Homebrewers

Nice work Bill!

I had an issue with an infection in my last batch. It is not a good thing. I cuts me deep. I still did bottle a few just to see if things would work itself out. Cant wait to taste this brew!

BTW I should update my end of things. Can we say all grain? 😀
 
Glenlivet12 said:
After thinking about it more it definitely doesn't look like or act like an infection so i think i'm going to go w/ it:getsome:.
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Agreed. It wasnt looking good at 1st.... Those spots looked like mold on the cell phone photos! Looks like good clean fermentation now that its back up and going. Pitch that sucker!!
 
Wobbegong said:
Agreed. It wasnt looking good at 1st.... Those spots looked like mold on the cell phone photos! Looks like good clean fermentation now that its back up and going. Pitch that sucker!!
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I would have thought the same thing if I had not seen the following pictures. Pretty neat to see! Even better that all is good!
 
**updated**

So I got home around 4:30 and the starter still looked good, the foam had gone down a bit but there was definite activity going on in there. The bucket O' wort had been in my closet since last night and is right around 68*. I brought the O2 tank and my home made aeration wand to give it all a try.

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Its an old racking cane I cut down. I unrolled a paper clip and heated it on the stove to poke holes through the cane. Then I heated the end of the cane and used a pair of pliers to seal the soft ends together.

I aerated for 2-3 minutes then pitched my starter. This will be my first time using straight O2, i've used a small aquarium pump w/ an inline filter to aerate before but no matter how long you aerate with one of those it doesn't get you the amount of dissolved O2 yeast like/need. We'll see how it goes...

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My assistant today wasn't quite as helpful as Lisa was....

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by the way i am glad i wasnt the only crazy who decided to brew on a tuesday night. i wanted to race @ augusta crit but couldnt swing an early departure from work. The only other alternative is to brew batch of Saison.

btw- do you strain your wort when you transfer to carboy after chilling? Just curious.
 
Wobbegong said:
Hop Spider
http://www.mtbnj.com/forum/showpost.php?p=374970&postcount=101
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This is a great tool to have. I even surprised my friend who works for Dogfish Head. He told Bill and I that we should patent it. Wasnt our idea!

Anyhoo, if you are going to make this spend the extra 60 cents and get the heavy duty pvc. My first version was a much thinner walled pvc and it couldnt handle the heat from a full rolling boil. I built up a new one with 3/8" bolts and its solid. Ill post up a pic in a bit.
 
pomole said:
by the way i am glad i wasnt the only crazy who decided to brew on a tuesday night. i wanted to race @ augusta crit but couldnt swing an early departure from work. The only other alternative is to brew batch of Saison.
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What yeast did you use? Have you done a saison before? We did a saison saturday and pitched white labs 565 saison I. I have it sitting in a tub of water with an aquarium heater at about 80*

Just curious
 
heya, fred: i pitched wyeast 3724. It worked better than i thought considering it is relatively cool in my house. it went to work right away.

i put a heating pad on my carboy to keep it nice and warm. Its somewhere around 76. i guess i should crank it up.

ill look into this spider aparatus. post updates on the saison. ive never made one before so i would love to compare notes.
 
I wrote white labs to ask about this strain bc there were so many things on the web about it and this is what i got in response

" From all of the brewers (both hobbyists and pros) I've talked to, it seems that a higher fermentation temperature (75-80F) seems to give the best results when using the WLP565 in terms of both flavor and attenuation. At lower temps, the 565 tends to stop and start and not be very happy, but higher temperatures seems to keep it active."
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I read for temps to be in the mid 80s even 90s! I dunno bout that. So I am happy to be in the range of what the pros recommend. Glad we have some notes to compare! Let ya know in a few weeks!
 
So things have changed a bit in my home brewery. First off I have made the up to all grain. I inherited a nice keggle for my hot liquor tank and picked up a cooler for a mash tun. Picked up a malt mill from the local brew shop. Boom!

First thing I noticed was how much cheaper it was for an all grain recipe. Like half as much! I can brew 5 gal of beer for 15-20 bucks! I still need to get my brew day dialed. It always seems to be haphazard and crazy!

The first batch I attempted was a Rogue Santas Private Reserve Clone. It was a mess of a brew day. First I realized later that I didnt mill my malt properly so I got shit for efficiency. It was a freezing cold night. That didnt help either. I didnt get done till 4 am! UGH. Worse yet the batch got infected and I had to dump it! SAD beer!

Bill and I did a double brew night. We brewed the brewmaster mr. jason paces award winning ipa (extract) and an all grain esb. The esb came out fantastic! The mash temp was a bit low so its lacking a bit of body. The Ipa is to be kegged tomorrow. There is a Saison fermenting as we speak. More to come from the Pain Cave Brewery!!!

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ArmyOfNone said:
Bill and I did a double brew night. We brewed the brewmaster mr. jason paces award winning ipa (extract) (insert a bunch of beer brewing jargon I don't understand) The Ipa is to be kegged tomorrow. (additional incomprehensible brewing jargon). More to come from the Pain Cave Brewery!!!
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SWEET! I can't wait to taste each delicious offering from my good friends 😀
 
cheers Fred and Bill - I'm enjoying reading your brewing stories...also gives me some ideas :hmmm:
 
Thanks! I am working out the carbing issues in my keg. I think I over carbed a bit and trying to get things back where they need to be. Soon enough you will have some!

Oh and Lou I dont really know what I am talking about. J and Bill know their shit. I just absorb all their knowledge and try to regurgitate in some sensible way!

Robin we should plan a brew together. MTBNJ collaboration!!! BTW how is your IPA doing?
 
Wobbegong said:
I owe you a Belgian Pale Ale..... I will deliver. 🙂
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You know my address, yo. And be honest, did *anyone* give you as comprehensive feedback on your beers? No chance. I'm like a goddamn run-on sentence of feedback!
 
Norm said:
You know my address, yo. And be honest, did *anyone* give you as comprehensive feedback on your beers? No chance. I'm like a goddamn run-on sentence of feedback!
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I will have those beers I owe you plus a couple extra to try ( appropriately) by the 6 pack.
 
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