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PostPosted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 11:32 am 
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I've got the cider Carboy in the fridge and should be good to bottle it tonight. The Whiskey barrel stout will go to secondary as well today and have the barrel chips added as well considering adding a couple of vanilla beans as I have read that goes well in this stout but not sure I can bring myself to do it.


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 18, 2014 12:19 pm 
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Bottled the Whiskey Barrel Stout last night and think it is on track definitely picked up some oak and whiskey flavour with the chips but definitely needs to mellow a bit which in what I read should happen in about two months of conditioning. I've also discovered the one cider that I left for a couple of months in the bottle from my first mini batch was much improved from previous tastings.

So no beer making till after the move so I am on hiatus for a couple of months and will return ready to all grain.


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:40 pm 
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wow impressive. You are certainly at a different level then I am. After much irritation I have discovered that the boiling point is much different at this altitude then what I am used to. I should have known this considering the octane level in the gas that they push off on us but.....it really didn't occur to me until recently. 202F/94C at 5280. So in all reality since I am close to the foothills I am looking at 200 or less.

I'd be interested in that cider.

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:55 pm 
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Cider is easy. Fresh cider, some added sugars if at all for desired SG, and yeast plus time and you have Hard Cider. Regret now not getting some Pectin enzyme for a clearer product, but will see may yet settle out in the bottles over the next few months. This one I used Bavarian wheat beer yeast and can already tell I like the flavor more than using Champagne yeast as I did in my small test batch.

Tested the Stout last night to check on carbonation and flavor. It was okay but a bit to much Whiskey flavor at the moment and could use more volume maybe would add some lactose if I was to brew this again. Will wait though and see flavors will blend and mellow that I am confident in and maybe I will get lucky and the added carbonation will add some thickness and volume.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 07, 2014 4:20 pm 
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The Forearm Pale ale is outstanding. nice hoppy taste, smooth non angry finish, firm head.

Sent Hair of the Dog (German lite) into bottling 3/1. First one in the better bottle instead of the bucket.

I think I am going to try my hand with another 3 Hop kit called Triple Aces this weekend.

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PostPosted: Sat May 10, 2014 8:57 pm 
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wow wow WOW! I purchased that wort chiller and used it on a full boil today. Don't know how I brewed without it. From Boil to pitching yeast in 25 minutes! Recommended! Cut my brew time down to 3.5 hours.

Finally that Triple Aces is in fermentation.

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PostPosted: Wed May 14, 2014 10:22 am 
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New house stuff has slowed down my brewing endeavors so have neither got the all grain or keg gear. Have an IPA cold crashed, clarified, and ready for bottle once I get some 12 oz bottles sometime in the next couple of days. Will pick up an ingredient kit or two then as well and at least get a couple of batches aging aging out in the carboys while I procrastinate the bottling again.


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PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2014 11:21 pm 
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Bottling bucket seals disintegrated this evening but at least we made it through.........bottling is a family affair here. The kids are employed with capping and bottle handling. I usually prefer a lighter beverage during the summer and this one clocks in right around 5.25%. This is probably my last one for a while (until fall).

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 3:51 pm 
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So couple months ago brewed an Oatmeal Stout and everything was going good but had my first stalled fermentation. OG was .064 and was at .032 after a week and did not move for the next week and was shooting for .018. Decided to ignore it and deal with it later if I needed to repitch and just threw it to a secondary and added a couple of vanilla beans. two weeks later took a sample and was at .022, then yesterday about a month since the .022 checked and reached .016 which was actually the lower end of the target range I wanted and be just over 6% abv.

Once again my number one rule holds true with the homebrew. Give it time.


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 7:11 pm 
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So bringing this thread out of retirement as I am back up and brewing, suspect harmy has retired from the sport so may be a lonely thread but got to talk about something. Have setup with a full all grain system now with lots of new toys to play with including with 11.7 gallon cooler mash tun, same size hot liquor tank, propane turkey fryer burner, Fast ferment 7.9 gallon conical fermentor, and a kegging system to server and carbonate the beer.

First brew day with the new stuff was this weekend and got through it in good shape, was not dead on in my mash temperatures or expected volumes that the grains absorbed but will dial that in with experience. First batch is a simple Brown ale and though things where not perfect as stated my OG was only under by .001 much to my surprise. That likely does not mean much to many here but that is really close and a good sign I extracted all the right stuff from the grain for this beer to be on track to be a good one. Oh and Harmy you talked about wort chillers before, I home build one with 50 feet of soft copper and it brought six gallons of boiling wort to 65 F in 13 minutes which I found impressive. Fermentation took off great once it started but took 20 hrs to started which had me concerned for a bit, going to get a stir plate before the next batch and start making yeast starters to get a better jump for the yeast. Still three weeks away from kegging and looking forward to the first time using that equipment.


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:20 am 
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Hounsy wrote:
So bringing this thread out of retirement as I am back up and brewing, suspect harmy has retired from the sport so may be a lonely thread but got to talk about something. Have setup with a full all grain system now with lots of new toys to play with including with 11.7 gallon cooler mash tun, same size hot liquor tank, propane turkey fryer burner, Fast ferment 7.9 gallon conical fermentor, and a kegging system to server and carbonate the beer.

First brew day with the new stuff was this weekend and got through it in good shape, was not dead on in my mash temperatures or expected volumes that the grains absorbed but will dial that in with experience. First batch is a simple Brown ale and though things where not perfect as stated my OG was only under by .001 much to my surprise. That likely does not mean much to many here but that is really close and a good sign I extracted all the right stuff from the grain for this beer to be on track to be a good one. Oh and Harmy you talked about wort chillers before, I home build one with 50 feet of soft copper and it brought six gallons of boiling wort to 65 F in 13 minutes which I found impressive. Fermentation took off great once it started but took 20 hrs to started which had me concerned for a bit, going to get a stir plate before the next batch and start making yeast starters to get a better jump for the yeast. Still three weeks away from kegging and looking forward to the first time using that equipment.


Sounds pretty awesome!

I saw this on Costco.ca a while back. I can't remember if I posted it here.

http://www.costco.ca/Danby%C2%AE-DKC052 ... 02&refine=

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:38 am 
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My buddy has the exact model and it works very well, my keg setup is a little more cheap and simple.

http://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Cobra_Ta ... -w-keg.htm

Though may drill some holes in the garage beer fridge and add a real tap to it before summer.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:57 pm 
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Made a Kolsch just to see how well I can produce a light coloured and clear brew without filtering. Think it turned out pretty clear and go figure my fizzy light lager drinking company seem to be agreeable with it while I still like it....may have to be a summer regular. American Blonde is next to be brewed.

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:07 pm 
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Added a second keg and necessary hardware to the system so I can add a little variety on hand. Suppose I am taking the hobby full on now as I have assembled the ingredients to brew a Founder's All Day IPA clone this weekend and I don't normally care that much for dry hopped beer but just want to say I have made one. I have the right yeast that I harvested from the last batch I made(Blonde Ale) so thought even if I don't like it I know enough hop drinkers that I can give it away. As well no doubt it will be fresh and fresh can make all the difference in the world with dry hopped IPA beers.


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PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2016 9:27 pm 
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So got my Kegerator version 1.0 up and running to make for a pretty sweet garage beer fridge. Should be a big hit for some summer pool parties.

Still need to drill a hole through the side for the gas line then cam move the CO2 tank outside of the fridge for version 1.1, but close enough for now.

Image

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PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2016 9:24 am 
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Great stuff!

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PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2016 9:50 am 
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yes that's awesome. A few years back now I would have enjoyed this. I am not ready to part with my brewing equipment quite yet.

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PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2016 12:23 pm 
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harmfuljays wrote:
yes that's awesome. A few years back now I would have enjoyed this. I am not ready to part with my brewing equipment quite yet.


For me in the past the whole bottling situation was a drag and just not fun and the main reason I suspended brewing for a while. Loved making the beer up to that point but found the bottling a chore so glad I gave it went back with kegging and all grain brewing now every process of the hobby is pleasant and beer quality is top notch.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 10:10 am 
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I finally chatted up the fellow behind me who grows the hops and he gave me a bunch. I don't want them to go to waste. Can I freeze them?

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 1:06 pm 
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harmfuljays wrote:
I finally chatted up the fellow behind me who grows the hops and he gave me a bunch. I don't want them to go to waste. Can I freeze them?


What type of hops?

and I have definitely read online that people store them in freezers a they stockpile on favorites in case they are unavailable come brew time.


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