Homebrewers - Whats in the fermenter?

[BeerAdvocate]

Brewing an Irish Stout tonight, that I am going to let age for a few months before I tap the keg!

[kaisersozei]

Originally Posted by kaisersozei

Brewed up a DIPA yesterday, pitched with one of my last batches of Hopslam yeast. Used a burst hop technique with Simcoe, Amarillo & Citra, got around 85 IBUs. My efficiency on the mash was only about 60% so OG was a bit light at 1.071. Will add some honey to the primary after a few days.

That Bell's yeast is a beast. I put a pound of honey in the secondary which boosted the OG to about 1.078, and it was 1.016 when I bottled on Sunday. I had dry-hopped with a 75/25 Citra/Simcoe mix--smelled & tasted great, now the waiting begins.

Have three recipes ready to go, just trying to determine which start next: a belgian stout, a brown ale, and a SMSH experiment using my homegrown hops that I will split into 3 batches, using a different yeast with each batch.

[landhoney]

Bottled a funky batch of Saison last night (yeast was Whitelabs Platinum American Farmhouse - Saison yeast and Brett) that had two kinds of wine soaked oak cubes added (Madeira and a variety called Linae) as well as Rhubarb for a little hint of sour/fruit. I don't generally add so much "crap" to my beers at once but I just bottled a great plain batch of Saison a few weeks ago, so I thought "why not?". It actually tastes very good at bottling, we'll see once its cold and 'carbed.

[cricky101]

I picked up three Perlick faucets/shanks for the yet-to-be-built keezer. Now I just need a freezer/fridge and I'll be ready for three kegs on-tap and one on-deck.

Haven't worked out the recipe yet, but I've got a bunch of Amarillo hops to use up, so it'll be some kind of IPA. I like Rogue's Yellow Snow, which I think is all-Amarillo, so it should be tasty.

[Mikes]

Where did you buy your keezer parts. I have the opposite problem. Just picked up a new 14. something horizontal freezer @ lowes. Now I need the parts. THinking about all stainless parts and perlicks but damn son **** adds up fast! Looking forward to your research to see if I looked at those places online already.

Btw are you mounting the collar to the lid or the base?

Mikes

[BeerAdvocate]

Originally Posted by Mikes

Where did you buy your keezer parts. I have the opposite problem. Just picked up a new 14. something horizontal freezer @ lowes. Now I need the parts. THinking about all stainless parts and perlicks but damn son **** adds up fast! Looking forward to your research to see if I looked at those places online already.

Btw are you mounting the collar to the lid or the base?

Mikes

kegconnection.com has the best prices & customer service

[deadrise]

any help here guys is appreciated noob brewer thread

[cricky101]

Originally Posted by Mikes

Where did you buy your keezer parts. I have the opposite problem. Just picked up a new 14. something horizontal freezer @ lowes. Now I need the parts. THinking about all stainless parts and perlicks but damn son **** adds up fast! Looking forward to your research to see if I looked at those places online already.

Btw are you mounting the collar to the lid or the base?

Mikes

I've bought stuff all over the place, over the span of a few months. I wanted to go all stainless, too, but the cost was too much for me.

- Got kegs, tank and regulator on Craig's List;

- disconnects, tubing, new O-rings and other smaller items from Northern Brewer (at their retail store);

- I went with the chrome, front-sealing perlicks from ritebrew.com for $17.50 each.They're the 525PC. I've got a couple buddies who each have them said they're working great. The front-sealing was the biggest thing for me, so they don't gunk-up as quickly as the generic ones;

- I got a secondary regulator from Beverage Factory.

I haven't decided on the collar yet. I've seen it where the collar is hinged with the factory hinges to the base, and then the freezer lid is hinged (with new hinges) to the top of the collar. I think I'll explore that method. That way you can tip the collar assembly up to switch kegs (so you don't have to lift them over the collar), but can just lift the lid to mess with connections, tubing, etc ...

[Mikey202]

Nut brown Ale that my buddy and I added some pumpkin to the wort, is fermenting now. Basic can kit, dry yeast.

Doing a Imperial Nut Brown Ale tonight, using White Labs English ale yeast. This is a partial mash kit.

[Mikey202]

yeast blew the stopper and water valve of the carboy of the Imperial Nut Brown Ale.

Went to my buddies house and set up an overflow tube/ water valve on the carboy. Think I'll name it Nitro INBA.

[Salvelinus]

Originally Posted by Mikey202

yeast blew the stopper and water valve of the carboy of the Imperial Nut Brown Ale.

Went to my buddies house and set up an overflow tube/ water valve on the carboy. Think I'll name it Nitro INBA.

And that is why my fermentors sit in the basement stand up shower! I've had some good ones, but I can always just turn the shower on to clean up.

[Mikey202]

Originally Posted by Salvelinus

And that is why my fermentors sit in the basement stand up shower! I've had some good ones, but I can always just turn the shower on to clean up.

Yep.. it was in the shower.

[Salvelinus]

Just pitched yeast into 12 gallons of fresh pressed cider. Not sure what I am going to do with the two carboys of it yet. Probably some brown sugar and cinnamon in one, but I might get odd with the other one. Some tart cherry and dme perhaps...

[Mikes]

Keezer is almost done ;o) Putting the paint on the collar. Got some whiteboard paint for the front 1x10 where the taps are going to go so I can just write under them what style of beer is gonna come out. Then to remount the lid and wait on beer parts to come in. Not a bad way to spend a day and a half......

[Mikey202]

Originally Posted by Salvelinus

Just pitched yeast into 12 gallons of fresh pressed cider. Not sure what I am going to do with the two carboys of it yet. Probably some brown sugar and cinnamon in one, but I might get odd with the other one. Some tart cherry and dme perhaps...

After it's done fermenting put it outside and remove the ice, it will make Apple Jack.

[kaisersozei]

Decided to brew a simple American Brown at the second annual Winston's Homebrew Herf & Chili Cookoff this past Sunday. Currently bubbling away at about 66 degrees, much lower than I've used for the Bell's yeast before.

http://hopville.com/recipe/934849/am...duro-brown-ale

[BeerAdvocate]

I am brewing a milk stout today. I plan on adding 4oz of cocoa nibs to secondary for a Chocolate Milk Stout

[Salvelinus]

Just got a keggle. Inaugural brew in it is going to be a wee heavy. I know it is going to be harder, but I'll probably still manage to boil over in this kettle too...

[SteelCityBoy]

I will be doing a dark lager Sunday morning. Haven't brewed for about 3 or 4 months and needed to scratch the itch. For anyone that has tried Sam Adams Black Lager then you will know what I am going for. I figure it would be nice come around Christmas to enjoy a nice dark, smooth, malty lager. I will post a few pics too for yins to check out!

[kaisersozei]

Brewed a stout yesterday that I pitched with Belgian Ale yeast (W550) last night. I'll probably ferment a little on the cool side, just because ambient temp in my brew closet is about 66. Depending on how it turns out, I may add some lactose at bottling to turn this into a sweet stout.