Drinkers with a Running Problem

Home Brewers... (Read 1606 times)

Trent


Good Bad & The Monkey

    You ferment in the big plastic bucket for just a couple days until the vigor has gone down.  You then rack (transfer) it into the glass carboy for aging.  The carboy is more airtight, lets you see what is going on, has less air space above the beer and is made from a more neutral substance.  You keep it in the carboy until ready to bottle.  I then bottle straight from the carboy rather than using one of those silly bottling buckets.


    Prince of Fatness

      OK.  That makes sense.  I'm going to print some of these suggestions here to take with me.

       

      Thanks.

      Not at it at all. 

      Trent


      Good Bad & The Monkey

        Equipment, for starting:

        1-2 5 gallon glass carboys
        1 5 gallon stock pot
        1 6 gallon plastic bucket
        2 airlocks with rubber stoppers sized for bucket and for carboys
        clear tubing: 1 flexible, 1 stiff J Shaped (for siphon)
        bottles, preferably 22 oz
        bottle caps
        bottle capper
        straining bag
        hops bag
        floating thermometer
        Specific Gravity tester
        Beer Bible

         

        Updated


        Former runner

          The autosiphon is a two piece racking cane for draining the bucket or carboy. They're a few dollars more than a standard racking cane but a lot easier to use because you just pump them to get the liquid flowing.

           

          Online stores seem to have the best prices on stainless pots. One place you could check is a restaurant supply store. I found a place that stocks all sizes of pots for restaurants that were made locally.

          Ross

            Brewed up my first batch of home brew yesterday, but didn't find this thread until this morning. Only after looking for homemade wort chillers and remembering that several runners are also home brewers.

             

            Glad to see Trent gets by without a wort chiller. Actually it makes more sense to let it cool to room temperature overnight. For me, storage of all the beer making supplies will be an issue, so less equipment is a plus. Wouldn't having the temperature of the wort at the same temperature for the first original gravity reading and the one before bottling be easier in this manner?

            Get off my porch

            Trent


            Good Bad & The Monkey


              Wouldn't having the temperature of the wort at the same temperature for the first original gravity reading and the one before bottling be easier in this manner?

               

              Not sure I understand the question, but it is true that the OG readings really should all be at the same temp.

              What did you brew?

                a nut brown ale.

                 

                OG reading before fermentation and then another before bottling, right?

                Get off my porch

                Trent


                Good Bad & The Monkey

                  Sure, the idea being that you can get an estimate of the alcohol level.  OG reading depends primarily on sugar levels in wort, although temperature can impact the readings by changing the buoyancy of the hygrometer.  That is why you want to control the temperature when you measure, so that you know you have equivalence. 


                  Prince of Fatness

                    Got the burner yesterday and the book is on the way.  Damn, from the look of the burner I don't think that boiling 5 gallons of water will be a problem at all, or 10 gallons for that matter.

                     

                    I was at the Weyerbacher brewery over the weekend and asked them about the home brewing supplies place that I mentioned in this thread.  They gave it favorable reviews so I will be heading over there this weekend.  And as a bonus this place is right next door, so I will shop for supplies then have dinner with Mrs. PH.  I just may be bringing a growler full home with me.  Win win.

                    Not at it at all. 


                    Prince of Fatness

                      Trent, you said that you brew using all grains.  Do you use a mash tun?  If not how do you do it?  Hopefully I am asking the right question.

                       

                      And I don't have my book yet so maybe I'm a little ahead of myself asking this.

                      Not at it at all. 

                      Trent


                      Good Bad & The Monkey

                        Whole grains, yes.  I grind the grains, put them in my 5 gallon pot with the water and gently heat it to the right temperature.  After it has gone through the process, I pour the whole wort into a net bag-lined double bucket with holes in the bottom.  The grains stay at the top, the liquid goes below.  I then heat water in the same pot to sparge the wort.

                         

                        In the past, I did this all with the net bag in my primary fermenter.  That worked well, but the double bucket is a bit easier and less messy.


                        Prince of Fatness

                          That sounds easier than the converted cooler.  How did you come up with the bucket?  Did you design it yourself?  What did you use?

                           

                          The way I envision this it is similar to pouring pasta into a colander, except here you keep the liquid.

                          Not at it at all. 

                          Trent


                          Good Bad & The Monkey

                            I bought the double bucket, but all you really need are two buckets that nest.  Maybe 3 - 5 gallon buckets that haver 1-2 gallons between them when nested.  Poke holes in the top one with a drill or a nail.  You can put in a spigot if need be (you should) in the bottom bucket.  It is the complexity of the spigot that led me just to buy this.  They probably sell it at the beer store.


                            Prince of Fatness

                              OK.  I'll take this information with me when I go Saturday.  Thanks.

                               

                              Oh, and to follow up on your post a ways back I will take pictures of the process when I am doing it.

                              Not at it at all. 

                                bought the bible this afternoon. see the Zapap tun as Trent describes. (thinkin' all grain, brew #3)

                                 

                                should have read the book first, then bought the kit, oh well.

                                Get off my porch