High FG

[GloridazeBrewing]

I'll start calibrating my thermometers more often. I have a Thermapen, but I don't rely on it because the probe only reaches 6 inches into the mash. At least the other one is roughly in the center of the cooler.

I totally agree that 4 times a year makes my learning curve steeper. I wish I could brew more than once every 3 months but family time makes it tough. Also, this may be crazy talk, but what does everyone do with all that beer? I have a beer with dinner like 4 or 5 nights a week. At that pace, that's like 2 months worth of beer, plus all the craft beer I pick up to try new things. I need to have more parties or start binge drinking like college . Also, if made porter 3 times in a row and drank most of it, after 120 pints I don't think I'd ever want one again. Joking aside, what do you guys do?

[Ozwald]

Man up

[Alchemywunderkid]

My $0.02 is to brew the same thing at least 3 times in a row & take notes on everything.

I'm gonna go ahead and give a very enthusiastic thumbs up on this one. At least for me, I really needed to know I was consistent before I started doing too much variation. Once I felt comfortable that my house beer was acceptably repeatable, I had a lot more confidence to try new things and have them be (pretty much) successful across the board. And this doesn't have to be boring. If you're doing a cream ale three times in a row, switch up the hops on one batch and the base grain on the next one.

Since you don't have a lot of chance to brew, I think it's even better to do this repetition. I know if I go a month without brewing (gasp!), I'm a bit rusty and don't get a chance to analyze my process in the moment (and hopefully improve it) because I'm too busy trying to remember all the basic steps like "dammit, I need to get the carboy ready!" and "shit, what was the last hop charge?!" You can always get your beer variety fix off of the shelf.

As to what to do with all the beer, invite some people over to help finish up all that manual labor you've been putting off and pay them off with some homebrew.

[JoeBeer100]

Also, this may be crazy talk, but what does everyone do with all that beer? I have a beer with dinner like 4 or 5 nights a week. At that pace, that's like 2 months worth of beer, plus all the craft beer I pick up to try new things. I need to have more parties or start binge drinking like college . Also, if made porter 3 times in a row and drank most of it, after 120 pints I don't think I'd ever want one again. Joking aside, what do you guys do?

Is that a question??

[Ozwald]

If you're doing a cream ale three times in a row, switch up the hops on one batch and the base grain on the next one.

I highly disagree with that part, since the whole point is to dial everything in. Different base grains are going to convert differently, etc. You gotta think like a scientist - things have to be perfectly repeatable & once you have that dialed in, then you change 1 thing at a time making each change repeatable as well. You may get tired of having the same recipe over and over, but again the point is to dial in your process.

That being said, the whole repetition idea isn't necessary, you can drink the beer you brew & enjoy it, but you're also not going to become a better brewer either.

Since you don't have a lot of chance to brew, I think it's even better to do this repetition. I know if I go a month without brewing (gasp!), I'm a bit rusty and don't get a chance to analyze my process in the moment (and hopefully improve it) because I'm too busy trying to remember all the basic steps like "dammit, I need to get the carboy ready!" and "shit, what was the last hop charge?!"

That I can agree with. When I started building my new system I opened up a spreadsheet & wrote down my process:

Full Kettle
.....Close BK-IN & V-4, Pump off
.....Close MLT-OUT & V-1, Open V-2
.....Disconnect at V-4 over bucket, Bleed air

(V-#'s are different valves)

Then I printed out a copy & followed it. I made notes on the first couple versions & changed a few steps to be more efficient. After doing it that exact same way a few times, the sheet became a reference copy & eventually the whole process becomes muscle memory. On my old system, I didn't even have to think about what I was doing & I could knock out an entire brew day in a ridiculously short time. Plus I never had those 'Oh, fuck' moments realizing something wasn't prepared like a tub of hops or a sanitized fermenter.

As to what to do with all the beer, invite some people over to help finish up all that manual labor you've been putting off and pay them off with some homebrew.

+1. I like to dial things in with the cheapest recipe possible. If I have to dump some, no big deal (in reality it's more like having a drinking marathon, but that's just me). But using it to pay off a friend who comes to help those odd jobs on the 'Honey-Do' list is even better. If you know someone who has chickens, trade it for some fresh eggs (or maybe they have a nice garage & you need an oil change or brake job, the possibilities are endless). You can also brew something you can cook with. I love clams done in my blonde ale & brown ale burgers for example.

You can always get your beer variety fix off of the shelf.

Exactly.

[brewinhard]

I'll start calibrating my thermometers more often. I have a Thermapen, but I don't rely on it because the probe only reaches 6 inches into the mash. At least the other one is roughly in the center of the cooler.

You have a thermapen? You should most definitely be using that for your mash thermometer. They are highly accurate and lab calibrated and take a very quick reading. I switched to one of those a couple years ago after having attenuation issues with my mashing (ie shitty thermometer). I have not worried much about the probe of the thermapen only going 6 inches or so into the mash. It has always worked well for me and I suggest you give it a try too.

PS - I mash in a 10 gallon round gott cooler where the mash can be quite thick and deep. I try not to let the little differences of mash temps throw off my brewday mantra - "its close enough..."

[mordantly]

a five gallon batch is roughly 40 pints.. so at two per night, i'm looking at 20 days to float a keg. but on weekends i can kill 10 pints in a day very easily...


beer fans are generally quick to barter for your beer once they try it and like it!

[Ozwald]

I'll start calibrating my thermometers more often. I have a Thermapen, but I don't rely on it because the probe only reaches 6 inches into the mash. At least the other one is roughly in the center of the cooler.

You have a thermapen? You should most definitely be using that for your mash thermometer. They are highly accurate and lab calibrated and take a very quick reading. I switched to one of those a couple years ago after having attenuation issues with my mashing (ie shitty thermometer). I have not worried much about the probe of the thermapen only going 6 inches or so into the mash. It has always worked well for me and I suggest you give it a try too.

PS - I mash in a 10 gallon round gott cooler where the mash can be quite thick and deep. I try not to let the little differences of mash temps throw off my brewday mantra - "its close enough..."

No experience with a thermapen, but I do have a couple of really nice thermometers that came lab calibrated. After a couple of issues I started checking them vs a lab grade thermo... let's just say that just because they came calibrated doesn't mean they stay that way. But I agree with the fact that it doesn't matter if you check the top, middle or bottom of your mash, it's consistency. Stir it well & always check the same spot. Then as long as you know your thermo hasn't drifted since last time, you can brew consistently no matter what that reading is.