Good time of the year to be fermenting stuff. I've got a Southern English Brown Comp coming up in about 7 weeks. I made one last weekend that has fermented out and will be racked to a secondary on Sat. I have the grain weighted out for a 2nd one that will be brewed that day and Fermented from the harvested yeast from last weekend. The 2nd brown is getting a cup of roasted black walnuts in the mash. This is a brown secret that has payed off with a 1st place in the past
Vance you have to be making something
I have 10 gal of beer ready to bottle and three more batches to brew.
I will brew my competition nut brown today. Outside temp is finally in the high teens so working in the garage will be tolerable
I've made a few ales without much luck. Either to much carbonation or not very palatable. I think our very hard water adds to the bad taste. I think I will try a mead next. Have you ever made a batch?
Quote from: Edgy on March 02, 2014, 01:28:36 AM
I've made a few ales without much luck. Either to much carbonation or not very palatable. I think our very hard water adds to the bad taste. I think I will try a mead next. Have you ever made a batch?
Have you tried the ale kits. Hard to mess up. I keg my beer and most are force carbonated except the comp beers have to be in unmarked bottles. I have made a lot of meads. My wife and I are dry wine drinkers both red and white. Personally I think mead tastes bad when made dry so I make it sweet and give it to friends
I tried an American Pale kit and it was drinkable. Nothing to really brag about though. I'd really like to clone Sierra Nevadas' IPA. I love that beer. I don't force carbonate, I've just used priming sugar. Also I've only used liquid malt extract. I would like to learn to malt my own grain. I've heard it makes a better beer. What's your thought on this? Thanks for the heads up on the dry mead.
Quote from: Edgy on March 02, 2014, 04:58:00 PM
I tried an American Pale kit and it was drinkable. Nothing to really brag about though. I'd really like to clone Sierra Nevadas' IPA. I love that beer. I don't force carbonate, I've just used priming sugar. Also I've only used liquid malt extract. I would like to learn to malt my own grain. I've heard it makes a better beer. What's your thought on this? Thanks for the heads up on the dry mead.
You can make better beer with all grain but I buy it already malted. Malting is not that hard but I leave that job for the malters. I buy grain in 50 pound bags.
Extract makes really good beer as long as it's not old. Dry malt extract has a longer shelf life. Down load Beer Smith. It has a free trial. Then it's about 25.00 for life. It's a great brewing tool.
O.K. Thanks danno.
http://www.beertools.com/html/recipes.php (http://www.beertools.com/html/recipes.php)
This is a good home brewing site also.
Fermenting yes, brewing no. Have a number different meads put up, and a cherry melomel. Going to try a peach melomel next.
JC
I drank half a bottle of a peach melomel that is a year and a half old. It is very good but I flocculated up and should have made sure that it was really thru settling out. I have three different meads that I am ashamed to give away or serve to many guests because of sediment. I need to have a big party and get rid of most of it.
I have two comps. coming up. First is a oaked brew that ill be making a oaked maple porter. The 2nd is a anything goes open comp with none brewer judges. For this one I will be making a peanut butter porter
Hey Vance, did you have the peaches in at the start of fermentation, or did you add them in towards the end?
JC
Since December I made 70 gal of Yuengling larger clone, will be bottling the last batch tonight. I think I am ready for summer.
Quote from: greenbtree on April 16, 2014, 01:48:08 PM
Hey Vance, did you have the peaches in at the start of fermentation, or did you add them in towards the end?
I added them to a KIV 16% ABV must that worked out in three days! It wasn't supposed to go that fast but it warmed up in my brewspace. I am going to make another batch as it turned out well. The sediment is because of the damnfool who bottled it too quick.
JC
nella
only if the moose would stop by or the chickens you'd have a party
I have a peanut butter porter about ready for a July 19 completion. And a oaked maple porter ready for a Aug Competion
I have fallen on to the wagon. I have so darn much put up now I can't justify too many projects. I still have probably 40 gallons aging in carboys. I do need to get a couple projects done before it gets hot. I have a lot of fruit in the freezer that needs used. I like KIV-1116 for melomels. It finishes the primary fast at 70F and then the fruit goes on for ten days to two weeks and then a long rest in an airlocked carboy. It is time to get a bag of cornmeal though.
Vance I just use cracked corn instead of corn meal.
I do not have anything going atm, but hopefully will find the time this year to do something.