The Best of the Wort: A Homebrewers Thread.

[CHIEF4EVER]

How many Homebrewers do we have on the Planet? I am, as I type, in the process of brewing 5 gallons of Premium grade Deutsches HefeWeizen. Will be pitching the Wort in about 30 minutes. 4 weeks is a long time to wait for a good beverage but well worth it. YUMMY!!!!!!

[Dartgod]

Quite a few actually. I've got a couple of batches under my belt. I need to get busy on that third one.
Also, Jimnasium, Bwana and a few others I believe. Jimnasium is probably the biggest homebrewer here.

[CHIEF4EVER]

Quite a few actually. I've got a couple of batches under my belt. I need to get busy on that third one.
Also, Jimnasium, Bwana and a few others I believe. Jimnasium is probably the biggest homebrewer here.

Cool. I just started and am enjoying the heck out of it. I can hardly wait for that first glass of golden Weizen with a slice of lemon. :BLVD:

[StcChief]

Weizen is good summer brew.

Just had a good Octoberfest actually over labor day weekend. Schlafly's smooth.

Looking forward to the weekend Octoberfest in wine country, St.Charles county Augusta brewery.

Plenty of Microbrews from MO,IL.

Even Fat Tire from Ft.Collins.Co.

[CHIEF4EVER]

Weizen is good summer brew.

Just had a good Octoberfest actually over labor day weekend. Schlafly's smooth.

Looking forward to the weekend Octoberfest in wine country, St.Charles county Augusta brewery.

Plenty of Microbrews from MO,IL.

Even Fat Tire from Ft.Collins.Co.

I think my next project is going to be a good old fashioned DoppelBock. Mmmmmmmmm............

[CHIEF4EVER]

Just finished brewing a batch of Guiness clone night before last and am brewing a batch of Warsteiner clone (pilsener) as we speak. I hope they turn out as well as my Weizen did. Here's a photo of the finished product next to the start of the next batch:

[the Talking Can]

I just finished pitching my wort too...now where's a cigarette?

[Braincase]

Used to, made a nice amber for my wedding "The Rolling Pin Amber"...

[CHIEF4EVER]

Used to, made a nice amber for my wedding "The Rolling Pin Amber"...

Sort of a Pale Ale? I learned a bit from my first batch of Weizen. I overhopped it just a bit (not much) and consequently it was slightly more bitter than expected. The flavor is outstanding though and it tastes almost exactly like the weizens I used to drink in Germany.

[JimNasium]

I've got an 8 gallon batch of American red in primary right now. We just bottled a 9.5% bourbon-vanilla porter earlier this week. My next two beers include a 10% Belgian trippel and a smores stout. That's right, a sweet stout mashed with graham crackers and with chocolate and marshmallow added to the boil

[CHIEF4EVER]

I've got an 8 gallon batch of American red in primary right now. We just bottled a 9.5% bourbon-vanilla porter earlier this week. My next two beers include a 10% Belgian trippel and a smores stout. That's right, a sweet stout mashed with graham crackers and with chocolate and marshmallow added to the boil

Tell me something JN. I took the SG reading on my Guiness clone right before it went into primary. It was at 1.053 and the recipe called for 1.040-045.........the only thing I omitted was the optional acid malt. Do you think it will be a big deal flavor wise? In essence, it is just a dark stout right?

[CHIEF4EVER]

a smores stout. That's right, a sweet stout mashed with graham crackers and with chocolate and marshmallow added to the boil


An experiment or is this a brew you have made before? It's likely to have an interesting taste......

[JimNasium]

An experiment or is this a brew you have made before? It's likely to have an interesting taste......
Experimental. I've had chocolate stouts before though and the graham crackers should be easy to mash. The wild card is the marshmallows but they should provide fermentable sugar and add to the taste profile. I keep my experimental batches to 5 gallons but my tried and true recipes can go as high as 14 gallons.

[4th and Long]

Chocolate, graham crackers and marshmellows?

Are you making beer or smores?

[JimNasium]

Chocolate, graham crackers and marshmellows?

Are you making beer or smores?
Smores stout. :)

[4th and Long]

Smores stout. :)
Hmmm .... I dunno. Seems kinda like a ... girly drink, to me. :p

[JimNasium]

Hmmm .... I dunno. Seems kinda like a ... girly drink, to me. :p
A homebrewer worth his wort always keeps panty peeler close at hand. :p

[4th and Long]

A homebrewer worth his wort always keeps panty peeler close at hand. :p
ROFL :BLVD: :thumb: ROFL

[the Talking Can]

a 10% Belgian trippel....


do you accept Pay-Pal?

[JimNasium]

do you accept Pay-Pal?
It's an experimental batch and one of the tougher styles to brew so keep your credit card in your wallet. I've been on a Belgian kick lately and it's been hit or miss along the way. When you hit though it's heaven.

[CHIEF4EVER]

10% Belgian trippel

Good lord! That is almost a Barley wine! How in the world do you keep the fermentation from getting stuck at such a high alcohol content?

[JimNasium]

Good lord! That is almost a Barley wine! How in the world do you keep the fermentation from getting stuck at such a high alcohol content?
1. Proper yeast strain.
2. Massive amounts of oxygen.
3. Massive yeast starter.

[chagrin]

Nasium knows his stuff, that's how he does it!

I finished off drinking my first batch of beer in 4 years - a Pale Ale, not my favortie, but I was feeling brave. Right now I have a Belgian White in the hopper for a while, that's my favorite, Beligan style beers, although I try to stay away from the Lambic ghey shit

[CHIEF4EVER]

Jimnasium, if you are on, I could sure use some of your expertise. I am brewing my first all grain and am a little nervous about temperature control. I am using 10 lb of malt and utilized 2.5 galons of 168 degree water to start the mash. The mash temp stabilized to 150 briefly but then dropped to 145 for 2-3 minutes. I added another 2 qt of boiling water and the temp returned to 152. What effect, if any will the temp fluctuations have on my wort? Also, will the reduced amount of sparge water reduce my efficiency to a great extent?

[JimNasium]

Jimnasium, if you are on, I could sure use some of your expertise. I am brewing my first all grain and am a little nervous about temperature control. I am using 10 lb of malt and utilized 2.5 galons of 168 degree water to start the mash. The mash temp stabilized to 150 briefly but then dropped to 145 for 2-3 minutes. I added another 2 qt of boiling water and the temp returned to 152. What effect, if any will the temp fluctuations have on my wort? Also, will the reduced amount of sparge water reduce my efficiency to a great extent?
If it's any consolation I don't even check my mash temps. I think you are fine with slight temperature variation. Describe your mash tun if you don't mind.

[JimNasium]

Oh, and for the record I currently have 5 gallons of Trippel in secondary, 13 gallons of American pale and I'm brewing a Belgian Strong Dark on Christmas day that I'm projecting to be in the 10% range. My Trippel ended up at around 8.5% so I missed my target but it tasted pretty fine at transfer so that's all that matters.

[Dartgod]

I'll be starting my 3rd batch soon, probably as early as next week. The last one was a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone and it was pretty damn tasty, I must say. I may do another pale ale, maybe an IPA. I'm becoming quite the hop head lately.

[JimNasium]

I'll be starting my 3rd batch soon, probably as early as next week. The last one was a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone and it was pretty damn tasty, I must say. I may do another pale ale, maybe an IPA. I'm becoming quite the hop head lately.
Hops are yummy. I've been on a Centennial kick lately. If you like Cascade (Sierra Nevada clone should have them, right?) then I'd be willing to bet that you would like them too. I've also recently tried Amarillo and the jury is still out on that one. I can't decide if it was the hops or the fact that it was the first recipe that I concocted that screwed that beer up. :hmmm:

[CHIEF4EVER]

If it's any consolation I don't even check my mash temps. I think you are fine with slight temperature variation. Describe your mash tun if you don't mind.

I converted a rectangular igloo cooler with some bulkhead fittings and a ball valve. On the inside I used a bazooka screen. I got all the parts at The Home Brewery in Ozark. I am batch sparging as we speak with 170 degree water. I checked conversion with iodophor and it stayed red. Seems like complete conversion to me. Tasted a bit of the wort and was very sweet so in that regard all should be OK (I hope). I will check OG when done sparging to be sure of efficiency.

[JimNasium]

I converted a rectangular igloo cooler with some bulkhead fittings and a ball valve. On the inside I used a bazooka screen. I got all the parts at The Home Brewery in Ozark. I am batch sparging as we speak with 170 degree water. I checked conversion with iodophor and it stayed red. Seems like complete conversion to me. Tasted a bit of the wort and was very sweet so in that regard all should be OK (I hope). I will check OG when done sparging to be sure of efficiency.
You are golden then. FWIW, Todd at the Home Brewery doesn't check mash temps either. Did you warm up your cooler before you started?

[CHIEF4EVER]

You are golden then. FWIW, Todd at the Home Brewery doesn't check mash temps either. Did you warm up your cooler before you started?

Yeah, I put a half gallon of 168 degree water in the cooler before adding the grain. Maybe I should have let the water sit and steam with the lid closed for a bit before adding grain? BTW, my Guiness clone turned out MUCH better than I expected. Leaving out the Acid Malt was the best thing I could have done. My stout is black as midnight, has a nice tan head, tasted wonderful and doesn't have that sour twang. I'll post a pic of the finished product after I start the boil for this Weizen.

[CHIEF4EVER]

I'll be starting my 3rd batch soon, probably as early as next week. The last one was a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone and it was pretty damn tasty, I must say. I may do another pale ale, maybe an IPA. I'm becoming quite the hop head lately.

Mmmmmmmmm...... IPA. :homer:

One of these days I will get around to brewing one. A nice bitter one.

[Fish]

Ohh I thought it said homegrowers........

nevermind........

[JimNasium]

Yeah, I put a half gallon of 168 degree water in the cooler before adding the grain. Maybe I should have let the water sit and steam with the lid closed for a bit before adding grain? BTW, my Guiness clone turned out MUCH better than I expected. Leaving out the Acid Malt was the best thing I could have done. My stout is black as midnight, has a nice tan head, tasted wonderful and doesn't have that sour twang. I'll post a pic of the finished product after I start the boil for this Weizen.
I generally fill mine with boiling water to preheat it. You'll always loose (CPS) some heat in a cooler. That's just part of it. We need to get together and do some taste testing.

[nmt1]

Mmmmmmmmm...... IPA. :homer:

One of these days I will get around to brewing one. A nice bitter one.

Looking at starting one myself in the next week or so. Do you guys get your stuff locally or via the net?

[JimNasium]

Looking at starting one myself in the next week or so. Do you guys get your stuff locally or via the net?
We've got a shop in Ozark that I frequent.

[CHIEF4EVER]

I generally fill mine with boiling water to preheat it. You'll always loose (CPS) some heat in a cooler. That's just part of it. We need to get together and do some taste testing.

Sounds good. I would really enjoy that. A couple of Chief fans enjoying some fresh 'Nectar of the Gods'. Thanks for the tip with the cooler. I guess I am going to have to learn by doing and by advice (such as what you just provided me with). For the record, my project for tomorrow is a bit ambitious.......a Weizen Doppelbock. I won't know how it turned out for 6 months but I will force myself to be patient.

[CHIEF4EVER]

Looking at starting one myself in the next week or so. Do you guys get your stuff locally or via the net?

I get my stuff in Ozark like JN does.

[Garcia Bronco]

Chocolate, graham crackers and marshmellows?

Are you making beer or smores?


Both:)

[JimNasium]

Sounds good. I would really enjoy that. A couple of Chief fans enjoying some fresh 'Nectar of the Gods'. Thanks for the tip with the cooler. I guess I am going to have to learn by doing and by advice (such as what you just provided me with). For the record, my project for tomorrow is a bit ambitious.......a Weizen Doppelbock. I won't know how it turned out for 6 months but I will force myself to be patient.
Are you mashing wheat?

[JimNasium]

Both:)
I've got to get this one on my brewing schedule. So much beer, so little time. :(

[Garcia Bronco]

Looking at starting one myself in the next week or so. Do you guys get your stuff locally or via the net?

We need to hook up on this. I'm interested in brewing as well. And it sounds like we've got some brains we could pick as well

[CHIEF4EVER]

Are you mashing wheat?
Yeah, it's like a 60% Barley 40% wheat brew. Will wind up being around 7.7% ABV.

Edit: My biggest concern is going to be if I pitch enough yeast or not. I figured 7.7% isn't so strong as to require any additional starter but I could be wrong.

[JimNasium]

Yeah, it's like a 60% Barley 40% wheat brew. Will wind up being around 7.7% ABV.
Wow, I hope you are using rice hulls. My exprience with wheat has been stuck sparge city.

[CHIEF4EVER]

Wow, I hope you are using rice hulls. My exprience with wheat has been stuck sparge city.

I neglected to get some for this brew but then I also spaced out an entire pound of Munich malt as well. I will have to see Todd tonight before they close to get both. I can honestly say that the weizen I just mashed didnt get stuck but the Weizen Doppelbock is almost twice as much grain and stuck sparge is a real concern.

[JimNasium]

I neglected to get some for this brew but then I also spaced out an entire pound of Munich malt as well. I will have to see Todd tonight before they close to get both. I can honestly say that the weizen I just mashed didnt get stuck but the Weizen Doppelbock is almost twice as much grain and stuck sparge is a real concern.
Perhaps your tun handles it better than mine. Are you fly sparging or batch sparging?

[CHIEF4EVER]

Perhaps your tun handles it better than mine. Are you fly sparging or batch sparging?

Batch. I really don't think having insects in my brew would be sanitary. :p ROFL

[JimNasium]

Batch. I really don't think having insects in my brew would be sanitary. :p ROFL
:hmmm: :shake: ROFL

[CHIEF4EVER]

I should have added a "baddum pish" to my last post.

[CHIEF4EVER]

Perhaps your tun handles it better than mine. Are you fly sparging or batch sparging?

Seriously, I batch sparged. I didn't feel like investing in the added equipment and after reading the article you linked me to I didn't see the advantage in fly sparging. Since I am stirring the grain with a spoon and vorlaufing between each batch sparge, how would fly sparging be more efficient or cleaner? It seems to me (in my admitted ignorance) that I would garner just as much sweet wort batch sparging as I would fly sparging and in half the time. Am I way out in left field with that assumption?

[CHIEF4EVER]

Oh, the promised pics:

[CHIEF4EVER]

JN, check your PM's.