What's Brewing & Doing - October Edition

FWIW this is the cooler I have, and it had a hole already in it for the spigot (just wish it was a smidge lower). You'll want to be careful in your selection since a lot of rectangular coolers have a goofy drain setup due to wheel placement.

http://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Marine-...525891&sr=1-1&keywords=igloo+marine+cooler+54

Coleman coolers without wheels are another good option.

 

I think it'll probably be fine, but that doesn't look like a reinforced silicone tube. I know you're going to be brewing a big Barleywine soon...so it might be (just to cover your bases) prudent to switch it out with a reinforced tube.

 

What would the risk be in not swapping it? Getting a kink in the line, a collapse, or a rupture? I hadn't really considered either, but shortening it a bit should eliminate the kink risk. The false bottom doesn't have a ton of side-to-side play.

 

Yeah, kinking. I've never actually used non-reinforced tubing for the mash-tun...so I don't have any experience with it. When I was building mine the consensus was that reinforced would keep kinking from happening.

Not sure it's really an issue, but I'd hate for you to discover that it was with that Barleywine.

 

I'll play around with it on the mild. If I can confidently maneuver the false bottom with the paddle I'll roll with it. If I can't really tell what's going on down there, I'll swap it out. Thanks for catching that. It never even crossed my mind. I do need some flexibility in the line with this setup for the false bottom to lay flat though. If I need to go to braided, I'll likely need to run it to the far side of the cooler, which might negate the benefit of the braided line. In conclusion, thanks for crapping in my cheerios Aaron

 

Lol, why so? I was worried about doing labels myself, but I found out removing these ones is effortless... Since it is just paper and milk as an adhesive, they fall right off when I clean bottles... No hassle what-so-ever! I like the labels so when I give away my beers I don't have to tell them all the info, it's all there.

 

Why did you ask?

 

Fair enough, but you should know that I am about as lazy as it gets. When I bottled, I would give the bottles a good hot rinse in the sink immediately after pouring, then heat sanitize in the dishwasher. De-labeling would add a step for me, and I cringe at the thought.

 

Well my normal procedure is to soak all bottles in oxyclean for a few minutes, rinsing them out afterward... I usually do this ahead of time, so they sit for a few days before bottling day. The night before I put them in the dishwasher for their final rinse/sanitizing. I probably don't need to do all that, but oh well... lol

 

Because I'm making a Comet beer soon and would be interested in hearing about your results, but you didn't use much Comet and bittering doesn't count. Have you ever used 2-3oz of Comet late in the boil with 1-2oz of Comet dry hop per 5 gal ?

 

Only in a Barleywine 2 oz @10 and 1 oz DH (with a lot of other hops)
Yours wc or pellets?

 

This weekend I am brewing a second batch for my sour pipeline. Its roughly based on the Rare Barrel Golden Sour with no spelt. I plan on fermenting it in primary with a clean ale yeast and then rack it onto 1 gallon of my current sour that contains a mess of bugs and has gotten major pedio sick.

Thanks great!

 

pellets

 

Just did a rye vanilla stout. Put 500ml bullit rye in boil. Have another 8 ounces bullit rye sitting on 3 split vanillia beans and oak cubes marinating in a mason jar for the secondary.

 

I'll be kegging an Amber on Sat. that will then have an English Barleywine poured on to its cake. Barleywine is a pretty simple recipe of 90% MO, and 10% British Crystal (Medium and Extra Dark). Will be doing at least a 2.5hr boil.

 

Mashing a wheat pale ale right now...going to hop it with Citra and Nelson. This brew is becoming one of my all time favorites!

 

My saison is drinking damn good. The Dubbel is finally carved and ready to go, sampled some early this week and was delish. The vanilla oatmeal Porter is in primary about to move over to secondary with vanilla extract/cacao nibs. Drawing up a Christmas quad recipe right now and am in great anticipation of Brewin it.

Ching Ching everybody!

 

Higher than expected final gravity, I assume?

 

Not sure what you mean..
OG: 1.074, FG 1.010 (Wyeast 3787 is a monster). .064 x 131 = ABV of 8.3%

 

Why else would you have to carve it? Ya know?