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Beer Online

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Deck Cadelanne
CAStabouts
#221 - 2014-09-23 17:29:42 UTC
I am considering trying home brewing. It's something my dad used to do and I've always wanted to give it a go.

I'd like to try and make a porter.

While I am researching recipes, would anyone strongly recommend one?

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

- Hunter S. Thompson
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#222 - 2014-09-24 04:39:39 UTC
Deck Cadelanne wrote:
I am considering trying home brewing. It's something my dad used to do and I've always wanted to give it a go.

I'd like to try and make a porter.

While I am researching recipes, would anyone strongly recommend one?



Get this book. This is the book. There is no other book to start with. This is the book to start with.


(it has recipes too)

Bring back DEEEEP Space!
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#223 - 2014-09-28 05:17:03 UTC
I have acquired a 6 pack of this.

And indeed it does taste like a slice of pumpkin pie fell into the fermenter.

Remarkable about this (and who knows where the idea comes from) is that is has maple syrup.

My pumpkin brew meanwhile is doing OK but it's showing a need for a higher fermentation temp. Odd.

Bring back DEEEEP Space!
CCP Sledgehammer
C C P
C C P Alliance
#224 - 2014-09-29 10:54:41 UTC
Herzog Wolfhammer wrote:
I have acquired a 6 pack of this.

And indeed it does taste like a slice of pumpkin pie fell into the fermenter.

Remarkable about this (and who knows where the idea comes from) is that is has maple syrup.

My pumpkin brew meanwhile is doing OK but it's showing a need for a higher fermentation temp. Odd.


What did you pitch with?

Graphical QA Analyst | EVE Quality Assurance | Team TriLambda
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#225 - 2014-09-30 19:04:50 UTC
CCP Sledgehammer wrote:
Herzog Wolfhammer wrote:
I have acquired a 6 pack of this.

And indeed it does taste like a slice of pumpkin pie fell into the fermenter.

Remarkable about this (and who knows where the idea comes from) is that is has maple syrup.

My pumpkin brew meanwhile is doing OK but it's showing a need for a higher fermentation temp. Odd.


What did you pitch with?


I used "Wyeast American Ale Yeast", the sort that comes in a packet-within-a-packet, yeast and activator. Smack the packet and wait a couple hours for it to puff up, that sort of thing. Been using that type most of the time for 4 years.

If I take the temp up to around 78 degrees it ferments nicely, but seems to go dormant at 65 where dark beer is usually recommended to ferment at. I kept it at 78 degrees most of the week after the fermentation seemed to prematurely slow down. I usually get a gallon of blowoff but not this time.

Possibly a heavy amount of particles from the pumpkin meat could have caused strange pH issues (my theory) or not enough amylase (second guess). I'll try a different yeast next time. So far it's got a wonderful smell to it and it gets racked today.

Last time something like this happened a brew had to stay in the secondary for 2 months before being bottled (lest we have gushers or exploding bottles) but the brew itself turned out epic.

Bring back DEEEEP Space!
vynok
Sub Par.
#226 - 2014-10-01 18:14:26 UTC
Herzog Wolfhammer wrote:
Black Pumpkin brew engaged. Thanks for the advice.

We have fermentation.... All other signs nominal.





how did it look?

As far as sluggish fermentations go, wyeast is notorious for being a pita. They don't usaully have a high enough cell count when they start out so most of the time I have my customers (former customers now I closed down the supply shop now I am going pro :D) do a starter. I have found for the best results go with this for american or this for english. Those 2 have an 11 million cells compared to the 8 million(iirc) of white labs and wyeast and they are the identical strain. I have friends that are pro brewers and this is all they run in their breweries (with the exception of a few special brews.)

The us-05 and s-04 ferment super fast (primary usually done in 3-4 days), lower temps (around 68-70F is where i run them) and you can pitch them without a starter as high as 1.060 (I have even gone clear up to 1.075 with good wort aeration). But really the trick to good strong fermentation is proper yeast pitching rate (here's a good calc), temp and of course wort aeration.

Since I am in the process of moving I have to live vicariously through you guys. I haven't been able to brew since march.

Herzog I heard you mention you live in washington. Where abouts? We are fixing to leave alaska in the next 2 weeks and are looking to land in the spokane area is why i ask.
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#227 - 2014-10-02 00:56:57 UTC
vynok wrote:
Herzog Wolfhammer wrote:
Black Pumpkin brew engaged. Thanks for the advice.

We have fermentation.... All other signs nominal.





how did it look?

As far as sluggish fermentations go, wyeast is notorious for being a pita. They don't usaully have a high enough cell count when they start out so most of the time I have my customers (former customers now I closed down the supply shop now I am going pro :D) do a starter. I have found for the best results go with this for american or this for english. Those 2 have an 11 million cells compared to the 8 million(iirc) of white labs and wyeast and they are the identical strain. I have friends that are pro brewers and this is all they run in their breweries (with the exception of a few special brews.)

The us-05 and s-04 ferment super fast (primary usually done in 3-4 days), lower temps (around 68-70F is where i run them) and you can pitch them without a starter as high as 1.060 (I have even gone clear up to 1.075 with good wort aeration). But really the trick to good strong fermentation is proper yeast pitching rate (here's a good calc), temp and of course wort aeration.

Since I am in the process of moving I have to live vicariously through you guys. I haven't been able to brew since march.

Herzog I heard you mention you live in washington. Where abouts? We are fixing to leave alaska in the next 2 weeks and are looking to land in the spokane area is why i ask.



The beer looks great at the moment. Nice and dark. Thanks for the yeast advice. I will add this to the notes I have for the brew itself.

You will be on the opposite end of the state, across the Mountains. Last time I tried to go to Spokane, I got stuck and the mountains and attacked by wolves and bears.

And that's how I lost a testicle.

(OK it's my goal this month to end every "bad story" with a comment relating to how it cost a ball)

Bring back DEEEEP Space!
Remiel Pollard
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#228 - 2014-10-03 09:43:47 UTC
I am into pretty much anything Australia, except for XXXX, VB, and Fosters. Fosters isn't really Australian though, it's just the stuff that doesn't make it through QA so we export it.

“Some capsuleers claim that ECM is 'dishonorable' and 'unfair'. Jam those ones first, and kill them last.” - Jirai 'Fatal' Laitanen, Pithum Nullifier Training Manual c. YC104
CCP Goliath
C C P
C C P Alliance
#229 - 2014-10-03 14:01:41 UTC
Remiel Pollard wrote:
I am into pretty much anything Australia, except for XXXX, VB, and Fosters. Fosters isn't really Australian though, it's just the stuff that doesn't make it through QA so we export it.


I didn't know there were Australian beers apart from those beers...

CCP Goliath | QA Director | EVE Illuminati | @CCP_Goliath
Remiel Pollard
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#230 - 2014-10-03 17:14:17 UTC  |  Edited by: Remiel Pollard
CCP Goliath wrote:
Remiel Pollard wrote:
I am into pretty much anything Australia, except for XXXX, VB, and Fosters. Fosters isn't really Australian though, it's just the stuff that doesn't make it through QA so we export it.


I didn't know there were Australian beers apart from those beers...



Carlton (any) and Crown Lager are two of my favourites, Tooheys as well. Bluetongue is a lesser-known Tasmanian beer that's quite nice. When I was working as a chef at one particular restaurant, I used to crack one open about an hour before the store locked its doors and then chill with the store's owner while my apprentice did all the cleaning Twisted

“Some capsuleers claim that ECM is 'dishonorable' and 'unfair'. Jam those ones first, and kill them last.” - Jirai 'Fatal' Laitanen, Pithum Nullifier Training Manual c. YC104
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#231 - 2014-10-14 07:02:59 UTC
Bottled the dark pumpkin brew last night.

Ran out of bottles and had to drink a pint. Poor me.


Gotta say this is a strange one. Neutral aftertaste, like a feeling that the slug you just took, didn't happen. So you gotta take another one to ensure that you are really drinking a beer and not just thinking you did.

Then the potency hits... This one is going to be trouble.

Tastes more like stout beer than anything pumpkin pie related. Not like the taste of a pumpkin brew intended to taste like pumpkin pie, but more like "Hey I was eating pumpkin pie a half hour ago now I'm having a beer".

7 - 10 days in the bottles and mellow out and I'm sure I'll have a few friends falling into the bonfire this Halloween. Then I haz their stuff.


Bring back DEEEEP Space!
Liafcipe9000
Critically Preposterous
#232 - 2014-10-14 11:52:35 UTC
Alcohol-free beer. I'm crazy enough without it, you don't want me to suicide gank in real life now do you? Pirate
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#233 - 2014-10-15 07:19:33 UTC
OK while the pumpkin porter stout brew whatever is in bottles, I started the next batch.

The mission is here.

But I'm making a mod to it. Instead of soaking oak chips in bourbon I'm using Bacardi 151 and I added 2.5 lbs of non-sulphered molasses to this mix. This brew is a throwback to the Prohibition Era where at times casks used to age rum and other spirits got deployed to contain beer. This imparts the flavor of the cask and whatever it had before into the beer.

I've done this recipe numerous times with great results and I suspect it'll wreck the Thanksgiving Holiday for a few hapless friends who underestimate its strength (again) but they'll still say they had a good time.

Roughly 1 hour ago I was done making it and the entire studio smells like it. This is a good thing.

Meanwhile the pumpkin brew will be "tested" tomorrow by a Scottish girl from down the road. If she likes it, then it's safe to drink. I got a 1.5 pint bottle, the largest of the set, I fill for her every batch. It has not been shoved up my ass yet - but she think's she'll need two out of some notion that I'll enjoy the first one. Gotta keep them guessing you know.






Bring back DEEEEP Space!
CCP Sledgehammer
C C P
C C P Alliance
#234 - 2014-10-15 10:20:49 UTC
Herzog Wolfhammer wrote:
OK while the pumpkin porter stout brew whatever is in bottles, I started the next batch.

The mission is here.

But I'm making a mod to it. Instead of soaking oak chips in bourbon I'm using Bacardi 151 and I added 2.5 lbs of non-sulphered molasses to this mix. This brew is a throwback to the Prohibition Era where at times casks used to age rum and other spirits got deployed to contain beer. This imparts the flavor of the cask and whatever it had before into the beer.

I've done this recipe numerous times with great results and I suspect it'll wreck the Thanksgiving Holiday for a few hapless friends who underestimate its strength (again) but they'll still say they had a good time.

Roughly 1 hour ago I was done making it and the entire studio smells like it. This is a good thing.

Meanwhile the pumpkin brew will be "tested" tomorrow by a Scottish girl from down the road. If she likes it, then it's safe to drink. I got a 1.5 pint bottle, the largest of the set, I fill for her every batch. It has not been shoved up my ass yet - but she think's she'll need two out of some notion that I'll enjoy the first one. Gotta keep them guessing you know.


There's one thing in general we Scots are known for, and it's booze. I reckon you've found yourself a great QA(le) tester! That recipe sounds like a winner, I've had one similar but they went full out and turned it in to a christmas pudding beer, with raisins, sultanas and candied orange in the fermenter, Rum on top of that. I must say it was fuckin' awesome.

Brewing cadence has been non-existent since I came back from Holiday 3 weeks ago, need to get a few brews on but also need to take inventory to do that...

Graphical QA Analyst | EVE Quality Assurance | Team TriLambda
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#235 - 2014-10-15 15:58:48 UTC
CCP Sledgehammer wrote:
Herzog Wolfhammer wrote:
OK while the pumpkin porter stout brew whatever is in bottles, I started the next batch.

The mission is here.

But I'm making a mod to it. Instead of soaking oak chips in bourbon I'm using Bacardi 151 and I added 2.5 lbs of non-sulphered molasses to this mix. This brew is a throwback to the Prohibition Era where at times casks used to age rum and other spirits got deployed to contain beer. This imparts the flavor of the cask and whatever it had before into the beer.

I've done this recipe numerous times with great results and I suspect it'll wreck the Thanksgiving Holiday for a few hapless friends who underestimate its strength (again) but they'll still say they had a good time.

Roughly 1 hour ago I was done making it and the entire studio smells like it. This is a good thing.

Meanwhile the pumpkin brew will be "tested" tomorrow by a Scottish girl from down the road. If she likes it, then it's safe to drink. I got a 1.5 pint bottle, the largest of the set, I fill for her every batch. It has not been shoved up my ass yet - but she think's she'll need two out of some notion that I'll enjoy the first one. Gotta keep them guessing you know.


There's one thing in general we Scots are known for, and it's booze. I reckon you've found yourself a great QA(le) tester! That recipe sounds like a winner, I've had one similar but they went full out and turned it in to a christmas pudding beer, with raisins, sultanas and candied orange in the fermenter, Rum on top of that. I must say it was fuckin' awesome.

Brewing cadence has been non-existent since I came back from Holiday 3 weeks ago, need to get a few brews on but also need to take inventory to do that...




P...p....pudding beer? :-O

Bring back DEEEEP Space!
CCP Sledgehammer
C C P
C C P Alliance
#236 - 2014-10-16 12:58:57 UTC
Yeah! It's actually a thing!

Graphical QA Analyst | EVE Quality Assurance | Team TriLambda
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#237 - 2014-10-18 01:53:15 UTC
I must find this recipe....

There was a holiday brew I tried a few years ago that had orange and cinnamon involved but to a minor extent. The extra flavors didn't seem very noticeable.



Bootlegger brew will be bottled in a month, primary will be freed up in a week, so there is time.

On a side note, this year I will attempt Skyr as I used to make cheese too, though not as much these days - still have the equipment. When Skyr Gobbler of the Yule Lads was shown last year (hope to see them again this year) that big tub of Skyr looked tasty. Like a turbocharged yogurt, dairy's answer to bacon.



Bring back DEEEEP Space!
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#238 - 2014-10-30 16:28:37 UTC
OK something is bothering me.... I have a batch of beer bottled and will not have bottles for the next batch. I used to time it well enough.

This means....

kegging


Anybody have opinions on that? My greatest fear is that I'm going to end up making a kegerator but I have a lot of projects on my plate already.

Still... beer on tap... in my home? Did I die and not get the memo?

Bring back DEEEEP Space!
CCP Goliath
C C P
C C P Alliance
#239 - 2014-10-30 16:38:02 UTC
Herzog Wolfhammer wrote:
OK something is bothering me.... I have a batch of beer bottled and will not have bottles for the next batch. I used to time it well enough.

This means....

kegging


Anybody have opinions on that? My greatest fear is that I'm going to end up making a kegerator but I have a lot of projects on my plate already.

Still... beer on tap... in my home? Did I die and not get the memo?


Both Sledgehammer and I use corny kegs, (I've actually never bottled) and dig them. I guess one of the issues is portability, but if you already have bottles, you're fine there. CO2 is pricy as an initial outlay, but I've seen great solutions with paintball canisters instead of bottles.

CCP Goliath | QA Director | EVE Illuminati | @CCP_Goliath
Bagrat Skalski
Koinuun Kotei
#240 - 2014-10-31 06:57:23 UTC
Herzog Wolfhammer wrote:

Still... beer on tap... in my home?

Let's drink to that.

Custom ship skins, character creator style "repaint". Bring it!