Anyone brewed lately?

[smurfe]

Was wondering if anyone out there has brewed any beers lately? I have a couple I will keg and bottle probably Monday or Tuesday. Brewed a 10 gallon batch of Ordinary Bitter (5 to keg and 5 to bottle)and a 5 gallon batch of a "Who Knows What It Will Be" ale which was left over grains intended for an IPA with English Hops and American Ale yeast. I had a pound of whole leaf Fuggles hops which we have been trying to use up. Will be brewing the Bitters and Pub Ales for a while as I still have half a pound of the Fuggles and got 2 pounds of Challenger pellet hops the other day. I do love a good British Pub Ale though. So how about you? Anyone brewing?

 

[Scott]

No brewing but looks like a nice setup, and looks like something the revenuers would be searching for!


Also nice weather, drizzle and 49* here.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Knowing nothing about Brewing all I can say is it looks like you got quite a set up.....

What is the small tree behind you with the red flowers???

Beautiful neighborhood and the weather looks awesome.....

 

[rgecaprock]

Smurfe,


I bottled my Czech Pilsner 2 weeks ago in wine bottles. I couldn't get the caps to tighten on the beer bottles I had been saving....maybe because they were screw off cap bottles? It turned out much darker than I thought but had the best taste. Kind of like Shiner Bock. Very flowery. It is great. It didn't clear very well but had a great foam to it. I'd like to try more. The wine bottles worked just fine. It was a Brew House.


I was looking at the one George has on sale for 39.00, a Red Ale. If it is anything like Killian's Red it is one of my favorites.


Any recommendations...........Ramona

 

[smurfe]

Knowing nothing about Brewing all I can say is it looks like you got quite a set up.....

What is the small tree behind you with the red flowers???

Beautiful neighborhood and the weather looks awesome.....

We brewed at my Buddie's Zak's house. That is him in the pics. The tree's are Crepe Myrtles. I absolutely hate them. They are pretty though. The flower hears are similar to a Lilac if you have those around there.I have them in my back yard that are much much bigger. Every one of those flowers end up in my pool.

 

[smurfe]

Smurfe,


I bottled my Czech Pilsner 2 weeks ago in wine bottles. I couldn't get the caps to tighten on the beer bottles I had been saving....maybe because they were screw off cap bottles? It turned out much darker than I thought but had the best taste. Kind of like Shiner Bock. Very flowery. It is great. It didn't clear very well but had a great foam to it. I'd like to try more. The wine bottles worked just fine. It was a Brew House.


I was looking at the one George has on sale for 39.00, a Red Ale. If it is anything like Killian's Red it is one of my favorites.


Any recommendations...........Ramona

Ramona, You can't re-cap screw off bottles. Did you cap the wine bottles?


I did the Czech Pilsner as well. Mine didn't clear either and was pretty dark as well. Even after sitting lagering for months in the fridge at 34 degrees and adding finings it never cleared. It is still in the carboy. I did take a taste of it and it wasn't bad at all. I have made 3 extract kits and not one of them cleared. Every all grain batch I brew comes out crystal clear though.


The Red Ale should be the same style as Kilian's and something similar. If you found the right yeast which would be like the White Labs WLP004 Irish Ale yeast or a Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale yeast. You can get them local there in Houston. When I buy beer supplies George don't sell I take a road trip to Houston to get my stuff. Of course the yeast that came with it will work as well. Try it and see if you like it.


You could get yourself:


8.1 Pounds of English Pale Ale Light Malt Extract
6 ounces each of the following steeping grains and a grain bag:
Crystal 40L
Crystal 120L
Roasted Barley (300L)


1.25 oz of Kent Golding's hops and a couple vials of White Labs WLP004 and make your own batch.

 

[rgecaprock]

Smurfe,
I just made the simple kit and that is fine for me. Wine is my true love. But that beer is darn good. I corked the bottles. Kind of a waste corks. Don't think I tried capping the wine bottles...would that work?

Next time in Houston........Let me know. You bring the wine and I will cook.

Ramona

 

[smurfe]

No brewing but looks like a nice setup, and looks like something the revenuers would be searching for!


Also nice weather, drizzle and 49* here.

Our system is pretty Ghetto. If I have my way I am going to have either a Sabco Brew Magic RIMSSystem http://www.brew-magic.com/bmindex.htmlor a More Beer Fully Digital Tippy or Flat brew HERMSsystem. http://morebeer.com/search/102320


I have been thinking of making the coolers and stuff I already have into a RIMS or HERMS system and can be done and will probably be the way I will go as either of those systems I want above will cost around 6K with all the options I want. Guess I could go buy a welder and get back in the swing and build my own for probably less than a quarter of what the commercial system would cost. If I have my way though, I will have the commercial built system.

 

[smurfe]

Smurfe,
I just made the simple kit and that is fine for me. Wine is my true love. But that beer is darn good. I corked the bottles. Kind of a waste corks. Don't think I tried capping the wine bottles...would that work?

Next time in Houston........Let me know. You bring the wine and I will cook.

Ramona

Ramona, just keep an eye on those corks. The CO2 will push them out. It would be like bottling a sparkling wine. I would make sure you have them stored sitting upright and not on their sides in a wine rackto keep the corks moist.


I may be heading over there to The Woodlands to buy a car soon as the local dealer in BR never has the model I want and they always have over in your area what I want and are the next closer Mini Cooperdealer. I also need some more grains for brewing.

 

[Wade E]

I havent as Ive been so busy with trying to finally get going on finishing the basement. Finished all the electrical just tonight and am installing the rail system. Only did the 1 batch since I bought or made all the equipment. Not a huge beer drinker so still have 1/3 of what I brewed in the keg still but now that Im working in the basement all day after work till around 9:00pm the keg has been going down steadily.

Want to do a goo wheat beer as my next all grain.

 

[rgecaprock]

Wade....if you have a rail system to your house.....Im there!!!!


Ramona

 

[fratermus]

Ramona, You can't re-cap screw off bottles.

Screw-tops can be capped nicely with a bench capper (and sometimes with a wing capper if the shape of the bottom flange on the bottle is right).

 

[Wade E]

Wade....if you have a rail system to your house.....Im there!!!!</font>


Ramona</font>

Stair rail system Ramona!

I do have a killer 1/32 scale race set for cars and some serious cars that go with it, all the classics like 69 Camaro, Charger, Cuda and lots more and they go very FAST </font>! CMON over, plenty of beer and more wine then you could shake a handful of sticks at.
Edited by: wade

 

[rgecaprock]

Wade. I'll hop in the jet and show up in time to see how fast the Cuda goes..........I know you are a stair guy....and a damn good one tool!!!


I'm sure your hospitality would surpass all expections....second to none!!!!


Someday...........unless you are going to be at WS2009. which would be sooner than someday...hope you can make it ......

...RamonaEdited by: rgecaprock

 

[Wade E]

Now that my wife will be going to school for nursing I highly dought that Ill be going

as she will not have time for much with all the homework that comes in to play when you jam a 3-4 year course into 18 months! Mayb 1 of these years!

 

[Travisty]

I haven't brewed anything for myself in too long. In fact the girlfriend's starting to complain that I havent' brewed recently enough (she might be a keeper!

) so I should do something soon. I just ordered an extract kit for our church's brewing club to start wednesday night. We're going to do midwest supplies' power pack porter and add a few vanilla beans once the active ferment has subsided. Hoping for a goodmanly vanilla porter to go with our shaggy selves at the end of our "no-shave-november!"

Not sure what I will do for myself. My girlfriend's mom has offered to give me an old full size fridge so I may try the bock I brewed as my first beer and actually lager it. We'll see.

 

[Wade E]

Sounds good Travisty!

 

[dragonmaster42]

I have a Irish Red Ale that I bottled last week. Should be ready for a Xmas unveiling (if I can last that long)! I'm going to pick up some bottle caps and lactose tomorrow and I'll have all the fixin's for a Oatmeal Cream Stout recipe I found that looked good. Santa delivered a Bayou Classic jet burner and 32qt pot yesterday and I'm eager to try it out

 

[fratermus]

My batch this weekend will be an Irish ale. Trying to clone Smithwick's.

 

[Travisty]

fratermus, could you post your recipe if it works out? Smithwick's is a tastey beer!