I tested the gravity of the beers, and they were all set to bottle.
I also taste a sample of each, and, from those, I think the Simcoe one may be kind of harsh. Obviously I'll have to wait another week or two while they condition and carbonate, but It looks like the Centennial at 60 minutes, Cascade at 10, and Columbus at flameout will be the best of the two. Then I'll compare them to the Cascade at 15 minute beer, and decide on the best one.
From there, I have to start trying malts. This won't happen until I've decided on the definite hop schedule, but it's coming soon!
I'm currently doing a little research on the different malt recipes for some of my current favorite beers. Looks like I'll start with a base of American 2 Row Brewers Malt, and some type of Crystal Malt. Usually these are used in a 90/10 or so ratio. I'll give that a try first.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Tomorrow's Challenge
Tomorrow is day 10 for the two experiments currently fermenting in my closet. I am going to test the gravity of both to see if they are done, and bottle if so.
I am trying to think of the best way to get the beer out of the Glass jug, since it doesn't have a spigot. I HATE siphons, but maybe the best way to get it done is to siphon the brew out into my extra fermenter (now repaired) and bottle from there.
This will open up THREE WHOLE FERMENTERS!!!!!! I'm not quite sure how much I can do right away without actually tasting the two experiments left, so I will have a week or two to plan out the next phase of my master plan...Muahahahahahahahaha!
Not sure I want to wait that long to get going again, though. I will be ironing out the kinks, but, most likely, I will start figuring out the mix of malts Muntons uses in the DME I've been using, and switch completely to all-grain brews. What that means, for those unfamiliar with the lingo, is that the powdered malt extract I use will be replaced by actual malt, which is grains of barley that have been through a complicated germination and cooking process (malting), and milled. This adds a few things.
First, it adds a little credibility and a personal touch. While brewing with extract can produce great beers, and extract is a great way to save time or boost the fermentability of your beer, all-grain brews are closer to brewing from "scratch", and put one's signature on their beer. The body, color, flavor, head, and pretty much everything else are all much more controllable.
Second, it adds time...more than an hour more time of sitting and waiting during a typical brewday as the starches from the grains convert to fermentable sugar in hot water.
Third, it adds endless possibilities. There are like 4,404,496,287,194 different kinds of grain, and the combination of those grains builds the malt profile of the finished beer. I have to see what combo is used in the DME so I can recreate it for the first few beers.
So I have a little research to do...better get started.
I am trying to think of the best way to get the beer out of the Glass jug, since it doesn't have a spigot. I HATE siphons, but maybe the best way to get it done is to siphon the brew out into my extra fermenter (now repaired) and bottle from there.
This will open up THREE WHOLE FERMENTERS!!!!!! I'm not quite sure how much I can do right away without actually tasting the two experiments left, so I will have a week or two to plan out the next phase of my master plan...Muahahahahahahahaha!
Not sure I want to wait that long to get going again, though. I will be ironing out the kinks, but, most likely, I will start figuring out the mix of malts Muntons uses in the DME I've been using, and switch completely to all-grain brews. What that means, for those unfamiliar with the lingo, is that the powdered malt extract I use will be replaced by actual malt, which is grains of barley that have been through a complicated germination and cooking process (malting), and milled. This adds a few things.
First, it adds a little credibility and a personal touch. While brewing with extract can produce great beers, and extract is a great way to save time or boost the fermentability of your beer, all-grain brews are closer to brewing from "scratch", and put one's signature on their beer. The body, color, flavor, head, and pretty much everything else are all much more controllable.
Second, it adds time...more than an hour more time of sitting and waiting during a typical brewday as the starches from the grains convert to fermentable sugar in hot water.
Third, it adds endless possibilities. There are like 4,404,496,287,194 different kinds of grain, and the combination of those grains builds the malt profile of the finished beer. I have to see what combo is used in the DME so I can recreate it for the first few beers.
So I have a little research to do...better get started.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
I Couldn't Wait
Some friends were over on Friday, and I was convinced to throw one of the bottled experiments onto the porch, which becomes a beer garden as soon as the temperature drops below 40F. It was really good. The carbonation wasn't as strong, but that's understandable because it hasn't been in the bottle long enough.
It was very smooth, and had an excellent bitterness. The Cascade hops were very discernible, and definitely left that lingering bite which I'm trying to minimize. The two experiments currently fermenting were specifically designed to address this.
There are a few more experiments I want to do with hops to fine tune the profile, but I'm concerned that, once I start experimenting with grains, the flavors that result will sort of change how the hops come through. So maybe I should just keep it simple for now, and wait to do any tweaking. This means that, if one of the combos in the fermenter work, I will start the grains with the next batches in a little over two weeks.
I'm trying to get suggestions on how best to pull this off. Research time.
It was very smooth, and had an excellent bitterness. The Cascade hops were very discernible, and definitely left that lingering bite which I'm trying to minimize. The two experiments currently fermenting were specifically designed to address this.
There are a few more experiments I want to do with hops to fine tune the profile, but I'm concerned that, once I start experimenting with grains, the flavors that result will sort of change how the hops come through. So maybe I should just keep it simple for now, and wait to do any tweaking. This means that, if one of the combos in the fermenter work, I will start the grains with the next batches in a little over two weeks.
I'm trying to get suggestions on how best to pull this off. Research time.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Glass is Cool!
One thing I didn't plan on was checking on my fermenters four times a day.
Having my beer in a glass jug has allowed me to watch every little action of the contents as the yeast chomped away at the sugars. It seems, now, that fermentation is nearly complete, and that whatever is sitting on top is starting to make it's way to the bottom of the jug. Every once in a while, you can see a little particle slowly float down to the layer of sediment.
There are no more bubbles in the plastic bucket style fermenter, and only like 1 per 5 minutes in the glass one.
The first "Combo" beers are almost ready for the fridge. Come Wednesday, I'll be sampling...if I can wait that long.
Having my beer in a glass jug has allowed me to watch every little action of the contents as the yeast chomped away at the sugars. It seems, now, that fermentation is nearly complete, and that whatever is sitting on top is starting to make it's way to the bottom of the jug. Every once in a while, you can see a little particle slowly float down to the layer of sediment.
There are no more bubbles in the plastic bucket style fermenter, and only like 1 per 5 minutes in the glass one.
The first "Combo" beers are almost ready for the fridge. Come Wednesday, I'll be sampling...if I can wait that long.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Success!
Much to my delight, there is excellent fermentation happening in both the regular fermenter, and the emergency 1 gallon glass jug I unexpectedly had to use yesterday. As a bonus, I now get to see what happens inside the fermenter during the process. Oddly enough, the jug seems to be fermenting more vigorously than the plastic fermenter. I'm guessing this has something to do with the amount of room at the top (the glass jug has less) and the skinny neck of the jug.
Just wanted to update!
Just wanted to update!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Near Disaster
Actually, it still may go bad.
After pouring the first batch (the one with the Cascade at 10 mins), I was flying high, as everything was going swimmingly. When the second batch (Simcoe at 15) had cooled, I grabbed the second fermenter, which is the new one, and began to strain in the wort. That's when I noticed a small drop of liquid near the tap. The faucet has a split. I'm not really sure if I broke it when I was putting it together, or if it was broken when I bought it.
THANK GOD I bought that glass jug, huh? I was able to sanitize the jug and its stopper, along with a small funnel, and transfer most of the wort into that to ferment. I had to toss some of the wort, since I need some room at the top for gas to collect, but I'm not too upset...it could have been worse.
I'm still a little concerned with the possibility of infection and/or blowoff problems (like the jug exploding or blowing out the airlock), but I figure I'll take things as they come. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to go and get a new tap.
After pouring the first batch (the one with the Cascade at 10 mins), I was flying high, as everything was going swimmingly. When the second batch (Simcoe at 15) had cooled, I grabbed the second fermenter, which is the new one, and began to strain in the wort. That's when I noticed a small drop of liquid near the tap. The faucet has a split. I'm not really sure if I broke it when I was putting it together, or if it was broken when I bought it.
THANK GOD I bought that glass jug, huh? I was able to sanitize the jug and its stopper, along with a small funnel, and transfer most of the wort into that to ferment. I had to toss some of the wort, since I need some room at the top for gas to collect, but I'm not too upset...it could have been worse.
I'm still a little concerned with the possibility of infection and/or blowoff problems (like the jug exploding or blowing out the airlock), but I figure I'll take things as they come. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to go and get a new tap.
A Little Setback
A weird stomach bug swept through the house, and pushed brew day back to today, but the show must go on. The water is boiling on the stove, in two separate batches, just waiting for a pound each of DME. I've laid out all of the hops, and am exited to try my hand at two brews at a time.
I went shopping the other day, and ended up getting another fermenter and a 1 gallon glass jug for some dry hopping trials, and maybe even some spice additions.
I am using the single, 11.5g yeast packet to pitch the two batches. The guy at the homebrew store (http://keystonehomebrew.com/) told me I don't need to be exact, since, even if I come close, I'll still be overpitching by a little bit.
In a little less than two weeks, I'll be tasting these babies as I bottle them. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm....beeeeer
I went shopping the other day, and ended up getting another fermenter and a 1 gallon glass jug for some dry hopping trials, and maybe even some spice additions.
I am using the single, 11.5g yeast packet to pitch the two batches. The guy at the homebrew store (http://keystonehomebrew.com/) told me I don't need to be exact, since, even if I come close, I'll still be overpitching by a little bit.
In a little less than two weeks, I'll be tasting these babies as I bottle them. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm....beeeeer
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