FWIW, i use a SS unitank with immersion coils for temp control. Only using ice in a cooler right now and have no issues except for the amount of ice it takes to cold crash. However, it is only a temporary setup until I build up the funds to buy a glycol chiller. I would have gone with a chest freezer, but fermentation space is at a premium in our house.
Homebrew Board - Recipes
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Last: 5 mo ago by Chipotlemonger
There's so many more options now than years ago when it was pretty much glass carboys. I live the idea of the SS brew buckets but the pickup and valve just look so janky.
I was lucky to buy both my Conicals used.
I was lucky to buy both my Conicals used.
I've got a couple of PET Big Mouth Bubblers and love them.
FYI: Yakima Valley flash sale this month is for Azacca. I have never used it before but looks like a nice dual purpose with high AA.
Website
Website
Azacca is a weird hop. I've had some smash beers with it.
My Trappist single is done fermenting. Apparently so is the IPA, but I never saw much activity. Going to take samples of both tomorrow. I expect the Single to be done, but I'm worried about the IPA...I've never had US05 fail.
My Trappist single is done fermenting. Apparently so is the IPA, but I never saw much activity. Going to take samples of both tomorrow. I expect the Single to be done, but I'm worried about the IPA...I've never had US05 fail.
I 'inherited' a morebeer thermoelectrically cooled conical from my uncle (he's not dead!). It's nice, but can't heat, and honestly the price point is way too high compared to other modern options. When my uncle got it in 2002-ish, there wasn't much else available.
If it ever dies, I'll go wth a spike brewing conical and plop it in an upright freezer with a ceramic bulb so I can cool and heat. I feel setting ambient temp has way more control and less temp swing than circulating fluids in the beer.
If it ever dies, I'll go wth a spike brewing conical and plop it in an upright freezer with a ceramic bulb so I can cool and heat. I feel setting ambient temp has way more control and less temp swing than circulating fluids in the beer.
You can wrap a heating blanket (reptile) around the cone, that's how mine are set up. The top part is wrapped in 50' copper pipe which I circulate 40F water through. The more beer and blichmann Conicals come from Toledo metal spinning and they used to be the only game in town. Now...spike, SS Brewtech and stout tanks. Plus all the plastic versions that way undercut MB & Blichmann stuff.
I don't know if ambient temperature, wrapped or immersion chillers work best. All I do know is my current version sweats and gets moldy on the outside. Even though I clean it with PBW solution and starsan.
Anyway...how many gallons?
I don't know if ambient temperature, wrapped or immersion chillers work best. All I do know is my current version sweats and gets moldy on the outside. Even though I clean it with PBW solution and starsan.
Anyway...how many gallons?
Newer companies are definitely under pricing the older ones. The conical my uncle has is still like $2k+ from morebeer.
He probably paid that in 2002 when he got it.
A spike is under a grand with cooling and heating add ons.
I'm doing only 10 gallons.
He probably paid that in 2002 when he got it.
A spike is under a grand with cooling and heating add ons.
I'm doing only 10 gallons.
Yeah, they were very expensive. I have the plain version that I wrapped in copper for cooling and then insulated. Works great even in the Houston summer heat. However, I need a glycol setup to get below 54F.
Didn't get around to checking my gravities this weekend, but I did start a cider using a WL Vault yeast, Scottish cider blend. Very curious to see how this turns out.
Didn't get around to checking my gravities this weekend, but I did start a cider using a WL Vault yeast, Scottish cider blend. Very curious to see how this turns out.
I successfully raised my octoberfest in the fermenter at 55 up to 67 for diacetyl rest, even though it was only high 50s outside. The sun can do marvelous things!
Rolled the fermenter out in the driveway and it was up to mid 60s in no time. It actually only dropped 2 degrees in garage overnight, then the next day was back up to 67 in no time, and was 65 this morning. Almost a full 24hours.
I need to figure out a more permanent way.. plopping it in a fridge with a ceramic lamp is really my best answer.
Rolled the fermenter out in the driveway and it was up to mid 60s in no time. It actually only dropped 2 degrees in garage overnight, then the next day was back up to 67 in no time, and was 65 this morning. Almost a full 24hours.
I need to figure out a more permanent way.. plopping it in a fridge with a ceramic lamp is really my best answer.
Just bottled my first sour!
French Saison with primary sacc fermentation. Transfered to keg to age with various propogated bottle dregs and a vial of brett for ~12 months. I then added 5lb of raspberries and about a third of a bottle of pinot noir and let it age another 4 months.
The color is a pretty vibrant pink and the raspberry really pops.
French Saison with primary sacc fermentation. Transfered to keg to age with various propogated bottle dregs and a vial of brett for ~12 months. I then added 5lb of raspberries and about a third of a bottle of pinot noir and let it age another 4 months.
The color is a pretty vibrant pink and the raspberry really pops.
Wow, that looks amazing and a LONG time to wait!
Yeah that looks crazy good. I'm sure the wait only makes it taste better too!
The more beer conical design is not conducive to the fermwrap.AlaskanAg99 said:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermwrap-heater.html
Good for carboys or Conicals.
That insulation is mostly all glued on, and there isn't a spot where that wrap can be placed to where it is unobstructed because of the fans. Right across from those fans is a thermowell (just out of the picture)
I tried to shove a small heating pad in between insulation and metal, but it was tough to get in, and it's all wrinkled up because due to obstructions.
I have 2 and wrap the cones. They work just fine with just a little bit of trimming. However I didn't realize that neoprene was glued on. That would cause problems. Maybe use one of the heating bands and cut/clean a narrow strip off?
Anyone on here make apfelwein? Just racked a batch to secondary after being in primary for 2 months, and wondering if i should continue to bulk age, or go ahead and bottle. Planning to let it age until thanksgiving or so.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
I'd let it bulk age. Less potential variation than individual bottles.
If i bulk age until october or so, should i plan to pitch some champagne yeast during bottling to help with conditioning?
Is that what you fermented with? You don't want to add a strain that could attenuate leftover sugars and create bottle bombs.
No, i used Red Star Premier Classique (used to be montrachet). Just concerned there may not be enough active yeast to bottle condition after 9 or 10 months.
Should be fine then, and I'd repitch for sure.
Kegged my octoberfest yesterday, man it smelled delicious!
I plan to let it lager until maybe June, but I'll probably get anxious and get one of the kegs carbed up before then. The second keg shouldn't be needed until September, so it'll get ~4 months of conditioning.
I plan to let it lager until maybe June, but I'll probably get anxious and get one of the kegs carbed up before then. The second keg shouldn't be needed until September, so it'll get ~4 months of conditioning.
I want to brew a fest beer bad. I think I already have the yeast for it too. Did you do a deconcoction? I've never done one but we have 3 hardcore German Brewers in the group I need to learn from.
Tomorrow the wife is brewing a 10 gallon batch of her Wit. Split onto 2 yeasts as she's going to dial it in. A clone of Avery White Rascal, then tuned for our system and her tastes.
Tomorrow the wife is brewing a 10 gallon batch of her Wit. Split onto 2 yeasts as she's going to dial it in. A clone of Avery White Rascal, then tuned for our system and her tastes.
No just infusion. I don't know if I want to put in the extra work for decoction. I may try it once just for the caramelization aspect though, but not for temp stepping.
Edit: My set up has a burner under mash tun (in addition to HERMS), so I can get some of that caramelization by firing up that burner whenever. I've had some scorching on the pot before after using it.
Edit: My set up has a burner under mash tun (in addition to HERMS), so I can get some of that caramelization by firing up that burner whenever. I've had some scorching on the pot before after using it.
I have a more beer flat 2020 full digital (not the 4.0 version). I've never used the MT burner after mashing in.
I figure I should a deconction at least once. I've done a sour mash a few times but I'll never do that again. However, at least now I know.
I figure I should a deconction at least once. I've done a sour mash a few times but I'll never do that again. However, at least now I know.
Why never again?
I'm wanting to try a sour but will probably do it the easy way: kettle sour.
I'm wanting to try a sour but will probably do it the easy way: kettle sour.
I'm guessing sour mash =/= sour beer.Moxie said:
Why never again?
I'm wanting to try a sour but will probably do it the easy way: kettle sour.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sour_mash
Like jack daniels.
Moxie said:
Why never again?
I'm wanting to try a sour but will probably do it the easy way: kettle sour.
It made a sour beer, but was time intensive over 3 days in a 10 round cooler mashtun. The more hot water you add to maintain temp just has a reductive effect...ie you have to add more and hotter water as the total weight continues to grow and cool. So on batch 2 I made an immersion chiller/heater...but the mash acts as it's own insulator.
In the end you have to be extremely careful about O2 addition because this encourages acetobacter. And even in the ideal range lactic production there are a Ton of other organisms working away. So you get a much more complex sour, but much more difficult to control unless you basically have a 2 stage heater going plus a reciculation of the mash going to evenly distribute temp.
In short, there's a reason breweries don't do sour mashes.
Good learning experience. I've yet to do a sour mash, I'd like to get a gasket/clamp setup to seal the BK to set the lactic sourness to X pH prior to a flash reboil + hop addition with a final sacc pitch with a mixed culture. Ideally to get the lactic component easily and shorten the traditional time for a lacto/pedio and Brett Fermentation. I've yet to do this, but it's my next idea beyond the mixed culture traditional Fermentation.
fav13andac1)c said:
Thanks for the tips. Those places didn't come up when I was googling. Yes, $42 is outrageous.
I've used a welding supply place in Garland before that would do fills if you could leave the tank for a few hours.
Wife knocked out 10g wit, split between WY3944 wit and WLP400. Came in 3 points shy of target. I told her to back the flame down under the BK but she wanted a hard boil, so we boiled off too much and then i eyeballed top off and overshot a bit.
WY kicked off right away, WL took 24hrs to get going. 1.047OG so no starter. At 66F right now, will start ramping up 2F/day this evening.
WY kicked off right away, WL took 24hrs to get going. 1.047OG so no starter. At 66F right now, will start ramping up 2F/day this evening.
Anybody brewing this weekend? I'm knocked out part 2 of my Belgian series tonight with a Dubbel. Couple of crawfish boils tomorrow so I might as well get it done. Also kegging an IPA.
Taking this weekend off and breaking down all my equipment for deep cleaning. Need to start planning my next beer. Probably a cream ale or blonde.
I was going to take the weekend off but realized that I won't have time for another month or so if I didn't brew. So, put together a quick Arrogant ******* type clone to use some of the chinook hops that are in the freezer.
1.071og to 1.015fg
6.25 gal
14lb 2 row
1.25 aromatic
1.0 caramunich
0.5 special B
1.5 chinook @60
2oz @20
2oz @ FO/WP
2L starter of WLP001
1.071og to 1.015fg
6.25 gal
14lb 2 row
1.25 aromatic
1.0 caramunich
0.5 special B
1.5 chinook @60
2oz @20
2oz @ FO/WP
2L starter of WLP001
I'm about to move and be in a place more conducive to home brewing. After joining in on a couple of brew days with some neighbors, I can't wait to get going on my own stuff. Will be back on thread in future!
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