Posted on 12/07/2012 3:36:44 PM PST by Red_Devil 232
Good afternoon/evening FReepers. Yep, it is Beer Thirty Time Once Again!
Happiness is a bubbling airlock! And a Cold Brew
Irish Stout Yum!
HOPS - Cure for the common cold?
Good evening/afternoon brewers and winemakers. I saw a news item on FNC this morning about beer fighting against cold-causing virus. I thought y’all might find the article from the Fox News Web site interesting. It seems there is a compound found in hops called humulone that can fight against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Problem is (which I don’t see as a problem) you have to drink 30 12oz beers to get the amount of humhlone needed to be effective. The article does not specify a time period in which to drink those 30 beers. One day would be a bit much for me. Three days, OK. A week no problem! Link to the article below:
A beer prescription? Beer can fight against cold-causing virus
Do yourself a favor, plan for 10 gallon batches now. I look back and wish I had gone straight to 10. I wasted a lot of time and effort on 5 gallon batches before moving up and wish I had skipped the whole 5 gallon system.
When you can brew twice as much for an extra 90 minutes its worth every moment. Pitch 2 different yeasts and make 2 different brews !
Just my 2 cents and 31 years homebrewing experience.
Cheers,
knewshound
Last weekend I went to a Dinner at my Brother’s. I donated 1 of my gallon jugs of hard cider to the cause.
When I bottled the 5 gal batch I added 1 gal of unsweetened apple juice instead of corn sugar for carbonation. It came out fantastic! Has a light carbonation similar to a champagne.
It was a hit! Between the 7 of us we went through over half a gal. after dinner.
Big thanks on that post! My cranberry mead pours like a champagne - big bubbly head that fades quickly with persistent bubbles all the way down the hatch! Tasty! What brand of unsweetened apple juice did you use?
Actually, excellent advice. Was planning on the 5 gallon route, but will look into 10 gallon batches. If/when you do it, do you also dry hop with different varieties in the batches?
I’d guess the brew kettle will be the toughest part. I’ve been range-top boiling the mash, but that might not be feasible. I’ll probably also roll my own wort chiller, right now I just brew in cold weather which is pretty limiting.
I can’t remember the brand name. I was a frozen concentrate with no additives or preservatives. 2 cans concentrate and 6 cans water.
Thanks that is good enough info. Most of the frozen concentrates do not have additives. I was thinking about using a gallon of “Tree Top” apple juice (no additives) it comes from a concentrate not like “Musselman’s” which is from fresh squeezed.
Yeah, a good chiller and a turkey fryer burner need to be in your future. I use a cut down keg that holds 15.5 gallons full. I can usually boil 13 gallons for 11 in the fermenter.
If you can afford it, look into installing a ball valve in the pot, a huge time saver and worth every minute of effort to get.
Craigslist is a great source for both as well as garage sales. My wife is great for keeping her eye open for stuff like that. The chiller you may have to bite the bullet and actually buy the copper to make. There are tons of kits for the hose ends cheap. The cooling it provides will open up a lot more months of brewing. I usually stop in the summer but do occasionally brew in summer even with my 75+ degree ground water.
To save some money, look into CPVC for your manifold. 1/10 the price of copper and you can throw it in the dishwasher ! Again, look into a ball valve, it is almost a must in a mash tun.
As far as dry hopping, I keg mostly, so when I dry hop I use a muslin bag and 4 lb test fishing string to suspend it in the keg. Not sure how you are set up.
Cheers,
knewshound
I was in the Philippines in 1968-69-70. The local beer was San Miguel, before the brewer began pasteurizing it.
Does anyone have a recipe for brewing that marvelous stuff? It was truly the nectar of the Gods.
Tonight - this night - was the end of the sixth full day of fermentation of my cider. I poured off one gallon into a settling jar and will start bottling tomorrow.
It is still bubbling fairly well, so I should get good carbonation.
What impresses me the most this time is the Safale 04 yeast!
XLENT results! Minor foaming at the top, good, even very good flocculation, cider is still smelling fruity, NO STINKFOOT!!
After bottling, it should settle nice and clear!
YUM!!! Can’t wait!
I was in the Philippines, Subic Bay, Olongopo and San Miguel (five star) was a good beer drank many many of them!
RE: your IPA, did you use any oak chips in your secondary? The reason I ask is I am interested in knowing how the oak affects the flavor?
Red I didn’t use oak chips although I thought about ordering a 5gl oak to use for ageing. I have read about using oak chips and thing about them is not leave then in too long.
* oak keg
I was in Mindanao in ‘04-05. The Mickeys we had there were awful, a lot of stinkers. Not as bad as Red Horse, but none-the-less......
” The Mickeys we had there were awful, a lot of stinkers.”
I don’t like it so much anymore myself, but before they started to pasteurize it, that was the most beautiful beer anywhere! Smooth, great taste and always room for one or five more.
Enjoy.
I saw a headline saying some element in beer is good for the brain. I went to the article and it wasn’t there. You beer makers may be onto something.
I was there in the early 70’s and have not had one sense that time, so they may have changed. Wehe we ordered one we would specify “5 Stars” - the labels had stars printed on them and anything less than a five star was krap!
Beer has plenty of nutrients, such as protein, B vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, iron, niacin, and riboflavin.
This batch we used our own home grown hops, I bought several varieties and was pleasently surprised to see how easy they were to grow. Made it even more fun having more control over the ingredients.
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