Probably going to label the Brown Beaver and move it to the fridge, if I fand the ambition after that, I will bottle the pre prohibition lager.

I enjoy fixing old rifles from time to time, hobby is getting pretty spendy these days. I may have to go back to swearing at(learning to play) my guitar, that's been an on again off again thing for 30 years with me(I'm, up to 5 chords LOL) Other than that been doing a little DJ and karaoke as...

Don't blame me for the US falling behind, my ancestors were Czech and Irish

Yes, 5 minute grits will work in the mash, just don't seem to fully break down in my usual 60 minutes. Was thinking a cereal mash would kick it up a notch, but I guess just giving it an extra 30 minutes seems to work pretty good. Either way the mash had a nice smell to it and I've got an extra...

Well it's probably going to be a couple months before I have space to brew again, most likely will be my "Blonde on Blonde" cream ale up next.

When you backflush the plate chiller and there are whole leaves floating in the recirculation... Forgot to install the diptube prior to brewing, makes a big difference in how much gets sucked into the chiller. On the 3rd flush now, think I'm getting there.

Did a 90 minute mash today for a Pre Pro Lager with 1/3 grits in the grain bill. Also reduced boil wattage to 2500(last couple brew have gotten hops into the steam condenser). Efficiency was up a bit(80% brew house), wound up at target gravity(1.052) despite having an extra 1/2 gallon of...

If you ever wonder who REALLY cares, try locking your wife and your dog both out of the house for an hour or two and see which one is happy to see you when you open the door. Follow me for more great life coaching, LOL.

Wound up just doing a 90 minute mash, it was that or put it off until the weekend. So far so good, will have to see how it turns out.

Bottled up the Brown Beaver Ale(Cluster hopped American Brown Ale), just got done cleaning up the fermenter and setting some bottles to soak overnight.

In that case maybe I should mash in the grits with a couple pounds of pilsner malt and mash the rest of the malt in the morning just combine the 2 for 60 minutes and business as usual.

Been busy last few days and still need to get my pre-pro lager brewed. Was planning on cooking the grits as a quasi decoction, now I'm thinking about just stabilizing the whole grist overnight at 152 or so then just mash out, sparge in the morning and brew. Any downside to letting the mash...

I'm in, bracket done!

I've thought about 6 row, but I keep bins of pils and pale ale on hand. Like to use what I've got, especially with not brewing as much last year and wanting to keep cycling the malt to keep it fresh.

Think there was only 2 in that picture. Not sure exactly when it ceased operations, the only person I actually met who MIGHT have been there would be my Great Grandfather Wencle(Joe's grandson), he was a toddler when the brewery officially closed in 1903. Don't remember exactly, but he passed...