257 replies to this topic

[Moonless]

Hey Heirloom I'm glad to see you back here and I wish you the best in the coming time. I think that sounds like a great idea, something i'm sure your nephew will love (the tasting at least ha!).

The other day when I posted I started brewing a Water Mellon beat soda using my ginger bug, and a Water Mellon beet wine with champagne yeast. When I woke up today and burped the soda it sprayed everywhere and I lost 75 percent of the bottle to the kitchen floor and walls lol. It was like a brutal crime scene hahah!! Gonna be mopping the floor and spraying down the walls and fridge today :(

Always good memories of the first homebrew. I did a naturally fermented morning glory wine made from the flowers of Ipoema Triloba (Tievine), was last year but I have grown so much since then. I remember drinking it one night with the girl who I am now dating. Things were different then, as they always are, just a queer boy trying to cope with my sexuality and a T-girl trying to engender life as they felt they should.

I've been brewing ever since. I'm still a novice, making mistakes and stumbling my way there. I really like home brewing because its cheap. Essentially every brew that I make is super easy and requires no special equipment, just like your early experience all those years ago when you poured bread yeast into juice. Curiosity expressed as seen fit and blossomed into something beautiful. A beautiful life.

[firerat]

Been busy lately.

 

Miss this place.

 

I have

 

-5 gallons of a cream ale that's about ready for the keg

 

-5 gallons of an oatmeal stout that's headed to the keg

 

-5 gallons of a bourbon experiment that i intend to run through my still

 

-3 gallon of apple cider that I'm not what I'm going to do with (carbonate as is or maybe freeze jack....we'll see)

 

-and some base red wine for a sangria I'm working on.

 

So out of these my cream ale came out fantastic and is on tap as did my oatmeal stout.

 

My bourbon experiment was a bust as I'm having issues running my still. It just uses too much water for the condenser. I've tried recirculating but it heats up too damn quick. Back to the drawing board on that.

 

So I bottled all 3 gallons of the cider in 2 liters and natural carbed them. For store bought apple juice and some concentrate, it wasn't too bad. 

 

The sangria base, which was just a cheap merlot, is still conditioning. 

 

I bought a pinot noir kit for my wife as she has been requesting one for a while. It's bubbling away. We'll see how it goes.

 

Oh and I made a 2.5 of a SMaSH (single malt, single hop) experiment form leftover kind of old grain and kind of old hops.

 

Anyone want to come over for some drinks? I have enough alcoholic beverages to open a fucking bar and rarely have company anymore. LOL

[buteo]

 

Been busy lately.

 

Miss this place.

 

I have

 

-5 gallons of a cream ale that's about ready for the keg

 

-5 gallons of an oatmeal stout that's headed to the keg

 

-5 gallons of a bourbon experiment that i intend to run through my still

 

-3 gallon of apple cider that I'm not what I'm going to do with (carbonate as is or maybe freeze jack....we'll see)

 

-and some base red wine for a sangria I'm working on.

 

So out of these my cream ale came out fantastic and is on tap as did my oatmeal stout.

 

My bourbon experiment was a bust as I'm having issues running my still. It just uses too much water for the condenser. I've tried recirculating but it heats up too damn quick. Back to the drawing board on that.

 

So I bottled all 3 gallons of the cider in 2 liters and natural carbed them. For store bought apple juice and some concentrate, it wasn't too bad. 

 

The sangria base, which was just a cheap merlot, is still conditioning. 

 

I bought a pinot noir kit for my wife as she has been requesting one for a while. It's bubbling away. We'll see how it goes.

 

Oh and I made a 2.5 of a SMaSH (single malt, single hop) experiment form leftover kind of old grain and kind of old hops.

 

Anyone want to come over for some drinks? I have enough alcoholic beverages to open a fucking bar and rarely have company anymore. LOL

 

Yea id come by! thats why you are so thirsty haha! wow you really went big with it....bourbon was a bust but you still can supply the bar!

[pharmer]

6 gallons Pinot Grigio

 

6 gallons Grenacha, Merlot, Cabernet blend

 

 

potential trouble with my cider

 

a cake of what I assume is bacteria has developed on top of the carboy full of fermented, racked and racked finished product stored under what I'd call fussy sterile conditions for about 5 months now. the cake has developed within the last three weeks - I'm sure of this because I was doing stuff down in the storage area 3 weeks back and took a good look at the carboy. Why the heck would the alcohol let this happen??

 

Is this stuff lost?

 

I should mention there's a batch of apple cider vinegar ( covered only with cheesecloth) in the same room. I'm reasonably sure the carboy has had a bung on it as long as the vinegar has been processing. The cake looks the same color as the cake that forms on top of the vinegar. OK, if so I get 6 gallons of vinegar instead of 1 but that was not the plan  :(

Edited by pharmer, 30 June 2019 - 10:50 AM.

[Moonless]

If it smells funk, it must be bunk. Although I know nothing, when I make a brew, because i'm pretty willy nilly about sanitation, I first smell if its good and then I taste it.  When I smell i'm smelling for an off smell and taste for an off taste.

Edited by Moonless, 30 June 2019 - 10:28 AM.

[Moonless]

6 gallons Pinot Grigio

 

6 gallons Grenacha, Merlot, Cabernet blend

 

 

potential trouble with my cider

 

a cake of what I assume is bacteria has developed on top of the carboy full of fermented, racked and racked finished product stored under what I'd call fussy sterile conditions for about 5 months now. the cake has developed within the last three weeks - I'm sure of this because I was doing stuff down in the storage area 3 weeks back and took a good look at the carboy.

 

Is this stuff lost?

 

I should mention there's a batch of apple cider vinegar ( covered only with cheesecloth) in the same room. I'm reasonably sure the carboy has had a bung on it as long as the vinegar has been processing. The cake looks the same color as the cake that forms on top of the vinegar. OK, if so I get 6 gallons of vinegar instead of 1 but that was not the plan  :(

If it smells funk, it must be bunk. Although I know nothing, when I make a brew, because i'm pretty willy nilly about sanitation, I first smell if its good and then I taste it.  When I smell i'm smelling for an off smell and taste for an off taste

[pharmer]

 

Been busy lately.

 

Miss this place.

 

I have

 

-5 gallons of a cream ale that's about ready for the keg

 

-5 gallons of an oatmeal stout that's headed to the keg

 

-5 gallons of a bourbon experiment that i intend to run through my still

 

-3 gallon of apple cider that I'm not what I'm going to do with (carbonate as is or maybe freeze jack....we'll see)

 

-and some base red wine for a sangria I'm working on.

 

My bourbon experiment was a bust as I'm having issues running my still. It just uses too much water for the condenser. I've tried recirculating but it heats up too damn quick. Back to the drawing board on that.

 

I saw a guru online who's recirculating iced water in a big picnic cooler. Would that help?

[Juthro]

6 gallons Pinot Grigio

 

6 gallons Grenacha, Merlot, Cabernet blend

 

 

potential trouble with my cider

 

a cake of what I assume is bacteria has developed on top of the carboy full of fermented, racked and racked finished product stored under what I'd call fussy sterile conditions for about 5 months now. the cake has developed within the last three weeks - I'm sure of this because I was doing stuff down in the storage area 3 weeks back and took a good look at the carboy. Why the heck would the alcohol let this happen??

 

Is this stuff lost?

 

I should mention there's a batch of apple cider vinegar ( covered only with cheesecloth) in the same room. I'm reasonably sure the carboy has had a bung on it as long as the vinegar has been processing. The cake looks the same color as the cake that forms on top of the vinegar. OK, if so I get 6 gallons of vinegar instead of 1 but that was not the plan  :(

 

I found this with a little looking, hope it helps :)

 

If the cider is really turning into vinegar, than you've got a bacterial infection, probably acetobacter. This bacteria will metabolize alcohol into acetic acid. Acetobacter is present in small quantities in apple juice. It's also carried by fruit flies.

 

https://homebrew.sta...h-my-hard-cider

[firerat]

 

 

Been busy lately.

 

Miss this place.

 

I have

 

-5 gallons of a cream ale that's about ready for the keg

 

-5 gallons of an oatmeal stout that's headed to the keg

 

-5 gallons of a bourbon experiment that i intend to run through my still

 

-3 gallon of apple cider that I'm not what I'm going to do with (carbonate as is or maybe freeze jack....we'll see)

 

-and some base red wine for a sangria I'm working on.

 

My bourbon experiment was a bust as I'm having issues running my still. It just uses too much water for the condenser. I've tried recirculating but it heats up too damn quick. Back to the drawing board on that.

 

I saw a guru online who's recirculating iced water in a big picnic cooler. Would that help?

 

 

I tried and unless I use something like a 55 gallon drum, the water get too hot too fast and won't knock down the steam.

 

I'm going to try a few more things and report back.

Edited by firerat, 05 July 2019 - 01:02 PM.

[Moonless]

 

6 gallons Pinot Grigio

 

6 gallons Grenacha, Merlot, Cabernet blend

 

 

potential trouble with my cider

 

a cake of what I assume is bacteria has developed on top of the carboy full of fermented, racked and racked finished product stored under what I'd call fussy sterile conditions for about 5 months now. the cake has developed within the last three weeks - I'm sure of this because I was doing stuff down in the storage area 3 weeks back and took a good look at the carboy. Why the heck would the alcohol let this happen??

 

Is this stuff lost?

 

I should mention there's a batch of apple cider vinegar ( covered only with cheesecloth) in the same room. I'm reasonably sure the carboy has had a bung on it as long as the vinegar has been processing. The cake looks the same color as the cake that forms on top of the vinegar. OK, if so I get 6 gallons of vinegar instead of 1 but that was not the plan  :(

 

I found this with a little looking, hope it helps :)

 

If the cider is really turning into vinegar, than you've got a bacterial infection, probably acetobacter. This bacteria will metabolize alcohol into acetic acid. Acetobacter is present in small quantities in apple juice. It's also carried by fruit flies.

 

https://homebrew.sta...h-my-hard-cider

 

 

Very good to know. So my cider usually has a little bit of vinegar flavor is that safe to drink? 

[Juthro]

I would think so, lots of people drink cider vinegar straight up for the proposed medical benefits.

[firerat]

 

 

6 gallons Pinot Grigio

 

6 gallons Grenacha, Merlot, Cabernet blend

 

 

potential trouble with my cider

 

a cake of what I assume is bacteria has developed on top of the carboy full of fermented, racked and racked finished product stored under what I'd call fussy sterile conditions for about 5 months now. the cake has developed within the last three weeks - I'm sure of this because I was doing stuff down in the storage area 3 weeks back and took a good look at the carboy. Why the heck would the alcohol let this happen??

 

Is this stuff lost?

 

I should mention there's a batch of apple cider vinegar ( covered only with cheesecloth) in the same room. I'm reasonably sure the carboy has had a bung on it as long as the vinegar has been processing. The cake looks the same color as the cake that forms on top of the vinegar. OK, if so I get 6 gallons of vinegar instead of 1 but that was not the plan  :(

 

I found this with a little looking, hope it helps :)

 

If the cider is really turning into vinegar, than you've got a bacterial infection, probably acetobacter. This bacteria will metabolize alcohol into acetic acid. Acetobacter is present in small quantities in apple juice. It's also carried by fruit flies.

 

https://homebrew.sta...h-my-hard-cider

 

 

Very good to know. So my cider usually has a little bit of vinegar flavor is that safe to drink? 

 

 

Sure aside from the vinegar flavor.

 

That's how vinegar is made. You purposely infect alcohol with specific bacteria.

 

That's why you shouldn't throw away any old wine. Just make a vinegar mother, which is essentially a bacterial LC, and add that to old stale wine. Wait a while and you just made wine vinegar.

[Juthro]

 

 

 

Been busy lately.

 

Miss this place.

 

I have

 

-5 gallons of a cream ale that's about ready for the keg

 

-5 gallons of an oatmeal stout that's headed to the keg

 

-5 gallons of a bourbon experiment that i intend to run through my still

 

-3 gallon of apple cider that I'm not what I'm going to do with (carbonate as is or maybe freeze jack....we'll see)

 

-and some base red wine for a sangria I'm working on.

 

My bourbon experiment was a bust as I'm having issues running my still. It just uses too much water for the condenser. I've tried recirculating but it heats up too damn quick. Back to the drawing board on that.

 

I saw a guru online who's recirculating iced water in a big picnic cooler. Would that help?

 

 

I tried and unless I use something like a 55 gallon drum, the water get too hot too fast and won't knock down the steam.

 

I'm going to try a few more things and report back.

 

 

Just an idea, but what if in part of your circulation chain you ran the cooling water through an old car radiator with a box fan blowing across it. 

 

I know it sounds kind of hillbilly, but I bet it would help pull a lot of heat out of the water, and reduce the total volume of water you needed to cool with.

Edited by Juthro, 05 July 2019 - 03:30 PM.

[firerat]

That could work. 

[JanetPlanet]

I've been fermenting amazake for the last year. I buy koji at my huge local Asian grocery and make my amazake in the rice cooker. It takes about 8 hours.

 

Koji is another friendly fungus, Aspergillus oryzae. Amazake is sometimes called the IV drip drink in Japan, because it's famous for being so good for you.

If it wasn't delicious I wouldn't bother, but I love it.

You can buy amazake sometimes in natural foods stores, but I don't know if it's still alive. I like my real live homebrew.

If there's alcohol in it at all, it's not detectable. 

I enjoy it first thing in the morning when I want something in my stomach before I work out but don't want a big belly full of breakfast. It also serves as my dose chaser. 

It's quite sweet, with a lovely flavor.

 

Here's my amazake brewing setup:

I'll post a picture of the finished product this evening when it's finished. 

 

Koji is becoming popular; expect to hear more about it in the next few years.

There are lots of strains and a gazillion uses besides the Big Three: sake, miso and soy sauce. 

 

If any Mycotopians live near Cleveland, go check out Larder. The chef/owner is doing a lot of very interesting things with koji: 

https://larderdb.com/what-is-koji/

https://www.crainscl...fun-things-koji

 

I don't concern myself much about the biological process that converts the rice starch to sugar, but if you want to go a-rabbitholing, Wikipedia will give you a basic start. 

Koji: https://en.wikipedia...ergillus_oryzae

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

Edited by JanetPlanet, 20 July 2019 - 03:06 PM.

[GrizzlySprinter]

Irish red ale

[JanetPlanet]

Here's that amazake:

It's sooo sweet!

[firerat]

I had a bunch of extra old citra hops and 13 lbs of 2-row going stale, so naturally I made  5 gallons of SMaSH (single malt single hop).

 

These hops are kind of old so we'll se what happens.

 

Well, beer will happen. That's what always happens. But what will it taste like?