brewing

Sorry for the rambling, but the Fermonster and Pliny the Elder beer kit just came in. Check out the hop bill for the Pliny (5gal batch). :yikes:

2 oz) Magnum
4 oz) Columbus
3 oz) Simcoe
3 oz) Centennial
2 oz) Cascade whole hop

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Finally getting off my butt and making some wort today. Found 10 lbs of 2row, a pound of victory, a pound of crystal 10 and a pound of crystal 60.
Have the home grown centennial and cascade to dump in the boil and a bunch of Simco pellets. Maybe just dump a ounce of it for bitter and a half oz with the whole hopps.
Sorry for the rambling, but the Fermonster and Pliny the Elder beer kit just came in. Check out the hop bill for the Pliny (5gal batch). :yikes:

2 oz) Magnum
4 oz) Columbus
3 oz) Simcoe
3 oz) Centennial
2 oz) Cascade whole hop

View attachment 1015083


Perfect blend. Whats the schedule??
 
Presenting the Mystery Ale...

Not a very good picture, looks a little darker than it actually is but probably due to the light table and background. For 4oz hops it's not very hoppy. Not really an APA nor IPA. More like just a standard ale beer. It's quite drinkable, nice body, just sorta good all-around beer.

I bet it's gone already.
 
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Took a gravity reading and it's too light. I will be adding some liquid extract that may change the color a little darker. Going to use hopps bags and add whirlflock so if it ain't tasty or gets ya drunk it will be pretty.
 
I saw your post on the other thread on the session ale. The beer you are talking about. Why do you like it?
 
Because it is a light, refreshing brew yet has the slight hint of the tropical/citrusy hops. Just there in the background. I think even people that don't care much for hops would like the subtle hint.
 
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I brew here in Wichita Kansas
 
Pics are always good.
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Been in the keg a few days now and is starting to get well carbonated. Will drink it slow so it conditions more. Did not whirlflock it so it's cloudy. Good malty flavor with some sweet and a nice lingering bitter.
 
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Just checked FG on a sample of the Mystery ale. 1.008. Wow, that went way down there. That gives 6.4 - 6.5% ABV; about 1% higher than forecast. :confused:

Should have fizzy samples this weekend.
stuff happens. Hard part of gravity readings is factoring in the temp of both samples to the scale temp. i sorta quit worrying about it as long as the primary seems to finish.
 
I always apply temperature correction to my gravity readings. I use a Thermapen to check the temp then get the corrected gravity reading.

The resulting alcohol isn't really my concern, I mainly check to see how things went relative to the calculated/predicted outcome. When I was bottling it was more important to check gravity to confirm fermentation had finished lest one end up with bottle bombs.

BTW, the brew looks good.
 
I always apply temperature correction to my gravity readings. I use a Thermapen to check the temp then get the corrected gravity reading.

The resulting alcohol isn't really my concern, I mainly check to see how things went relative to the calculated/predicted outcome. When I was bottling it was more important to check gravity to confirm fermentation had finished lest one end up with bottle bombs.

BTW, the brew looks good.

Bottle bombs happen. It's why i keg. I do not know the ABV on this one but I feel the one glass really well.... But it's gone.
When i was in the club I used to document everything. today if I care enough I like using a refractometer. so much simpler. I did a comparison with the specific gravity readings and have full confidence it it. Time for a refill...
 
Never had any blow, but I did end up with batch way back that apparently got infected and resulted in gushers. Pretty impressive foam, actually. LOL.

If you uncapped them real slow they wouldn't erupt right away but then a slight wiggle or tap of the bottle or a pour would just foam like mad. If you popped the cap quickly they'd start to foam crazy and just keep foaming out of the bottle until it was about half gone.
 
I did end up with batch way back that apparently got infected and resulted in gushers.

Actually there need not be a infection for fountains. It's a by product of bottle conditioning by stove toppers. The yeats in solution will continue to ferment the priming sugar till it's gone. Breweries who bottle condition have a measured amount of priming sugar sugar. Very small. The best will filter out the yeast and add priming yeast and sugar in a balance just enough to carbonate and quit. Some times they screw that up too. That's why most of the best brewers are chemical engineers and chemists.
I once made a batch of a session ale for a friend. His recipe and bottled it for him. he sat on em and sure enough they started breaking....
 
Actually there need not be a infection for fountains. ...

I understand, but this was an infection for sure.

For the rest I didn't quote, yes, beginning brewers are often quite anxious to get those early brews in their belly. If they don't ensure fermentation has stopped and add priming on top of that, or too much priming, or in some cases priming not well-mixed in the whole batch, can make bottle bombs.
 
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