!
well done!You don't need the orange cap on your carboy when siphoning.
Oh, and get an Auto Siphon - you will enjoy life more.
BillyBobBoDean
Footballguy
Just wanted to bump this thread to find out how your beer turned out.Any good?
The Gator
Footballguy
I'll let you know when he sends me one.Just wanted to bump this thread to find out how your beer turned out.Any good?
culdeus
Footballguy
still carbonating.Just wanted to bump this thread to find out how your beer turned out.Any good?
culdeus
Footballguy
Popped one probably before I should have..
It decidely didn't suck. I'd actually say it's on the level of Newcastle, but below some of the better browns like Young's and of course DFH IBA.
It's still got probably another week of bottle conditioning till it's really ready to go, but it wasn't skunked, didn't have any off notes, and didn't kill me.
I'll be brewing batch #2 this weekend most likely.
It decidely didn't suck. I'd actually say it's on the level of Newcastle, but below some of the better browns like Young's and of course DFH IBA.
It's still got probably another week of bottle conditioning till it's really ready to go, but it wasn't skunked, didn't have any off notes, and didn't kill me.
I'll be brewing batch #2 this weekend most likely.
coldchill
Footballguy
This is critical to your future success as a homebrewer. You had asked in PM about a good IPA recipe. I don't have anything that I'd recommend but I would recommend adding oak chips to the secondary as it really seems to help mellow ESB's and IPA's. You should be able to get chips or cubes at your local homebrew store.
Jaysus
Good times!
I'd actually reccomend staying away from IPA's until you have a few brews under your belt and better understand utilization rates of hops.
Experiment with a couple different american style pales ales first - maybe even use the same malt bill and yeast - but experiment with the hops ... it will actually save you some $$ as well.
Experiment with a couple different american style pales ales first - maybe even use the same malt bill and yeast - but experiment with the hops ... it will actually save you some $$ as well.
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culdeus
Footballguy
Yeah. Pale Ale was always the next batch for me. IPA at a later date.
The Gator
Footballguy
What are the downsides to trying IPA's right away? Are they just really hard to make?
culdeus
Footballguy
In 5 gallons anything you put in is dilute enough to not make that big a difference. Once you start talking about the large quantities of hops needed for IPA (2x or more from others) you can really start pushing the envelope for the size of the batch bailing you out insofar as concentration. I'm wondering what the panel thinks of crystal malt? Lots of PA recipies use it. It adds 30 minutes to the heat cycle. Worth it?
Jaysus
Good times!
Not neccasarily "downsides" - more considerations.For one thing there is the higher cost for ingrediants (you need more hops, and you need more fermentables with an IPA). Also some "practice" is helpful to get the most out of your hops... a lot of times homebrewed IPAs can come out as high ABV pale ales because they lack the hop puch that is desired by many (simply because of technique).
FWIW - I've never had a really successfull IPA - I've had some good ones, but none turned out exactley how I had envisioned it ahead of time.
The Gator
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
I did. I checked with my buddy he's is getting a 10gal unit. I don't know what the size above that is but his boss is upgrading to a LARGER SIZE!!
I've had two attempts at making an IPA, both have not turned out as well as I would have liked, and I've been doing this for 10 years or so (off and on.)1st attempt - Brewed it and everything came out perfect. Hit the intended OG and everything. Picked the carboy up to give it a good shake (you know, to get the oxygen in it...don't have a way to pump oxygen into it right now.) Put the carboy down for a minute. Picked it back up to give it another good shake. Put it back down. Tossed in the liquid yeast. Picked it back up for the final shaking. Put it back down and the bottom of the carboy cracked, then broke, and all 5.5 gallons rushed out on to the floor. Don't know if there was a weak spot in the carboy, or if I just set it down on a small rock or pebble or what, but I know I didn't set it down too hard, as I was scared of breaking the carboy to begin with. Fortunately, I was in the basement, near the crock, so I just swept everything into the crock, sat down a had a good cry.
2nd attempt - Brewed it up and came out ok. Didn't hit the OG, but it was close enough for me. Make it through the shaking and pitching phase that was the death of the 1st attempt. Made it through the fermentation stages. Primed and bottled it with no disasters. I really had my hopes up for this one. After two weeks of being in the bottles, I popped open my first bottle and poured it out. Didn't even get a quarter of a glass poured before it foamed over the top of the glass. Severely over carbonated for some reason. Not sure if I used too much priming sugar, didn't stir the priming solution enough prior to bottling, or :gasp: had an infection that would cause the carbonation problems. It tastes pretty good, but it takes a good half an hour to pour the damn beer in a glass without it foaming over the top.
I'm going to give it another shot sometime this fall. I've got an oktoberfest that is nearing the bottling stage (another couple of weeks), and then I've got a Schwarzbier (Black Beer) to brew up. These two are my first attempt at a true lager beer, as I got a temperature controller for my beer fridge, so I can keep the temps where they need to be. If you don't have one and want to brew a lager, I would suggest checking on one. They work great!
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I got the issue late last week, but haven't had the time to read it yet.
mr. furley
Footballguy
anyone have a link to a good homebrew recipe's site?
if i'm jumping in to this thing i want to make a stout right out of the gate. gotta find a simple yet tasty recipe for my first shot at it.
TIA
if i'm jumping in to this thing i want to make a stout right out of the gate. gotta find a simple yet tasty recipe for my first shot at it.
TIA
coldchill
Footballguy
Several of the online retailers have pretty good kits that are an excellent place to start. They will also tell you if they are "beginner" or more advanced recipes. You know enough about this already to skip to some of the kits that include specialty grains.Northern Brewer, Morebeer, & Midwest Supplies
I've ordered from them all at one time or another. I like Midwest the best because I buy liquid yeast locally and you can get the Midwest kits without yeast (or maybe with dry yeast). I've always been a little skeptical about liquid yeast viability when having it shipped. I think they will cold pack it but since I can buy it locally why take the chance.
mr. furley
Footballguy
coldchill
Footballguy
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coldchill
Footballguy
I like Crystal, there is quite a range available in the various roasts. It tends to add some sweetness and malt body. You can get several diffent roasts depending on your goal. I think that crystal malts are generally considered to be very versatile.I'm not sure I'm following you on the 30 extra minutes. Are you talking about steeping the grains at ±155º? Extract brewing with specialty grains is definately worth the extra time. It will add a greater variety to your brewing possibilities and add a complexity to your beers that you cannot achieve with extracts alone
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I'll second the list of suppliers above, but prefer Northern Brewer of the others. I've always ordered my kits with the liquid yeast and have never had a problem. They do offer to pack the liquid yeast with ice packs for a buck more, but I've never taken them up on it. I live in Michigan and if I order Saturday, Sunday, or Monday morning, I usually have my stuff by Wednesday/Thursday. I try not to order when it is supposed to be really hot, and if I can't help it, I'd get the ice packs just to be on the safe side.
I will also put a plug in for the NB message boards too. Real helpful to the newbies and experienced alike. I've gleaned a lot of helpful information from their boards, especially when I was looking to make my oktoberfest.
I will also put a plug in for the NB message boards too. Real helpful to the newbies and experienced alike. I've gleaned a lot of helpful information from their boards, especially when I was looking to make my oktoberfest.
Jaysus
Good times!
I'll second that. Yes, it does take a little longer in the brewing cycle, but definitely worth it for the taste and body of the beer. All I do with my specialty grains is to dump them into a grain bag, toss it into the boiling pot (the one I will be brewing with) and bring the water up to no more than 160-165 degrees, and let it sit there for a little bit. Pull the bag out with tongs, drape the bag over my stirring spoon (which is sitting over the boiling pot) and squeeze out a little more of the wort. Probably should "rinse" it with some 155 degree water instead of squeezing it out, but it works for me.
coldchill
Footballguy
Absolutely
. All three of the sites I listed have message boards. NB seems to be the most active(best). You can get help with virtually any homebrewing related issue. The other forums do have their benefits as well. Morebeer has a separate forum for Brewing structures that can be interesting, they also have a classified forum.
mr. furley
Footballguy
culdeus
Footballguy
Locked and loaded for my pale ale experiment this weekend.
Got some more hardware that will help including a slotted paddle and some other gear.
Only thing I forgot to get was a strainer to get the crystal malt out. How hard is this to do without a grain bag? Big mistake? Is there something else I can use?
Got some more hardware that will help including a slotted paddle and some other gear.
Only thing I forgot to get was a strainer to get the crystal malt out. How hard is this to do without a grain bag? Big mistake? Is there something else I can use?
Ditto.I used to use no grain bag, and it was a pain in the ### to run the wort through a strainer to keep the grains out of the fermenter. If you are using a chiller or counterflow chiller, you'll want to put something on the inside of the brew pot, in the output area, to block the grains from plugging up the chiller.If you don't have acces to a grain bag, you can sterilize a pair of old pantyhose and dump the grains in there to brew them up.Too much hassle without a grain bag. Seriously.
coldchill
Footballguy
I agree with Jaysus and Sclaffer. The muslin grain bags are inexpensive and work fine for grain. The Nylon mesh grain bags are more expensive but are reusable and work great for hop pellets.