The Yeast Bay is a company that began shipping yeast to homebrewers and commercial brewers in February of 2014. I have been an ardent supporter as they offer unique strains that are not available via the two largest yeast providers in the country. They also offer blends for sour beers and brettanomyces blends. I have been quite satisfied with the results up to this point and was looking forward to trying some of the Brett blends that I hadn’t used yet.
I decided to make a single wort and split it three ways, allowing me to try three different blends and compare the results side by side. I ordered the Beersel, Brussels, and Lochristi blends. When they arrived, I made a 1 Liter starter for each, using a stir plate for 3 1/2 days each. Ideally, I would have kept each on the stir plate for 7-8 days but timing did not allow me that luxury.
12 lbs Belgian Pale - Chateau/Castle
2 lbs Golden Naked Oats - Simpsons
12 oz Pale Wheat - BestMalz
12 oz Flaked Wheat
4 oz Acidulated - Weyermann
Mash at 150º for 60 mins
1 lb Acidulated - Weyermann
added during Vorlauf to drop pH from 5.22 to 4.69 (calculated)
Boil for 60 minutes
2 oz Hallertau @ 60 mins
1.25 oz Kent Goldings @ 5 mins
After chilling and a 25 minute whirlpool, I ran just over 9 clean gallons into three 3 gallon glass carboys and pitched yeast. These were fermented side by side at ambient, which was 66*-68*, for 5 weeks before kegging and force carbonating.
Fermentation became comfortably active overnight and steadily plugged away for four solid weeks. It took another week or so for the yeast to flocculate and drop bright.
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Here are the descriptions provided by The Yeast Bay website:
Beersel
This blend combines Brettanomyces strains isolated from a lambic produced in the Beersel area in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. All of the strains in this blend provide a balanced profile of fruitiness and funkiness. This blend tends to be a quick starter and forms a nice pellicle. The resulting beer is balanced with a bright and crisp finish.
Temperature: 66 - 72 ºF
Attenuation: 78%+
Flocculation: Medium-Low
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Brussels
This blend combines Brettanomyces strains isolated from a unique lambic produced in the Brussels region of Belgium. All of the isolates in this blend produce a pronounced barnyard funk with mild acidity and very little fruitiness. This blend can be a little slow to start up, but is a great addition to any beer that you want to funk up.
Temperature: 66 - 72 ºF
Attenuation: 80%+
Flocculation: Medium-Low
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Lochristi
This blend combines Brettanomyces strains isolated from a unique beer produced in the Lochristi area in East Flanders. One strain provides a moderate funk and light fruitiness, while the other strain adds a more assertive fruitiness dominated by hints of strawberry. This blend also imparts a pleasant acidity over time that helps to balance out the profile of the finished beer. It can be slow to start up.
Temperature: 66 - 72 ºF
Attenuation: 80%+
Flocculation: Medium-Low
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Tasting notes from hydrometer reading on 4/16/15:
Beersel
Bright, clean, fruity, slightly funky, tart.
Brussels
Dry, tart, complex funkiness stays in balance, clean finish.
Lochristi
Strawberry dominates, mix of funk & fruit, lightly pungent.
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Tasting notes from 5/27/15:
Beersel
Complex Brett funk and over ripe fruit aroma. Pithy orange and grapefruit flavor. Apricot. Decent body and mouthfeel. Quite dry. Fairly bright overall. Quite clear. A bit earthy.
Brussels
Heavy funk on the nose. Slight bit of citrus fruit flavor behind a huge funky onslaught. Bigger body and finish. A touch hazy, but not too much so. A bit acetic without any perceived tartness.
Lochristi
Very fruity nose with light funk notes. Peach and strawberry dominate the flavor with a restrained funkiness underneath. Moderately dry finish. Least clear of the three samples.
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Ultimately, all three came out very different and great in their own way. I have already used portions of each in a few different sour blends. I look forward to incorporating these Brett blends into more recipes in the near future. There’s nothing like tasting the finished result to spur the creative possibilities inherent in each unique blend.
If you want to try out these awesome brett beers and more please join us for our very special class dedicated to Brett beers! Get Funky!
If you have ever wanted to delve into the world of cheese making, the easiest place you can start is by whipping up a quick batch of ricotta. It is by far the simplest cheese you can make and it will only take about 5-10 minutes.
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There are 2 basic recipes for ricotta that are used pretty frequently in the food world, but will produce a slightly different product. There are some variations but the basic premise is to add an acid to your milk to help form your curd. One way is with buttermilk and the other is using lemon juice. There are also recipes that will use vinegar or citric acid. I tend to use the buttermilk or lemon juice method simply because the ingredients are always around or easy to find.
Besides your acid choice, you will want to make sure you find a high quality milk to use. Let’s quickly discuss the differences in Pasteurized milks.
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Low Heat Pasteurized Milk - Has been heated to 145ºF for 30 seconds then is quickly cooled for bottling. This method will kill some of the bacteria present and will have a shorter shelf life.
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Pasteurized Milk - Has been heated to 161ºF for 15 seconds killing off most potentially harmful bacteria and allowing it to be shelf stable for up to 21 days.
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Ultra Pasteurized Milk (AKA Ultra High or UHT Milk) - Has been heated to 280ºF for 2 seconds killing 99.9% of the milks bacteria (including some healthy ones useful for cheese making) and allowing it to be shelf stable for up to 60 days. Combining this technique with sterile practices and proper storage, the milk can last as long as 9 months and doesn’t require refrigeration if unopened (i.e. Parmalat).
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The most popular milk on shelves is Ultra Pasteurized simply because of its shelf stability. How else are we going to get that delicious California dairy cow milk over here!? Some of the biggest arguments against Ultra Pasteurized milk are the fact that it is known to destroy all beneficial bacteria and vitamins typically present in fresh milk. It has also been proven in blind taste tests to have what many describe as a not so pleasant “cooked” flavor.
I recommend using Pasteurized milk, although it is more difficult to find. With Pasteurized milk you will typically get a much better curd formation. Sometimes with an Ultra Pasteurized milk, you won’t get a curd formation at all. That is a risk you may have to take if it is all that you can find. I do also personally believe the mouthfeel is better and less dry and gritty with a Pasteurized Milk Ricotta. But just buy the most high quality, freshest and local milk you can find. For local NYer’s I recommend Ronnybrook Farms or Five Acre Farms. Both are available in many of the cities grocery stores and they are great local products.
Tip: Don’t worry about whether or not the milk says it is homogenized or non-homogenized. Homogenizing is a mechanical process breaking down the fat droplets and allowing them to easily emulsify into the milk. Non-homogenized milk is the “cream on top” variety. Both will work for cheese making.
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Ricotta (Buttermilk)
1/2c. Buttermilk
2c. Milk (not ultra pasteurized)
1/4 tsp. Salt
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Ricotta (Lemon)
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
2c. Milk (not ultra pasteurized)
1/4 tsp. Salt
Either of the above recipes will work with the same method below. If you prefer a richer or creamier ricotta, feel free to substitute up to 1/3 of your milk with heavy cream.
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Method:
First, line a strainer with either cheesecloth, paper towels or a coffee filter. Set the lined strainer over a bowl or container. This will be for draining your finished product.
Combine the milk with either the lemon juice or buttermilk. Now there are 2 ways you can proceed.
Stovetop: Heat the mixture over medium heat stirring gently until the mixture reaches 165ºF and begins to separate. Stop stirring and continue heating the mixture until it reaches 190-195ºF. Proceed with straining.
Microwave: This method works great if you hate cleaning pots. Heat the mixture in the microwave on its normal level for 1-2min. Remove from the microwave, give it a stir and check the temperature. If 165ºF has not yet been reach, return to the microwave and continue cooking and stirring for 1 minute intervals until the temperature is reached. When you have reached 165ºF the mixture should be beginning to separate. Stop stirring and continue to microwave in 1 minute intervals until 190-195ºF is reached.
Once you have reached190-195ºF, you can now strain your mixture through your lined strainer. The mixture should sit for 15-20 minutes, or until desired thickness ricotta thickness is reached. If you would like to use this ricotta for cooking with I recommend draining for 30-40 minutes. Once the straining is complete, mix your ricotta with the salt. My favorite way to eat this fresh ricotta is simply with a touch of olive oil, sea salt, seasonal fruit (figs are #1) and a fresh baguette. The fresh ricotta should last in refrigeration for up to 5 days.
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With this simple ricotta technique down, your next adventure can be ricotta salata!
Belgian table beers are old world beers with low-alcohol contents that have strong expressions of Belgian yeast character. High esters and phenols help make up for a thinner body from a small mash and add a great deal of flavor without adding large amounts of hops. The Leuven strain however has much more restrained esters and phenols than some of the other Belgian Abbey strains. Table beers were the general thirst quenchers of their day as the low-alcohol content made them particularly easy to drink while ensuring that the consumer didn’t get a strong buzz or become inebriated. “Classically, these were light-bodied, low-alcohol beers that are partnered with meals and savored by both adults and kids alike.” Belgian table beers generally range from 1%-4% ABV and have become more and more popular in the craft beer industry.
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Grains:
4 lb. Pilsner (BE)
65 % 1 °L
1 lb. Vienna (DE)
15 % 4 °L
12 oz. Flaked Wheat
11 % 2 °L
4 oz. Sucrose (Table Sugar)
3 % 0 °L
2 oz. Acidulated Malt (DE)
Any
1 % 3 °L
2 oz. Aromatic (BE)
1 % 33 °L
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Hops:
0.5 oz. Ahtanum @ 60 min. 5.2% AA
0.25 oz. Comet @ 15 min. 11.3% AA
0.75 oz. Comet @ 5 min. 11.3% AA
0.5 oz. Ahtanum @ 5 min. 5.2% AA
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Yeast:
Wyeast 3538-PC Leuven Ale
This vigorous top fermenting Belgian style strain produces a distinct spicy character along with mild esters. Phenolics developed during fermentation may dissipate with conditioning. This strain is an excellent choice for a variety of Belgian beer styles.
Origin: Leuven, Belgium
Flocculation: High Attenuation: 75-78%
Temperature Range: 65-80ºF
Alcohol Tolerance: 12% ABV
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Mash:
Saccharification Rest, Infusion @ 152°F for 60 min.
Sparge @ 168 °F for 15 min.
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Calculated Stats:
Batch Size 5.0 gallons
Boil Time 90 min.
Efficiency 76.0%
1.037 O.G.
1.010 F.G.
24 IBU
3.6% ABV
3 SRM
Femented at Ambient 68-75 °F for 4-5 weeks
Kegged @ 25psi for 2 days, then 15 psi for 4 days
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Tasting Notes:
This recipe uses unconventional American west coast hops instead of traditional German noble hops. The use of Comet and Ahtanum hops give the beer a slightly citrusy and floral aroma that play nicely with the delicately spicy yeast character. The beer is very well balanced, with surprisingly good body and mouthfeel.
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Table Beer Commercial Examples:
1.) Brasserie Dupont Avril : Widely recognized for its world famous Saison Dupont, the 3.5 percent Avril is equally excellent. It’s funky and earthy, with delicate flavors of grass and straw.
2.) Flying Dog and The Brewer’s Art: Table for Two At 5 percent ABV, the just-released collaboration between the Maryland brewery and the Baltimore restaurant clocks in a touch stronger than the typical table beer. But it drinks clean and dry, with a fruity, yeasty and slightly sweet aroma—that’s due to a dose of wildflower honey.
3.)Burnside Brewing Co.: Le Bas Et Lumiere Come spring, this Portland, Oregon, brewery releases its “Low and Light,” a Belgian-inspired table ale with hints of bubblegum and bananas. Load of flaked oats create a full body.
If you are getting into All-Grain brewing, and are not going the Brew-In-A-Bag route, then you need a mash tun! Luckily, it is really quite simple.
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The first thing you will need is a cooler. I recommend the classic round coolers that are 10 gallons in size for 5 gallon batches. You don’t want to buy too small of a cooler or you are stuck with only lower gravity batches. You won’t be able to fit enough grain in a 5 gallon cooler to brew 5 gallon batches much stronger than ~1.065 O.G.
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When looking at coolers, try and pick one that is flat and has room around the spigot. This will make mounting the new hardware far easier. This is the cooler I will be demonstrating with:
You can see that the space around the spigot is flat and open. Nothing to interfere with the new hardware we will mount. You need to remove the spigot on the cooler. On most coolers, the plastic spigot will very easily unscrew and come out.
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That is the Stainless Steel Ball-Valve kit we will be installing. It can be used to install a ball-valve onto a boil kettle weldlessly, or to convert a cooler into a mash tun. You can see the instructions state the kettle should have the high temperature o-ring on the outside. This is NOT the case with a mash tun. The o-ring will be inside the mash tun.
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Below I have used blue painters tape to show you where the cooler wall will be on the kit.
The next step is to take those 3 pieces off of the kit. Set the nut and o-ring aside. We need that washer.
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Hold the washer over the hole on the cooler. It will have a larger opening than the cooler. Holding the washer in place, mark out how much of the cooler needs to be removed for the new hardware to fit.
You should also take a moment to be amazed that I took that middle picture by myself.
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Now, you need to remove the blacked out area of the cooler. I recommend a file or Dremel. You can use a razor blade, but it will be difficult and dangerous. Go slow, and check often if the kit will fit. When you are close, you should be able to thread the kit into place. You don’t need it to slide in easily. If it is a little tight, you will get a better seal. When it fits, add the o-ring, washer and nut to the inside. You only need to hand tighten. If you over tighten, the o-ring will bulge and not form a water-tight seal. I like to get it just barely tight, then put enough water in to cover the valve. I then continue to tighten the valve until it looks like water is no longer leaking out. It should look like this:
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Now, to make it a mash tun, you need to use either a false bottom or a kettle screen.
The choice between the two really comes down to personal preference. I have used both, I like both. But I prefer the false bottom. Kettle screens are pretty much impossible to fully clean in my experience, and I always fear I am going to mess it up with my mash paddle. Either option will thread right into the weldless ball valve from the inside. Congratulations! You have a Mash Tun!
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If all this seems like too much for you, or you just don’t have the time... or are very lazy... pick up a cooler and bring it down to Brooklyn Homebrew. We offer a range of custom work we can do to kettles and coolers.
I was tired of hauling my brew pots out to the backyard and then back into the apartment every brew day. I was tired of lifting full pots up and down when I chose to brew indoors on our kitchen stove. So I opted to build a large frame that could house 2 propane burners, utilize gravity for transfers (at least part of the time) and be used to store all the brew pots, chillers and hoses when not in use. Also, I wanted the stand to be able to handle batch sizes between 5 and 15 gallons incase I buy bigger kettles in the future. The answer to my problem was metal Superstuts. Imagine 10 foot long metal pieces resembling parts of an Erector® set.
This is by no means an original idea. I was inspired to take on this project after reading STRUTTING YOUR STUFF: BUILDING A BREWSTAND by Drew Beechum in the May/June 2013 issue of Zymurgy (Vol. 36, No. 3). I highly recommend reading his article if you want to build one of these yourself (The article is available in the Zymurgy archives if you are an AHA member).
Hopefully this will help you decide if you are interested in building something like this, and what size and shape your design should be.
My plans are designed to allow 2 Blichmann propane burners to drop into the frame where I can then bolt them in place. The HLT sits on the top tier so I can use gravity to fly sparge the mash (MLT in the center). I don’t use a burner under the mash. I have more success simply adding small additions of boiling water from the hot liquor tank if the mash drops in temperature or if the recipe calls for multiple temperature rests. Then I use my pump for the vorlauf (recirculation) as well as the transfer into the boil kettle during the sparge. The kettles in the drawing are all different sizes (9 gallon/10 gallon/15 gallon), because that's what I've collected after many years of brewing. But it has worked just fine so far.
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Top view with the kettles removed. You can also use a 5 or 10 gallon cylindrical cooler in the center for your mash/lauter tun.
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Front view. Since making the original drawings I have added 4 wheels and moved the plate chiller to a different location mounted horizontally. Otherwise the finished product looks just like this.
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Despite the height, the brew stand is very stable. However, the wheels that I have since added do make the base slightly wider helping to stabilize it. The wheels also help if the ground where you brew is less than perfectly smooth and flat. I used four 10" wheels that are designed for a hand truck/dolly. They can handle a great deal of weight. Though I do often wonder how much it’s going to sting if a tire suddenly blew out while brewing. The entire frame would come down on my foot, and then 5 or 10 gallons of boiling liquid would rain down on me. Sounds pleasant.
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After two years of brewing with this system, I am considering cutting it down this summer to make it lower. I would like to make the entire system a bit less heavy, and lowering it would make stirring the mash easier. I haven't had any issues with the HLT being so high up because I have a water hose that quick-connects to the ball-valve on the HLT that I use to fill the kettle with cold water at the start of the brew day (see below). If I were using a burner other than the Blichmann burner I wouldn't feel as confident. Blichmann's burners are very heavy duty, and they have 4 steel tabs (or teeth) that prevent the base of a kettle from sliding around too much.
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Tools for the job:
•Saw (Sawzall w/metal cutting blade, Chop saw w/metal cutting disc or a hack saw) for cutting metal struts.
•Metal file, angle grinder w/ wire wheel or Dremel w/ grinder wheel for removing burrs and cleaning up cut ends.
•2 x 3/4” wrenches (socket or crescent, but it helps to have both).
•Drill with an step drill bit for drilling 1/2″ holes in steel.
•Tape measure.
•Helpful but not essential: Rubber mallet or a block of wood for aligning everything as you tighten up the bolts.
Parts needed:
•10 x Galvanized steel super-struts (1-5/8″ x 10′).
•100+ 1/2″ spring nuts and the same number of 1/2″ diameter bolts (Use 1.5″ length bolts where ever possible to save $ and weight, but you may need a few 2″ length bolts as well).
•2 x Blichmann propane burners.
•12 x 4-hole 90° corner brackets.
•10 x 3-hole flat brackets.
•6 x 2-hole flat brackets.
•2 x 2-hole 90° corner bracket
•Optional: Four 10″ wheels and two 1/2″ diameter steel rods each cut to about 26″
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Once you have the design, determine the number of struts needed and what cuts you will need to make to them. If you are using the same design that I used, I have a 3D drawing in the original Sketchup file (which I’m happy to share) that shows the specific lengths you’ll need to cut the stuts to. Mark out your cuts, brace the struts with a vice or clamps and proceed with cutting them to length. Once you have made all of your cuts, use a grinder or metal file to smooth out the edges and take off any sharp burrs. From this point it is only a matter of bolting everything together. You will want a large flat area where you can lay everything out and visualize the final shape. If you have never used the spring nuts that are used with the channel struts they can be a little awkward at first. The idea is that the spring should hold the rectangular nut in place inside of the channel while you thread the bolt through the hole on the opposite side of the strut. The spring nuts can be frustrating, but they are very strong and don’t require you to use a wrench on the nut, only on the bolt.
Take a close look at these connections. Hopefully you can see how the corners are braced together at key points in these photos.
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Below: Detail of the upper burner for the HLT and a wide view below that. Use 4 of the 3-hole flat brackets on the outside of the frame (2 on each side).
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Below: The inside of the upper frame where the HLT burner is mounted uses 4 of the 4-hole right angle corner brackets.
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Below: There are only 2 of these brackets used. The are used to mount the two center verticals (of the HTL burner) to the very bottom horizontal frame.
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Below: This is a view from the ground looking up at the cross bars that hold the mash-tun.
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Below: This type of connection is used in a few places. It combines the 3-hole flat bracket sandwiched under the 4-hole right angle bracket. Use this combo on the inside of the frame at the far right bottom corners, the far left corners bottom corners, and upper corners under boil kettle end.
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Testing the stability after mounting my propane burner in place for the boil kettle.
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Test brew, before the wheels and the HLT burner were attached.
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Sparging with gravity while pumping the run-off into the boil kettle.
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The brew stand as it looks today with 2 Blichmann propane burners, one pump and the wheels attached.
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Please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected] if you would like a copy of the original Sketchup file so you can view and customize a 3D drawing of the brewing stand. The original file also has drawings for Blichmann propane burners, boil kettles, a Therminator wort chiller and (the image above) the specific lengths you'll need to cut.
What does this mean? What ramifications does that have for me as a brewer? Let’s explore.
Let’s begin by examining what we know about yeast. Saccharomyces can be used to ferment beer and create alcohol. It can be propagated to increase the number of cells present. Equipment can be cleaned of yeast, or in blunt terms, yeast can be killed. This is likely one of the least thought about, but most important, characteristics of Saccharomyces and one that we often take for granted. If we couldn’t kill yeast easily and effectively, then how could we use the same vessel to ferment a Belgian Tripel immediately followed by a German Hefeweizen? We would need a new fermenter each time we wanted to use a new yeast strain. Yeast from a previous batch needs to be killed as part of the cleaning process in order to inoculate a new batch with the desired yeast strain and without any of the character from the previous beer. This leads us directly to the topic of discussion.
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(Look how scary it looks!)
Many brewers are fearful to introduce Brettanomyces into the brewhouse. Stories of Brett ‘contamination’ are abundant and ever-present. The truth is that Brettanomyces is yeast, in many ways very similar to Saccharomyces. It is not bacteria. With proper cleaning and sanitation regimens, Brett can be employed without any changes to your ordinary cleaning process.
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This applies to any glass or stainless equipment. Many suggest that a second set of equipment be kept for anything porous, such as plastic fermenters, stoppers, airlocks, etc. I have brewed a few dozen Brett beers using the same glass carboys, silicone stoppers, plastic airlocks, vinyl tubing, and kegs that I continue to use for Saccharomyces beers with no issues whatsoever.
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The only exception to this would be wooden barrels which can harbor Brettanomyces deep in the pores of the wood that cannot be reached through ordinary cleaning. Once a barrel has been inoculated with Brett it is best to think of that barrel as a Brett barrel forever more.
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Brettanomyces can be propagated using the same process as with Saccharomyces. However, you will want to allow much more time to achieve the same growth factor as with Saccharomyces. When preparing a Brett yeast starter with a stir plate, peak cell count is achieved between 7-8 days. There is typically an early active phase followed by another lag phase, and a second active phase. Only after this second active phase will the cell count reach its peak.
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Brettanomyces fermentation is very similar to Saccharomyces fermentation in that yeast consume sugars to create alcohol and carbon dioxide. However, initial lag times prior to active fermentation can be longer than a Saccharomyces fermentation, sometimes taking up to a week before any signs of krausen appear. Despite this longer lag phase, if enough healthy and viable cells are pitched Brettanomyces will generally reach full attenuation in a time period similar to that of an ale yeast.
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Pitching rate advice for a 100% Brettanomyces fermentation varies by brewer, spanning from ale pitching rates to lager pitching rates for a primary fermentation. There is a growing consensus that splits the difference, advising a rate of 1.25 million cells per mL per degree Plato of the wort. Every degree Plato is roughly 1.004 SG, so 1.040 is 10 degrees Plato. A starting gravity of 1.040 in a 5 gallon batch would require about 237 billion cells at the 1.25 million cells/mL/degree Plato pitching rate (1.25 million x Volume(milliliters) x Degrees Plato).
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It will likely take longer for Brettanomyces to flocculate so an extra week or two is advisable for a visually clear beer. Colder temperatures will aid in the Brett’s flocculation rate after fermentation has completed.
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When bottling a Brett beer, it’s important to keep in mind that Brettanomyces is capable of chewing through much longer chain sugars than Saccharomyces. Certain strains of Brett can hydrolyze chains up to nine molecules long, including lactose and cellobiose. As these longer chain glucose molecules are broken down and fermented, more carbon dioxide is being created.
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The general rule is that every gravity point (1.001 SG) will yield 0.5 volumes of CO2. With Brettanomyces capable of fermenting all available sugars given enough time, a finishing gravity of 1.004 or 1.005 would be enough to fully carbonate a beer. Anything further could result in over-carbonation, or bottle instability. Be certain that your final gravity has been stable for a couple of weeks before bottling to ensure that you aren’t creating bottle bombs in the making.
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Brettanomyces can offer flavors and aromas that reach far beyond what Saccharomyces alone can achieve. With proper cleaning and sanitation regimens, the world of Brett beers can be entered with full confidence.
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*Join us on Saturday May 30 for our class all about Brett Beers!
It’s a Friday, you want to brew this weekend, and you need to make a starter. But, you just got home from work, it’s late and you are tired. You don’t want to need to boil up some DME, get it in a flask, chilled and pitch yeast all before you go to bed. You just want to lay down on the couch, fill a glass with beer, grab a handful of bacon and fall asleep to Netflix. So, do you make a starter or live the American dream?
Now, you can do both!
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I will make several gallons of starter wort ahead of time and can it. Now, when I want to make a starter, I grab a mason jar or two of wort, warm it up, pour it into a sanitized flask or growler, add yeast and head to the couch with a few slices of bacon and a large mug of homebrew.
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You will need:
-A pot that can fit the volume of wort you plan on making
-A pot that can fit the mason jars you will be canning in
-A small pot or sauce pan for boiling the lids and bands
-Some sort of false bottom
-Canning tongs or similar
-A measuring cup or ladle
-Mason jars with lids and bands
-Some wort
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The first step is to make your wort in whatever way you prefer, in whatever amount you prefer. For this, I made 4 gallons of wort at 1.040 with a few pounds of 2-row. I mashed it brew-in-a-bag and did a quick pour-over sparge. Boiled it for at least 15 minutes, adding some yeast nutrient as well (optional). You can use any malt extract as well, or extra runnings from an all-grain batch.
You can also see some bacon there. That’s for later when I am on the couch.
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While the wort is boiling, you should prepare you canning supplies. In a small pot, begin boiling the lids and bands. In the large pot you will use for the canning, add some sort of a false bottom. In this case I use some silicone trivets. You can also use a false bottom like you would use in a mash tun, or an actual canning basket. Rolled up aluminum foil also works well.
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Place the clean, empty jars in the canning pot and bring it up to a boil. They should be filled with water and covered with ~2 inches of water. Let the jars boil for a couple of minutes. Make sure the jars are not sitting flat on the bottom of the pot, but are on the trivet or false bottom. The small curve on the bottom of the jar will trap air during boiling and can crack the jars. Also, make sure the jars have plenty of room between them. No touching!
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Then, remove the mason jars carefully with the canning tongs. I find it is best to try and get some of the water out of the jar in the pot first rather than move a full boiling jar of water.
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Empty the jar of water and fill with whatever amount of wort you are going to put in it. You will want to leave a little space in the jar. For 1 quart mason jars I usually put 24-30 ounces of wort. When the jar is filled, retrieve a band and lid. Wipe off the rubber part of the lid and the rim of the jar. Place the lid on the jar and then very loosely attach the band. The lid needs to be able to freely rise off of the jar during the canning process.
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Add the jar carefully back into the boiling water bath. Do each jar one at a time like this. Do not remove, fill and replace multiple jars or they might cool too much before being added back to the water bath. When all of the jars are back in the canning pot, boil for at least 30 minutes.
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When 30 minutes or more is up, turn off the burner and begin removing the jars. Do this carefully, they are very hot. Place them somewhere safe. I like to put a wire rack in my sink, and cover that with a dish towel. Then put another dish towel over all the jars. This keeps the jars from cooling too quickly and possible breaking from the thermal shock. I especially do this during the winter when my kitchen is really cold.
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As they cool, you will hear the POP of the lids sealing to the jars. Congratulations, you now have wort ready to go for starters.
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When you need to make a starter now, just grab a jar, add it to a flask or growler. Add some sanitized water, yeast nutrient, warm it up, whatever you need to do. Pitch your yeast, and enjoy that couch, bacon and a beer.
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Now, here is the scary PSA part. The wort you just canned is considered “low acid.” That means that the way we just canned it is not sufficient to completely remove the threat of botulism. There are plenty of people who call it a day at this and have not had problems. But I don’t like it. Technically with low acid canning you need to pressure can it. I do not have a pressure canner. So after this canning process I refrigerate my canned wort. This will prevent the growth of Clostridium Botulinum. If you prefer to leave at room temperature you could add enough acid to the wort before canning to bring the pH below 4.6. Also, you should never use any wort from a can that has lost its vacuum seal. Scary PSA over.
Whenever a new hop variety becomes available to homebrewers, everyone here at the shop is excited to get a beer going to see what the new variety has to offer. Right now we have some really fun stuff to experiment with like Pine Fruit, Chocolate, Lemon Drop, Caliente, Equinox, and more. The descriptors for Equinox sounded really unique and like they would make a good edition to a spring time pale ale. According to the description it is a fruity and floral hop with notes of lime, papaya, lemon and green peppers. Jason Sahler of Strong Rope Brewery was nice enough to bring us a sample of Pioneer NY State Malt to try out for ourselves, which made this the perfect opportunity to brew up a smash beer. In true Sahler fashion, I brewed with a clean fermenting Scottish Ale yeast. To make it a simple and quick brew day (and since I was brewing solo) I opted for making this a Brew in a Bag recipe.
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Vernal Equinox Pale Ale
Batch Size: 5 Gallons
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Ingredients
Grains
7# Pioneer NY State 2-Row
8 oz. Table Sugar
Hops
Equinox .5 oz 60 min.
Equinox .5 oz 30 min.
Equinox 1 oz 1 min.
Equinox 1 oz Fermentor
Equinoz 1 oz Dry Hop
Boil Additions
1/2 tsp. Gypsum in the boil 60 min.
1/2 Tablet of Whirlfloc 10 min.
1 tsp. Yeast Nutrient 10 min.
Yeast
1728 Scottish ale
Mash
152ºF for 60 Minutes
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The grains of Pioneer’s malts (as with most local malts) are on the smaller side and because I was doing a *BIAB (Brew in a Bag) I crushed them extra fine to help with extraction.
*If you BIAB often, make sure to let your local shop know so they can crush your grains finer.
When calculating water for a BIAB I try not to be too scientific. Here is my personal calculation:
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6 Gallons (amount of liquid I want before the boil begins)
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1 Pint per # of Grains (this should cover grain absorption)
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112 oz. ( I rounded up to 7 Gallons for simplicities sake)
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Heat the 7 Gallons up to around 160ºF. Make sure to line your pot with your large grain bag and stir in your malts. You want to rest your grains at 152ºF. Add a little heat if the mash drops below that temperature. Let rest for 60 minutes.
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Once the timer is up, I like to raise the temperature of the mash to 170ºF and let it sit for another 5-10 minutes for the mash out stage.
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Once you have finished the mash out, remove the grain bag and let drain into the pot while continuing to heat your wort. Discard your grains and proceed with your boil additions.
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Once the beer has cooled and been transferred to your fermentor, add the first dry hop addition. I have always had a preference for adding a dry hop addition before fermentation begins. This ensures that I am really getting the true character of the hop all the way through the brewing process. If I wasn’t doing a BIAB I also would have thrown in some first wort hops.
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At 3-5 days into fermentation, I will add in the second dry hop addition. I will let this sit for another 3 days or until final the final gravity has been reached. For the final 2 days I will raise my fermentor temperature to do a diacetyl rest (you can never be too safe!). Once the 2 days are up I crash cool for 24 hrs. and transfer into a keg or bottling vessel the next day.
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Final Numbers
OG: 1.045
FG: 1.006
Ferment @ 65ºF 6-8 days
Diacetly Rest @ 70ºF 2 days
IBU: 49
ABV: 5.1%
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The Pioneer Malt’s were great. I ended up getting about 78% efficiency, which is quite good for a BIAB. The Scottish Ale yeast attenuated surprisingly high and finished nice and clean as expected. I was planning on a more sessionable beer at about 4.2%, but finished at 5.1%. More alcohol for the win!
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The malt and hop profile of this beer is really great. This beer came out super light in color and incredibly clear. We have been extremely happy with the malts that are being produced in NY state at the moment. Right now we are carrying the NY State Craft Malt 2-Row and have now done several very successful single malt beers with it all with great results.
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The hop profile is indeed unlike any other hop that I have tasted. It has a smooth and mellow bitterness. The finishing hops added a really nice citrus/lime note, some spiciness and you can really pick up the green pepper, almost jalapeno-like note. I think this beer would make some outstanding Michelada’s. Overall this hop is really enjoyable and I think it would pair really nicely with hops like Mosaic, Simcoe and Centennial. This beer though will have you dreaming of spring break forever and ever….
I don’t know about you, but getting rid of all of the grain after a brew day always feels like a waste, especially brewing here in New York City. I know people that live elsewhere who compost, feed it to chickens, leave it out for the deer, et cetera. I don’t have that option, unless I want a huge rat problem. So, I end each brew day with somewhere between 5 and 25 pounds of grain that I wish I could do something with.
Here is one of the easiest and simplest ways to use some spent grain with very little work: make dog treats!
Dogs love spent grain. LOVE IT! Even if you don’t want to make treats, just throw some spent grain in your dog’s food bowl next time you are cleaning up.
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Look at that shy puppy. You know you want to give him some treats. If you give a dog treats, you get a dog’s love.
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There are a few different recipes for spent grain dog treats, but they are all variations on one simple recipe. This recipe is very easy to split in half, or multiply as desired.
I have also substituted pumpkin puree and applesauce for the peanut butter. In place of the flour, you can use more spent grain if you dry it out and mill it down in a coffee grinder.
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Steps:
The first step is to preheat your oven to 350ºF.
Then take all of your ingredients, put them in a large mixing bowl, and mix.
Mix by hand until it forms a large, sticky, cohesive ball. If your grain was very wet then you can add in a little extra flour. If it was too dry, a little bit of water (but not too much, we will be baking these to dry them out soon).
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Take a little bit of extra spent grain and the cup you used to measure the peanut butter and put it in your dog’s bowl. He has been sitting by your side staring at you this whole time, waiting patiently.
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Now it is time to shape the treats. You can roll out the dough with a rolling pin, but I usually just flatten it out by hand. These are dog treats, they don’t need to be perfect. Roll or flatten the dough out to about 1/4 inch. Now, you can use cookie cutters and make all sorts of shapes, or just cut the dough into squares. It is up to you. I used a little circle this time. Cut out all of the cookies and place them onto some baking sheets.
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Place them in the preheated oven and bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Then, drop the temperature to 225* for 2 hours. This is to make sure they dry out fully. Depending on how thick you made them they might take shorter or longer. The more dried out they are, the more likely they are to store well.
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Once the cookies at nice and dry, pull them from the oven and pose for a picture.
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Now you want to let them cool down.
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Once cool, give one to your dog to make sure they taste good. He is looking forward to this cookie so much that he is going cross-eyed.
The treats should last for a couple weeks at room temperature if kept in an air-tight container (ziploc, tupperware, etc.) or for several months in the freezer.
Notes:
-Don't use grains that have rice hulls in them because they are not easily digestible.
-Dogs are known to be allergic to hops, so if you used hops in your mash, please do not use the grains for dog treats.
-Also, be sure to monitor your dog once you have given them a treat just in case it upsets there stomach.
I honed some pretty good bread making skills during all of my years working in restaurants. At one place I was in charge of the daily bread service bread, which would require kneading, shaping and baking fresh breads and rolls everyday using our active sourdough culture. It was extremely delicious bread, but also time consuming. Keeping a sourdough culture is very rewarding, but can sometimes be a pain to handle on a home scale. A few years ago I discovered the Jim Lahey (Sullivan St. Bakery) method of no knead bread. This method of bread making has been preached about for years all around the internet, and for a good reason. This bread will need be started a day ahead of time, but with a few simple tools and a little bit of patience, you will be transformed into a bread baker at home. Beer bread all day, everyday!
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Tools Needed:
3-4 Qt. Pot with Lid (A cast iron dutch oven works best)
Large Mixing Bowl
Measuring Cups & Spoons
Silpat, Parchment Paper or Clean Towel (for resting the dough)
Plastic Wrap
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I have played with the recipe over time and developed my own twist on it. I love adding wheat and rye flours to my flour base. Beer also makes for a fantastic substitution for water, which is what I used in the following recipe.
Ingredients:
4 Cups All-Purpose or Bread Flour
-I sometimes substitute up to 25% of my white flour with wheat or rye flour. With the alternative flours you can expect a deeper flavor and a slightly denser loaf. I used 25% Whole Wheat flour in this loaf.
1/4-1/2 tsp. Instant Yeast
1 Tbsp. Salt (I always use Kosher)
2 Cups Water at 70º-80ºF
-For the following recipe I used a homebrewed english brown ale that I allowed to come up to room temperature. If you are using any wheat or rye flour, be prepared to add a touch more liquid. For this recipe I used about an extra 1/4 Cup of beer. If your dough seems too wet, fear not! All will be well in the end.
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (Optional)
Cornmeal or Semolina for Dusting
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Step 1:
Combine your flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add your liquid and oil if using. Stir until well blended. The dough should look shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Let the dough rest at room temperature (about 70ºF) for 18-24 hours. At higher temperatures the dough will be ready faster and at lower temperatures it may take a little bit longer. The dough is ready when it has doubled or tripled in size and its surface is dotted with bubbles.
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Step 2:
When your dough has risen fully the next day, remove the plastic wrap. Gently remove the dough from the sides of the bowl and fold it over once or twice.
Cover once again and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
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Step 3:
Sprinkle your silpat/parchment paper/towel generously with flour. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and fold it over 2-3 times.
Form the dough into a ball, folding its seams to the bottom.
Lightly dust the top of the dough with cornmeal or semolina. Cover with plastic wrap or another towel and set a timer for 1 hour.
When your one hour timer goes off, place your pot with its cover in the center of the oven and turn it up to 450ºF. Start another timer for 1 hour to let the dough finish rising and the pot heat up.
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Step 4:
When your timer goes off remove your heated pot from the oven and set it on top of your stove. Remove the lid. This is the tricky part! As quickly and cleanly as you can, carry your dough on its mat over to the pot. Flip your dough off the mat and into the pot.
It definitely won't fall in gracefully, but it will even out during baking. Cover the pot and return it to the oven. Set a timer for 30 minutes.
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Step 5:
When your timer goes off, remove the cover from the pot. Continue baking the loaf for another 20-30 minutes, or until the crust looks nice and dark.
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Step 6:
Once you have removed your loaf from the oven, scoop it out of the pot immediately and set it aside to cool (a rack works great for this).
Allow the bread to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
This is definitely the easiest artisanal style bread you can make at home. Look at that crumb and those glorious bubbles!
I recommend storing your bread in a paper bag for the first 1-2 days. This bread should last up to 4 days but will require some heating later on in your week. Slather with copious amounts of butter and enjoy!
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Feel free to experiment with the recipe and discuss your results. Spices, herbs and even fruits and vegetables can be added. After trying this loaf I wished I had added caraway seeds, but it was delicious!
Brewing split batches is a great way to increase your brewing ingredient knowledge in a reduced period of time. By conducting controlled experiments, you can learn about yeast, hops, or even grains at an accelerated rate and allow you to put that knowledge to use in your recipe and process decisions.
While there are many ways to split a batch into two or more variances, the method that I have learned the most from is splitting a batch into two fermentors and pitching two different yeast strains.
I’ve used this method to brew a variety of styles. Sometimes I use two different strains of Saccharomyces, comparing how two Belgian yeasts affect Dark Strongs, Dubbels, Tripels, or Belgian Pales, or how English strains differ with ESBs, Milds, or Browns.
Don’t feel limited to comparing similar strains. Lately, I’ve been using split batches to use one Saccharomyces strain and one 100% Brettanomyces fermentation. I have enjoyed the results of this method applied to an English Brown, a Rye Saison, and I just split a Bier de Garde using Kolsch yeast in one fermentor and Brett Saison yeast in another. By employing a sour mash or kettle sour prior to splitting for fermentation, this method can be taken to another level. The only real limit is your imagination.
I would be remiss if I didn’t touch on a few other ways to split a batch for variety and learning’s sake. One quick and easy way to end up with two different beers from one batch is to mash, boil, and ferment a single batch, then split the batch into two smaller fermentors with different dry hops. This will change the aroma and flavor of the original beer into two distinct beers.
More involved experiments include separate boils to try different hops in the same wort. I recently utilized this method to try out the Hallertau Blanc hop. I wanted to compare the relatively new hop with traditional Hallertau, so I used one mash, split the wort into two kettles, and ran simultaneous boils. Being able to taste the results in the same sitting really helped me to focus on the similarities and the differences that the different hops created.
Fermenting with the same yeast strain but at different temperatures can be a great way to learn how a particular yeast will react to different environments. This can be done at temperatures that are very close to one another to hone in on a recipe and slight variation of yeast character. Alternatively, this can be done at the extreme ends of the temperature range for a given yeast to contrast a very clean fermentation with a more estery flavor profile.
Parti-gyle is another method of achieving two different beers from the same wort, typically one larger beer and one smaller beer. While this will require a second boil, it will produce two very different beers using only one mash. Examples include a Scottish Wee Heavy and a 60 Schilling or a Belgian Tripel and a Patersbier. Another way to conduct a parti-gyle is to make a stronger beer with the first runnings, then add some specialty grains to change the color and flavor to make a vastly different beer with the second runnings. I’ve done this making a Wheatwine or Pale Barleywine with the first runnings and a Red Saison with the second runnings.
Have you tried any of these methods? What did you learn? Do you have a split batch method of your own? What were your most successful trials? Keep experimenting, keep learning, and keep passing what you learn on to your fellow brewers!
To preface, I want to point out that title. This is how I make yeast starters. Plenty of people make starters their own way. I have never had any issues making my starters this way, but I am not trying to imply that this is the way everyone makes a starter.
The first step in making a starter is to figure out how much of a starter you really need. (FALSE! Step 1 is to get your liquid yeast out of the fridge. Then you start calculating) There are a few calculators available online, but I usually use Brewer’s Friend Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator (http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/). I can also highly recommend reddit’s /u/sufferingcubsfan’s Homebrew Dad’s Online Yeast Starter Calculator (http://www.homebrewdad.com/yeast_calculator.php) and Jamil Zainasheff’s MrMalty Calculator (http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html). In order to use any yeast calculator, you need to know your volume and gravity for the wort you will be pitching into, and the viability of the yeast you are using. I will use the Brewer’s Friend calculator for these screenshots, but all of the info will readily translate to most calculators.
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-Select your desired Units of measurement for volume (Freedom or Imperial), and sugar (Gravity or Plato).
-Input the wort’s original gravity and volume. Also select the target pitch rate. This decides how many cells you will have per milliliter per degree plato. Don’t get confused, just use the descriptions. If unsure between two options, opt for over-pitching.
-Input your yeast type, quantity and manufacturing date. Stick to liquid yeast for starters. I do not recommend starters for dry yeast. When using Wyeast, the date is the one printed on the package. For White Labs it is 4 months prior to the date on the package.
-Hit the Update button.
In this example, you can see that using a Wyeast package that was made on December 21st, 2014 we have 90% viability which yields 90 billion Cells Available. The 5.5 Gallons of wort with a starting gravity of 1.052 has a Target Pitch Rate of 201 billion cells, so we are 111 billion cells below our target IF we use the Target Pitch Rate of “Pro Brewer 0.75 (Ale).” However, if I change the Target Pitch Rate to “MFG Recommended+ 0.5 (Ale, fresh yeast only)” we get a Target Pitch of 134 billion cells. The yeast we are using is just two weeks old, was shipped straight to Brooklyn Homebrew from Wyeast with 2 day FedEx, and I unpacked it and put it in the fridge straight away myself, I feel confident that I could safely use the lower target.
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If your yeast has been in less than ideal conditions, I would stay away from a Pitch Rate under 0.75 million cells/ml/*plato. So, for this example, I am shooting to get between 134 and 201 billion cells.
Now, to calculate the starter! Hit the Grab From Above button or manually enter the Starting Yeast Count. Your first step here should be to select your Aeration method: No Agitation, Shaking, or Stir Plate. Each option will yield more oxygen than the one before it. If you have a stir plate, use it. Otherwise, you can decide to shake it periodically, or just leave it alone. If you select ‘Shaking’ you want to make sure you are giving it a good swirl as often as possible. You can then start messing with your Starter Size and Gravity until you reach the Ending Cell Count you are looking for.
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You can see that I have landed on a Starter Size of 1.1 Liters with a Gravity of 1.032. With No Agitation I will get 149 billion cells, and with Shaking get 194 billion cells. This falls into my range of 134-201 billion cells. Which end of that range I end up on will depend on how often I remember to give it a good swirl. You can also see that this calculator also tells you exactly how much DME you need to make the starter you are looking for.
Time to get off the computer and do something! Select an appropriate vessel for your starter. Make sure you pick something that can hold the full volume of the starter, with plenty of room. If/when you shake the starter or if you use a stir plate, it will make quite a bit of bubbles. I usually use a 2 liter flask for any starters that are 1.5 liters or less, and a 5 liter flask for starters up to 4.5 liters. You can also use a growler, mason jar, or something similar.
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I highly recommend a foam stopper to keep out the undesirables while letting in plenty of air. Other options are saran-wrap, aluminum foil, or a paper towel. The foam stopper is great because you can submerge it in StarSan and soak it full of sanitizer. Then squeeze it like a sponge to get most of the liquid out and put it in the top of your flask or growler. Now is time to sanitize your vessel and start heating some water. Take your sanitized vessel, tare it on a scale, and weigh out the DME. You should also add some yeast nutrient (if you do this now, you don’t need to add it during the brew day).
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Here is one place I do things differently. Many people who use a Pyrex flask will boil the water and DME directly in the flask for ensuring sanitization. I don’t bother with that. Too high a chance of a boil over, and in my opinion there is no need. My method also works if you happen to use growler or anything besides Pyrex. I take my flask with DME and mix in enough hot water to dissolve the DME, about half the starter volume. Stir/Shake/Swirl until the DME is dissolved. Then place the foam stopper inside and chill it down a little. You can place it in the fridge, freezer, or just a sink with some cool water.
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Cool it now as much as you like, and then top off with tap water to the desired volume.
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Make sure the starter and your yeast package are within 10*F of each other before pitching the yeast. After you pitch the yeast, swirl swirl swirl. Shaking is a misnomer for starters, especially if you are using a porous stopper. You don’t want yeast all over your face and chest (Or do you? That’s kinda weird). Swirl as often as you remember to.
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Make a starter, watch a movie on TV and every commercial break, swirl swirl swirl. Watch a football game and every first down, swirl swirl swirl. Play a drinking game you like (http://i.imgur.com/A01KbQV.jpg) and every time you drink, swirl swirl swirl. This is all overkill, but better too much than too little. Really, once every hour or two is plenty.
A stir plate is a good investment if you want to get even more growth out of your staters. In this example, we would get 149 billion cells with no aeration and 194 with shaking but 239 billion with a stir plate. For a smaller beer like this, a stir plate is not necessary but if you are trying to get as much yeast out of a starter as possible for a big ale or lager then stir plates become extremely useful.
Here is a stir plate going with a 2.25 liter starter I made for a lager. These stir plates will soon be available at Brooklyn Homebrew, so check back soon!
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Let your starter ferment for around 12-24 hours at room temperature. If you are making a starter less than 2 liters, I recommend pitching the starter into your wort at high krausen (so make the starter the day before your brew day).
If you are making a larger starter (or want to really limit the amount of extra liquid from the starter that ends up in your beer) then I recommend letting it ferment out and then cold-crashing it in the fridge overnight. On your brew day, take the vessel out of the fridge and pour off as much of the liquid as you can, leaving the yeast cake behind. After brewing and chilling, add enough of your chilled wort into the vessel to get all the yeast mixed in and then pour it into your fermenter.
Wow. Trust me, it is a lot simpler than all that. Just try it.
Last year around this time I canned a batch of beer mustard to give out as holiday gifts. Canning mustard is tricky because it is hard to remove all the air bubbles from the jars since it is so viscous. The air bubbles expand while you are processing the jars in the water bath to seal them, which means sometimes it takes a couple of tries to get the lids to seal properly. Without the canning step, making mustard is very quick and easy. This year I decided to make a small refrigerator batch for myself. To make whole grain mustard you must soak the mustard seeds in liquid for 24-48 hours in order to soften them so that they will blend properly.The whole process, after the initial soaking time, takes only a couple of minutes, and the results are great.
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Recipe
Makes two 8 oz jars.
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¼ cup brown mustard seeds
⅓ cup yellow mustard seeds
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup beer (homebrew works great! I used a bottle of an ‘American Brown Ale’ that I made)
2-3 Tbls brown sugar
½ tsp salt
1 clove garlic
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Combine the mustard seeds, vinegar and beer in a ceramic, or other non-reactive bowl.
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Cover and soak for 24-48 hours.
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After soaking, combine the mustard seeds, brown sugar, salt and garlic in a food processor or blender and process until the desired consistency is reached.
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After tasting the result, I decided to add a couple more pinches of sugar, a small pinch of thyme, some turmeric and a tablespoon of dry yellow mustard powder.
Once you are happy with the flavor, fill two 8 oz mason jars with the mustard and put them in the fridge for a couple of days to allow the bitterness from the mustard seeds to subside, and the flavors to meld together.
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Making homemade mustard is easy and you can adapt it to your tastes by changing the variety of mustard seeds, the type of beer, the level of sugar, the spices, and the consistency!
*This is for people who already have an understanding of how to use compressed CO2 and gas regulators to force carbonate beer/water.
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For many people straight-from-the-tap water just isn’t good enough. They need some sparkle in their glasses. I’m talking about carbonated water (A.K.A. club soda, soda water, sparkling water, seltzer water). I personally prefer water from the tap but Danielle loves seltzer water. I do however enjoy having the seltzer on hand for making cocktails.
Many people have started using the SodaStream® or similar devices for making bottles of carbonated water and flavored sodas. They seem to work really well, but if you are a home-brewer and already own some kegs, CO2 tank, gas regulator and a kegerator to keep the kegs cold then it may make more sense to serve seltzer water from a keg.
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Here are a few of the advantages:
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Water Volume:
Keg sizes are typically 2.5, 3, or 5 gallons. This means you can carbonate a greater volume of water at a time, and will need to refill less frequently.
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CO2 Savings:
Refilling the small CO2 canisters used by table top systems is usually more expensive than a refill of a large CO2 canister that a home-brewer would use. Standard CO2 canister sizes that are used for home draft beer systems are usually the 5 or 10 lbs sizes, which can be refilled (or exchanged) for $18 to $30 and will last for a couple of months carbonating your water and your home-brew.
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Equipment Savings:
Lastly, if you don’t own a small do-it-yourself soda water system but you drink a lot of soda water (or wish you could), and you happen to serve your homemade beer out of a kegerator, then you can save some money using one of your “Corni” kegs to do the job for you.
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Flavored Sodas:
With this same system you can make some pretty kick ass home-made flavored soda. Squeeze a ton of lemons, limes, oranges, etc. into some sweetened (or unsweetened) water and carbonate. This is just one simple example. You are only limited by your culinary prowess and creativity. These homemade flavored sodas are fantastic for mixed adult beverages or for the kids (sans alcohol of course).
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Now, as you know if you apply the right amount of CO2 pressure to a liquid at the right temperature for the correct amount of time, you will eventually have a carbonated liquid. So you can easily use a 5 gallon keg that you would normally use for beer with no modifications what so ever to carbonate cold water. Simply fill the keg with cold water, connect the gas, crank up the pressure and wait. Or alternately, apply the CO2 pressure and shake the keg of water like crazy for 5 or 10 minutes. However, if your mate drinks as much seltzer water as mine then you need a more efficient and less physically demanding way to carbonate the stuff in large quantities. And here it is.....
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This is a simple project that can be completed in ten or twenty minutes. What you are going to do is attach a sintered steel diffusion (or aeration) stone to the end of a tube that you will then attach to the GAS IN side of your keg. The tube will be long enough to direct the CO2 gas down to the bottom of the liquid in the keg where the gas will be forced through the small .5 micron pores of the steel carbonation stone. This will help the CO2 gas to dissolve more rapidly into the liquid which saves you some time and energy. This design is not a magic bullet, but it does speed up the process and spare your back burden of shaking a full keg to force carbonate. With the diffusion stone in place, if you fill the keg with cold water and apply the gas at 10 to 15 psi, you can expect some very low levels of carbonation within about an 3 or 4 hours. If you turn the gas up to 20 or 30 psi the water should be pretty well carbonated in 24 hours or less. It really depends on how bubbly you like the water to be.
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Parts Needed
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2 x Stainless steel hose clamps (Sold Here)
Approximately 2 feet of 1/4” ID Polyethylene tubing (Sold Here)
The exact length of the polyethylene tubing depends on the size of keg you are using. You need the tube to be long enough to reach about 3/4 of the way to the bottom of the keg or perhaps a little further. You can always trim it down, so buy a bit more than you think you might need.
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1 x Stainless steel .5 micron diffusion stone (Sold Here)
Be sure not to handle the diffusion stone with your bare hands. Use rubber gloves or a plastic bag. The oils on our skin can clog the small pores on the stone.
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Tools Needed
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A deep socket wrench or adjustable crescent wrench for removing the gas side post from the keg. The size of the socket depends on the brand of keg you have but common sizes require either a 12 point 7/8” or a 6 point 17mm (11/16" is good enough if you do not have metric sockets). The other option is a crescent wrench. Basically, you need some way to remove the keg posts (pictured below). It is not absolutely necessary to remove the gas post from the keg, but it is much easier if you can.
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Small 1/4” 6 point socket that attaches to a short “screwdriver” hand tool for tightening the hose clamps. The shorter the handle the better. You will need to be able to effectively use this tool inside of the keg in a very tight working space to finish the job. You could also use a very short flat head screwdriver but it tends to slip off the clamp when you are trying to tighten it so I don’t recommend it.
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Long nose pliers, or anything narrow at one end and wide at the other that can be inserted into the polyethylene tube. You will need to flare (or widen) the tube at one end and pliers work well for me. Its nice to be able to use a bit of force to open the pliers just a little (once they are inserted in the tube) to help widen the tube end.
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Step 1
Locate and remove gas-in post on the keg. Insert the polyethylene tube into the keg and measure the length. Trim if necessary. You want the tube to reach nearly to the bottom of the keg but not to the point of touching the bottom. Take into account the length of the metal dip tube when assembled and the length of the diffusion stone.
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Step 2
Using long nose pliers, widen one end of the polyethylene tube so that you can insert the short gas dip tube into it easily. For now you are only preparing the tube so that it can be fitted later. It’s pretty difficult to get the plastic “poly” tube onto the gas tube later when working inside of the keg, so you need to be sure that the “poly” tube is wide enough to make the job easier later. You should use some boiling water or a heat gun if necessary to soften the end of the tube. Once you know that you can easily fit the metal dip tube into the “poly” tube, separate the tubes. Put the gas dip tube and post back on the keg and tighten it down.
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Step 3
Use that boiling water (or heat gun) again to soften the other end of the plastic tube. Insert the stainless diffusion stone into the plastic tube. Don’t handle the stone with your bare hands. Use a glove or a plastic bag. Next, use one of the hose clamps to tightly clamp the plastic tube to the barb of the diffusion stone. Place the tube into the keg and get it in position for attaching to the gas dip tube. Don’t forget to slide the second hose clamp onto the plastic tube before hand. You’ll need it for clamping the plastic tube onto the metal gas tube.
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Step 4
Last but not least, the hardest part! If you have very large hands or very thick forearms, you may want to enlist some child labor for this part. You need to get into some tight spaces. Slide the widened end of the plastic tube up over the metal gas dip tube. Make sure its really on there. You need the two tubes overlapping enough so you can properly clamp them together. Next, hold the hose clamp in position and with the short hand held 1/4” socket tool tighten the hose clamp down as tight as you can. This last step tends to be the most frustrating part, so good luck. Once you have everything tightened up, you are finished!
"….AND HE FILLED ALL THEIR STOCKINGS WITH PRETZELS AND BEER-COOKIES!"
By Tim Meacham
'Tis the sea-son for beer-cookies, fa la la la la la la la la.
Try out my twist on a classic chocolate chip cookie this holiday season.
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INGREDIENTS:
2.25 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. butter (softened)
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 c. chocolate chips
Bag of Small Pretzels
16-20 oz. of stout or porter (reduced to a thick syrup)
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PROCEDURE:
Take butter out of fridge and let warm to room temperature. This will allow it to blend better.
In a small 1-2qt. saucepan bring beer to a boil (uncovered) over medium heat stirring occasionally.
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Cream together the butter and sugars.
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Add the eggs and vanilla.
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Once beer is reduced to a syrup, allow to cool off a bit and combine with all other ingredients (except the chocolate chips and the pretzels).
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When dough is well combined, fold in the chocolate chips.
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Drop tablespoons of cookie dough (or use an ice cream scoop, you'll need to flatten the scoops) onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Press a small pretzel into top of cookie dough and bake for 8-10 minutes at 375°.
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Remove trays from oven and allow to cool. Enjoy with a beer or 2!
Sometimes not everyone in the family can dip into that boozy egg nog. Some of my favorite holiday drinks can be easily mixed up by making some homemade flavored syrups. With these syrups you can craft some fast sodas or even make some flavorful and interesting *egg creams, one of my personal favorite beverages as a child and as an adult. These syrups can also be used to mix up some creative adult cocktails.
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Malted Gingerbread Syrup
1 Cup Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Water
1” Ginger Root (Chopped)
1 Tbsp Ginger Powder
1/4 Cup Crushed Caramalt (Can use any light malted grain with 15 or lower lovibond)
Muslin Bag or Tea Ball
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Bring your water up to a boil and turn off the heat. Add your crushed malt to a muslin bag or tea ball and drop into the hot water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Lift your grains out of the pot and let drain for a moment. You may now discard your grains.
Add the remaining ingredients to your pot and bring to a boil. Turn your heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Syrup can be stored in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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Orange Creamsicle
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Water
1 Orange, Zested
1 Vanilla Bean, Split and scrapped out
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Add all of your ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Turn your heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Syrup can be stored in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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Homemade Fountain Soda
16 oz Glass
1/4 Cup Flavoring Syrup
12-14 oz. Seltzer
Combine all ingredients in your glass and drink up!
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Homemade *Egg Creams
16 oz Glass
1/4 Cup Flavoring Syrup
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
4-6 oz. Seltzer
Add your syrup and milk to your glass and combine well. With a whisk or fork, begin whipping the syrup and milk mixture while slowly adding your seltzer water. This will create a thick creamy head. Drink immediately and enjoy!
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*Egg creams - A true classic Brooklyn beverage. This beverage contains neither eggs nor cream. Consisting of milk, soda water (Seltzer) and syrup. Traditional flavors are Vanilla and Chocolate. This drink is a fountain drink that should be poured fresh and not mixed ahead of time.
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Naturally Carbonated Soda
16 oz Plastic Bottle w/ Cap
4 Tbsp Flavoring Syrup
1 Tsp Sugar
1 3/4 Cup Water
1 Pinch of Dry Beer or Wine Yeast
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Combine all ingredients in your plastic bottle and shake vigorously until combined. Let the plastic bottle sit at room temperature (65-75 degrees) for 24-72 hours, or until the plastic bottle begins to harden. Once the bottle is hard, refrigerate and drink at your leisure.
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Stay tuned for next weeks blog post when Benjamin teaches you how to make your own seltzer keg at home!
One of the more interesting movements in craft beer in recent years has been the proliferation of sour beers. At their best, sour beers can possess almost unending layers of complexity that change from sip to sip and in the bottle over the course of time. The big drawback for a commercial brewery or homebrewer is the time and space necessary for sour beers to develop their flavors to maturity. This often means a year or more of barrel or carboy time tied up in a beer that may or may not turn out as you hoped. What if there was a way to measure that timeframe in days and weeks, not months or years?
One technique that has become more common among homebrewers and small commercial breweries is the kettle sour. The idea is to sour the wort in the kettle, prior to pitching yeast for fermentation. It is possible to create lactic acid at a level sufficient to achieve the desired acidity and tartness in a matter of hours or days. As a bonus, a quick boil or pasteurization after the lactic acid is produced will kill off any bacteria before it has the chance to inoculate your entire brewhouse with any unwanted new friends.
Begin by mashing as usual. Proceed to lauter off and collect all of your wort in your kettle. Bring the temperature of the wort down below 120°F. Pitch Lactobacillus or a handful of grain (lactobacillus naturally lives on grain). One safeguard is to make a lactobacillus starter to ensure a healthy growth before pitching into your wort. Lactobacillus will reproduce most efficiently in the 100°F-120°F range, so this is where you want to hold your wort after pitching and until the wort meets your desired level of tartness. Bringing the wort to a quick boil or pasteurizing will kill the lactobacillus, or boil as normal if you wish to include hop and/or spice additions. Chill the wort and pitch Saccharomyces and/or Brettanomyces.
When the lactobacillus is souring your wort, it is growing the number of lactobacillus cells, but also undergoing fermentation. Therefore, it is important to take a gravity reading before and after the souring process. This gravity change can be added to your Saccharomyces/Brettanomyces fermentation gravity change to calculate your total change and your ABV%.
One of the reasons I prefer a kettle sour to a sour mash is the cleanness of the sour character. Many sour mashes promote the growth of many microorganisms besides lactobacillus, which can often lead to a less than appealing cheesy, funky note.
Two tips to keep your kettle sour as clean as possible are to boil the wort before pitching lactobacillus and to keep your wort oxygen free during the souring process. Boiling your wort will eliminate the chance of additional microbes taking hold by sterilizing your wort, allowing you to inoculate with your choice of lactobacillus.
Keeping your wort oxygen free requires attention at a few steps along the way. Begin by purging any head space in your kettle with CO2 before pitching your lactobacillus culture. Once you pitch the lactobacillus, maintaining a blanket of CO2 above your wort during the entirety of your kettle sour process is the key to a clean sour character. After you have your kettle sour purged and blanketed, it can be helpful to wrap your kettle with plastic wrap. This will help to ensure an oxygen free environment and keep any atmospheric influence at bay. These steps will provide a clean and predictable result, allowing for a better finished beer that is also more repeatable.
There are a number of ways to approach a sour wort process. One idea is to add tartness to a typically non-sour style, such as a Belgian Wit or Saison, by utilizing a kettle sour followed by your choice of wit or saison yeast. Another is to use a kettle sour to produce a cleanly tart Berliner Weiss or Gose, which can then be fermented with Saccharomyces and/or Brettanomyces. You could also recreate a traditional Belgian sour style, such as an Oud Bruin, Flanders Red, or Lambic style. Simply achieve the desired tartness and acidity via the kettle sour process, then add Brettanomyces and/or Saccharomyces to finish fermentation and add complexity.
There is a world of opportunity and experimentation waiting to be had, but above all else, remember to have fun!
