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Homebrew Board - Recipes

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fav13andac1)c
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In reply to AlaskanAg99 • 10:38a, 5/6/15
AG
Thanks.

So I've set the A/C in my apartment to 69 dF. The fermenting beer is sitting in my small closed pantry on tile. My wife usually turns the A/C off when she leaves for work, but hopefully the insulation in our building plus it being dark and cool in our pantry will yield sufficient temps during the 2 weeks.

Unfortunately, we don't have room for even a small fridge right now so this is going to have to work I guess.
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Kyle98
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11:13a, 5/6/15
AG
If you have a big plastic tub, you can do a swamp cooler style setup. That's what I used until I got my chest freezer.

Fill the tub with water (1/3 to 1/2 usually worked for me) and put your fermenting vessel in there. I always draped an old t-shirt over my carboy with the tail in the water to help with evaporative cooling. You can also cool the water down using frozen water bottles swapped out a few times a day. It's not as good as a fermentation chamber from a fridge or freezer, but it works and helps make good beer.
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Kyle98
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11:14a, 5/6/15
AG
Also, if ambient is around 70F, it's probably fermenting 5-10 degrees higher, since the fermentation process gives off heat.
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fav13andac1)c
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In reply to Kyle98 • 12:12p, 5/6/15
AG
Thanks a bunch. I read about that swamp cooler setup but didn't know fermentation caused that much heat.
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fav13andac1)c
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12:27p, 5/6/15
AG
I appreciate all the help I've gotten. Hope the beer isn't screwed. I followed the kit's instructions exactly. You'd think a kit that included instructions and equipment would be a little more detailed if they wanted their beer to turn out right. Guess we'll see.
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BlackGoldAg2011
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 1:48p, 5/6/15
AG
FWIW my first batch that I didn't completely botch on brew day, I fermented just at ambient temperature in a closet, no swamp cooler or anything, and the beer turned out fine. it was February so it was a little cooler in the house. but my impression is unless it is much warmer the beer will still be drinkable. as a new brewer my favorite thing i've read so far is the thread over on homebrewerstalk that was all the experienced guys saying the worst things they've done to their beer and still made drinkable beer. i'll link to it if i can find it
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Sooner Born
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1:51p, 5/6/15
I'm new to brewing and have found this to be the truth...it's hard to make terrible beer but really hard to make great beer.
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BlackGoldAg2011
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2:07p, 5/6/15
AG
Found it, lots of stories, many are pretty good

Bad Mistakes: Still made beer
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Kyle98
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 2:09p, 5/6/15
AG
quote:
I appreciate all the help I've gotten. Hope the beer isn't screwed. I followed the kit's instructions exactly. You'd think a kit that included instructions and equipment would be a little more detailed if they wanted their beer to turn out right. Guess we'll see.
There's a saying in the homebrew community when it comes to stresses that brewing can cause....relax, don't worry, and have a homebrew!

Like Sooner Born says, it's hard to mess up beer all that much, really. My first batch fermented around 80F, and I still drank every drop, even though it had a ton of fusel alcohol flavors (a "hot" off flavor) due to the higher temps.

You'll be fine. Learn as you go, and you'll get better every time.
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dave99ag
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In reply to Sooner Born • 2:13p, 5/6/15
AG
quote:
I'm new to brewing and have found this to be the truth...it's hard to make terrible beer but really hard to make great beer.

This is very true.

I started fermenting in a tiled pantry with a t-shirt covering to block out the light. No temp control or anything. I still got beer.

Now I have a temp controlled freezer. I still get beer.
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fav13andac1)c
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In reply to BlackGoldAg2011 • 8:42p, 5/6/15
AG
I appreciate yall helping me put my mind at ease. I feel a lot better about it now. I think I will put the DIY swamp cooler setup together tonight and use it for the rest of fermentation. Thanks again!

quote:
Found it, lots of stories, many are pretty good

Bad Mistakes: Still made beer


Those are awesome! Thanks!
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dave99ag
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8:44p, 5/6/15
AG
Anyone using a refractometer during fermentation to take readings? If so, what equation / calculator are you using to switch to SG?
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jock itch
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8:50p, 5/6/15
Just wanted to re-iterate many of the sentiments above. As long as you don't do something really bad/stupid, the beer usually turns out at least "not bad".

And for a fun anecdote to show that even experienced brewers do something stupid from time to time, we brewed a test batch of a new Double IPA recipe using "Heady Topper" yeast last Friday and I put a stainless quick disconnect on the end of the blow-off tube just to weigh it down.

Well, this confirms why I made a rule not to drink at least until the yeast is pitched because this particular quick disconnect doesn't allow gas flow in both directions, so I come in to the brewery on Monday to find beer literally covering every surface of our lab (where we keep pilot batches because of the climate control). The pressure apparently built so much that it blew the fitting off the end of the hose which is actually pretty fortunate because it could just have easily turned the stainless fermentor into a grenade since it isn't rated for that pressure. Regardless, took a gravity sample and everything seems to be fine. I'm actually pretty excited as it was tasting quite good for 4 day old beer!
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jock itch
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8:55p, 5/6/15
quote:
Anyone using a refractometer during fermentation to take readings? If so, what equation / calculator are you using to switch to SG?
We've had to do this several times when my clumsy ass breaks one of our POS Chinese-made hydrometers that can't even survive you looking at it wrong. For the conversion, we use Beersmith and it seems accurate (enough) when dealing with fermenting beer at least. I would never in a million years trust it for FG readings, but we have a couple hydrometers specifically designed for that. I'm sure there are some other good calculators online to check out. It is definitely nice to only have to waste a couple of drops, especially when doing smaller batches.
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Scriffer
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 10:07a, 5/7/15
AG
I used my bare hands to filter a biere de garde that Dave was brewing. Turned out pretty well. We served it at AggieOO's wedding.
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dave99ag
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10:21a, 5/7/15
AG
Didn't take long at all to kill that keg either.
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fav13andac1)c
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In reply to jock itch • 4:22p, 5/7/15
AG
2 questions. What brewery do you work at? And do you have an online store?
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dave99ag
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6:15p, 5/7/15
AG
So he doesn't have to pay for an ad... B-52 Brewing in Conroe. Highly recommend a weekend visit. Good times there.
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Moxie
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10:07a, 5/9/15
AG
Headed to your brewery today, jock. What should I get?
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jock itch
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11:19a, 5/9/15
I would say try them all, but I think we'd have to cut you off before you got through all 9 beers.

Definitely try the saison. We're doing a whole hop series with it and this one's Cascade. That's what I'm usually drinking all day when it's getting hot like this. Other than that the Double IPA since we're down to our last 2 slim kegs for this batch. Probably won't be back for another month or two.

Looking forward to seeing you out here!
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Moxie
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11:31a, 5/9/15
AG
Awesome. I'll definitely try those 2. Thanks!
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Moxie
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2:24p, 5/9/15
AG
Double IPA was my favorite. Great place, highly recommended. Root beer is awesome as well.
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BlackGoldAg2011
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In reply to jock itch • 11:19p, 5/9/15
AG
quote:
I would say try them all, but I think we'd have to cut you off before you got through all 9 beers.

Challenge Accepted!
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Sooner Born
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10:17a, 5/13/15
One of the few benefits to living up North. Growing your own hops!




And despite what it looks like, it is not Northern California Sensimilia. Those are cascades and centennials.
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Kyle98
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In reply to Sooner Born • 11:54a, 5/13/15
AG
Very cool. A neighbor of mine is attempting to grow some hops. Not sure what type, though. We'll see how it works in the Texas summer heat.
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WorkBoots09
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8:37a, 5/14/15
AG
Very cool indeed! I forgot to take photos of mine, but they are loving all this rain we're getting in DFW. I really should have strung them up by now, but I'm in a bit of a pickle. My house faces south, and my backyard is very heavily treed and shaded, so we have our vegetable garden in our front yard. Weird enough as a huge raised bed garden is in the front yard, I don't want to go even further and set up a 10' pole for the hops to climb on. However this is the second year for these rhizomes and they are looking very strong and I might actually get a harvest out of them this year.

Last year I let them get about 4' high, and then I tried to train them to grow horizontal along a welded wire fence. They each went about 2' along the fence then pretty much stalled and then fried. Part of that was not enough water I suppose, but most people I've talked to about growing hops in Texas say the best bet is to allow them to climb up.

My idea was to get a nice looking arbor to put at the entrance to the garden and let the hops climb all over it, training them in a zig-zag pattern to maximize length while still allowing them to climb upwards. Have any of y'all done something like that before?
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Kyle98
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9:00a, 5/14/15
AG
Got my red Vienna lager cold-crashing at 38F after a 5 day diacetyl rest at 65F. Did the procedure that jock talked about a few pages ago to test, and no worries there. I'll probably keg it this weekend and get it on CO2 and let it lager at the same time. The gravity samples tasted great, can't wait until its carbed up and has lagered for a bit.
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fav13andac1)c
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2:18p, 5/18/15
AG
Bottled for the first time yesterday. Had a little trouble getting the siphon started; I'll definitely be getting an auto siphon for next time. It looked like beer and it smelled like beer, so I feel pretty hopeful about how it's going to turn out in a couple weeks.
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Scriffer
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3:16p, 5/18/15
AG
Congrats! You made beer!

Any chance you want a bunch of extra bottles? I saved up for like two years, and now I have a massive overstock. Just trying to get rid of them. Lots of bombers that make bottling go much faster.
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fav13andac1)c
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3:39p, 5/18/15
AG
I'd love some actually, if you're offering! Where are you located? I'm in DFW.
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Scriffer
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 3:42p, 5/18/15
AG
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fav13andac1)c
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3:54p, 5/18/15
AG
Great! Got it. You can delete your email now, if you like.
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Kyle98
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 5:31p, 5/18/15
AG
quote:
Bottled for the first time yesterday. Had a little trouble getting the siphon started; I'll definitely be getting an auto siphon for next time. It looked like beer and it smelled like beer, so I feel pretty hopeful about how it's going to turn out in a couple weeks.
Sweet! As you brew more, you'll refine your process and get better at everything, and you'll be amazed at what you made. I am just about every time now.
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dave99ag
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 5:55p, 5/18/15
AG
quote:
You can delete your email now, if you like.

Too late. Already lifted it and now he's forever subscribed to the Taylor Swift Fan Club.
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WorkBoots09
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10:32a, 5/20/15
AG
Homebrewtalk published an article I wrote about homebrew naming, if y'all are interested in a quick read.

Homebrewtalk.com
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