The spruce tips proved to be a big PITA. They clogged my recirculation pump several times, making cooling and whirlpooling difficult. I also use it to transfer to the fermenter, so I had to do that manually too. Then at kegging, a spruce tip clogged my quick disconnect during a closed transfer. Thankfully, the keg was almost full when that happened.

I'll invest in some screens next time...

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Did spurce basic pilsener ale experiment this summer! Of course, seeing them for what they are, I've stayed away from all pumps and filters, decanted the boil with tips and threw some tips for "dry... tipping?" Then some needles sneaked into the bottles. I've used fresh tips so they are just crunchy snack when you drink it. Weirdest thing, but I'm pretty sure it tastes like legendary Sahti beer. Well, the recipe is technically quite close, I suppose? Still have a few bottles (appropriately stored in sauna lol), I'm curious how it would age over a year or so. Totally doing it again next year.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

I kegged up a best bitter last weekend and it's quite close to being ready to drink. I started off with a recipe that I knew I liked and tried adding and tweaking the hops to make it a bit fruitier. I think it's going to come out really good.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I will start.

Last month I helped my dad with converting his settup to BIAB. It didn't go too well, he thought it would be simpler and less work. Tldr it is simpler but it requires more work. So he will probably stay on current settup. We have to upgrade the pots for induction (it is needed after 15 years some valves are falling apart).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I feel your comment about BIAB so much. To me, BIAB was more work than investing in and using a false bottom. I feel like I can trust that process, I had to constantly supervise my brew bag.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

In our case it is issue of quantity, we have 40l batches and it is too much for one person to pull the bag/manipulate with pots.

We have false bottom pot on lift and it isn't ideal but still much better than BIAB. It needs some work/ new pot for heating (we got the induction heater for free) and because the bottom valve is bad.

After trying/helping some friends with their systems I think that our setup is maybe the best you can have.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Last (pretty recent) brew was supposed to be a WCIPA finishing at around 7.5% but I miscalculated my water volume and ended up with an 11% beer instead. I also ran into some issues doing the closed transfer from my fermenter and eventually just opened it and poured it into the keg. Despite all that it was actually quite good after a week or so carbing. I was pleasantly surprised.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah I know the days when anything that could go wrong goes wrong. In my case it is usually my attempts to correct my mistakes that makes it even worse. And I am still genuinely surprised that I made something good.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

It's funny you say that because the reason I miscalculated the water was based on my brew sessions regularly coming in under the expected value for my post-boil gravity, so I changed my equipment settings to reduce the expected losses. Unfortunately it looks like I made them a little TOO low.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

I haven’t brewed in a while and all my yeast cultures died on me, so.. I’ve been thinking about getting more standard ale yeast (probs just the cheap dry stuff) and just brew up all the old shit that’s probably no good anymore but is better than tossing it.. what’s the worst that can happen, right?

I’ve got stuff for like 6 different brews.. such a waste if I don’t use it..

And then when I have my shit together again I’ll go back to making my fancy “found fruits” tart/sours (it not at all fancy, but it is economical, and often well received)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Just finished a first attempt at a pilsner urquell clone, will see how it turned out in a few weeks. Looking to do a cheats kriek (cherry) if anyone has a solid recipe to recommend

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

We've caught something that looks, tastes, smells and behaves like brettanomyces from last field trip. They are really different and it seems their growth and fermentation profile does depend on conditions even more than usually! Never kept this culture before. Waiting for proper tasting procedure (could be something horrendous really, I'm pretty sure those will need some tuning in standard recepies). Then off to the library and store it goes.

Otherwise, there is full freezer of frozen forest berries waiting for the secondary in mead buckets and an infamous BAG I've bought to try the suffering others speak of here. Well, once I'm not the only healthy person in household, we'll have lots of fun stuff to do, sigh.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Hard cider, it's in the first long fermentation. Surprisingly fussy about small temperature changes. Apple trees are rare in my area. It took me a long time to save up enough local apples, but I learned about preserving them in different ways. Of course, I wish I'd saved 3 LBS. more. XD

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

When it's apple season, loads of people reach me and my friend if we want some. This year we had to stop taking new apples because we didn't had the capacity to process them all.

Now I have about 40l of archive worthy cider (some was consumed/given away already).

I tried to use wood chips and it turned out amazing.