Thursday, March 13, 2014

Fermenting when the temperature fluctuates

Like many homebrewers, I would rather ferment outside the house, most in a garage, some in a shed (brewhouse). We also do not want to heat them. In the summer, it is simple to set up a cooling system, in the winter a way to warm. But what about spring and fall? Nightime temps can drop into the 30's, daytime in the 70's. Too cold or too hot to ferment a beer at the preferred temperature. We (at Brewhemoth central) have come up with the perfect solution, a dual set of tubes that can go into the Brewhemoth, one that can chill the wort when needed, the other can be heated when needed. Will be tested next week with a batch of American Pale ale. Here is a picture of it half done.



Photo: Sully, our illustrious welder, has made the first heating cooling coil!And here is it finished.....
And the top
Carefully marked so the proper hoses go on the right line!


Saturday, March 1, 2014

ESB

Using the IPA water profile and yeast,

18 pounds of Maris Otter
2 pounds of toasted Maris Otter (in oven at 425 till popping)
2 pounds Simpson's extra dark crystal
2 ounces of choclate malt

Bittering with 2 ounces of Northdown at 60
then EKG 1 ounce at 30, 15 and flame out, 2 tsp of Irish Moss at 15