anyone brewing?

danno · February 27, 2014, 04:06:10 PM

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

danno · February 28, 2014, 03:13:11 PM

Vance you have to be making something

nella · March 01, 2014, 08:05:17 AM

I have 10 gal of beer ready to bottle and three more batches to brew.

danno · March 01, 2014, 08:55:41 AM

I will brew my competition nut brown today. Outside temp is finally in the high teens so working in the garage will be tolerable

Edgy · 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?

danno · March 02, 2014, 09:37:03 AM

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

Edgy · 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.

danno · March 02, 2014, 07:54:36 PM

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.

Edgy · March 02, 2014, 09:48:41 PM

O.K. Thanks danno.

nella · March 02, 2014, 10:10:14 PM

http://www.beertools.com/html/recipes.php

This is a good home brewing site also.

greenbtree · April 15, 2014, 06:52:55 PM

Fermenting yes, brewing no. Have a number different meads put up, and a cherry melomel. Going to try a peach melomel next.

JC

Vance G · April 15, 2014, 08:34:40 PM

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.

danno · April 15, 2014, 09:50:20 PM

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

greenbtree · 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?

JC

nella · April 16, 2014, 06:23:38 PM

Since December I made 70 gal of Yuengling larger clone, will be bottling the last batch tonight. I think I am ready for summer.

Vance G · April 16, 2014, 08:53:16 PM

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

jayj200 · June 30, 2014, 09:00:34 AM

nella
only if the moose would stop by or the chickens you'd have a party

danno · June 30, 2014, 09:08:08 AM

I have a peanut butter porter about ready for a July 19 completion. And a oaked maple porter ready for a Aug Competion

Vance G · July 03, 2014, 11:39:28 AM

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.

danno · July 03, 2014, 01:18:16 PM

Vance I just use cracked corn instead of corn meal.