First timer: how to brew in 14 days or less?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by acannell, Jul 15, 2019.

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  1. Eggman20

    Eggman20 Crusader (433) Feb 14, 2017 Minnesota

    Who doesn't love watering down their IPAs or barrel aged stouts! Frosted mugs are great for drinking water
     
    #141 Eggman20, Jul 28, 2019
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  2. Push_the_limits

    Push_the_limits Initiate (0) Feb 8, 2018 Antarctica

    Sure, but the beer comes out of the fridge between 34-40 F, and quickly warms to the best drinking temp. Yes, some beers a better warm, but you don't want some beers warming too quickly.
     
    #142 Push_the_limits, Jul 28, 2019
  3. Push_the_limits

    Push_the_limits Initiate (0) Feb 8, 2018 Antarctica

    How much water are we talking about here? Unless you live in the tropics or somewhere with 98% humidity and you keep the frozen mug sitting on the counter too long before pouring, that amount of frost is not going to be any problem whatsoever.

    I do respect all opinions and preferences but let's not overthink things here. A frosted mug is where it's at on a hot day!
     
    #143 Push_the_limits, Jul 28, 2019
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2019
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  4. Eggman20

    Eggman20 Crusader (433) Feb 14, 2017 Minnesota

    Would you add ice to beer? That's all a frosted mug is doing. It might be a slightly smaller amount of ice but that is still the point of it.

    Agreed its not a big deal just more annoyed when you have to tell a bar you prefer a non-frosted mug
     
    #144 Eggman20, Jul 28, 2019
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2019
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  5. Push_the_limits

    Push_the_limits Initiate (0) Feb 8, 2018 Antarctica

    I've never received a frosted mug at the bar, but I see where you're coming from. I wouldn't want it forced on me. I think the frost is basically negligible, but sometimes you want to eliminate all threats from start to finish. However, it's the temperature of the glass that really adds a nice effect sometimes. Nothing like getting frostbite on your drinking hand when it's 90+ F out.
     
    #145 Push_the_limits, Jul 28, 2019
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  6. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    color me skeptical
     
    #146 HerbMeowing, Jul 28, 2019
  7. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Did he discuss mash pH with you? That could be the reason for this beer's astringency problem.

    Below is a link so you can learn more about this topic:

    https://beerandbrewing.com/off-flavor-of-the-week-astringency/

    Cheers!
     
    #147 JackHorzempa, Jul 28, 2019
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  8. acannell

    acannell Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2017 California

    He didn't use the word pH but I think what he was saying about how it got astringent was probably going that direction. My mash situation was pretty wild so I figure once I do what I would consider a good job at it I will have something to analyze if its still astringent. I will take a look at that link thanks. This next batch will be intentionally more fruity and so eliminating the astringency will be an explicit goal.

    EDIT: Okay looking at that link, seems like any or all of those things probably happened to some extent. I will have to have a much better plan for temperature control on the next batch. Can I use pool test strips for pH? I cant seem to find my bottle, I think they may only do a tight range around 7.5 or so
     
    #148 acannell, Jul 28, 2019
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2019
  9. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    #149 JackHorzempa, Jul 28, 2019
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  10. acannell

    acannell Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2017 California

    I'm not a fan of warm beer which may mean I'm not a fan of complex flavors even though I like to think I am. There is something delicious
    should have got those instead of the irish moss..perfect cheap item

    maybe I'll go back today
     
    #150 acannell, Jul 28, 2019
  11. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Test strips are very inaccurate. If you're serious about measuring mash pH, get a good pH meter. Or use a good mash pH model and trust it without measuring. I would do the latter before I would measure with strips and make any type of adjustments based on the strips.
     
    #151 VikeMan, Jul 28, 2019
  12. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,145) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I don't know - most of the pre-legalization recipes I've come across are usually for 5 - sometimes 6 - gallons. During Prohibition the standard can of malt syrup was typically 3 pounds and most recipes included a few pounds of sugar. Likely around 2 cases of beer was the easiest to handle, especially when the typical fermentation vessel was a 6-7 gallon "stoneware" crock. Here, for example, is a recipe from a privately published book from the year before Repeal:
    [​IMG]
    And, of course, if you wanted to skip all that messy mixing, measuring and cooking, you could just buy a 5 gallon tin of "liquid malt/brewer's wort":
    [​IMG]
    Not sure when Papazian's first edition came out but I think Leigh Beadle's Brew It Yourself predated it, and that book also used ~5 gallon recipes, as did Making Wine Beer & Merry, Howard & Gibat © 1973.

    By contrast, The New Revised and More Joy of Brewing edition I have, © 1980, most of Papazian's recipes are for 13 gallons (a few are 6.5-7 gallons).

    Back in that era, a number of UK-published books on homebrewing were available in the US - I'm curious what size brews their recipes were for. I have a couple copies of those books - but can't currently locate them :astonished:.
     
    #152 jesskidden, Jul 28, 2019
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  13. acannell

    acannell Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2017 California

    I think I have everything I need to brew my 2nd batch which should be a "hazy juicy IPA" today or tomorrow

    This time a few things will be different (hopefully improved)

    -An OG will be taken (as well as an FG later)
    -I'll try to whirlpool the wort (need help on this)
    -I will try to do a better job of maintaining proper mashing and sparging temperatures (also need some advice on this)
    -I have a hop bag and am considering using it but not sure if I should.

    Whirlpooling: My batch is 1 gallon and at the end of the boil will be in a tall pot (kettle) with plenty of empty volume (its a 4 or 5 gallon pot). My recipe calls for all hops (besides dry hopping) to be added at flameout. I will be using an ice bath to cool the wort. So my question is, when should I whirlpool? Should I put the kettle into the ice bath immediately after flameout/adding the hops and whirlpool it with a spoon while I am cooling it to pitch temperature? Would using a hop bag interfere with/improve this situation?

    Sparging: I am using the same equipment to sparge as the last batch. The lauter tun is a small colander (1/8" holes) with a handle, and I also have a splatter shield I can put over it (fine wire mesh). My sparging procedure goes like this:

    Setup colander over an empty pot
    Pour grain/wort into colander (its small so fills it up to the brim, hopefully this batch isnt more than it can handle..I got lucky last time).
    Wait for the grain to drain into the pot
    Pour 170F sparge water into grain, a portion at a time, waiting 10-30 seconds for it to drain through grain. This process may take about 5 to 10 minutes (I think) because I can only pour a portion of sparge water into the grain before it saturates and takes awhile to drain. I can maintain the sparge water at 170F (its just a pot sitting next to the lauter tun pot on low heat with a thermometer in it). But I can't really maintain the wort that drains through the grain at 170F because its under the lauter tun and difficult for me to measure temperature. So it cools, to what I'm not sure. Is that okay?

    My next step is to recirculate the wort through the grain. Since the wort has cooled, should I heat it back up to 170F before recirculating?

    An alternative to this seems to be doing a no-sparge full volume mash. At 1 gallon batch size this seems like I should be able to do it. Is that better?

    Thanks for any help!
     
    #153 acannell, Aug 2, 2019
  14. acannell

    acannell Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2017 California

    Okay reading a bit more I think what I need to do is brew-in-a-bag. This would solve my sparging problem and make everything easier. I wish the homebrew shop guy had suggested that I could have picked up some bags. Anyone still using paint strainer bags from home depot?

    And it looks like I'll be whirlpooling during cooling. I may be able to cool on top of a counter so I can siphon into the fermenter without disturbing the trub cone

    I am not sure about the hop bag yet. Maybe I will use it for the flameout hops, or maybe dry hopping, or maybe both...?
     
    #154 acannell, Aug 2, 2019
  15. acannell

    acannell Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2017 California

    I guess I dont need a hop bag for the flameout hops if they are already in the main bag.

    So its just a question of whether to use them for the dry hopping.
     
    #155 acannell, Aug 2, 2019
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