What are you doing with homebrew today?

I just went through my brewing equipment as part of unpacking, repacking everything I own (well almost, obviously I am not repacking car and boats ;) ).
I got all I need to measure, check, clean etc. Now to hurry up work on my brewing spot and hoping my malts survived
 
Got one of my small kegs ready for transfer of my Tolbooth 80 Shilling. Put the fermentation keg in the garage. Should be “crashed” and ready to transfer tomorrow or Monday morning.
 
New batch with new recipe, well, at least new to BF Recipes. I've done this one a few times. It's a dark English Pale, called Workie Ticket. It tends to be a little sweet, but that was also before I knew what I know now about fermenting. Pretty high OG at 1.052, bitterness at the upper end of my preferred spectrum (28 IBU), but it's a good beer. It uses Warrior for bittering, Fuggles and Kent Goldings for Flavor and Aroma. Any suggestions for hop substitutes would be appreciated, and probably inform me a little more about the hops. Using a dry yeast this time (LalBrew High Performance Nottingham), because I don't have any liquid English Ale yeast. The recipe from my distributor calls for an Irish Ale yeast, which seems a little strange in an English Pale, unless there's not much difference from an English liquid. Not sure at all. I've done this one with the White Labs Irish Ale yeast (forget the number) before. It was good. It's got a bunch of LME and Malto Dextrose in it, and finishes with a pretty high FG as I recall. Just too much sugar, but it's supposed to be a sweet ale. We'll see this time, because I'll let it go a bit longer and maybe warm it a couple degrees before I bottle it. Pics of the finished product, I promise. Sippin on one of my LA Wipeouts (Big Wave Knock-off) while I brew.
 
Herm_brews said:
I got my booster yesterday, and my arm feels like someone slugged me. My head hurts, and I have a feeling of general malaise. Doesn’t feel like today will be productive.
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And folks criticize me for not wanting the shot after already having the disease. Hope you get better quick. I've probably read too much of the wrong information (or misinformation, depending on your view) about those shots, and personally, if I have natural immunity from already having the disease, I question the value of putting my life at risk by taking the shots. I wouldn't be the first old fart that croaked trying to be politically correct.
 
On the beer front….
I like Target in English Ales. High AA good at 60 minutes since you asked about subs. I also like challenger for that. Nottingham is real clean to me and will take away some of the sweetness and fruitiness. At least when I use it. It’s good in Irish beers likes reds and stouts though..go figure
 
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RoadRoach said:
And folks criticize me for not wanting the shot after already having the disease. Hope you get better quick. I've probably read too much of the wrong information (or misinformation, depending on your view) about those shots, and personally, if I have natural immunity from already having the disease, I question the value of putting my life at risk by taking the shots. I wouldn't be the first old fart that croaked trying to be politically correct.
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Thanks.
I freely chose to get vaccinated so as to avoid catching a deadly disease. Yes it sucks feeling down for a day or two, but in my mind diminishing the risk of catching COVID is worth the temporary pain.
 
RoadRoach said:
New batch with new recipe, well, at least new to BF Recipes. I've done this one a few times. It's a dark English Pale, called Workie Ticket.
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As I said, a lot darker than what I expect for something called an English Pale Ale. This is before adding the extract and dextrose, first hop stage (bittering). You an see some of the fines from the Crystal 60 stuck to the handle of the paddle. I steep the specialty grains in muslin bags, but muslin won't even slow that stuff down. It's pretty fine. Pretty good build-up around the side of the pot during hot break, but I splashed the wort up there to wash it back into the batch. Same with the bittering hops when I put them in. Nasty looking green scum and foam turned into most of the Warrior stuck to the side of the pot. Did the same trick with a ladle to wash it back into the batch, thinking it belongs in there rather than turning into concrete on the side of the pot.

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In the fermenter now, and waiting for the yeastie beasties to wake up.

Next Tuesday, I get to transfer the missus' apricot wine to secondary in a nice new carboy she bought, which will be a bit too small for 5 gallon beer batches. Might have to drop back to 4 gallon batches to use the carboy if I ever do secondary fermenting on a beer. Shipping box says 5 gallons, but I'm hoping that's supposed to be the max fill volume, not the actual volume.

After racking the wine to secondary, I'll start on a batch of Leffe Abbey. All grain, and a BUNCH of it. Probably should have gotten liquid yeast for that. Workie Ticket should be ready in a few weeks. I'm gonna get an aquarium heater between then and now, and see what I can do for temperature control at the end of ferment, anyway.
 
Brewing another go at that talus all blond ale.
Same grist but with gladfield german pils malt.
Got my salts back to front mashing in more chloride than sulphate so that will be interesting to remember once drinking.
Lucky I upped the bittering addition last thing I want is an sweet beer.

Galaxy and simcoe are going in at WP and DRY hop got 100g of each just gotta work out how much of each when might go more in the WP ...

Sparge earlier @Frankenbrewer i think it was you talking about sparge pot this is what I come up with it's my mash basket then I sit it ontop to sparge through.
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This is it empty the cuts go halfway up the pot so as to drain the bottom of the mash (should stop the mash water running off the top) 83% mash efficiency i usually get with this...
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Crude and rude but gets it done.
 
Ended up 60g each or galaxy simcoe in the WP OMG smells good!
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Shes all wrapped up with the pump on for awhile spinning some M44 for tomorrow arvo pitch after work.
Oh I do love these no chill brew days
Expecting I'll get some bitterness out of 120g WP flame out well see:)
Thatll leave me 40g each I think it's easier to handle the hops in the kettle than fermentor especially with pressure transfers. .
 
Moving fermenters around. JA's Irish Fling has finished around 1.009 after 10 days and I'm moving it to cold crash with my Golden ale (On Tap Ale I). Round 2 of On Top ale (that was brewed 3 days ago) was moved from the ferm chamber to the closet to finish up fermentation around 70F.

Once On Tap Ale - 1 and Irish Fling are done cold crashing I'll bottle the red for Christmas and tap the golden ale. On Tap Ale - 2 should be ready about a week after that (I'll probably cold crash it before kegging in the serving fridge with the keg of On Tap 1 :)

Once those kegs are empty it'll be time to brew again! :D
 
Trialben said:
Ended up 60g each or galaxy simcoe in the WP OMG smells good!
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Shes all wrapped up with the pump on for awhile spinning some M44 for tomorrow arvo pitch after work.
Oh I do love these no chill brew days
Expecting I'll get some bitterness out of 120g WP flame out well see:)
Thatll leave me 40g each I think it's easier to handle the hops in the kettle than fermentor especially with pressure transfers. .
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I don't think I've ever seen a temperature control system installed in Tupperware before. Not dissing it, because it's a lot better than what I have (none), obviously. I do hope you're using low voltage components and not your 240V 50Hz distribution level. That would smart a bit if that plastic box cracked and your finger went into the electrical circuits. Get that thing in a wooden or metal box, or at least fiberglass, make me feel like I'm gonna have a good reference for a long time, LOL.

Are you recirculating the wort (after boil) until it naturally cools, or what is your purpose for recirculation on a no-chill batch? Is that for your dry hopping or post boil hopping, whatever way you're doing it? I thought recirculating was generally for improving efficiency of the mash or swirling without aeration. Or is it also used to improve hops efficiency in dry hop process? Can you maintain mash temperatures longer by recirculating? How long does it usually take for the temperature to drop back down from boiling to pitch temperature? It's summer there (because it's winter here), so is it really 'no-chill' or 'a little bit of chill' to get the temp down to safe/optimal pitching level? What are the advantages of 'no chill' process over crashing the temperature to get the wort to pitch temp? Does that affect clarity? IBU's? What's the target/purpose for no-chill?

A diagram and explanation of that 'no-chill' setup would probably save you and me both some time so I can see what you're up to. Remember, I've brewed a lotta batches, but that doesn't in anyway make me a 'professional' or 'expert'. It just makes me a 'repeat offender' in ignorance by some measurements. Ignorance can be fixed, but stupid can't. I think I'm somewhere in the middle.
 
RoadRoach said:
I don't think I've ever seen a temperature control system installed in Tupperware before. Not dissing it, because it's a lot better than what I have (none), obviously. I do hope you're using low voltage components and not your 240V 50Hz distribution level. That would smart a bit if that plastic box cracked and your finger went into the electrical circuits. Get that thing in a wooden or metal box, or at least fiberglass, make me feel like I'm gonna have a good reference for a long time, LOL.

Are you recirculating the wort (after boil) until it naturally cools, or what is your purpose for recirculation on a no-chill batch? Is that for your dry hopping or post boil hopping, whatever way you're doing it? I thought recirculating was generally for improving efficiency of the mash or swirling without aeration. Or is it also used to improve hops efficiency in dry hop process? Can you maintain mash temperatures longer by recirculating? How long does it usually take for the temperature to drop back down from boiling to pitch temperature? It's summer there (because it's winter here), so is it really 'no-chill' or 'a little bit of chill' to get the temp down to safe/optimal pitching level? What are the advantages of 'no chill' process over crashing the temperature to get the wort to pitch temp? Does that affect clarity? IBU's? What's the target/purpose for no-chill?

A diagram and explanation of that 'no-chill' setup would probably save you and me both some time so I can see what you're up to. Remember, I've brewed a lotta batches, but that doesn't in anyway make me a 'professional' or 'expert'. It just makes me a 'repeat offender' in ignorance by some measurements. Ignorance can be fixed, but stupid can't. I think I'm somewhere in the middle.
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:p
Glad I've instilled some fear in someone seeing as your worried means you care roadroach you got a good heart mate;).

Yeah 240v 15 amp running 3300watt element controlled with an inkbird pid. Temp keeps withing .2c pretty much it's usually dead on I love that thing.

I actually use this to heat up Matildas bath water when shes had an swim in the pool 36c is about right for littlies.

Yes recirculating or trying to emulate a Whirlpool in the kettle even though the hops are staying in there overnight I'll agitate then for awhile before letting them settle on the bottom.
Yes no chill to me means leaving the wort to cool down naturally via the ambient air temp.
This morning the wort is around 26c about ground water temp here anyway.

I use aluminum foil on top, then lid and leave the hot wort sanitize everything so far over o rekon ten or more batches some of them lite lagers I've had no bad batches and I cant find any negative effects on flavour colour attenutation or even clarity.
Only thing is hop utilisation is a big question but I put a 30min extended boil time on my brews to account for extra isomerisation of alpha acids above the 80c temp level.

Why do I brew like this number one is Time Savings. Two split the brew day meaning less time spent at one time on brewing there as to give the impression to the wife that "I'm not just spending all my time brewing" na na na:D

Oh on the brew controller I only operate it no one else
I built it I know the risks
 
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Donoroto said:
I just love it! Plasticware is just fine for :eek: 240 volts!
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Oh shit yeah not the only temp controller installed in a plastic food container :D.

You know it's a one day I'll do that properly but for now itll do.

Matilda is making me nervous though
For instance you'll see some safer approaches with my glycol build.

She already loves to ride up on her trike and click click click my STC freezer controller lucky the other day i was watching cuz she turned the darn thing off lol:p!
 
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