Drinkers with a Running Problem

Home Brewers... (Read 1606 times)


Prince of Fatness

     

    Sweet.  How you gonna add the spigot?

     

    The bible has specs for what you need.  I might go to HD or Lowes and pick one up.  Or I might just get one next time I am in the LHBS.  I need to pick up some extra tubing while I am there, too.  Never hurts to have it.

    Not at it at all. 


    Prince of Fatness

      And I decided to mash in my 5 gallon pot.  I'll lose less heat if it is filled to capacity plus it allows for the oven option.  I would think that just having the oven on warm would alleviate heat loss.

       

      Then I will sparge right into the kettle and boil away.

      Not at it at all. 

      Trent


      Good Bad & The Monkey

        Sweet!  Just be careful about the boil over at the protein break.


        Prince of Fatness

          Sweet!  Just be careful about the boil over at the protein break.

           

          I am going to purchase another large kettle.  I can get a 9 gallon SS kettle for $75 and free shipping.  I'll shop around a little more.  I figure that this pot will outlive me so why not spend and get it now.

           

          MTA:  And you said that boilovers are fun anyway.

          Not at it at all. 


          Prince of Fatness

            If you are brewing soon please take some pics of your setup.  I am interested in seeing how you do it.

            Not at it at all. 

            Trent


            Good Bad & The Monkey

              Saturday.  The new camera should arrive today.
              Trent


              Good Bad & The Monkey

                Found it. I now possess:

                5 lbs 2 row American Malt
                5 lbs Maris Otter Pale Malt
                1 lb Chocolate Malt
                1 lb Roasted Barley
                1 lb 60l Crystal Malt
                2-3 lbs unmalted wheat
                a bunch of steel cut oats
                2 oz Hallertau
                2 oz Golden
                2 oz Cascade
                Wyeast British Ale II yeast

                 

                 

                Tomorrow is brew day.  Got the equipment out of storage and have cleaned it.  Thunder suggested that I try a tweak to the oatmeal stout that was planned: breakfast stout.  AKA Oatmeal and molasses stout.  I have done some research and it appears that molasses complements a dark beer incredibly well.  Sooo...

                 

                • 5 lbs 2 row American Malt
                • 5 lbs Maris Otter Pale Malt
                • 1 lb Chocolate Malt
                • 1 lb Roasted Barley
                • 1 lb 60l Crystal Malt
                • ~3-4 lbs steel cut oats
                • 2 oz Hallertau
                • 2 oz Golden
                • 2 oz Cascade
                • Wyeast British Ale II yeast
                • ~10 oz dark blackstrap molasses

                 

                I will mash together the American malt, the MO and the oats in my mash pot (4.5 gallons, I measured it) with about 2-3 gallons if possible, and I will steep the chocolate, roasted and crystal malts in another gallon or so of water in a second pot.  I will then sparge all this with enough water to get to about 5.5 gallons, again if possible.  Hop and then add the molasses and drop into the primary fermenter bucket (7 gallon size) and add yeast once cool...


                Prince of Fatness

                  That oatmeal stout sounds good.  I think that the first stout I brew will have coffee.  I love coffee stouts.

                   

                  I have my buckets, but they are two different sizes (~5 and 3 gal).  My son can get another bigger one but I'll have to wait.  I'm not brewing for several weeks so that's OK.  In the meantime I can clean up what I have and drill the holes for the lauter tun.

                   

                  Thinking about this more my biggest problem will be patience.  I need to let most of the first couple of batches age some and let the beer get a couple of months ahead of me.  Then I can brew what I know I will want to drink several months down the road.  Holding that thought, I may brew that pilsner next January and ferment it in my garage.  I could put the bucket in a tub of water to avoid drastic temp changes. 

                  Not at it at all. 

                  Trent


                  Good Bad & The Monkey

                    The cooked oatmeal, ready to go



                    The grain selection



                    Focus on the chocolate malt



                    Grinder setup, with a load of grain to grind



                    Heating the water for the mash



                    Pot of grains, including the pale malts and the cooked oatmeal



                    Let the mash begin!



                    Steeping the roasted malts and grains on the left, mashing on the right



                    An early check of the specific gravity



                    Draining the wort from the mash. Look at that inky blackness



                    Close in on the wort, right before adding the molasses



                    After the sparge, heating for the protein break



                    60 minutes of hopping with the Cascade and Golden



                    30 minutes of hopping with the Hallertau



                    A final check on the specific gravity predicts up to 7-8% alcohol in this heady brew



                    My house smells delicious!!


                    Former runner

                      Love the pics.

                       

                      I was talking with a friend recently and we're thinking of doing a coffee stout project. We plan on brewing the same base beer but use different coffees in the secondary. We have a local roaster that has a good selection of beans.

                      Ross


                      Prince of Fatness

                        That looks like it's going to be one fine brew.  How did you pour the sparge water in as to not disturb the grain bed?  I am thinking of using the coffee can lid, trickling onto that.

                        Not at it at all. 

                        Trent


                        Good Bad & The Monkey

                          I just dumped it in and DID disturb the bed.  There was so much spent grain in the sparge bed, I had to disturb it to get the water through.  I knew it was working because the sparge runoff SG kept dropping and the grain bed lost all its sweetness.

                           

                          Just pitched the yeast.  The stuff smells good. I took a taste last night before bed.  Yummy, rich, scruptious tasting.  I hope it remains once the sugar is all gone...


                          Prince of Fatness

                            How often do you take the SG test?  I didn't bother testing with my first batch. 

                            Not at it at all. 

                            Trent


                            Good Bad & The Monkey

                              I usually do it a few times during the mash to know when the mash is done.  Once the SG stops rising while the temp is stable and in range, it is done.  I do it again during the sparge with the runoff to see when it stops dropping.  No real need to do it with extract brewing since you get what you get.


                              Prince of Fatness

                                Damn.  It took me an hour to drill all of the holes in the bucket, but it got done.  There were a few hanging chads in there, but it should be OK.  I don't think that any will fall off an make it to the final product.  Once the kid gets me the second bucket, I'll install the spigot, done.

                                 

                                These buckets definitely had a creamy smell to them (they came from the bakery dept.).  I soaked them in a cooler with a little oxyclean.  The label came right off the outside and it cleaned right out.  I've been using the oxyclean on the bottles as well.  In most cases the labels come right off.  Rinse, and they are clean.  I have neighbors that drink so bottles are not an expense with me.

                                Not at it at all.