Hello, let’s Make Beer

[Sandy Feet]

A neighbor of mine, who loves craft beer donated a freezer/beer chiller to me. He moving and doesn’t want to take it. Works great, comes with temp control, co2 regulator, and co2 line splitter! I just need to clean it up. So I’m a few steps closer to making a batch of homebrew.
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sweet!!!

 

[Sandy Feet]

The kettle, the burner, and the method are going to be the big boy choices.

 

[Yanibrew]

A neighbor of mine, who loves craft beer donated a freezer/beer chiller to me. He moving and doesn’t want to take it. Works great, comes with temp control, co2 regulator, and co2 line splitter! I just need to clean it up. So I’m a few steps closer to making a batch of homebrew.
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After a little work, I’ve been able to get the cooler cleaned and ready to act as a fermenting chamber. I’ll probably make a lager.

 

[Dave Y]

After a little work, I’ve been able to get the cooler cleaned and ready to act as a fermenting chamber. I’ll probably make a lager.View attachment 32498

I dare you. I DOUBLE dare you to make a lager. ;-)

 

[Donoroto]

Double DOG dare you!

 

[Sandy Feet]

It wouldn't be my choice for a first beer, but if it makes you happy... What yeast?? What temperature schedule? Pitch very heavy for a lager. Make sure that thing is down in the low 60s F before you pitch.

 

[Yanibrew]

It wouldn't be my choice for a first beer, but if it makes you happy... What yeast?? What temperature schedule? Pitch very heavy for a lager. Make sure that thing is down in the low 60s F before you pitch.

Thanks for the advice Sandy. I’m planning on a simple MexiLager. I was hoping to use BAJA dry yeast, but it wasn’t available, so I’m going with 34/70, and ferment at 55f. I’m excited to make this beer. It’ll be a fun learning experience. My goal is to make a clean drinkable beer. See how it goes.

 

[Craigerrr]

Thanks for the advice Sandy. I’m planning on a simple MexiLager. I was hoping to use BAJA dry yeast, but it wasn’t available, so I’m going with 34/70, and ferment at 55f. I’m excited to make this beer. It’ll be a fun learning experience. My goal is to make a clean drinkable beer. See how it goes.

Good luck with it
Dod you plan to lager it for a period of time?

 

[Zambi]

I've never made a lager...

 

[Craigerrr]

I've never made a lager...

I've made one, Tim's Dark Czech Lager, I keep saying I need to brew it again, but I have my brews kind of mapped out for the rest of the year...

 

[Zambi]

I like the local lager and I can't get nice Belgian ales, saisons, etc, so to me it makes sense to stick with those

 

[Yanibrew]

Good luck with it
Dod you plan to lager it for a period of time?

Thanks Yeah, the plan is to ferment for a couple of weeks, cold crash a week, transfer to a keg and lager another 3weeks. Then I’ll put it on gas for another week.

 

[Dave Y]

you can add the gas as soon as the beer hits the keg for lagering. In fact, I think you should. This purges the oxygen. If you airless transfer, you’ll minimize risk of oxygen contamination. The last time your beer needs O2 is in fermentation and that’s it. From then on, O2 is the enemy of your beer, so to speak.

 

[Yanibrew]

you can add the gas as soon as the beer hits the keg for lagering. In fact, I think you should. This purges the oxygen. If you airless transfer, you’ll minimize risk of oxygen contamination. The last time your beer needs O2 is in fermentation and that’s it. From then on, O2 is the enemy of your beer, so to speak.

Thanks, I’ll do that . Would I be setting the carb level at the normal level for the style, or some other level?

 

[Sandy Feet]

Depends on your setup. If you are going to do a lager at this point, that is a good choice for a yeast. You can bump it up to about 62 once you get low krausen. A Mexican Lager is going to require some flaked corn in the mash.
Again, pitch very heavy.

 

[Yanibrew]

Depends on your setup. If you are going to do a lager at this point, that is a good choice for a yeast. You can bump it up to about 62 once you get low krausen. A Mexican Lager is going to require some flaked corn in the mash.
Again, pitch very heavy.

Ok, I was wondering how high to raise the temp at the end of fermentation. Got the corn, so I should get this going on my day off next week. Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[Donoroto]

Ok, I was wondering how high to raise the temp at the end of fermentation. Got the corn, so I should get this going on my day off next week. Thanks for the advice everyone.

Typically 5-10 F for a lager, less for ale.

For carbonation, normal carbonation levels are fine, but no harm to go higher or lower. The goal is to have positive pressure in the keg.

 

[Yanibrew]

Typically 5-10 F for a lager, less for ale.

For carbonation, normal carbonation levels are fine, but no harm to go higher or lower. The goal is to have positive pressure in the keg.

Got it, thank you. There is definitely a lot of setup before the actual brewing starts.

 

[Craigerrr]

Sounds like you have a good plan!
Keep us posted!

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Double DOG dare you!

Don, I'm glad to see you are following the rules of etiquette

For those who are not aware: Breach of Etiquette