Homebrew thread 11

Took a few pictures whilst I was upgrading my old 30L stovetop brewpot into a much better electric brew kettle. I'll dump them with a bit of commentary/walk through if there's any interest.

>>1197704
I'd be interested to see how you did things. Electric seems to be the way to go. More flexibility over propane.

File: stripped tap kit.jpg (2MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3264x2448px

>>1197713
bear in mind what I was starting with was just an old stockpot that I've been using and in the UK the wattage required is available just from the wall at 240V 13A.
Started by sorting out all the parts I'd ordered.
Had to bend the outer washer on the tap to fit the bend of the brew kettle as the wall was fairly rigid

File: fitting tap kit.jpg (1MB, 2447x3263px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2447x3263px

>>1197715
Putting PTFE on all the joints and planning out how I want them assembled.

File: filing is boring.jpg (2MB, 2447x3263px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 2447x3263px

>>1197716
Sadly the element has a massive 40mm diameter thread and my drill bit only goes up to 20mm so I had to use a different approach. Scribed a circle with a compass, then drilled inside the scribe line, passed a junior hacksaw blade through the drill holes and cut from hole to hole by hand, then finished with a couple of files checking the fit on the tread once I started to get close. This would probably be easier if I owned a dremel.

File: tea test.jpg (1MB, 2447x3263px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2447x3263px

After fitting the element, tap and sightglass, I did a leak test, thoroughly washed out all the metal dust and did a final check of how it all works by making a well deserved cup of tea.

>>1197702
Thats a sweet system, if only I had the space.

>>1197717
Looks good, will having an exposed element cause scorching issues?

I use a 240v grainfather and the only time I had scorching was when I brewed a belgian and didn't stir often enough after adding the sugar to the boil. Otherwise it generally has a slight brown film on the bottom where the concealed element is, I just give the bottom a scrape with the mash paddle twice during a 60min boil.

>>1197941
I didn't normally get scorching at all when I was using the pot on the hob, I'll be brewing a beer Saturday morning so I'll report back on any problems I might have found.

So what are some interesting, practical, sexual, or otherwise different things that I can do with my homebrew other than drinking, cooking, and bathing it in?

>>1198207
Vinegar, enter into competitions, distill, take notes and work on perfecting a recipe, make beersoap, get custom artwork for packaging/presentation, blending different beers. Plenty to be done if you get creative with it.

So been slowly ramping up the seriousness of my brewing and distilling. Wired up a STC-1000 and hooked it up to an old fridge we had after we grabbed a new one, using that as a fermentation chamber. I live in a hot climate so getting consistent brews for things like cider hasn't worked in past but seems to be working out great now.

Because I got new job I can afford food safe buckets etc to step up my fermentation game, and a pot still head to step up my distilling game. Currently I have a 4-5th gen UJSSM in the bucket ready to crash and distill when I have time, a Skeeter Pee crashing so I can rack, add sugar and then try bottle conditioning and then pastuerizing so it's sweet and fizzy, I have a strawberry cider in primary, tastes better than any experiment I have ever tired with cider before. I also just bottled and labeled a bottle of golden rum ( I don't like rum but worth a try). Things are looking up. Plus I have about 20-25l of 40% feints to run back through the pot still, and then put through the reflux so I have bunch to stock up the booze cupboard.

File: DSCN1192a.jpg (816KB, 2044x1532px) Image search: [Google]

816KB, 2044x1532px

>stop by an antique store
>see old hand crank juicer for $50, ever heard of that brand (Lolia) or style before
>can't even find it online
>buy it and clean it up
>test it on oranges, works perfectly
>happen to have some pineapples someone gave to me
>time for tepache!

I haven't made tepache in about 8-9 years.

>>1198810
what's tepache? looks interesting.

>>1198859
A type of drink made from pineapple (originally maize). It takes 48 hours or longer to make and have a %ABV similar to average beer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tepache

Street vendors in Mexico often times have 55 gallon drums of it. It is a low class beverage, but not known as a tourist beverage.

>>1199474
>but now known

fixed

>>1199474
How's it taste? is it like a pineapple cider?

>>1199485
They are heavily spiced too. It is like a soda because there's normally some active yeast left and CO2 hasn't outgassed yet, kind of like kilju. It is very unique. You can even make a wine out of it.

So guys, I made churchill ale from mr beer, but used a yeast I got from a homebrewing store.
How do I tell when it's done? I don't have a hydrometer.

my banana wine is clarifying nicely after a few weeks in the fridge
goes great with strawberry brandy, gets you nice and drunk too (brandy is at ~100 proof and the wine is ~35)

2oz strawberry brandy
4oz banana wine
2oz club soda
simple syrup to taste

>>1199573
How long ago did you pitch your yeast? has it reached full krausen yet (has a full head of yeast foam risen to the surface), has the krausen fallen, has all bubbling of the airlock ceased? is the surface of the beer still or does it look like there are small bubbles still rising to the surface.

If you don't have a hydrometer just wait a couple of weeks. Most beers will be done with the bulk of fermentation by the five day mark, but bottling is normally left until a bit longer to give the beer time to mellow out and mature.

>>1199474
recipes?

got three pineapples right now to cut up

>>1198810
Are hand crank juicers wise? How should I go about making wines and stuff?

>>1199586
I think ima just bottle it after 2 weeks, fementation seems to have stopped.

File: tepache wine.png (164KB, 1256x770px) Image search: [Google]

164KB, 1256x770px

>>1199612
Here's what I could find in the archives.

>>1199618
So long as everything is clean, it should be fine. I own a Squeezo that I use for various country wine/mead projects (a must for extracting juice only). Alternatively, you can simply freeze and thaw the fruit. I use that method for some things. It releases more juice from the cells; ice crystals rupture them.

>>1199573
Leave it 2 weeks. Its will be ready for bottling then.

I'm thinking about brewing an extract wheat beer. Should I do German style with WB-06 or just use US-05 and add corriander and orange peel in the last 5 minutes of the boil?

Which is going to taste better despite temperature fluctuations that come with brewing in the summer?

>>1199633
started a batch last night and it's been going like crazy

based on advice from HBT, just pineapple rind, brown sugar, and cinnamon....I did boil it and then add yeast though

File: DSCN1361a.jpg (671KB, 1024x2300px) Image search: [Google]

671KB, 1024x2300px

>>1198810
I'm cold crashing this batch right now. I'll probably start drinking it on Wednesday with a friend.

>>1199612
The recipe is rarely the same twice for ingredients and brown sugar/honey types like spices. This one was,

Rind and core of 2 pineapples ground up with its juice.
2.5 cups of sugar (brown is best.)
1pkg Fleischmann's active dry bread yeast (very good for a "non-sanitary" batch of brew; it also adds its own flavor for a short term no-aging brew like this)
1 broken up stick of Ceylon cinnamon
2 black tea bags
1/4 cup raisins
1-gallon of water (I don't boil it for these types of recipes, but you can.)

Dissolve sugar in water then yeast
Add all ingredients and stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes (helps impart more oxygen into the water.)
Cover container with plastic wrap or loose lid (keep gnats/flies out, but allows outgassing, no airlock needed.)
Ferment for 48 hours (short time because of added yeast, long recipe is 72 hours without added yeast.) Punch the pulp down twice a day.
Strain out pulp.
Crash in fridge for a few days (should drop lees, but remain somewhat cloudy for most batches though it can become very clear sometimes.)
Rack into serving vessel, serve, and drink.

It should be a little fizzy usually because it is still a bit active. Don't drink a ton of it or you may need to use the bathroom. Most people drink it right after straining it. I find I like it cold crashed for a few days instead. If you use the 72 hour recipes, remember that those don't add yeast and rely on wild yeasts. That means they will turn to vinegar just after about 72 days. So, if you any smell vinegar at all, cold crash it overnight and/or drink ASAP. It will just keep getting more vinegary if you let it.

>>1199618
>Are hand crank juicers wise?

I'm not sure I get your meaning. They are indispensable for some things. Though, you can use hand crank or electric, it doesn't matter.

>How should I go about making wines and stuff?

Google, "Jack Keller" and start reading.

How would I go about making a sweet cider with carbonation? If I add sugar to carbonate won't it all be consumed by the yeast? If I add extra to make it sweeter then I would risk blowing up bottles, but if I add just enough to carbonate it will come out dry.

>>1200142
Use 2-liter soda bottles. It is pretty easy. You can use the same recipes to make fermented soda pop. The 2-liter bottles are strong enough to take the pressure which will stop the fermentation and you crash it in the fridge. Google up some fermented soda recipes.

>>1200090
I'll see if I like it, but since we eat a lot of pineapple when it's on sale, it's a fast and easy brewing opportunity

I thought some of the people said they let it go up to a week, longer than that and it went sour....

>>1200142
don't use sugar to sweeten or force carbonate

>>1200158
>I thought some of the people said they let it go up to a week, longer than that and it went sour....

That is supposed to happen, but the thing is you are not supposed to let it go for a week. 72 hours max before cold crashing it/drinking it. There will always be differences in the timing of when it will start to go sour. Those variables are too many to pin down. You'd need to use potassium metabisulfite to prevent that. Then again, this is like a soda or kilju. It is meant to be quick and consumed early.

>>1200175
I'll keep tasting and see how it goes

File: 1487391241590.jpg (312KB, 1440x2560px) Image search: [Google]

312KB, 1440x2560px

Just curious, if I ran tepache through a still what would I get?

>>1200507
It depends on the recipe, but I'd imagine it'd be a bit like spiced rum. You should probably make the wine version then try that.

>>1200518
I will, but first I need to make a new still, using a pressure cooker is absolute shit.

so dead bugs in airlow?
should i be worried?

>>1200618
You mean in your bubbler airlock? Just dump them out and redo your airlock. Tape a paper towel over it to prevent them getting in. The only problem is when the brew is almost done, the positive pressure of the CO2 is really low, the air space above the brew is a bit too large, and there's a cold snap that lowers the temperature of the room, which lowers the temp of the air space, which causes negative pressure, which sucks all the liquid out of the airlock and its contents end up in your brew. Which leads to a nice big infection.

>>1200621
Thats why I dont even use airlocks now. Plastic food wrap and a rubberband.

>>1200703
I use a blow-off tube. It is a really long tube that goes to the floor and sticks into a bucket of water.

Has anyone made vinegar before? I would like to make a bunch, but do not know where to start. I have made a few batches of beer well enough, I think the major decisions are the choice of initial medium (wine, cider, etc), whether I make the initial medium as well, and the process by which to do it.

I would also be likely gifting some of this vinegar away as presents, so I might want to infuse some of it as well.

There are many options, like cider, wine, rice, malt, cane, beer, coconut, etc.

>>1200703
Cheap way of fixing this is the cheapest bottle of vodka you can find, or some of the feints from a stripping run through a still. Nothing wants to go near it, and if you get suck back then it's a miniscule bump in ABV. If your vodka is clean you get no flavour difference. I do that because we have temp swings, never had an infection from backflow.

>>1200980
You can easily make vinegar from kombucha by fermenting it longer than the drinking recipe says.

>>1201266
well that explains the one and only time I tried kombucha.

>>1201268
Could be worth trying again but making it yourself so that it's not too sour.

>>1200175
well it went about 2.5 days, not sure what it was supposed to taste like, but there isn't a lot of flavor

I wanted a stronger pineapple essence

Might plate out the gfs pussy juice and see if I can brew a clambic.

So tried my bloody skeeter pee (blood orange juice instead of lemon), and it isn't offencive, it just doesn't taste much of anything. My regular skeeter pee could have used a little more back sweetening, but was otherwise fine.

File: DSCN1404a.jpg (165KB, 1024x768px) Image search: [Google]

165KB, 1024x768px

>>1201329
Recipe?

If you want pineapple flavored drinks you'll need to use pineapple juice. Most of the flavor in tepache comes from the spices you use and the tingle of the CO2. The recipe in >>1200090 is pretty good. The pineapple flavor is very light, the alcohol content is low, the CO2 is just right. The only thing it needs is a bit of acid for mouth feel and some stronger spice. The first sip is about the same as the last sip. I used white sugar so it is much like a light soda and not reddish in color.

More traditional tepache recipes are much stronger in spice flavor and the flavor of the type of brown sugar (muscovado, demerara, turbinado) or honey used. Remember this is a street vendor drink you get on a hot day while being a tourist. It is more about quenching your thirst without leaving you "heavy."

The more modern American recipes don't use just the skins and core of the pineapple. Instead they will use 1 to 3 whole pineapples per gallon. Another problem with flavor is the pineapple itself. If needs to be ripe. Where I live, I have to grow my own pineapples if I want ripe pineapples. Otherwise, they are all green at the stores. They turn color a bit after picking, but their flavor never enriches properly. Making pineapple drinks with those sucks when compared to using fully ripe, bright yellow pineapples.

>>1201795
I've wanted to try subbing grapefruit for lemon. My concern was how much extra to add to make up pH. Maybe some acid blend could help out, or if you don't mind fucking up the clarity you could sweeten with bore juice.

>>1201801
2c brown sugar
2 pineapples worth of rind
1 tb cinnamon (no sticks)
enough water to fill jug

>pineapple juice
yeah, I'm thinking it would probably be better to grind up the rind to get more juice out of it first

>needs to be ripe
oh the ones I used were definitely ripe....they're usually green here too, but they turned a very nice gold and were delicious

>>1201901
Yeah, that recipe would be considered "weak" by most people. It is a good practice run though. Try one of the more modern tepache recipes that use more spices, sugar, and pineapple.

If you still have some left of that brew, try a mixed beverage. There's quite a few things you can do. Everything from 1 part Sprite with 2 parts Tepache to 1 part Rum with 3 parts Tepache. Play with it.

>>1202160
idk
I would have thought there would be more sweetness left considering how short the ferment was

I will freeze the rind from the next one, and make a smaller batch....also not adding any other yeast

Just racked a nice red IPA into a 20L cask. Anyone else have any experience with cask ale and want to share some tips? I always find it a bit of a task to finisk one in time.

>>1197941
>>1198199
never actually got back on the scorching issue.

The element held up completely fine, it held a strong boil and heated up to boil nice and quickly. I had some minor limescale buildup after using it as both my HLT and boil kettle but after 10 seconds scrub with a soft scourer that came right off. All in all if your domestic supply is high enough I would definitely recommend switching to electric. Not having my carbon monoxide alarm go off half way though the brew like it normally does was a good bonus too.

File: index.jpg (9KB, 261x193px) Image search: [Google]

9KB, 261x193px

I want a fucking barrel

>distilling is illegal in NC

land of the free

started another small batch of tepache, tried to up the sugar and spice ratios

also not adding yeast this time

Are spigots for fermenters (this one specifically https://www.morebeer.com/products/speidel-plastic-fermenter-20l-53-gal.html) airlocked?
As in, is it safe to screw on the spigot during fermentation, or will nasties get into my wine through it?
It would make measuring the S.G a lot easier.

Thanks guys

>>1203933
Most taps are of the "ball valve" variety. This meas they have a cavity inside the tap and when its open liquid can flow through the cavity. They're not inherently unsafe but they can be a source of infection if you forget to flush the liquid out of this cavity before using the fermentor. If you're prepared to add an extra level of care to your sanitising routine go for it.

>>1203661
Nothing illegal about making some tasty distilled water.

File: 120-liter-metalen-vat-model-1-blauw-met-deksel[1].jpg (110KB, 800x800px) Image search: [Google]

110KB, 800x800px

Is a steel bucket with a sealable ring as pic related good for building a still?

If I bore a hole in the top lit for the vapour to come out the seal would be tight enough to not like vapour or liquid to permeate out of it right?

>>1203942
Thank you very much for the answer, anon.

File: 1468668818517.jpg (82KB, 590x573px) Image search: [Google]

82KB, 590x573px

redcurrants are beginning to ripen
highly recommend all of you to make a batch of redcurrant wine

>>1203797

it tastes pretty good after 2 days, but can't detect any alcohol...not carbonated either yet

>>1204729
it must have really kicked into gear because it bubbled out onto the table

went ahead and stuck it in the fridge to chill, it does taste like alcohol now, but still got enough sweetness

I think I stopped it at the right time....2.5 days

>>1203947
could work, but you better know someone good with a tig or that fucker's gonna leak like a sieve as soon as there's pressure in it. That's some pretty thin metal to be trying to pipe into and seal.

>>1205028
tepache is always a tricky thing in the beginning. once you have a good recipe and you've made it 10+ times, you can do it right nearly every time, barring ingredient problems.

>>1205072
I still don't have much of a benchmark, but I think it turned out pretty well
I've got another pineapple to cut so I might make another batch

I just improvised it, but here's what I used...

1 pineapple skins
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp ginger
1 c sugar
little bit of nutmeg
enough water to cover

I tried getting more juice out of the peel by blending it, but I'd probably need to make a press for it to be worth it

I do want to get a food grade bucket though to make it in though, and some smaller jugs to fit in the fridge

>>1205081
You can freeze fruit to help break the cell walls and get more juice out of them.

>>1203661
That doesnt stop the good ole boys out in Watauga County.
also
>tfw you have a home brewing shop 5 min from where you live.
Triad homebrew btw props to them to selling to me back when i was underaged.

>>1205247
They can sell the ingredients to brew to underage, nothing illegal about that.

>>1199677
>>1199586
is there a point where it should be just thrown out? ive got a small batch i forgot to bottle and its about 2 months in the fermenter

>>1205354
I'd try it before I threw it out. depending on the style two months might be too long and the yeast might have started autolysing (digesting themselves in order to remain alive) and this produces some very off flavours.

>>1205354
2 months is fine.

>>1205072
Agreed, I made it a bunch two summers ago and had it down, I tried making a back in June and totally fucked it up.

File: IMG_8761.jpg (2MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 4032x3024px

Finally finished the wiring on my automated rig(except heating element that'll be last), turned water on and the fucking thing is leaking everywhere. But I tested all the valves and pumps and stuff from my HMI and it all seems to be working.

File: IMG_8761.jpg (915KB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

915KB, 4032x3024px

>>1207627
Fucking iphone with the upside down pictures

File: IMG_8762.jpg (848KB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

848KB, 4032x3024px

>>1207630
Also learned that these chinkshit valves will not open from having a pump pulling from one side, only pushing, so now I have 4 valves that I need to replace. Should have looked into it better before hand but whatever.

File: IMG_8763.jpg (815KB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

815KB, 4032x3024px

>>1207633
Inside control cabinet, Allen Bradley SLC 5/02 doing the controls and automation, shitty little Wintel W8 running advancedHMI for interface and datalogging.

>>1207627
>>1207630
>>1207633
>>1207635
Looking nice. I'm looking to make the jump to a semi automated system in the feature. What would you say were the most significant unexpected difficulties you found in setting up your system?

>>1207720
Getting the old gear to talk to the new stuff was a huge pain in the ass, I almost gave up a few times. Other than that it's hard to say, I've been slowly putting it together with old parts from work/stuff I've had left over from jobs, I've been at it for about18 months now. I think I'm only in for about $500 total.

>>1207627
Brewing in Australia must be hard. How does the grains and water just not fall out?

>>1207635
You paid for an hmi an slc and all the software to brew alcohol? Do you even have a wife?

>>1208337
Yes I have a wife, and cost is almost nil, I work at a big industrial plant doing maintanence, so a lot of the stuff is "free" after I fish it out of the recycling

>>1208337
And lol no software is all free, not paying the Allen Bradley Jew

>>1207630
Would you care to describe everything that's going on in that picture? My knowledge of brewing doesn't exend far enough to understand the application of automation and data logging

>>1208378
I will, kinda hammered right now but i have some P&ID's and some sequencer logic charts i will find and post tommorow

File: IMG_20150224_111304409.jpg (2MB, 2592x1456px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 2592x1456px

>>1207635
>SLC500
absolutelydisgusting.jpg

>wasting time with ancient garbage
>not selling your stolen SLC500 shit on eBay to fund the rest of the project
>not using a fucking arduino memecontroller
>not using any number of less expensive PLCs that interface with modern computers (wut iz usb) like Automation Direct or Velocio

SLC500 belongs in the trash.

>>1208405
There's nothing to sell, that was one of the few things i bought, $60 with all the cards inculded. Arduino is fine, I've used it for a bunch of other projects, these things are built for this shit, super easy to troubleshoot, and reliable.

File: Brew PID.jpg (181KB, 2551x1651px) Image search: [Google]

181KB, 2551x1651px

Basic 3 vessel layout, 2 pumps and valves to move liquid around. Getting the liquids up to temp is all done on the kettle, the heating element in the mash loop is just for maintaining and adjusting the temp for step mashes.

File: Brew sequence.jpg (278KB, 1533x481px) Image search: [Google]

278KB, 1533x481px

This was the sequence i designed, only part i might change is how the sparge water is added, but i would need to get a bigger mash ton.

>>1208651
Also there is a recipe input page on the HMI, right now you can input up to 4 steps in the mash. I've never done step mashing on my countertop set up so looking forward to trying it. This thing should be way more accurate with my temperatures as well, the PLC has PID function blocks that work very well for this.

I'm not going to homebrew anymore until I get a kegging system set up. Bottling and bottles in general are a pain in the ass.

File: ding dong diddle diddle fiddly wing wong how do you do.jpg (134KB, 782x440px) Image search: [Google]

134KB, 782x440px

>>1208714
Take that back!

>>1197717
Why does everyone put the element in the side?
If I ever convert I'll be inserting mine through a hole in the center of the bottom of a non-clad.
Just got my natural gas hookups in the basement and on the patio so until the electric price beats the gas price I'll be brewing the old fashion way.

>>1208714
>kegging system
I use mine for carbonating water.
Kegging beer is boring.

What if I throw a nub of ginger in the pan while I heat up my priming sugar?

So is 9 bix the lowest my dingle dangle can measure, or is my final reading oddly always 9 due to some common error in my process?

>>1208964
The elements are designed to sit horizontally for maximum efficiency. It puts the element coil perpendicular to the travel of the hot wort , spreading the heating over a larger area. Also, my kettle when not in use sits on the floor nested in 3 other various buckets and bins. And when in use it can just sit on my kitchen worktop instead of having to rest on a rack that allows bottom access to the element.

>>1208964
> how do convection currents work
Yeah it must be retarded putting it in the side eh? Ignore that that's been the standard forever. All those people must just be idiots

>>1209297
>>1209300

You guys know elements come in different shapes, right? The bottom is objectively the very best placement, and most efficient. Just put a 90 decree bend in the element.

>>1209315
why risk breaking an expensive element to put a bend in it and never have it sit flat on a level surface again when I can just insert it through the side and leave it as the manufacturer intended.

>>1209408
What kettles are you buying that the manufacturer intended you to put a hole in the side? Just bend the element like normal instead of using jackhammer or bandsaw. Most homebrewers have their shit set up on stands to accommodate all the pumps, chillers, and lines anyway. It will still sit flat on a level surface without any problems. If the hole placed is bigger than 2" you probably fucked up whether it is in the side or the bottom.

>>1209708
>just bend the element like normal
I have literally never seen anyone with a bent element in their kettle. All designs I've seen involve putting the element throught the side. Why do you insist that all brewers are doing it wrong and your genius innovation is better?

>>1209720
Do you ever visit homebrew forums? It's pretty common unless you have a RIMS setup. I put mine in the side with a slight bend, but I wish I had gone through the bottom and put a 90 degree bend in. The valve is also in the bottom. It's perfect if you have a screen for hops and shit. No more fiddling and bullshit with whirlpool or pickup. Gravity pulls wort down, and heat rises. The bottom is simply the best location here. I'm not saying the few who don't bend are doing it wrong, that's just their (suboptimal) setup, and I'm not saying I came up with it, I didn't even start until 3 years ago. Elements have been used for brewing much longer.

Seriously though, think about it for a second. Where do propane brewers apply the heat, on the side?

File: NelsonForDaysLastDay1.jpg (677KB, 1556x2074px) Image search: [Google]

677KB, 1556x2074px

First keg of vacation homebrew kicking it soon! Hazier and hazier as the last drops go into the glass!

File: 20170716_141259.jpg (1MB, 2160x2160px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2160x2160px

FUUUUUUU

Thought I had it sealed up good while it was rehydrating.

>>1209893
NEIPA?

i Made a batch of mead the other month put it in a sterile jar and put it in the fridge and it turned sour what went wrong? Google was no help.

Is PET safe to brew in?

>>1210211

Did you use any sulfites or sorbate?

can anyone convince me not to blow all my cash on tri-clamp fittings? tired of fiddling about with NPT, NPS and BSP and finding out at the last minute that the part I was planning on using has the wrong gender.

>>1210211
Are you sure that's not just the taste of the fermentation being finished? Cider can often taste "sour" when it has finished fermenting because there's not sugar left.

>>1210265
mead doesn't need preservatives. it's literally fermented preservative.

>>1210211
We'll need some more info to help yo out here buddy. Did you record the OG and FG, how long did it ferment out for, any possible causes of oxidation or contamination? Are you sure its not like >>1210350 says and you're confusing sour for dry and tart?

>>1210357
>>1210265
>>1210350
Yeast sugar berries is all i put in.
I can't give you anymore info unless the 3 cm of air is anything. I'm still new to the home brew stuff so i might be confusing the two but when i open it it hisses.

>>1210404
For someone new the taste of fully dry beverage can taste really strange and sour. The first time I tried cider fermented all the way out I thought I was being poisoned, because pretty much no cider I have tried in this country is sold dry. It's all got at least a little sweetness.

Haven't tried Mead, but from my experiences berries can be quite tart when they have fermented out.

>>1210021
Enjoy your "sour".

>>1210100
Not nearly hazy enough.

>>1210736
I fortunately had another packet of US05 and just pitched it dry as I didn't have time to rehydrate it.

Been 18hrs and no signs of anything so far.

>>1210100
NE Pale ale more like it i guess due to the bitterness.

>>1210737
Had alot of NE ipas and such this is as hazy if not hazier than those for sure. I skipped both whirlfloc and coldcrash on it so i knew it would turn out quite hazy!

Anyone else drink their starter? Made a 1 gal starter to prepare for a 1.085 Belgian strong. I cold crashed it and thought it'd be a waste to pour it down the drain as I decanted the yeast. Pretty damn tasty for a starter since I used Munich malt.

is disinfecting everything really that important? like, if I use a glass for measuring specific gravity, and I pull it out of the cupboard after having been through the dishwasher, do I need to disinfect it?

is rinsing something with tapwater a no-no?

File: b24cb17c22fd8ac45600dcf6b108ba03.jpg (165KB, 719x1007px) Image search: [Google]

165KB, 719x1007px

Can anyone recommend a simple, low abv recipe?
I'm yet to become beginner at this point, so I dont have any proper equipment
Cheers, lads

>>1210896
yes it is important

fresh from the dishwasher is perfectly safe, just leave it in there till you're going to use it

>is rinsing something with tapwater a no-no?
people will give you different answers; some will say there is nothing wrong with tap water since that's what they brew with, and others, like in a previous thread, claim it is paramount to not sanitizing at all

I use tap water and have had no issues

now if you mean, "will just cold tap water count as sanitizing?", the answer is no

File: DSC_0867.jpg (369KB, 1000x662px) Image search: [Google]

369KB, 1000x662px

>>1210902
I'm making cider. I heated the wort (?) up to ~160 degrees for 10 minutes, took OG reading, cooled it, put it in my carboys (which were new, only rinsed them out).

pic related. When all the foam went down I noticed this. am I fucked? i'm not sure if I should do a secondary distillation or not.

Also, is there a guideline for how much sugar per volume container you can put to get an acceptable level of carbonation?

>>1210913
>I noticed this
?

>>1210913
>Also, is there a guideline for how much sugar per volume container you can put to get an acceptable level of carbonation?
read up on HBT but I believe it's 1/4stp per bottle, added before bottling for better distribution, or just into each bottle

>>1210896
I don't bother with disinfecting for gravity readings, but I also taste it instead of pouring back. If you are stirring or something then yeah, you don't want to inoculate the entire batch with whatever poogerms you have lying around the house. Depending on the yeast it could outcompete, but why risk it when a squirt of starsan is so easy? Acetobacter doesn't mind yeast or alcohol. Best case scenario you get an accidental sour.

>>1210899
Graf fits the bill. Malt extract, torrified wheat, and apple juice. Prime bottles with apple juice concentrate. I did it with munich malt and 2 oz saaz hops. I don't have my notes handy but it was one can of the syrup yielding ~2gal wort after boil and 3.5 gallons of applejuice. Yeast was S05 and finished around 6%. The meme hipster apple juice from Whole Foods that comes in glass jar smelled amazing. I wish I'd have used pectinase as it had the slightest haze after gelatin and cold crashing.

>>1210934
I don't have any star san. is dilute bleach ok?

>>1210928
That floating shit isnt anything to be worried about?

is there any way to measure the alcohol tolerance of your yeast than to measure SG add sugar, ferment, measure SG, and repeat until the gravity is eventually elevated?

>>1210950
If you get a pellicle forming on your fermenter or obvious signs of mold then you might be in trouble but other than that you're probably fine. Some yeasts can look a bit odd fermenting. Just wait till you try a saison yeast the first time.
The method you described is pretty much exactly what winemakers do to produce a sweet dessert wine. Just slowly add sugar and measure gravity to make sure its fermenting until the yeast can't handle the alcohol anymore.

>>1210950
I don't what it is?

if the packet doesn't list the alcohol limits, google it

Can I use and store liquid malt to.use with starters? There was some on sale, thought it was dry until it arrived. Just use some and then bottle it or something?

>>1210950
Just don't pour it back if you have no way of disinfecting. Use the tube it came in or get a graduated cylinder for measuring gravity. Bleach can cause some off flavors if not rinsed well enough. My first batch I used bleach but it's such a pain in the ass making sure everything is rinsed, potentially risking an infection that I dropped the $10 on a bottle of starsan. 3ml makes a quart of solution so it lasts a long time. Homebrew has a lot of expensive toys that don't offer as much return as you'd think. Starsan is not one of these things.

>>1197702
Picked a couple liters of lowbush blueberries today. Gonna go back everyday this week then make a wine for this winter.

>>1210404
>>1210520
This is there I am right now. Even adding some sugar right before drinking to make it less dry doesnt help. I am hoping that adding more sugar and giving it more secondary fermentation time will do the trick.

File: IMG_1924.jpg (251KB, 1200x1200px) Image search: [Google]

251KB, 1200x1200px

The local B&N is selling pic related for 30% off. Soon they'll drop to 50% off. Worth picking up, or trash?

>>1210974
You can but liquid malt extract doesn't store as well as DME. Keep it cool and dry.

>>1211054
Seems like an ok deal for the money. The little glass carboy is a nice touch and would make a great growler. If you're a new brewer they don't actually include all the stuff you'll need in the box. You'll also need a fairly large stock pot, food safe mesh bag, and basic knowledge of mashing techniques.

>>1211254
Hmm fuck. Ah well, it was 60% off, and I had to pad an order to be able to use a gift voucher anyway, so I guess fuck it. I don't usually make beer. Any distilled spirit I can make with Amber malt?

>>1211456
Whisky. Just make sure that the majority of the malt is smoked or you'll end up making vodka.

>>1211456
Ice beer?

>>1211479
How would I go about checking if it's smoked? I only got 1.5KG, so not sure if thats enough. Also, I have only done UJSSM in the past for whiskey, is there a recipe you can recommend?

>>1211483
Not a big beer drinker. Like maybe drink it if someone hands it to me at a party. Otherwise it's cider or spirits.

What's ice beer?

>>1211484
http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Whisky-Malt-3kg-Crushed-Peated-malt.html

The malt is smoked over an open fire to dry it out as part of the malting process. It's what gives whisky its characteristic peat flavours.

>>1211484
One kilo of whiskey malt to 4 kilos of water, held at 64-66C for an hour with no sparge should give you a strong enough beer to distil.

>>1211505
>>1211507
It's not peated malt, it's like liquid malt for beer, but I thought it was Amber DME when I bought it in a rush.


It's this shit:
https://mangrovejacks.com/products/pure-liquid-malt-extract-amber-1-5kg

Can you make whiskey out of that, and some sugar or some shit?

>>1211531
No not really. It would come out more like a poor quality vodka, maybe with some residual sweetness or nutty flavour.

>>1211534
Hmm, would adding it to a UJSSM generation do anything? Half that and half normal sugar next time I run it. I've never used malt before.

I dunno, I'll find something for it. Maybe buy some yeast, DIY a stirplate and try and make some yeast starters with it to try and get the most out of it. Might be able to get a good few done and store them in the fridge. Then add it to something.

>>1211486
It's beer that has been jacked. tl;dr, freeze it and skim off the ice. I'm under 21, so I used it to save a burnt beer batch that still fermented. Made brass monkeys with the distillate, got smashed.

How bad of an idea is it to distill by just sticking a piece of flexible copper in my carboy with stopper and double boiling in that on an electric stove?

>>1212119
you need a coil to cool the distillate off and condense it into a liquid, not just a copper pipe if you have a gaseous distillate coming out of your still expect explosions.

>>1212138
of course I would bend it into a coil and maybe watercool it if i find something that it would work with

>>1212119
I've been working on something like this using a 5gal keg. It should work pretty well. Explosions are a meme, a simple worm is more than enough. No need for extra parts, just run the copper tubing through a bucket and try to avoid lighting a bonfire in your kitchen too close to the tubes output.