I brewed today!

Ward Chillington said:
Did a dark mild split today, my Mörk de Mild and I used T58 for that Belgium touch, Donker Mild. Long day! 11 gallons of wort takes a long time to chill down but we had off gassing by the time I was done cleaning up.
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Sounds like me the next day after too many beers:p.
 
Sandy Feet said:
I hope it turns out. I never thought of using 6 row until Deadwords made the Pre Pro that I really liked. My dark larger is a 6 row/2row combonation, and every week it gets better and better. I think the lager/ porter combination with the flaked corn and Crystal hops is a winner.
I was trying to make a lower alcohol Tripping Animals No Mames Dark with this one and managed to do exactly what I wanted.
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I did a variation of @Bulin's Milker Bucket Brews 3-Day Weekend using all 6 Row. Somewhat lower OG, but I recirculated a long time and did a pretty big batch sparge, too. The enzymes really helped break down the flaked corn, and pull the corn flavor in very nicely. Did it again with Maris Otter, too. Both had their plusses. MO gives a very distinct malty flavor from other grains I've tried.

Time for me to go get some grain and brew something.
 
Tractor Smash in progress. Strike water on. Heating mash portion first, and will heat sparge water while mashing.
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Trying something new today. Dumped the hops pellets straight into the kettle. Whirlpooling with the pump while I'm cooling with immersion chiller, and when I pump into the fermenter, I'll hang the hop spider on the end of the hose to catch any chunky bits from the hops. Wish me luck. Two reasons for this. The first is to find out if the hop spider causes any issue with circulation/absorption with the hops during boil. The second is to see how much quicker I can cool the wort without constantly sticking the spatula in it.

Forgot to mention, I put a whirlfloc tablet in at flameout. Hoping that doesn't gel up too much gunk for the hop spider to handle. Then again, it'll be gunk I get outta the beer before it ferments. I just hop it ain't the good stuff that comes out.
 
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I was quite surprised by the effects of whirlpooling (as it were) while cooling. Dropped the temp to 76F pretty darn quick. Probably half thw water I normally use. So, that's a "do it again" thing to add to the regimen. Maybe a filter cycle before cooling, so I don't have to worry so much about contamination, to get some of the big chunks and globs out, but most of that seemed to form after cooling/rest. Letting the kettle sit a bit before I pump into the fermenter.

Gonna do another as soon as I package this one. Decided to use S-33 yeast in both just to keep it down to two variables (Malt and Hops) to see if I can teach my tongue anything. Might do both again, and just swap out the hops to see if I can tell any difference between 2-row and pils malts.

This is the fun stuff. Simple beer for some advanced learning. I like 'em both, learning and beer.
 
Wow. Lost nearly two quarts by filling the fermenter through the hop spider. Most appeared to be protien globs settled out by the Whirlfloc. Quite a bit of sludge in the kettle. However, based on this photo, looks like this is gonna be gorgeous beer. Who knows what it's gonna taste like but it's sure gonna be clear if the OG sample is any indication.

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I will NOT admit to drinking a Bud Light Lime, LOL The bottle in the photo is a figment of your imagination. So is the cap. My stepson left them behind when he was last here from Virginia. Speaking of whom, I'm very proud to say that his wife just got a commission in the Navy on Friday. She didn't want to be a chief, and had all the qualifications, so we talked her into applying for OCS. She made it! Woot! Huzzah! She has really surprised us with her career. She's been in for 8 years climbing every time she was eligible for promotion, until it was time to make chief. She pretty much told her CO if she was forced into Chief position, that she'd leave the Navy. So he (and we) suggested she apply for OCS instead, because it was very obvious that she was enjoying her service. Gotta love a success story.
 
I meant to ask, but what's the latest anyone puts Whirlfloc into the batch? I forgot it when I dropped the chiller in, but saw the tablet as soon as I turned the heat off. It still foamed and swam around on the surface until it dissolved completely, and I did a LOT of whirlpooling while cooling. I couldn't tell I got any other benefit than faster cooling with the whirlpooling. The stuff you see in the bottom of the sample cylinder is not going to pile up in the middle of the kettle. It settled out well, and I only got a little bit at the very start and finish of the transfer, but without getting more, I had to toss a couple quarts. Did I mention I hate waste? I'm guessing the trub collector on the fermenter is probably full today, but I won't pull it until the yeast stops. Then I'll clean it out, and bump the temperature a couple for a couple days, then start chilling it back down. Gotta go check for activity .....
 
RoadRoach said:
Wow. Lost nearly two quarts by filling the fermenter through the hop spider. Most appeared to be protien globs settled out by the Whirlfloc. Quite a bit of sludge in the kettle. However, based on this photo, looks like this is gonna be gorgeous beer. Who knows what it's gonna taste like but it's sure gonna be clear if the OG sample is any indication.

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I will NOT admit to drinking a Bud Light Lime, LOL The bottle in the photo is a figment of your imagination. So is the cap. My stepson left them behind when he was last here from Virginia. Speaking of whom, I'm very proud to say that his wife just got a commission in the Navy on Friday. She didn't want to be a chief, and had all the qualifications, so we talked her into applying for OCS. She made it! Woot! Huzzah! She has really surprised us with her career. She's been in for 8 years climbing every time she was eligible for promotion, until it was time to make chief. She pretty much told her CO if she was forced into Chief position, that she'd leave the Navy. So he (and we) suggested she apply for OCS instead, because it was very obvious that she was enjoying her service. Gotta love a success story.
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So does the daughter-in-law's commission make up for the son being a Bud Light drinker? :D

In all seriousness, CONGRATULATIONS & THANK YOU to your daughter-in-law! :)
 
RoadRoach said:
I meant to ask, but what's the latest anyone puts Whirlfloc into the batch? I forgot it when I dropped the chiller in, but saw the tablet as soon as I turned the heat off. It still foamed and swam around on the surface until it dissolved completely, and I did a LOT of whirlpooling while cooling. I couldn't tell I got any other benefit than faster cooling with the whirlpooling. The stuff you see in the bottom of the sample cylinder is not going to pile up in the middle of the kettle. It settled out well, and I only got a little bit at the very start and finish of the transfer, but without getting more, I had to toss a couple quarts. Did I mention I hate waste? I'm guessing the trub collector on the fermenter is probably full today, but I won't pull it until the yeast stops. Then I'll clean it out, and bump the temperature a couple for a couple days, then start chilling it back down. Gotta go check for activity .....
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Every batch I toss in 1/2 Whilfloc tablet 5-10 minutes before the end of the boil. It does a really good job precipitating out proteins and beta-glucans. Like you, I hate waste so I usually dump most, if not all, of the brew kettle into the fermenter. The solids drop out in the fermenter just as well as in the boil kettle. So, the only negative really is that your fermenter will be a little fuller because of the extra trub at the bottom.
 
I use Irish moss with every batch, tossing in a half teaspoon with 15 minutes left in the boil. My beers are clearer as a result.
 
I forget mine too on the occasional brew day so I put one on my brew cabinet to help remind me to throw it in 10 minutes to go .
 
Trialben said:
I forget mine too on the occasional brew day so I put one on my brew cabinet to help remind me to throw it in 10 minutes to go .
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Guess where mine was laying, LOL. Just had a senior moment and forgot it. Was cleaning up some stuff, and saw it laying there. DOH! It wasn't in long before flame out, but it most certainly completely dissolved.

I put a whole tablet in a 5G (19L) batch. Too much? Just enough? How hard is it to cut one in half if I don't need as much?

Gotta pull the sediment ball off the fermenter tomorrow to clean it out, and then I'll cold-crash the SMaSH for a week to clarify it. I'm thinking this one is going to be one of the clearest ales I've done yet. I've held it at a constant 20C for a week now. Gonna crash it at 6C, and then when it's time to bottle, I'll be extra careful when I rack it to the bottling bucket.
 
RoadRoach said:
Guess where mine was laying, LOL. Just had a senior moment and forgot it. Was cleaning up some stuff, and saw it laying there. DOH! It wasn't in long before flame out, but it most certainly completely dissolved.

I put a whole tablet in a 5G (19L) batch. Too much? Just enough? How hard is it to cut one in half if I don't need as much?

Gotta pull the sediment ball off the fermenter tomorrow to clean it out, and then I'll cold-crash the SMaSH for a week to clarify it. I'm thinking this one is going to be one of the clearest ales I've done yet. I've held it at a constant 20C for a week now. Gonna crash it at 6C, and then when it's time to bottle, I'll be extra careful when I rack it to the bottling bucket.
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I go half I throw in anywhere between 10 and zero take Into consideration I No Chill.

Actually Roadie I'm about to hit the boil right now and guess what I've not grabbed that Whirlflock or nutrient out THANKYOU :p!
 
Trialben said:
I go half I throw in anywhere between 10 and zero take Into consideration I No Chill.

Actually Roadie I'm about to hit the boil right now and guess what I've not grabbed that Whirlflock or nutrient out THANKYOU :p!
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Glad to help a fella on the opposite side of the planet!
 
RoadRoach said:
Guess where mine was laying, LOL. Just had a senior moment and forgot it. Was cleaning up some stuff, and saw it laying there. DOH! It wasn't in long before flame out, but it most certainly completely dissolved.

I put a whole tablet in a 5G (19L) batch. Too much? Just enough? How hard is it to cut one in half if I don't need as much?

Gotta pull the sediment ball off the fermenter tomorrow to clean it out, and then I'll cold-crash the SMaSH for a week to clarify it. I'm thinking this one is going to be one of the clearest ales I've done yet. I've held it at a constant 20C for a week now. Gonna crash it at 6C, and then when it's time to bottle, I'll be extra careful when I rack it to the bottling bucket.
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I can break a whirlflock in half with my fingers pretty well, but a knife will make it easy. I use half of a tablet in a 5 gallon batch
 
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