The whole setting fires and being in Europe thing makes me think about Frankenstein.

The Europeans are drinking less and then theres the financial crisis and then all this other stuff, etc ...

Running Dry: Belgium's Looming Beer Crisis

DIY Stir Plate

Short story: I made a stir plate.

Longer story:

Of course I needed a stir plate if I wanted to be an excellent homebrewer, or maybe it was just because someone gave me a 110v Hofmann Engr. fan. Of course I was going to make it myself, in the spirit of homebrewing, DIY all the way, or something. First, it was great I could just plug it into the wall. I needed an enclosure, I could have just bought one from RadioShack, but that would have been too easy. I started by trying to use some scrap polycarbonate to make a box. After a while of cutting, with much effort, I tried to drill some pilot holes. Wow, that was incredibly difficult and to be honest the box was wonky. The scrap was still scrap and I lost a few hours of time. Then I bought a project box. Then I returned the box project. Happenstance! is awesome.  It was perfect. I found a near empty First Aid kit. I then ordered some rare earth magnets from Hong Kong.  Then after a few trips to all the hardware stores near my house and buying and returning different fan controls I was set to go. I should mention that I found the bolts, washers, adhesive and the only rotary fan control (not just three speeds and the least expensive) at my local Do-It Best.


I then set everything into place and soldered it in and used some silicon on the nuts so they wouldn't move from all the vibrations. I plugged it in. I set it up wrong. Short Circuit. Working in old house, wire inside wall actually breaks. etc etc. Needless to say I fixed it and it now works.

Homemade Mash Tun from Igloo Cube Cooler

I picked up this cooler for about $20.00 at Target. It had no drain hole, which turned about to be a good thing. I used the following parts:

- Cooler
- 1/2" Threaded Copper Ball Valve
- 1/2" Close - Threaded Brass Pipe Nipple
- 3/8" ID Barb to 1/2" MIP
- 1/2" Gasket (x2)
- 1/2" Brass Locking Nut
- 3/4" Stainless Washer (x2)
- ~Foot Length of 1/2" Pex
- Food Grade Silicon

I drilled a 3/4" hole in the cooler and then I 'screwed' the 1/2" nipple into the cooler. It was a tight fight and I was happy about this. I then put a small dab of the silicone around the nipple and then slipped on the o-ring and a washer. I then tightened the ball valve on the nipple. On the inside I again used the silicone, o-ring, and washer and tightened it down with a brass lock nut. For the grain filter I drilled a bunch of tiny holes into the pex, plugged the end and then entered the pex into the nipple. Pex is slightly smaller than whats its labeled as and it fit great in the nipple.

I used it with the sweet stout and it held heat really well, I think I lost two degrees over the hour of the mash.



I used these two websites for guidance:
http://brewtech.blogspot.com/2007/01/igloo-cube-cooler-mash-tun.html
http://brewing.lustreking.com/gear/mashtun.html

Sweet Stout

Brew Day: 10/10/09

4# Amber DME
2# Two-row
1# Pilsner
1/2# Carafa I
1/2# Crystal 90
1/2# Crystal 10
1/2# Oats
1/2# Black Patent (de-bittered)
3/16# Special B

1 oz Tradition @ 45, 1 oz Fuggles @ 15

1# lactose @ flame out

White Labs Irish Ale

OG 1.071

OG is a little high for style as are the IBUs a little low.

Cider again

Started brewing making another plain apple cider on August 23rd, 2009. I used D47 yeast (I think) and some yeast nutrient. Original was a 'hit' and more is needed. Milk Stout up next.

BERLINER WEISSE - The Beer that Didn't Want to Get Made

First, I used a newly crafted, unwashed immersion chiller in the brew. Fears of copper factory germs arise. Quelled by online brewing community who say go ahead, but your beer will might taste like copper. I forge ahead.

2.) The case of no fermentation. Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:46 am

I was trying to make a an all extract Berliner Weisse. 3.3 lbs light LME and 3.3 lbs wheat LME. After cooling to 85°F I pitched 90 ml of Wyeast lactobacillus and gave it a ~ 12 hour head start and then I pitched some K-97. After 24 hours I saw no airlock activity and then proceeded to the check the gravity, no change. So then I thought, well since there has been no activity why not aerate again? I did. 3 days later, no activity, no gravity change figuring all is already lost (a second time with this batch) I pitched some S-04. Here I am, no fermentation. However, I tasted no pennies in the the samples I pulled for checking the gravity.


3. Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:20 pm

Timeline:
5/31/09 - Beer Brewed. 90ML Lactobacillus pitched.
6/1/09 - K97 pitched. Didn't check gravity until now (1.036)
6/3/09 - no airlock activity, no change in gravity. Aerate with aquarium pump.
6/4/09 - Still no activity, freak out, pitched S-04
6/5/09 - no activity, add some yeast nutrient
6/7/09 - Airlock activity.
6/9/09 - No airlock activity, gravity 1.012, after taking sample - more airlock activity.

Did not taste like pennies.

4. I bottled this 6/25/09. OG was 1.036 and final was ... well I added the priming sugar before I could get the sample, but since it was 1.012 a while back I was comfortable with that. I also added a pint starter of more lactobacillus and a sachet of Lalvin #EC-1118 Champagne Wine Yeast for good measure. After it carbs up I'll let you all know if its coppery, good, bad, etc.