Home brewers CHECK IN please!

[Kameirocco]

When doing extract kits, I think you only do about 2 gallons in the boil and dump that into 3 gallons in the bucket. A chiller isn't really needed at that point. It's definitely useful if you're boiling 5 gallons or more though.

this... when i was extract brewing, an ice bath was a pita, but it was easier then having to hook up a wort chiller and have the stove try to reheat everything to a boil and such.

when you're doing 5/10 gallon batches... i wouldn't ever go without a chiller of sorts. or even no chill.

[Air-over-water]

this... when i was extract brewing, an ice bath was a pita, but it was easier then having to hook up a wort chiller and have the stove try to reheat everything to a boil and such.

So I should just go ahead and get him a wort chiller with the kit?
Make things easier on him.
Is that full kit from Midwest Supplies a good one to get?

[Der Schaltwerks]

I was thinking about this kit here.

.

I have the same kit minus the brew kettle. Everything in the kit works fine.

You might want a bigger brew kettle than 5 gallons, but it will work.

I'd get the better bottle (plastic) carboy instead of the glass one.

[kenny301]

I'm liking these 1 liter bottles.

I wanted to use those for some cider I did awhile back but they were just too pricey for my taste.

[Ben.Reilly]

Does anyone want a free conical fermenter? I bought it years ago and never ended up using it. I only brew once a year or so now, so I have no use for it. For the non-local people, just paypal me the shipping via ups and it is yours (I would imagine around $20 bucks or so). I think I paid over $100 for it new. Looks like this:




PM me if interested.

Fermenter has been claimed.

Thanks!

[DIAF]

Fermenter has been claimed.

Thanks!

[patrikman]

Damn it Ben, why wasn't I asked first!

I wanted to use those for some cider I did awhile back but they were just too pricey for my taste.

paying for bottles?


I use mostly New Belgium bombers, I have about a 100 or so now. If I run out of those my brother has 5 cases of old school thick bottle Leinie's returnables.

[kenny301]

I save a ton also. I have around 60-70 bottles I have saved over the last few months. Mostly 12ozers but a few bombers also.

Any trick to getting painted labels off? I tried soaking in a normal strength of SaniClean and it only took one color off.

[Der Schaltwerks]

I like the flip top bottles and the bigger bottle size. Faster bottling. No bottle caps.

[rdubVr6]

Any trick to getting painted labels off? I tried soaking in a normal strength of SaniClean and it only took one color off.

I usually just have them soak overnight in oxyclean and they peel right off, just gotta get something to rub the glue off the glass

[Kameirocco]

good times lately! got 2 kegs and cut them apart and finished out the stand... just need to add a support or 2 in the middle and then paint it on up!



LeftoversAISON (clever... i know haha )

[kenny301]

I usually just have them soak overnight in oxyclean and they peel right off, just gotta get something to rub the glue off the glass

That works fine for paper labels but I am more concerned with painted on stuff. I have some rogue bombers I'd like to re-use.

Of course, that reminds me that I have around 30-40 bottles with paper labels I need to strip also

[H2oWerker]

I am more concerned with painted on stuff. I have some rogue bombers I'd like to re-use.

Try some Methyl Ethyl Keytone (MEK) if you can get your hands on it. It'll strip that paint right off! But have good ventilation and no open sources of flame...




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[kenny301]

Try some Methyl Ethyl Keytone (MEK) if you can get your hands on it. It'll strip that paint right off! But have good ventilation and no open sources of flame...

I thought about using MEK or another paint thinner. However, I don't have a garage. Perhaps it is time to clear out some space in the shed this weekend.

[Kameirocco]

holy poo.

i just made a american honey weizen,
OG - 1.048 (wanted a semi sessionable beer)
supposed to be FG of around 1.015ish. got down to 1.002 it's extremely dry, damn it, not what i was going for at all.
but i kegged it.. and drank a few last night.. little more potent then what i was aiming for too ... lmao .
i MAY get a pound of honey or two and warm it up, drop it in the keg and give it a good shake.

oh yeah, and NOMZ

[Kameirocco]

anyone in the portland area want this old brew stand? gonna be broken apart in the next few days if no claims.

[pat_ernzen]

Hopped on Ratebeer and offered some free label designs. Here's what I made for a guy.







Going to make one more for him (Chipotle Imperial Robust Porter) and will hopefully do more of it in the future. Had some printing issues (most of the spottiness is intentional, though) and these labels were basically just tests , but I think they came out pretty nice.

This one was a Dandelion Blossom Saison and all I had from his was the name and info I pulled from his site/recipe. Haven't even showed it to him yet, actually. Going to send him these pics, as he lives in Washington and I've never met him.

[DIAF]

Hopped on Ratebeer and offered some free label designs. Here's what I made for a guy.







Going to make one more for him (Chipotle Imperial Robust Porter) and will hopefully do more of it in the future. Had some printing issues (most of the spottiness is intentional, though) and these labels were basically just tests , but I think they came out pretty nice.

This one was a Dandelion Blossom Saison and all I had from his was the name and info I pulled from his site/recipe. Haven't even showed it to him yet, actually. Going to send him these pics, as he lives in Washington and I've never met him.

Those are gorgeous, nice work!

[pat_ernzen]

Thanks! Already getting some interest from other people/groups/brewers, so I'm pretty excited about it all right now. Working on my second label and doing some work for a local bar's beer club, too. Will post both once complete.

[pat_ernzen]

More label action.







And a glory shot of sorts.

[Village Idiot™]

Our belgian IPA almost tastes like a DFH 120 that's not quite as sweet and not quite as strong.

We dry hopped the **** out of it. It was originally looking to be about 9-10%, but I think it may be a little bit stronger. 3 of those had me feeling pretty good.

[Kameirocco]

well my brother in law dumped 2lbs of fresh organic coffee from the roasting company he works for into my lap, so i made a coffee porter this weekend, hit 1.060 and using a new type of system, only 2 vessels as well (kinda like a brutus 20) and worked out really well, and it's actually a process i really enjoyed

also the other week i made a SMaSH using Motuka hops, first time i've heard of them, so i said what the hell

"Selection:
First impressions are a very lively and lifted lemon and lime followed by a background of tropical fruit. This variety displays similarities to its Saazer parent through its levels of Farnesene typically around the 12 % mark however the higher alpha also makes this hop more desirable in dual purpose applications. It imparts a balanced bitterness as well as a desirable new world “noble” type aroma."

it's a VERY sexy smelling hop while boiling and fermenting

And i'm currently taking CHANTIX so i cannot have any beer already been a week and now i have another 3 weeks to go, but it's completely worth it so far, i just need a damn beer

[Village Idiot™]

Sounds like it's going to be a winner.

Did 10 gallons of a smoked oaked IPA with Gentleman Jack soaked dark oak chips, peat smoked malt, and almost half a pound of hops. We're going to dry hop it too. I was aiming for about 9%, but I broke my hydrometer (I need like 5 of these on hand at all times) and I think I screwed up the mashing. I really need to find out what I'm doing wrong with mash volumes.

[Kameirocco]

Sounds like it's going to be a winner.

Did 10 gallons of a smoked oaked IPA with Gentleman Jack soaked dark oak chips, peat smoked malt, and almost half a pound of hops. We're going to dry hop it too. I was aiming for about 9%, but I broke my hydrometer (I need like 5 of these on hand at all times) and I think I screwed up the mashing. I really need to find out what I'm doing wrong with mash volumes.

refractometer paid for it self quickly lol,

i still have my original hydrometer, but it sticks with my wine theif and rarely gets touched. i figure i'm stumbling around so much on brew day as is (in part with the drinking that goes along with it ) and the constant fidgeting with tubes and such, i wouldn't want something that breakable that close, plus knowing i have a $50 (expensive for me) piece of equipment around, i'm extra cautious.

[patrikman]

Damn Pat, those labels are awesome! I should have hired you to do my wedding invitations!

No brewing for me lately, just bought a house.

I had a Belgian Trippel in the fermenter but my then 11 mo. old son pulled the airlock out somehow. First bad batch.

[Kameirocco]

well this is as far as i got today on the new project.



basically it's a gravity fed brutus 20. or will be!

so i'll have that one, and this two teir sabco type setup



i have a feeling i will be using the 2 vessel system, and make a hinged shelf for the cooler if i ever feel like it. i have a welder, may as well use it!

[Kameirocco]

all done!

[Genuine Rolla]

Ordered an all grain smashing pumpkin kit from Northern Brewer this week. Should be in by next tuesday and I'll be brewing the following weekend. Pretty excited, it'll be my first all grain batch in my new equipment.

Anyone else planning on brewing any beers for the fall?

[rdubVr6]

Anyone else planning on brewing any beers for the fall?

i've been kicking around the idea of doing a pumpkin porter instead of an ale this year..

[kenny301]

i've been kicking around the idea of doing a pumpkin porter instead of an ale this year..

Careful with fruit flavors in porter. I put five pounds of bananas in five gallons of porter and left them in there for nearly a month. The flavor is barely discernable even after aging for quite some time. Personal reminder, I still have a large volume of porter to drink in the basement.


If I were to do it again (which I probably will), I'd probably cut out nearly all of the black malt and switch from brown malt to chocolate malt. That may also work well with pumpkin but I'm not 100%.

I have no idea what I am brewing this winter. I may try my hand at doing a lager again and maybe do a holiday ale. It's been two years since I have bothered with lager.

[pat_ernzen]

i've been kicking around the idea of doing a pumpkin porter instead of an ale this year..

People go ape over this Pumpkin Porter every year. I think it's just alright, personally. Not enough body for a porter, to me.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/four-pe...-porter/27964/

[5_Cent]

I just started my 5 gallon batch of hard cider. Added 10 oz of priming sugar to boost the alcohol content. It should be ready mid October just in time for Halloween parties. Then mid November right before turkey Day I put a gallon or so into plastic jugs and freeze it. After that I turn it upside down and let the alcohol drip out into a nice swing top bottle. Once the ice is pretty much clear I toss that and I am left with some pretty high alcohol content Apple Jack top warm me up for the winter. That stuff will knock ya for a loop!

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[Village Idiot™]

Me and my friend will be trying a lambic. His knocked up wife is about to pop out her third kid and she'll be ready for a drink by halloween. She's not a beer fan so we kept telling her we were going to make her a lambic. We're going to attempt a pomegranet(sp?) lambic. I want to make our Smokin' Snow Porter, but that's more of a winter beer.

[5_Cent]

Lambics are deeeelish, so are the berliner weiss

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[Genuine Rolla]

Here's some photos from brewing last weekend:

I'll let it ferment out for 8 days or so and check gravity. OG ended up ebing 1.060. Used 60oz of baked pumpkin with a bit of brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice in the mash. Here's some photos from today:







Super happy with the color so far and it smelled amazing in the mash tun. It was very pumpkin like for the first runnings so I have high hopes for this one!