The Homebrew Beer Thread

[Marc]

My friend, assisting in bottling, broke my siphon.

 

[ctenidae]

My friend, assisting in bottling, broke my siphon.

How do you break a piece of flexible tubing?

And, is he still your friend?

 

[ctenidae]

Used isinglass a couple times, followed the directions.


That was helpful, wasn't it.

In the event I need the input of a minorly experienced, strong direction reader, I will certainly come to you.

But, you bring up a good question: Isinglass, Irish Moss, or Gelatin- which clarifier reigns supreme?

And, is it even worth teh effort? Not that it's much effort, but it's just one more step. Personally, I wouldn't notice a chill haze if it bit me on the keister.

 

[BeanoNYC]

In the event I need the input of a minorly experienced, strong direction reader, I will certainly come to you.

But, you bring up a good question: Isinglass, Irish Moss, or Gelatin- which clarifier reigns supreme?

And, is it even worth teh effort? Not that it's much effort, but it's just one more step. Personally, I wouldn't notice a chill haze if it bit me on the keister.

I use irish moss, but you need to put that in a boil.

Also, as far as taste. Will you be keeping it as a apfelwine of will you sweeten it? Carb or no?

 

[ctenidae]

I use irish moss, but you need to put that in a boil.

Also, as far as taste. Will you be keeping it as a apfelwine of will you sweeten it? Carb or no?

Hadn't decided on sweetening. Guess it depends on how it's coming along. Will carbonate in the bottle, I think. Again, depends on the taste.

I did little or no research on making a cider before launching into this project, other than getting the yeast (English Cider Yeast, from Beer-Wine.com, I figure, this is the way my ancestors did it, seat of the pants, and all that. I may even split the batch, and bottle with and without added sugar, and see how they turn out. It's a topsy-turvy world, who can say what will happen?

 

[Marc]

How do you break a piece of flexible tubing?

And, is he still your friend?

Yes, he seems to be. He didn't break the vinyl tubing... there's a 90 degree elbow that's part of the molded plastic plunger of the siphon... where you connect the vinyl tubing. He broke that piece at the elbow.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Hadn't decided on sweetening. Guess it depends on how it's coming along. Will carbonate in the bottle, I think. Again, depends on the taste.

I did little or no research on making a cider before launching into this project, other than getting the yeast (English Cider Yeast, from Beer-Wine.com, I figure, this is the way my ancestors did it, seat of the pants, and all that. I may even split the batch, and bottle with and without added sugar, and see how they turn out. It's a topsy-turvy world, who can say what will happen?

If you want to bottle carb and sweeten, be sure to use splenda or lactose or else:

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!

I kegged my cider and forced carb, so not an issue.

 

[ctenidae]

If you want to bottle carb and sweeten, be sure to use splenda or lactose or else:

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!

I kegged my cider and forced carb, so not an issue.

Hmmm...A couple of grenades might be a good incentive for my wife to support a kegging system...

 

[BeanoNYC]

Hmmm...A couple of grenades might be a good incentive for my wife to support a kegging system...

That's the spirit! Just put some sugar water in a bottle and pitch a package of yeast in that sucker. I'll be honest, kegging makes the process much easier. I'll be purchasing a small chest freezer eventually to convert into a keggerator.

 

[ctenidae]

Coopers Amber Plain Malt Extract- 6.5 lbs
Crystal Malt - 1 lb
Cascade Hop Pellets - 2 Ounce
Fuggles Hop Pellets - 1 Ounce
SafBrew T 58 Ale Yeast


Just ordered this recipe. Sort of a basic Bitters, I think. May add 1/4 lb brown sugar to get it closer to an actual bitters.
Maybe.
Maybe it will taste like a pale ale.
Maybe it will be a Belgian
Maybe it'll be total skunk. Who knows?
Anyway, it is now my official base-line beer, from which all future beers will be born.
Unless it tastes like total ass, in which case I'll try something new.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Coopers Amber Plain Malt Extract- 6.5 lbs
Crystal Malt - 1 lb
Cascade Hop Pellets - 2 Ounce
Fuggles Hop Pellets - 1 Ounce
SafBrew T 58 Ale Yeast


Just ordered this recipe. Sort of a basic Bitters, I think. May add 1/4 lb brown sugar to get it closer to an actual bitters.
Maybe.
Maybe it will taste like a pale ale.
Maybe it will be a Belgian
Maybe it'll be total skunk. Who knows?
Anyway, it is now my official base-line beer, from which all future beers will be born.
Unless it tastes like total ass, in which case I'll try something new.

Roark is going to tell you to substitute a dark malt extract for the brown sugar. I will agree with him.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I don't think I told you guys but I used to work at Big Hole Brewary in Belgrade Montana. I worked on the assembly line packing cases and what-not. Anyway we were allowed to take home the low fills, the bottles that had 10-11 ounces of beer. My favorites were Headstrong and Mythical White..I would take home way more beer than I could drink so I would hook friends up with beer and get homecooked meals in exchange. The worst thing ever was one day, they had to throw away a few pallets of spoiled beer which was not popular. We helped load the cases into a truck and it just seemed so wrong..as microbrews only have a shelf life of around 90 days..

One day I like to brew my own beer..

 

[ctenidae]

Roark is going to tell you to substitute a dark malt extract for the brown sugar. I will agree with him.

Yeah, but I already placed the order, and the dark malt doesn't come in a small enough size for my purposes at this time. Also, for a baseline, I figured staying with sort of middle-of-the-road ingredients is good. Perhaps, if this turns out decently, I'll adjust up the darkness scale.

I wonder- would 1 light and 1 dark malt taste the same as 2 Amber? A question to be answered on, perhaps, the next batch...

How well does malt keep? Say I only used 2 lbs of a 4 lb can- could I put the other half in a non-reactive container and stash it in teh fridge for a while?

 

[BeanoNYC]

How well does malt keep? Say I only used 2 lbs of a 4 lb can- could I put the other half in a non-reactive container and stash it in teh fridge for a while?

I would crush dark grains, put them in a hop sock and start the boil with that before adding the extract. Any leftover will keep better than an open can of extract.

Edit: There has to be a homebrew shop in Boston where you can pick up some grains.

 

[BeanoNYC]

One day I like to brew my own beer..

You should totally give it a try. It's very rewarding. I just started within the last year and I love it. I got all nerdy and read two great book and joined a brewing forum. My next door neighbor and I brew and keg together. It's great!

 

[ctenidae]

I would crush dark grains, put them in a hop sock and start the boil with that before adding the extract. Any leftover will keep better than an open can of extract.

Edit: There has to be a homebrew shop in Boston where you can pick up some grains.

There's one in Cambridge I used to go to (Homebrew Emporium), but I'm in Connecticut 5 of 7 days now, and the closes store is about 1 hour away. This end of the state sucks.

 

[jaja111]

Yeah, but I already placed the order, and the dark malt doesn't come in a small enough size for my purposes at this time. Also, for a baseline, I figured staying with sort of middle-of-the-road ingredients is good. Perhaps, if this turns out decently, I'll adjust up the darkness scale.

I wonder- would 1 light and 1 dark malt taste the same as 2 Amber? A question to be answered on, perhaps, the next batch...

How well does malt keep? Say I only used 2 lbs of a 4 lb can- could I put the other half in a non-reactive container and stash it in teh fridge for a while?

I would definitely avoid the brown sugar. Seems it yields some super nasty flavors - think band aids, buring plastic, poorly made wine, etc.

I've found that the darkness of the malt has little effect on anything other than the darkness of the beer. No real noticeable taste difference with Coopers or Muntons. Try partial mashing. Its easier than you would think and you have greater control and less cost.

And finally, I wouldn't expect an opened tin of malt to stay good for very long (2 days maybe) considering its concentrated sugars which, aside from yeast, are greatly loved by bacteria

 

[BeanoNYC]

I added sugar to my cide/apfelwine but that was to raise the alcohol content. I think sugar will give it a "cidery" finish. That's what I was looking for with the apfelwine anyway, so I went with it. Turned out nice. Beer is another story...

 

[frozencorn]

It's Rhode Island, so not sure if that's more convenient, but try this guy out. He's great. He recently got me set up with all my stuff and I bottled my first batch Monday night.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2019/?view=beerfly&ba=mrbosworth

Also, the Cambridge place has another shop in Boylston.

 

[BeanoNYC]

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2019/?view=beerfly&ba=mrbosworth[/URL]

Sweet! What type a beer? What were your gravity readings! Tell, Tell, Tell!