RateBeer Forums: Homebrew

Sour Red

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:21 EST

Posted by fleetwoodfba

I've been struggling to keep my four taps full over the months, but I want to get back to making some sour beers. I want to brew a red, I'm thinking something with lacto and brett that will hopefully take 5-6 months. I just wanted to come here and ask if anyone had any thoughts/ experience on ABV and primary strains (English/ Belgian). I brewed a brown a while back that was about 5.2% that came out pretty good, but La Folie is pretty damn good at 7% and I really like the idea of a little body and maltiness. Thanks in advance for any ideas/ conversation.

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Weird gray sludge

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:21 EST

Posted by EvanFriend

So the other day, I racked a tripel I'd brewed about a month ago into a secondary fermenter. The primary I'd used was a 6.5 gallon plastic bucket. Around the rim of the bucket, where you'd expect the kräusen line to be, was this gray sludge with white veins in it, like nothing I've ever seen before. I took a sample of the beer and tasted it, it tasted a bit raw and boozy as was to be expected from a strong and young beer, but no off flavors or anything. Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? The only thing I did different with this beer than any other beer I've done was that I used some oats in the grist, but I can't imagine that that would have caused this gray sludge. I sanitized everything thoroughly as I always do, I open fermented it (with a BIAB bag cinched over the bucket to keep bugs and whatnot out) as I'd done before, and only sealed it when the kräusen receded. Any ideas?

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Spontaneous Fermentation

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:21 EST

Posted by EvanFriend

Anybody tried a wild/spontaneous fermentation? It's something I'd like to do but haven't had the balls to try yet.

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Norwegian farmhouse ales/kveik

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:21 EST

Posted by EvanFriend

So earlier this year, I brewed what was an attempt at a Norwegian farmhouse ale. Came out with something real smoky, in the 8% range. At the time, I hadn't heard of kveik, Norwegian farmhouse yeast (I used a Hefeweizen yeast from White Labs, don't remember the number. Got piss poor attenuation and had to pitch champagne yeast to finish it). Now I'm not gonna lie, I liked the beer that I made, and my homebrew club liked it but said it needed to age some, which I didn't deny. Anyway, I've done some research and learned about kveik, Norwegian farmhouse yeast. It appears that there are any number of strains, and I managed to find one from The Yeast Bay, and I intend to brew with it this weekend. Anyway, the point is that I find this concept really cool, and I'd like to hear more about any brew that someone has done with kveik, and if possible, I'd like to source some strains that aren't available in my local homebrew shop. Skol!

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Lactose: how many pppg and when to add?

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:21 EST

Posted by Fukito

Hi guys, I am brewing a milk stout this weekend and can´t find any reliable source on lactose. How many pppg should I use for my calculations? I have seen anywhere fron 30 to 46. Also, when do I add it? Right now I am going with a 15 minute addition. Cheers!

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Getting coffee and cocoa nibs out of my beer before bottling

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:21 EST

Posted by LinusStick

I made a Founders Breakfast stout clone (just a 1.5 gallon batch) that called for ground coffee, chocolate chips and cocoa nibs added at flame out. I added that stuff directly to the kettle and realized that I had a strainer bag sitting out for a reason! Oh well beer is fermenting nicely and I’m thinking of ways to get those things physically out of the beer at bottling. I don’t do a secondary with such a small batch so I go right from primary after a few weeks to bottling bucket. Since I’ve never used coffee or chocolate in a beer, the only thing I can think is to just let the auto siphon do it’s work when transferring. I just can’t imagine coffee grounds won’t get into he bottles. Anyone else use ground coffee without a strainer in a beer?

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First Imperial Stout

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:21 EST

Posted by jflopsu

I'm about to start brewing my first imperial stout (all-grain). I'm still relatively new at home brewing, but wanted to get a bit creative. I'm trying to figure out two things: 1. If I want to add cinnamon to the brewing process, at what step would I add it? 2. Can anyone share some experience on their success / failures / tips about using brown sugar to prime?

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Favorite SMaSHes

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by radarsock

Curious, but what has been some of your favorite SMaSH beers you’ve made thus far? Me, I really enjoyed a SMaSH barleywine I brewed with Maris Otter and Amarillo hops. Fermented with Edinburgh ale yeast and then aged on toasted oak cubes for 5 months. Fantastic stuff. Another was an oat malt and Columbus pale ale with a California ale yeast - that one definitely came out interestingly.

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Open Fermentation

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by EvanFriend

So I just brewed a Northern English brown ale, and I decided to go with an open fermentation. Anyone tried this method before? Any tips, pros/cons, etc would be appreciated.

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Favorite Dry-Hop

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by radarsock

What has been your favorite hop to use as a dry-hop? Mosaic, Citra, Ahtanum, Columbus, and Amarillo for me. Any dry-hop combinations that users have noted for its incredible ability to create cohesiveness and a rounder flavor profile? Ahtanum and Columbus as a dry-hop had been a pretty decent combo I used in the past. Loved that candied grapefruit character from an Ahtanum mixing with the assertiveness from the black licorice note from a Columbus.

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All Wheat Brewing

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by EvanFriend

Just brewed a beer with an all wheat grain bill (8lbs oak smoked wheat malt). I did it brew in a bag, mashed for 60 minutes at 150 degrees (Fahrenheit), and sparged with 170 degree water. My efficiency was shit, about 34%. I’ve never had efficiency issues before, and I’m assuming it’s because of the all wheat grain bill. Any suggestions on improving my efficiency would be welcome.

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National Mead Day

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by EvanFriend

So who else brewed a mead on National Mead Day? I did a blueberry melomel. 15lbs local wildflower honey, about 7lbs wild blueberries. Can’t wait to drink it.

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Got any new toys lately?

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by JulienHuxley

Just sent a batch into my SS brewtech brew bucket. It’s very shiny and nice to work with so far. Don’t think I’ll make better beer, but I am enjoying my purchase. What about you? Any new toys as of late? How are they working out?

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Concrete Eggs - Any Experience?

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by radarsock

Anyone have any experience with concrete eggs fermentation vessels from Sonoma Cast Stone? From their website: "Concrete can take the heat, or the cold. It’s a natural insulator and will stabilize the temperature of whatever is inside of it. This stability makes for a smooth and gradual fermentation, because there are no temperature spikes to make the yeast become aggressive. For the same reason, concrete is also ideal for storing and aging wines. Sonoma Cast Stone also offers a unique temperature control system. Our system is hidden within the walls of the tank itself and does not make contact with that wine. [...] "Winemakers all over the world are rediscovering the benefits of using concrete as a medium for fermentation, finding the virtues of both of oak and stainless steel with the drawbacks of neither. Now, most of the world’s highest-rated wines are made in concrete. Concrete is cool! No... really. Concrete can take the heat, or the cold. It’s a natural insulator and will stabilize the temperature of whatever is inside of it. This stability makes for a smooth and gradual fermentation, because there are no temperature spikes to make the yeast become aggressive. For the same reason, concrete is also ideal for storing and aging wines. Sonoma Cast Stone also offers a unique temperature control system. Our system is hidden within the walls of the tank itself and does not make contact with that wine. Just breathe! Concrete is porous, albeit on a microscopic scale, and that’s where it beats stainless steel. The environment in stainless steel is too perfect to be ideal for fermentation. Without a gradual introduction of micro-oxygenation, the wine remains flat. It cannot breathe and evolve. Wine fermented in concrete has the round mouthfeel of wine fermented in oak, but it has much greater purity of fruit flavor, even a greater intensity of fruit color. For fermentation, storage or aging, concrete is simply phenomenal."

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Very Sour Lambic style beer

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by Jdizzle1

How’s it going folks, quick question(s) here. When it came time to bottle/ transfer on to fruit my "Lambic" ( after aging for 14 months) I tasted it, and it was very sour. I thought to myself "nice one" I kept some back to drink flat. As I was drinking it the sourness of it became extreme to the point I couldn’t finish the pint. I Racked the Lambic over Blueberries and Cherries My questions are 1) Will time and Carbination mellow the sourness, and make it more drinkable? 2) Will the fruit sugars mellow the sourness? Any input, ideas are welcomed

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Lactic-fermented pickles?

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by spacecoyote

Anyone here made them before? I’ve always been afraid of making them in a small apartment that I also homebrew in, so I’m hoping to start making some at my buddy’s place. For those that do now, or have in the past, or may in the future...would you spontaneous ferment, or pitch something specific?

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IPA recipe

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by Fukito

Hi guys! Want to brew an American IPA next weekend. Something more old school rather than the fruity hazy stuff of lately. Thinking something piney, resinous with a touch of citrus and approachable. This is my recipe so far: OG: 1066 2-row 90% Carapils 5% Munich 5% 60 IBU 26 IBU @ 60 mins blend of Magnum and Columbus 22 IBU @ 20 mins blend of Citra and Centennial 12 UBU @ 5 mins blend of Citra, Centennial, and Cascade Ferment with WLP01 @ 20°C Dryhop after 7 days, 1oz each of Citra, Centennial, and Cascade Any comments? Thinking about dropping the Citra in favor of something more in line with the intended piney, resin note… Maybe Columbus or Amarillo?

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Grain Bag Split

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by SarkyNorthener

I am Currently doing a partial extract. However during the steeping process one of the grain bags has split and some of the grain is in the wort. Does anyone know if this will cause issues further down the line? Will it just settle to the bottom with the trub during fermentation?

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Lupulin powder

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by Homer321

Having had a couple of beers made with Lupulin powder now, it makes me want to try it in homebrew. Anyone seen this available to Homebrewers? any other intel or advice?

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Yeast From Fruit/Isolating yeastand#40;sand#41;

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by radarsock

I’m currently on a noisy train. It will take a minute before reaching its destination, the prefect time to start a thread about yeast isolating and locally gathered strains. What has worked, and what hasn’t? I made a starter from gathering sugar swiped from the skin of under ripe crab apples a mile from my house and it came out fantastic. I have yet to use it in combination with a supporting (most probably wild) strain but this is where I’m heading in regards to the kind of profile I’m looking to create. Any members eager to share previous success stories about the starters they made from fruit, decaying bark from a pine tree, etc., and give advice as to what methods were most helpful and which were more of a waste? Any one have any superior knowledge in yeast isolating? For "yeast wrangling kits" (man I love saying that), how many people use Bootleg Biology products? I’m really interested in doing it all by myself and was curious if we got some veteran wranglers who can help a dude out.

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Favorite Hop Combos

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by radarsock

Falconer’s Flight, Ahtanum, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Mosaic is one stable combination I will often add on, that I have used for at least two previous DIPA recipes in the past year. All of the recipe specifications have pretty much stayed the same throughout. First Wort: Amarillo & Ahtanum Boil: Amarillo (60 minutes), Ahtanum (45 minutes) Falconer’s Flight (20 minutes), Simcoe & Mosaic (5 minutes) Falconer’s Flight & Amarillo (1 minute) Flameout: Mosaic & Simcoe Dry-hop: Falconer’s Flight, Amarillo, & Mosaic I may at some point use Chinook. Love its compatibility with Amarillo and Simcoe. Anyone else? And for that regard, have you just stumbled on any hop combinations not terribly well-known or copied? I’d be interested to know, and to learn what your experiences have been with them. Tusen takk!

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Anyone have a good cream ale recipe?

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by italarican

Just looking to make a light, dry beer with subtle corn sweetness that’ll be easily accessible and easy to crush in the summer. I’ve never gone this light and don’t know what recipes I can trust.

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How do you use hops in your kettle?

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by JulienHuxley

Curious as to how you guys use hops when brewing. I just got a dip tube attachment and whirlpooled free hops for the first time yesterday. I used to use leaf hops in nylon sacks, then moved to pellets in a hop helper when leaf hops kept getting rarer and rarer. Some guys on a local facebook homebrewers group are pretty adamant about "freeing the hops" so I thought I’d give it a try. Works pretty well, got a lot of hop residue into the fermenter but quite a lot more stayed behind. Question can be extended to include dry-hopping technique too. Do you let the hops loose? Cold crash and rack?

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Grainfather Questions

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by jackadam

I have few questions, If the recipe calls far a dual temp mash, say 30 min @130° then 60min @ 150°, it takes the Grainfather some time to increase 20°. Should it still be 90 min total or 30 minutes at lower temp, then heat to higher temp before starting timer for additional 60 min? (I am using the original controller not the new smart one) Also I think I am sparging wrong. I have sparged every batch with the sparge water at mash temp. I’ve since noticed that recipes on the Grainfather app are sparging at 167°. What should I be doing? All my recipes so far have been from the 200 clones book and it does not specify sparging temp. Tags: https://freeringtonedownload.mobi/samsung-ringtones, https://freeringtonedownload.mobi/iphone-ringtones

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Mashing Water Problems.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:48:22 EST

Posted by BookmDano

What am I doing wrong? I get my water from a cave in Georgia (flows to the outside). The water has won awards for purity and taste and as a side note runs to a pond with Rainbow trout (Rainbow trout in Georgia ... got to be good.) Anyway, I used it in an all grain recipe using 24 lbs of grain, mashed in right at 154 degrees and held it for an hour. O.G. was 1.06 at finish for a 5-gallon batch (for 24 pounds??). Long-story-short I�m having a tough time with extraction. Tested the Ph and its at 6 and hardness was 180 ppm. What and how do I need to adjust 5 gallons of water?

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