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   BrewGeeks

Sniffing Airlocks since 2010

Our Most Popular Guides

1/1/2022

2 Comments

 

Get More Aroma With Dry Hopping

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Hops are added in the last 10 minutes of the boil to contribute less to bitterness and more to aroma but many of these oils are boiled off in the process. How can you add even more aroma? Dry hopping is a perfect way to add fresh hoppy aroma to your beer. 

The basic idea is to add whole leaf or pellet hops to the fermenter (or keg) after fermentation is complete. These hops soak in the beer for anywhere from a few days to a week. We've found that the flavor peaks at 5-7 days and makes a noticeable difference in aroma. Our typical schedule for a beer is 2 weeks in primary fermentation, add dry hops the 3rd week, rack and carbonate in week 4. [Read More]

The Life Cycle of Yeast

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What is yeast doing during beer fermentation?  It is consuming wort sugars, and turning that sugar into new yeast cells, ethanol, CO2, and flavor compounds. Brewers are primarily concerned about flavor compounds. In order to maximize the correct flavor compounds, it is helpful to know how yeast ferments beer.

Ale fermentation of brewers wort follows three phases: the lag phase  for 3-15 hours, an exponential growth phase for 1-4 days, and a stationary phase of yeast growth for 3-10 days. Each of these phases will be described in terms of yeast behavior. [Read More]

Clean Corny Kegs

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While I'm not much of a betting man these days, I'd bet a large sum of money that cleaning kegs is not on anyone's list of fun things to do. Hopefully, this guide will make it less painful. 

Our process breaks down to the following steps: Cleaning, rinsing, and sanitizing. Cleaning and rinsing can be done manually or by using keg washer and I'll review both in this guide.

​[Read More] ​

Build a Fermentation Chamber

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The basic idea of a fermentation chamber is to control the temperature of yeast while they are active. This is not to say that excellent beer can't be brewed without one, but in my case, I was limited to the ambient temperature of the basement, which is quite different in the month of January than it is in August. So why temperature control?

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Read More]

Make a Carbonator Cap

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So you're on your way to a park where glass bottles are off limits or maybe you just racked that award-winning Imperial Double Barleywine that you want to try, while you wait for your keg to carb up. So you scour the web and there it is... The Carbonator Cap; it injects CO2 into plastic water and soda bottles by attaching a gas side ball lock to it. You're sold! You head on down to your LHBS to buy a few until you see the price; $20 for a piece of molded plastic! There's gotta be a better way that won't break the bank. There is! [Read More] ​

The Doghouse Brew Rig

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What is the Doghouse you ask? Well…it’s a single tier brew stand based loosely on the Brutus 10 and like the Brutus it is a fully automated system.

I had several design goals in mind when I started. First, it needed to be fully automated (duh…). Second, it needs to be fully self-contained when stored away. Third, it needs to be maneuvered easily. Fourth, it needs to fit in my truck. And lastly, it needed to have adjustable burners. [Read More]

A BIAB Brewday (tknice)

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This post outlines a typical brewday. My goal has always been to brew great beer while minimizing time and equipment and above all, find a process that works for me.
[Read More]
2 Comments

Blowoff Tubes!

11/29/2015

0 Comments

 
I brewed back-to-back 10 gallon batches last Tuesday and here's a shot of the carboys as I was cleaning up.  I didn't end up using the fermentation chambers this time since it's pretty cool in the basement.  It was a long day that started around 9:30 and finished the last bit of cleaning around 6pm but it was actually very relaxing. Everything went perfectly smooth, I think one of the best days I've had with the efficiency for both beers above 85%.

The first was our house IPA, brewed with cascade and centennial hops and it will get more of both in the dry hop. The second beer was an amber ale brewed entirely with nugget hops.
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0 Comments

BIAB Winch

11/29/2015

1 Comment

 
Why do you need a winch to hoist the bag after the mash is complete?  Well, you don't NEED one, but it certainly helps!
I was asked to post a few pics of the winch I use and thought a short video would be better instead.   It will set you back around $40 including two pulleys.

The parts:
600lb Trailer Winch w/ Steel Cable = $24.98 (shipped)
2 x Pulley = $15.94

1 Comment

Etekcity Digital PH Meter

9/25/2015

2 Comments

 
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I picked up one of these PH meters from amazon for $8.15 with free shipping today. I'm not sure why it's so cheap right now, but the reviews seem good enough and I like this idea better than reading paper strips!  Looks like the color of the one they ship is yellow and black which is fine.

I'll post a review after I get a chance to use it.

  • Brand New and High Quality.
Excellent meter, very acurate and durable. With calibration screwdriver.
Operating Temperature: 0 - 50°C (32-122°F).
​Relative Humidity: <95%.
Power: 3 x 1.5V(AG-13 button battery) (included).
Size: 15.2cm x 2.8cm x 1.5cm.





2 Comments

Hoppy Belgian-Style Pale Ale

8/24/2015

0 Comments

 
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Ballast Point released another entry in their "Homework" series.  This time it's a Belgian-Style Pale Ale.  Looks like all of the ingredients are readily available too, except perhaps the Acidulated malt.  I believe that one imparts a sour flavor.

Homework Series #5: Hoppy Belgian-Style Pale Ale (all-grain)
8.75# Belgian Pale Malt
1.5# Flaked Oats
1# Wheat Malt
.75# Crystal 10L
.75# Acidulated Malt
(Mash temp: 153 degrees F; Mash time: 60 min)
(Boil Total Time: 60 min)
1.0 oz Belma Hops 30 min.
1.0 oz Belma Hops Whirlpool
Ferment with W.L. 575 Belgian Style Ale Yeast.
Ferment at 68 degrees F for 1 day, at 72 for the second day, and 75 for 4 more days or until complete. Add 2 oz Belma pelletized hops directly to fermenter 5 days before packaging (dry hopping).

If you haven't checked them out yet, here are all of the recipes:
Homework Series
0 Comments

Beers and Beards BIAB Rig

7/9/2015

2 Comments

 
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Sometimes you just need a girlfriend who will design, weld, and paint a brew stand, then surprise you with it as a Christmas present!  I know, you don't think she exists, but you're wrong. That's exactly what Megan did for her boyfriend Evan and she wrote up some details about the build which you can read below.  Oh, and by the way guys, when you come up with a logo for your Beers and Beards brewery, we gotta see it!!

"My name is Megan, a self-proclaimed beer connoisseur who lives in a tiny town in northeast Massachusetts. A few months before Christmas 2014, I started searching the internet in hopes to find the perfect gift for my boyfriend, who, at the time, was an amateur brewer. He really got into brewing after I bought him a home-brewing starter kit for his birthday in the spring of 2014.  I remembered him talking one day about wanting to invest in an outdoor BIAB rig that had a burner, a propane tank and a pulley system to pull up those heavy bags of soaked grain. At the time, I worked in a high school that had an amazing vocational/tech program (Carpentry, Automobile), and figured that, with the help of some people, I could build him the rig for Christmas. After a few days of searching, I came across the “BrewGeeks” homepage and messaged Tom to see if he could help me get started after seeing his own rendition of a BIAB rig that he had made. It was about a 3 ½ month-long process that took a lot of corresponding back and forth with Tom, but it was SO worth the time, money, and a few  bumps in the road to see my boyfriends face on Christmas. The end result turned out perfectly. I/We could not be more pleased with it."

Click the link below to check out the rest of her build.

[Read More]

Here's Evan with his baby...  wait, where'd Megan go??

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2 Comments

We spun a cocoon and emerged a brewterfly!

6/29/2015

1 Comment

 
In other words, we updated the site recently!   Aside from new colors, the main difference you'll notice is the site should now look great on every one of your devices.  Whether on a desktop, widescreen laptop or a tablet in portrait or landscape, every geeky article will look better than ever!  Waiting on a mash timer?  Pull BrewGeeks up on your phone and find a cool DIY project to get started!

Are you new to us?  Have a look at our brewing guides before you leave and please let us know what you think...  we love to hear from you!

Signed,
The Responsive Geeks
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1 Comment

10 Gallons of Wheat Ale

6/13/2015

0 Comments

 
I brewed a wheat ale today and it's a little different than my house recipe that calls for flaked wheat. Instead, I used 5lbs of white wheat malt and also the Saf-06 wheat ale yeast to add some additional wheat character.  Another twist is the addition of Briess Carabrown Malt which is a specialty grain that scoundrel and I discovered in our LHBS.  As soon as we smelled it, we both said DAAAMN!!  It's described as toasty, buscuity, nutty, and graham cracker.  You're probably thinking this sounds like a perfect grain to put in a porter or strong ale but idono, I'm adding it to this wheat beer. I'll ferment pretty low, probably around 62 degrees to be as clean as possible, and I'm hoping the carabrown will add something that is not typically found in a traditional wheat ale.

Hybrid Wheat Ale

American Wheat or Rye Beer (6 D)

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 11.00 gal
Boil Size: 13.46 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 11.96 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 10.42 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage
Date: 13 Jun 2015
Brewer: tknice
Asst Brewer: Pleepleus
Equipment: Pot (15 Gal Boilermaker) - BIAB
Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 73.2 %
Taste Rating: 35.0
Taste Notes: New recipe, excited to check out difference with carabrown malt and saf-06
Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
17 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 73.9 %
5 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 2 21.7 %
8.0 oz Briess Carabrown Malt (55.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.2 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.2 %
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 21.4 IBUs
1 Item Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 6 -
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 7 4.3 IBUs
2.0 pkg Safbrew Wheat (DCL/Fermentis #WB-06) [50.28 ml] Yeast 8 -

Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color

Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.0 %
Bitterness: 25.7 IBUs
Est Color: 5.4 SRM
Measured Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.0 %
Calories: 166.1 kcal/12oz

Mash Profile

Mash Name: BIAB, Medium Body
Sparge Water: 0.00 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE
Total Grain Weight: 23 lbs
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Saccharification Add 12.14 gal of water at 159.8 F 152.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min 168.0 F 10 min

Sparge: If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
Mash Notes: Brew in a bag method where the full boil volume is mashed within the boil vessel and then the grains are withdrawn at the end of the mash. No sparging. This is a medium body beer profile.

Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Keg
Pressure/Weight: 13.72 PSI
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 45.0 F
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage
Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Carbonation Used: Keg with 13.72 PSI
Age for: 30.00 days
Storage Temperature: 65.0 F

Notes

15 minute rest at flameout

Created with BeerSmith

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Overall the brewing session went well.  I had a bit of a scare when I failed to turn the burner off completely after hitting the mash temp and accidentally left it on low. Luckily I checked after 10 minutes... and the temp was 165F!!  My first thought was to add some cold water, which I did and the temp lowered to 158F.  At this point, the kettle was about as full you ever want and still have room to stir.  I decided to leave it alone, kept the lid off, and stirred every 5 or 10 minutes throughout the mash. I also knew I had enough DME (dry malt extract) on hand to make up the difference if my pre-boil gravity was too low.

The refractometer came in very handy today because, unlike a hydrometer, it doesn't require a certain temperature to check the gravity. I took a few readings during the 60-minute mash and at the end, the pre-boil conversion was 11.2 brix which is about 1.045 which was close enough for me.  I wasn't sure exactly what the original gravity would be but decided not to add any DME. Once the wort cooled to less than 70F degrees, I dropped a hydrometer in and it read exactly 1.050!

Let's see, what else.  I posted my BIAB process a few years ago and still do everything basically the same except now I brew in the garage. This has a few key benefits which you can see in the pictures below. First, I can brew while it's raining. This might not seem like a big deal but trust me, I've brewed in the rain before and it sucks. The next thing that made life easier being inside is I have a pulley to hoist the bag! Now brewing that barleywine won't be such a huge hassle. Finally, my buddy scoundrel suggested I tap off the hot water line from the washing machine since its close to the garage. This was brilliant because we are always trying to find ways to save time and starting with 135F degree water for the mash and when adding hot water to achieve the correct pre-poil volume shaved off some serious time!

Also, during the mash I mounted a timer to the wall behind the kettle!  

Cheers,

TKnice
I checked the carboys this morning and everything looks good.  I hoped to get the temps a bit lower but probably need to remove some water from the bucket in the freezer that feeds the ferm chambers-- there's too much in there for this little college sized unit to handle.    66F degrees should be good enough though.
0 Comments

Russian Imperial Stout

6/10/2015

1 Comment

 
Andy's Dad started homebrewing a few months ago and one of his first beers was a Russian Imperial Stout.  While I can't vouch for the flavor or aroma, I can say without doubt that the video Andy shot will make you want to try it!!

Cheers to Andy and his Dad for sending us a link to his video!
1 Comment

Welcome to BrewGeeks!

10/29/2013

0 Comments

 
Okay, so it's been quite a while since I've posted anything so that means...you guessed it, we're lame! There will come a time when I'll find more kickass homebrew projects to showcase but in the meantime, have a look around!
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