Home Brew Maggots

[SB]

If you are on strict water rationing it would be an option. I would mix it starsan for extra sanitizer which can be reused as long as the pH does not go above 3.0

[SB]

Ordered American wheat supplies, Scotty Shandy will be the first brew on nu rig.

[::: :::]

ok, who's started on this yet?
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-32780624

[criscam]

Here's a question: what about collecting water that goes though the wort chiller in glass carboys, storing it for a week or two, then using it for the next brew's mash, sparge and boil water?

I've thought about hooking my chiller to a hose/sprinkler and hitting the drier patches of lawn for an hour or so.
or maybe just get a plate chiller...

[~mikey b]

Columbus IPA going into the secondary.

[SB]

I've thought about hooking my chiller to a hose/sprinkler and hitting the drier patches of lawn for an hour or so.
or maybe just get a plate chiller...

Plate chiller FTW

[~mikey b]

Which one for 5 gal batches? I tend to shop online at MoreBeer but I'm open to suggestions.

[SB]

I have the Blichman, one pass and dun.

[criscam]

How much of a pia to clean? I have a tendency to do alot of my cleaning (aside from rinsing) the next day.

[SB]

Clean witback flush asap an yor good. Fixd a buddy's with hose/nozzle that he pluggd wit hop pellets.

[SB]

Maple syrup experiment #1 is FKNA gooooood after only one month in primary. Will have to rack to secondary soon to free up my fermentation chamber for next batch. Super stoked on the potential, 13 and 14% ABV and smooth with nice mapley flavour. Will eventually bottle and sit on it till wintah.

[Peruvian]

I'm drinking my maple oatmeal stout now, Scotty. It's pretty sweet but it certainly has maple flavor (sap instead of water and carbonated the keg with extra dark syrup).

I kegged the cascade pale ale and citra IPA yesterday. Should be drinking by next weekend.

[bean]

Maple syrup experiment #1 is FKNA gooooood after only one month in primary. Will have to rack to secondary soon to free up my fermentation chamber for next batch. Super stoked on the potential, 13 and 14% ABV and smooth with nice mapley flavour. Will eventually bottle and sit on it till wintah.

Might as well just bottle now. Fermentation is complete by this point, aging is aging, and racking to secondary just opens you up to oxidation.

[SB]

That is a valid point however I am hoping to get a few points lower and I know how to minimize any oxy that could be detrimental. I always get a nice clear product with a good secondary, I am in no hurry.

[criscam]

Deciding on my next purchase...

Plate chiller-have coil chiller now. Could be too expensive after pump purchase just to save a little time...?

Oxygen wand/tank- shake method seems to work fine but will prob throw out my back at some point down the road.

Stirplate-prob use dry yeast 1/3-1/2 the time so...

My mash tun could also use replacing. Igloo cooler walls starting to crack/separate a little.

Thoughts? Anything else I should be considering?

[Vegetable Lasagna]

Do you have fermentation temp control? Probably the biggest thing you can do to improve your beer and become consistent. A mini fridge and a controller isn't too expensive.

[SB]

^^^ seconded

I used a coil chiller along with a pump for years but the plate chiller is way moar efficient. I get excellent aeration during transfer of wort to carboy via a funnel with built in screen.

Stir plates are very nice and build up the yeasties to do the job faster. Coolers are cheap and even cheapr at the end of summer.

[Name Redacted]

I'd say that the cold plate would be your best investment for improving the quality of your brews. Reducing DMS in home-brews, especially if you do a lot of lagers, is much easier with the cold plate, and you'll get a much cleaner and clearer finished product.

[criscam]

I use a bath w/ an aquarium pump in the basement for my fermentation. seems to work pretty well although a little harder getting temps below 66 or so if need be but usually not an issue. scottyb, didn't even think about killing 2 birds w/ the chiller/aeration combo.
shred, don't lager but brewing more summer/session beers so good advice on the dms. thanks for the recs all.

[Peruvian]

Do you have fermentation temp control? Probably the biggest thing you can do to improve your beer and become consistent. A mini fridge and a controller isn't too expensive.

Maybe...but maybe not

Deciding on my next purchase...

Plate chiller-have coil chiller now. Could be too expensive after pump purchase just to save a little time...?

Oxygen wand/tank- shake method seems to work fine but will prob throw out my back at some point down the road.

Stirplate-prob use dry yeast 1/3-1/2 the time so...

My mash tun could also use replacing. Igloo cooler walls starting to crack/separate a little.

Thoughts? Anything else I should be considering?

Would any of those items make it easier to brew or make it more likely that you will brew more often? I'd go with that one....

[criscam]

Maybe...but maybe not





Would any of those items make it easier to brew or make it more likely that you will brew more often? I'd go with that one....

prob the chiller given the possible time savings although def the most expensive of the items. no valve in my kettle (another possible upgrade) so I assume I'd need a pump as well?

[Peruvian]

cris - get a valve first and foremost. For $25-30 you will no longer need to get a siphon started. get a few feet of high temp silicone tubing for the end, open the valve and it's easy to transfer your wort. You can even get one of the cheap, food grade, solar pumps to screw into the valve for transferring uphill!

[SB]

A valve and a temp gauge in yor HLT will make life easier. Get a multi bit to install and a weldless valve/temp probe kits.

Oar u could buy my old 8 gal Mega pot with valve and temp gauge already installed.

A really nice up grade is to find a 15 gal sankey keg and cut off the top, 12" hole. These things are indestructible.

[criscam]

cris - get a valve first and foremost. For $25-30 you will no longer need to get a siphon started. get a few feet of high temp silicone tubing for the end, open the valve and it's easy to transfer your wort. You can even get one of the cheap, food grade, solar pumps to screw into the valve for transferring uphill!

yea I think you're right. been perusing online for some weldless kettle valve conversions kits. wondering if I really need a step drill bit to drill my hole or not?

[Name Redacted]

If you or anyone you know is passing through CO on I70 anytime soon, I have a sanke with a bad valve you could have, perfect for that use.