Alcohol

[tentacles]

I kegged the new beer today, and I have to say, it's rather amazing even flat! This is definitely the best beer I've ever drank flat. Not even a hint of sourness, a very interesting banana flavor as well.

 

Swapped the thermostats from my mini fridge and the chest freezer, did some work on the pop machine and fixed the CO2 leaks. Should have the draft tower tommorow, so things are looking good!

[FrankRizzo]

Very cool man! How'd the orange and coriander flavors come through?

[Mumbles]

I don't think you ever mentioned what you were making Tentacles. There are inquiring minds about. About all I found is that it was some sort of belgian ale, and has banana hints to the beer from the esters produced by the yeast.

 

There have been talks of a belgian triple at some point this spring. My mouth already waters. Damn long conditioning.

 

On a side and completely unrelated note, a brewery around here used to make a beer called "Kloster Weisen". It was a belgian hefe, and had a hint of banana, and it was mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[tentacles]

I made up a batch of some Belgian Wit - a Blue Moon clone, actually. Except that we may have added "a bit" more LME and honey than the recipe called for. In fact, we had the gravity up to what, 1.072? We watered it down to 1.061 and called it good. Final is something like 1.011. We ended up using, what, 3.2kg of LME and 2 5/8lb of honey. I am not sure if my orange peel was the bitter type; I got it at a bulk spices store and suspect it is the sweet type. At any rate it worked well and tastes like a stiffer blue moon.

 

Also, we ended up boiling the coriander and orange peel for 10 misn

 

 

The Recipe - from FrankRizzo, dunno where he found it:

 

5 lbs. Extra Light DME

2½ lbs. Honey

1 oz. Hallertauer pellet hops ( boil 45 minutes)

1/4 oz. Hallertauer pellet hops (steep 10 minutes)

1 oz. Coriander Seed (crushed - ½ boil 10 min, ½ steep 10 minutes)

1 oz. Orange Peel (zested fresh and dried, steep 10 minutes)

 

Yeast: Wyeast #1214 Belgian Abbey

 

Specifics:

Recipe type: Extract

Batch Size: 5 Gallons

SG: 1.059

FG: 1.010

Time in Boil: 45 minutes

Primary Fermentation: 7 days

Secondary Fermentation: 9 days

Bottle aging: ~2 wks @ 72F

[tentacles]

Just wanted to add an update; I've finished carbonating the beer and it is wonderful! I plan on having some of this on tap at all times, or a version of it.

[tentacles]

I've been working on the keezer a bit; I replaced the stock thermostat with the one from my mini fridge (it could handle sufficient current). The way the thermostat is routed inside is a bit of a problem, at the warmest setting it's just barely above freezing. The beer tastes good, though, this is a relatively minor problem.

 

Here's some pics, the second two are inside and quite large! I am not done finding leaks and routing lines to the pop machine, etc. No idea how I will bring the Wunder Bar wand outside the keezer either. I plan on leaving it inside for now.

 

 

http://www.apcforum.net/files/DSCN7216small.JPG

http://www.apcforum.net/files/DSCN7216.JPG

 

http://www.apcforum.net/files/DSCN7217resized.JPG

 

http://www.apcforum.net/files/DSCN7219.JPG

[tentacles]

So, I thought I'd post whore again, just wanted to mention that I'm going to be attempting a simple all grain recipe tonight. I'm changing the hops in this recipe, just because. I am using 1oz/1oz Styrian Golding hops and a bit of Hallertau. Also, up here we have Canadian 2 row malt rather than american. The grain bill came to like $14, plus the yeast and a grain bag.

 

I took a sample of my last beer to the shop with me, and the shopkeeper there was fairly impressed by it. He said he'd never had a Belgian Wit come out that tasty, and gave me a couple bottles of a stout he finished a week ago to try later.

 

 

The Recipe:

Belgian Abbey Ale

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recipe Type: All Grain

Yeast: Wyeast 1214

Yeast Starter: Yes

Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5

Original Gravity: 1.062

Final Gravity: 1.008

IBU: 24

Boiling Time (Minutes): 70

Color: 12

Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7

Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14

 

 

Belgian Abbey Ale

 

Grain:

10.67 lbs. American 2-Row Malt

1 lbs. Munich Malt

1 oz. Chocolate Malt

 

60 minute mash @ 154.

 

Hops:

1 oz. Willamette @ 60 minutes

1 oz. Willamette @ 15 minutes

 

Whole leaf hops.

 

Yeast:

Wyeast # 1214 Belgian Abbey

 

 

After this is done in primary, I plan on dumping some sort of Wit on top of the yeast. I may try an all grain Wit, but the recipe is more complicated for those. After that I am going to try frezing some yeast to use in the future.

[FrankRizzo]

Wow dude, congrats! You'll have to let me know how that all-grain batch turns out. I still haven't tried one yet because I've got so many damn extract kits in my fridge right now.

 

You won't notice any real difference between American 2-Row and Canadian 2-Row other than the Canadian tends to be a bit more left-leaning. Seriously though, the difference in potential gravity is only one or two points.

[Bonny]

You won't notice any real difference between American 2-Row and Canadian 2-Row other than the Canadian tends to be a bit more left-leaning.

Not all us Canucks are leftists eh!

[Mumbles]

So, whenever I get off my ass I am going to be making a Maibock. Just to make you a little bit more jealous Frank, I recently found out(yesterday to be specific), that Capital Maibock comes out at the beginning of february. No longer shall I have to wait for it's golden deliciousness, mmmmmmmmmmm.

 

In march, in the tradition of delicious beer, I have a feeling an Oktoberfest beer shall be in my future. I might give full grain a try. Been reading about it enough to think I can handle it. I have a turkey fryer that needs to be broken in.

 

 

I am thinking I will use extract for the base grains, and mini-mash the vienna and munich or whatever. Do you think that using a german pilner malt extract(such as briess or Weyermann, or reportedly extra light by Northern brewer) would add to it instead of using light extract based on 2-row pale malt? I'd have to order it because the local shop doesn't carry the pilsner liquid malt.

[tentacles]

Well, I spent a good 7 hours last night making the beer. All grain is a real bitch without a mashing tun! I used a 5 gal pot and a 6 qt pan to mash in. brought it all up to 154F and kept it around there for an hour. Tried a few times to siphon off the wort, and failed every attempt. I even made a SS wire frame and wrapped it with a grain bag, this worked briefly until it clogged. After that I used the pot lid to help filter off the wort. I sparged and pressed the residual liquid out of the grain, just about the biggest PITA ever without a mash tun. I basically had to squeeze the spent grain a handful at a time.

 

I added a bit too much water at the end, and my original gravity ended up something like 1.053 - rather than 1.062. I used about 2 quarts more water than I should have, and I don't know how much that would have diluted the wort. Maybe .006? At any rate, it smells great and I can't wait to try it.

 

I'm going to keep my eyes open for a likely mashing tun/cooler.

[Mumbles]

I found this page to be very very helpful in trying to get an idea of what to do. I think I am going to modify my bottling similar to how that cooler was made. I really like the design actually. If all grain goes well, I have a feeling a similar design will be made.

 

http://cruisenews.net/brewing/infusion/index.php

 

The only thing I wasn't sure about was the different temperature rests, and how to achieve them in a plastic mash tun. I've heard of people adding hot water to raise the temp, but I would imagine this would dilute it. I've also heard of decoctions, but that isn't applicable for all varieties. Would one just pour the partially mashed grain back into a boiling pot, heat it up to the next rest, and pour back into the mash tun?

[Arthur]

Adding hot water should mess with the mash concentration. BUT passing boiling water through a submerged copper pipe coil (think microbore central heating pipe) should allow temperature control.

 

Alternatively look into an aquarium heater, 75 - 150w electric heater in a test tube!

[tentacles]

Actually I was thinking what would work great is one of those huge pressure canners - have a fitting welded at the bottom of the side to add a drain valve, put a mesh filter on it (or on a platform above it) and then you can heat in it, and when you're ready to drain, just put a plastic bag over the grain (not sure how to explain this) and then pressurize to ~10 psi with CO2 or air. I use a similar method with my buchner funnel when I need to squeeze something dry. One could also use vacuum to pull the liquid out, but then you'd need a frigging HUGE vacuum flask.

[tentacles]

Just wanted to post a little video: http://www.apcforum.net/files/bubblin.avi

 

This beer is really going strong now. It started a bit slower than the last one, but it's fermenting hard now. I picked up the ingredients for another batch of Frank's belgian wit yesterday, as I have drained the keg again :/

[NBT]

Polish "bimber"

1 kg sugar

4 l water

100g yeast

 

1. put all ingredients into pot and keep them in 70*C for week

2. distil triple

3 drink

 

About 70-80%

 

Of course, very simplified procedure. If someone's interested-ask.

[FrankRizzo]

Actually I was thinking what would work great is one of those huge pressure canners - have a fitting welded at the bottom of the side to add a drain valve, put a mesh filter on it (or on a platform above it) and then you can heat in it, and when you're ready to drain, just put a plastic bag over the grain (not sure how to explain this) and then pressurize to ~10 psi with CO2 or air. I use a similar method with my buchner funnel when I need to squeeze something dry. One could also use vacuum to pull the liquid out, but then you'd need a frigging HUGE vacuum flask.

 

What you've run into is the ubiquitous "stuck mash". Its main cause is adding too much water while sparging..the weight of the water crushes the grain bed down. Re-stir the mash a bit, run off wort and re-circulate till it clears, then start your sparge again. Rice hulls can also be used to help with that.

 

Using physical pressure would probably extract too much bitter tannins from the husks, plus you lose the natural clarification you get by vorlauf.

 

Where'd you get your grains crushed at? They might have been crushed too fine?

 

The only thing I wasn't sure about was the different temperature rests, and how to achieve them in a plastic mash tun. I've heard of people adding hot water to raise the temp, but I would imagine this would dilute it. I've also heard of decoctions, but that isn't applicable for all varieties. Would one just pour the partially mashed grain back into a boiling pot, heat it up to the next rest, and pour back into the mash tun?

Check out this thread on Home Brew Talk forums about using steam: Easy Steam Infusion Mash System It seems to be the best solution if you can find a safe source of steam.

[psyco_1322]

How long should the fermintation of juice take? I read an article that said it should be over in about 7-10 days and im using 3 different yeasts, one being the recomended, and they are still having little bubbles coming up. Not as much as there were in the first few days, but not its just a few but the liquid is still murky. The bubbles sometimes have a stream of "stuff" falling out of them. They have been going for about 2 weeks now. Help/advise?

[Mumbles]

Wine type concoctions can take much longer than, say beer. I've heard many wines taking up around 2-3 months. After it's done actually fermenting, the stuff still has to clarify. Some recomend racking off the good stuff to a seconary fermenter, or into a pot, cleaning the current one and adding it back to the primary.

 

There are some clarifying and ending agents that may be advisable if you think it is done fermenting, which it doesn't sound that it is. Gelatin will help to clarify. I think it was something along the lines of 1/2tsp per gallon. Boil water, and add to that before adding to the fermenting liquid. Potassium Sorbate helps to prevent additional fermentation, and potassium metabisulfite will kill off any current yeasts. The latter adds the sometimes frowned upon "sulfites" to wine though.

[tentacles]

Frank: that's totally my project for tonight.. Canadian Tire has that same pressure cooker for $20 still. The coolers are listed at like $40 though. I'll shop around for something cheap. It doesn't have to be a round one.

[FrankRizzo]

Yeah, ~$40 USD before shipping is about the cheapest you'll find for the 10gal. Gott/Rubbermaid coolers. I picked-up mine from CSP Outdoors. You're right though, it doesn't really matter too much about the cooler type, I've even read that cheaper rectangular ones have better extraction efficiency if you've designed the drain lines effectively. The round ones just have better thermal efficiency and the spout section is extremely easy to retrofit.

[psyco_1322]

Well it was a pretty crude set up. Basically add yeast to the apple juice and in about a week it will be done. He was doing it in a plastic jug and I devided up a gallon into 3 containers and thats where Im at now.

 

There is one that is clearing up more than the others, its the yeast that was high alcohol tollerant, I think it was Montrochet(sp?) from Red Star.

 

http://www.leeners.com/cider.html This site says about 7-10 days also.

 

I did notadd any extra sugar to it though, think the juice sugar has become a limiting reactant in this situation?

[tentacles]

I did pick up a pressure cooker yesterday, a 9L unit for $37. I already drilled and tapped a hole for the valve I purchased. I'm just going with 1/4" copper line and maybe some 1/4" ID poly line between those. There won't be a lot of pressure and I'm not worried if it takes an extra 5 minutes to heat compared to larger tubing. This was much cheaper, both the copper line and the valve ($4.70 vs $12).

 

If you recommend the 10 gal cooler, maybe I'll just go pick up one of those cheap 48L jobs at walmart for $25. A rectangular one, but the price is so much better.

 

For connecting my copper lines, should I solder (lead free type)? Or just tension fit and maybe hit it with a punch to dimple?

[Bonny]

I did pick up a pressure cooker yesterday, a 9L unit for $37. I already drilled and tapped a hole for the valve I purchased. I'm just going with 1/4" copper line and maybe some 1/4" ID poly line between those. There won't be a lot of pressure and I'm not worried if it takes an extra 5 minutes to heat compared to larger tubing. This was much cheaper, both the copper line and the valve ($4.70 vs $12).

 

If you recommend the 10 gal cooler, maybe I'll just go pick up one of those cheap 48L jobs at walmart for $25. A rectangular one, but the price is so much better.

 

For connecting my copper lines, should I solder (lead free type)? Or just tension fit and maybe hit it with a punch to dimple?

Not sure on your heat and pressure, but at work we used 1/4" and 3/8" copper lines on a plastic extrusion line cooling system. Compression fittings were fine with water exceeding 100C and easily passing 100psi when it was on a heating cycle. Usually the pipes would rupture before any fittings leaked. Also, I think I have some 1/4" SS pipe if you want to try it.

[psyco_1322]

If your going to solder something that is to be used with food/drink than it would be very wise to use tin solder and not lead. Its now a law that water pipes be soldered with only tin, never lead.