What are you doing with homebrew today?

[Sunfire96]

Welp for better or worse I racked the raspberry hooch into the porter and added a tablespoon of high quality vanilla extract she really is a Shady Angel now!

There was probably some champagne yeast left in the hooch so it may ferment another few points (which would be great). I'll let it finish out around 70F and then move it to the fridge for conditioning

 

[west1m]

I spent 40 years learning technical stuff for the job, some of it I actually wrote because it was the first time anyone tried to do what I did (successfully). There were other things I learned that warned me very distinctly not to travel that road, LOL. I figure I can learn this too, now that I have a lot more time to do so. If I wasn't learning, I'd get very bored with it very quickly and spend more time on my long list of other hobbies and things to do. If I'm not thinking at a million miles per second, I'm probably asleep. I rarely just sit and relax unless the missus and I decide to watch a British/European crime drama.

So, I could let spunding build the head, keeping the pressure at a specific level based on what I want the yeast to do, as well as how fast I want them to do it, then use that very pressure to push the beer from primary fermentation into secondary, also keeping that under pressure (thus also purged from oxidation issues), and finally, just use bottled CO2 for finishing/dispensing. If I want to do pressurized primary fermenting, I'm gonna need some better hardware, for sure. Eyeballing one of the FermZillas or Fermonsters to get me pointed in that direction. Just window shopping at the moment. Taking a hit on finances at the moment because ABB laid me off leaving me on Disability because I won't ask the doctor to tell them I'm now Superman, so have to watch my pennies a little while I get all my duckies in one pond.

I can add on little parts of the process as I refine each and get set up for them, but new fermenting vessels are in order, along with some pressure tools/fittings. I think I'm good on the hot side, though I may consider going electric eventually. I don't think I even want to know if anyone ever tried a pressure ferment in one of the typical plastic fermenting buckets. I can't imagine the noise of that lid popping off if something didn't relieve itself, but I'm pretty sure it isn't going to take much pressure to push out through the lid seals anyway. Lid launching will probably be a lot less likely than unsuccessful spunding.

When doing closed loop transfers, do you purge the receiving keg with CO2 first, then just vent that back to the fermenter as the beer flows into it? Eventually, I would think the pressure would equalize, and you'd have to rely on a pump to finish the job, or just venting the receiving vessel to atmosphere. Or do you just vent the entire purge to atmosphere as the fermenter empties?

I'd love to see some of you guys' cleanup routines after a brew day and transfer day. I can't quite wrap my head around fermenting in Corny's simply because you can't really see if it's clean. I realize handling it less is better, and make that effort, but not sure I want to dispense out between the Krausen and trub. That just seems to be inviting a mouth full of nasty.

Here is an example I posted a while ago.
I do purge the keg first, I just pressure it up to 30 pounds with CO2 and depressure twice. The zip lock bag on top is for a bit of excess CO2 ,just gives me piece of no vacuum is formed.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum...with-homebrew-today.14431/page-82#post-150951

 

[Sunfire96]

The first casualty of many I'm sure I'll be looking for a replacement picnic tap tomorrow...need to call the LHBS and find out if they carry them

 

[RoadRoach]

Here is an example I posted a while ago.
I do purge the keg first, I just pressure it up to 30 pounds with CO2 and depressure twice. The zip lock bag on top is for a bit of excess CO2 ,just gives me piece of no vacuum is formed.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum...with-homebrew-today.14431/page-82#post-150951

Yeah, I watched a few YouTube vids this morning, before I went down the rabbit hole. And I actually saw your setup photo before. Didn't quite know what I was looking at then, but now I do. I watched one that purged by filling the Corny with water/StarSan first, and then pushed that out using the CO2, and then just vented the keg while pressurizing the fermenter. Not sure how well a Corny keg will empty via the OUT port, but I would think there's always at least a little bit left, meaning some of that water and StarSan. I'm sure the keg's sanitary, and purged at that point, but I'm not sure I want that much StarSan in my beer, and sure don't want it watered down after I went through all the trouble to get what I want. I know StarSan is supposed to go away (where to is the question I haven't answered yet) but having splashed that stuff in my face and getting a little in my mouth of a very weak solution, I have a hard time trusting it doesn't affect the beer. I had a teaspoon in a gallon of water, and wow that stung when it got on a scratch.

I think I'd rather sanitize, invert the keg to drip 'dry', then purge, then fill under pressure from the fermenter. I think I want the keg 100% empty (with a small amount of CO2 from purging when I start putting my beer in it). I would think 10 PSI or so would be plenty for a purge. It's volume that's needed, not pressure, and gas will expand as much as it needs to displace the volume. I'm thinking the better way to purge the Corny would be to put the CO2 in the liquid out tube, filling the volume from the bottom before connecting it to the fermenter. As I said, CO2 is heavier than air, and it should just push the air out if you bleed through the Gas IN port using a spunding valve and let it bleed at a low pressure for a fixed amount of time. How much or how long would need to be answered by someone a lot smarter than me about displacing air with CO2. Not sure if it would be enough difference to detect it on a scale, but a keg full of CO2 should weigh a little bit more than a keg full of air. Plan B for the sanitize and purge method might be to connect the gas to the liquid OUT port, and a drain hose to the Gas IN port, invert the Keg and that should push out ALL of the sanitizer solution, and sanitize the transfer hose at the same time. But, I'm the noob and may not be as smart as I would like to be.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Yeah, I watched a few YouTube vids this morning, before I went down the rabbit hole. And I actually saw your setup photo before. Didn't quite know what I was looking at then, but now I do. I watched one that purged by filling the Corny with water/StarSan first, and then pushed that out using the CO2, and then just vented the keg while pressurizing the fermenter. Not sure how well a Corny keg will empty via the OUT port, but I would think there's always at least a little bit left, meaning some of that water and StarSan. I'm sure the keg's sanitary, and purged at that point, but I'm not sure I want that much StarSan in my beer, and sure don't want it watered down after I went through all the trouble to get what I want. I know StarSan is supposed to go away (where to is the question I haven't answered yet) but having splashed that stuff in my face and getting a little in my mouth of a very weak solution, I have a hard time trusting it doesn't affect the beer. I had a teaspoon in a gallon of water, and wow that stung when it got on a scratch.

I think I'd rather sanitize, invert the keg to drip 'dry', then purge, then fill under pressure from the fermenter. I think I want the keg 100% empty (with a small amount of CO2 from purging when I start putting my beer in it). I would think 10 PSI or so would be plenty for a purge. It's volume that's needed, not pressure, and gas will expand as much as it needs to displace the volume. I'm thinking the better way to purge the Corny would be to put the CO2 in the liquid out tube, filling the volume from the bottom before connecting it to the fermenter. As I said, CO2 is heavier than air, and it should just push the air out if you bleed through the Gas IN port using a spunding valve and let it bleed at a low pressure for a fixed amount of time. How much or how long would need to be answered by someone a lot smarter than me about displacing air with CO2. Not sure if it would be enough difference to detect it on a scale, but a keg full of CO2 should weigh a little bit more than a keg full of air. Plan B for the sanitize and purge method might be to connect the gas to the liquid OUT port, and a drain hose to the Gas IN port, invert the Keg and that should push out ALL of the sanitizer solution, and sanitize the transfer hose at the same time. But, I'm the noob and may not be as smart as I would like to be.

It's bugger all if you don't trim your dip tube.
You can also use sodium Metabisulphate or potassium Meta this my be better than Star san in two ways one it's an sanitizer and b it's a oxygen scavenger.
More food for thought let me know when you've has enough lol!

 

[GFHomebrew]

Mashing in this is near capacity for my keg kettle 7.6kg grain.

Second bucket yeah I can fit more in.
Think my mash basket is a little small though lol.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

just kegged last weekends beers, I swear they were different beers a Red and Oktoberfest but they taste very similar and both are amber in color oops, same yeast will do that I know, time will tell

 

[Megary]

The first casualty of many I'm sure I'll be looking for a replacement picnic tap tomorrow...need to call the LHBS and find out if they carry them
View attachment 18525

Yours looks completely unrepairable so definitely not the same, but that reminds me of a similar problem I had. Lesson learned: keep extra picnic taps handy!
Work-around for broken picnic tap? | Make Beer at Home Forums | Brewer's Friend (brewersfriend.com)

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

The first casualty of many I'm sure I'll be looking for a replacement picnic tap tomorrow...need to call the LHBS and find out if they carry them
View attachment 18525

Over use I suspect

 

[Sunfire96]

Over use I suspect

Ugh I wish, I dropped it on the ground and it shattered!

 

[RoadRoach]

Daring it to rain.

Leffe Abbey Blond on boil at the moment, and enjoying the first of the Workie Ticket that we bottled a few days ago. Nice head retention, fizzed up pretty hard opening at room temp. Chilled mug caused a little bit of chill haze, but looks like the temp is 57 degrees and stable. Just right for an English ale. Surprisingly low bitterness afer only a few days of conditioning.

Styrian Goldings flavor hops waiting to drop, getting close to dropping the chiller.

I'd try a no-chill, but the temps and humidity are up the past couple days. Don't wanna risk spoiling it. Too much work in this one with a 12.5 lb grain bill. I REALLY need to get a mash tun and a grain basket. For the now, I just mash in the kettle with a torpedo screen on the bung (inside, of course) and draw the wort into a fermenter bucket while sparging the kettle. After I get the target volume, I dump the spent grain on the compost, rinse out the kettle, and start the boil. Not fast, but it works.

Time for flavor hops and cooler sterilizing.

 

[Donoroto]

I just mash in the kettle with a torpedo screen on the bung (inside, of course) and draw the wort into a fermenter bucket while sparging the kettle.

Sounds to me like you got the brewspeak down right good there!

 

[RoadRoach]

Sounds to me like you got the brewspeak down right good there!

Yesterday, I couldn't spell brewer. Today, I R one. Seriously, the more I learn, the more I want to know. I can see where this hobby could get quite expensive with all the toys and gadgets. Maybe not all at once, but it appears to be a continual investment, but the rewards for the investment appear to be very substantial. I can already tell a difference in what I brew now versus some of my first ones. Maybe it's just tasting better after all the work, dunno.

Leffe Abbey Blond in the fermenter and pitched and stowed in it's little hidey hole for the next three weeks. A little cleanup work to do, and should be done by dinner. Tonight's menu is Veggie Beef soup with cornbread (and probably another Workie Ticket). The missus makes soup so good it'll make you slap your tongue for having too much fun.

 

[west1m]

Yeah, I watched a few YouTube vids this morning, before I went down the rabbit hole. And I actually saw your setup photo before. Didn't quite know what I was looking at then, but now I do. I watched one that purged by filling the Corny with water/StarSan first, and then pushed that out using the CO2, and then just vented the keg while pressurizing the fermenter. Not sure how well a Corny keg will empty via the OUT port, but I would think there's always at least a little bit left, meaning some of that water and StarSan. I'm sure the keg's sanitary, and purged at that point, but I'm not sure I want that much StarSan in my beer, and sure don't want it watered down after I went through all the trouble to get what I want. I know StarSan is supposed to go away (where to is the question I haven't answered yet) but having splashed that stuff in my face and getting a little in my mouth of a very weak solution, I have a hard time trusting it doesn't affect the beer. I had a teaspoon in a gallon of water, and wow that stung when it got on a scratch.

I think I'd rather sanitize, invert the keg to drip 'dry', then purge, then fill under pressure from the fermenter. I think I want the keg 100% empty (with a small amount of CO2 from purging when I start putting my beer in it). I would think 10 PSI or so would be plenty for a purge. It's volume that's needed, not pressure, and gas will expand as much as it needs to displace the volume. I'm thinking the better way to purge the Corny would be to put the CO2 in the liquid out tube, filling the volume from the bottom before connecting it to the fermenter. As I said, CO2 is heavier than air, and it should just push the air out if you bleed through the Gas IN port using a spunding valve and let it bleed at a low pressure for a fixed amount of time. How much or how long would need to be answered by someone a lot smarter than me about displacing air with CO2. Not sure if it would be enough difference to detect it on a scale, but a keg full of CO2 should weigh a little bit more than a keg full of air. Plan B for the sanitize and purge method might be to connect the gas to the liquid OUT port, and a drain hose to the Gas IN port, invert the Keg and that should push out ALL of the sanitizer solution, and sanitize the transfer hose at the same time. But, I'm the noob and may not be as smart as I would like to be.

Yeah, I watched a few YouTube vids this morning, before I went down the rabbit hole. And I actually saw your setup photo before. Didn't quite know what I was looking at then, but now I do. I watched one that purged by filling the Corny with water/StarSan first, and then pushed that out using the CO2, and then just vented the keg while pressurizing the fermenter. Not sure how well a Corny keg will empty via the OUT port, but I would think there's always at least a little bit left, meaning some of that water and StarSan. I'm sure the keg's sanitary, and purged at that point, but I'm not sure I want that much StarSan in my beer, and sure don't want it watered down after I went through all the trouble to get what I want. I know StarSan is supposed to go away (where to is the question I haven't answered yet) but having splashed that stuff in my face and getting a little in my mouth of a very weak solution, I have a hard time trusting it doesn't affect the beer. I had a teaspoon in a gallon of water, and wow that stung when it got on a scratch.

I think I'd rather sanitize, invert the keg to drip 'dry', then purge, then fill under pressure from the fermenter. I think I want the keg 100% empty (with a small amount of CO2 from purging when I start putting my beer in it). I would think 10 PSI or so would be plenty for a purge. It's volume that's needed, not pressure, and gas will expand as much as it needs to displace the volume. I'm thinking the better way to purge the Corny would be to put the CO2 in the liquid out tube, filling the volume from the bottom before connecting it to the fermenter. As I said, CO2 is heavier than air, and it should just push the air out if you bleed through the Gas IN port using a spunding valve and let it bleed at a low pressure for a fixed amount of time. How much or how long would need to be answered by someone a lot smarter than me about displacing air with CO2. Not sure if it would be enough difference to detect it on a scale, but a keg full of CO2 should weigh a little bit more than a keg full of air. Plan B for the sanitize and purge method might be to connect the gas to the liquid OUT port, and a drain hose to the Gas IN port, invert the Keg and that should push out ALL of the sanitizer solution, and sanitize the transfer hose at the same time. But, I'm the noob and may not be as smart as I would like to be.

I tend to think you are putting way too much thinking into a simple process.
Also while CO2 may be heavier than air ,it mixes readly, you arent going to get it to cooperate and stay stratified. And the chances of my bathroom scale measuring the difference between three quarters of a cubic foot of Co2 and air are pretty slim.

 

[west1m]

Lovin' this Irish Red!

 

[Ward Chillington]

but I'm not sure I want that much StarSan in my beer, a

Don't fear the foam, and the yeast like it..it's like a nutrient to them. Though I'm not a kegger, the guys at Experimental Brewing are and according to them and StarSan, that method for purging creates a sanitary and stable environment that's good for months. Check out episode 28 I think it was where Drew details it...29 or 30 addresses it further.

 

[Herm brews]

Daring it to rain.

Leffe Abbey Blond on boil at the moment, and enjoying the first of the Workie Ticket that we bottled a few days ago. Nice head retention, fizzed up pretty hard opening at room temp. Chilled mug caused a little bit of chill haze, but looks like the temp is 57 degrees and stable. Just right for an English ale. Surprisingly low bitterness afer only a few days of conditioning.

Styrian Goldings flavor hops waiting to drop, getting close to dropping the chiller.

I'd try a no-chill, but the temps and humidity are up the past couple days. Don't wanna risk spoiling it. Too much work in this one with a 12.5 lb grain bill. I REALLY need to get a mash tun and a grain basket. For the now, I just mash in the kettle with a torpedo screen on the bung (inside, of course) and draw the wort into a fermenter bucket while sparging the kettle. After I get the target volume, I dump the spent grain on the compost, rinse out the kettle, and start the boil. Not fast, but it works.

Time for flavor hops and cooler sterilizing.


View attachment 18534

Nice surroundings there, Mr. Roach. Are your hops additions wrapped in muslin in those ziploc bags?

 

[Zambi]

I put one bottle of my first kveik beer in the fridge.
Test bottle
If carbonisation is OK then I know I can use the same for my next batch (that's about ready to bottle).
It feels fine (yep, it's a pet-bottle)

 

[Herm brews]

Yesterday, I couldn't spell brewer. Today, I R one. Seriously, the more I learn, the more I want to know. I can see where this hobby could get quite expensive with all the toys and gadgets. Maybe not all at once, but it appears to be a continual investment, but the rewards for the investment appear to be very substantial. I can already tell a difference in what I brew now versus some of my first ones. Maybe it's just tasting better after all the work, dunno.

I brew pretty good beer, and I do it on the less expensive side. I use a single vessel for mash and boil to make small 2.5 gallon batches. Analog thermometer and refractometer serve me well, along with a digital thermometer. My fermentation is done in an interior closet without temperature control. I bottle my beer. Kegs, keezers and the like won’t fit in my home. In the end, I am cheap, and I make beer that I like to drink given the limitations of my brewing environment.
ETA I’m not cheap, I’m frugal, and can get by with less than best. I am open to a good bargain, though.

 

[Sunfire96]

Dry hopped the golden ale with Citra yesterday and today moved it to 70F to finish out. It smells marvelous. And I started cold crashing the Shady Angel. It's been under 10 psi pressure for a couple days now so I'm hoping it'll be chilled and carbonated soon.