I brewed today!

Ward Chillington · Aug 21, 2020

Sunfire96 said:
Three blissful brewing hours where I didn't think about covid, wildfires, cancelled vacations, or work. Daydreamt about equipment upgrades and future recipes

Truly the embodiment of RDWHAHB !

Hawkbox · Aug 24, 2020

Only comment beyond looks good, you're not fermenting in the right hand jar are you? A twist on lid under pressure is a good way to have a disaster.

Craigerrr · Aug 24, 2020

Yesterday, 6% hazy

Sunfire96 · Aug 24, 2020

Hawkbox said:
Only comment beyond looks good, you're not fermenting in the right hand jar are you? A twist on lid under pressure is a good way to have a disaster.

It has a grommeted lid for an airlock. Here it is post dry hop with the blow off still attached

Hawkbox · Aug 24, 2020

Oh all good then. I didn't see that in the first picture.

Sunfire96 · Aug 24, 2020

Haha I appreciate you keeping an eye out for any pressure vessel disasters! My bathroom cabinet also thanks you

GFHomebrew · Sep 3, 2020

International pale lager in the fermentor sample looks very pale wort tastes delish it's all up to the yeast now.

Clarity hmmm now i remember what I was thinking I forgot whilst boiling Whirlflock ha!

Sunfire96 · Sep 3, 2020

Very happy with the clarity, but my goodness, it turned into a lawnmower beer for sure. I'll be happy if it tastes crushable
Edit: was supposed to be a pale, but stacks up more like a blonde *shrug*

Nosybear · Sep 3, 2020

You got beer!

Sunfire96 · Sep 3, 2020

Nosybear said:
You got beer!

Hell yea!

BilltownBrewingCo · Sep 5, 2020

Nice pre-harvest morning doing a newly harvested hop pale ale.

Ward Chillington · Sep 6, 2020

I brewed up my brown, Lampart's Libation, yesterday with a twist and used Imperial's A44 kveik. First time out with kveik. I got a late start yesterday at about noon and pitched at about 8. I had action in the blowoff inside an hour! It's not too warm down there so I am wondering what the advice is as I am sitting at about 75° F, the inside of the carboy is looking like a snow storm, I have a nice krausen and the blowoff was good planning IMHO! Shall I let it sit at 75°F or put at little heat under it? Odd as plugging in the Inkbird for that in the summer but I really want to see what those higher temp yield!

Speaking of Inkbirds...I strapped it to the top of my tower yesterday so I could monitor my mash temps and the HLT. Despite not hitting all the numbers, it was nice not to be fiddling around with a thermometer and lifted lids! It was a really easy brew day despite the time!

Josh Hughes · Sep 6, 2020

I have a warmer I sit my fermenter on to keep it as warm as possible. I have never fermented in the 70s with kveik but others her have and can chime in on that. I pitch at 95 and with just the warmer it stays in the 90s for the first 2-3 days.

Ward Chillington · Sep 6, 2020

Josh Hughes said:
I have a warmer I sit my fermenter on to keep it as warm as possible. I have never fermented in the 70s with kveik but others her have and can chime in on that. I pitch at 95 and with just the warmer it stays in the 90s for the first 2-3 days.

Thanks Josh! Yeah..chime in please....I'm got house work to get to but I'll be checking in throughout the day...

thunderwagn · Sep 6, 2020

I've fermented kveik in the low 60's and up around 95f and I think the strain has a lot to do with the flavors it throws. I've got to where I don't favor Voss at high temps. I think it gets to lemony/tart for my tastes. It's nothing bad or offensive, but it's there for me and just not as clean for some brews as I'd like. Pitching rates also play a part with kveik. Most are over pitched.

Ward Chillington · Sep 6, 2020

thunderwagn said:
I've fermented kveik in the low 60's and up around 95f and I think the strain has a lot to do with the flavors it throws. I've got to where I don't favor Voss at high temps. I think it gets to lemony/tart for my tastes. It's nothing bad or offensive, but it's there for me and just not as clean for some brews as I'd like. Pitching rates also play a part with kveik. Most are over pitched.

Thanks TW...I did a whole packet of liquid (5.24 fl oz, 155ml) into 5 .25 Gallons of 1050 wort...it was also just on the cusp of 4 month old which is Imperial's recommended window of guaranteed viability. I have "lift off"..no question about that but it's the rest of the trip that I'm wondering about.

thunderwagn · Sep 6, 2020

You should be just fine @75. I don't think you can kill this stuff lol! I'd keep going at that temp and see what you think. You can make changes next go around.

Craigerrr · Sep 6, 2020

Bought a pound of galaxy, and put it to good use this morning. Ended up over volume, and under gravity, but didn't want to mess with the bitterness by boiling longer. Ended up with 6.5 USG in the fermenter at 1048, should end up around 5.1%.

Ward Chillington · Sep 7, 2020

thunderwagn said:
You should be just fine @75. I don't think you can kill this stuff lol! I'd keep going at that temp and see what you think. You can make changes next go around.

I've been slowly bumping things up to 80° F after reading Imperial's web site for A44....they call for a minimum of 75 so up we go...I never figured I would use my heating pad in the summer even for bottle conditioning!

Sunfire96 · Sep 10, 2020

Oktoberfest marzen ale with Vienna, munich, C60, and Caramunich I, Perle hops and US05 yeast. I wanted to try Saflager S23 yeast at 65-70 degree F (warm fermented lager), but I just don't think i can keep it below 70 this time of year. So I went with US05 and fingers crossed it stays below 75! I'm using a dry bag with an insulated inner lining designed to also work as a cooler bag. 2 ice packs in right now, and I'll be on ice-switching duty this week.