Saison

Did 10 gallons of a Petit Saison yesterday, split between two yeasts. Looking forward to this in the near future, the better one is for Rudy's Blessing.

Holding temps when the shop is over 100

By using the glycol chiller described below, fermenting in my shop, a shed in the backyard that exceeds 100 degrees every day this week (gotta love heat waves), I'm easily maintaining 66 degree (19 C) using water a few degrees above freezing run thru the 3/8 Brewhemoth chiller.

Temp control while fermenting......next best thing to sliced bread.

Constructing a Glycol Chiller

The first step is to remove the front cover, exposing the evaporator coils.

Next, remove the rear cover. You can now see the main components, the compressor, evaporator coil, condenser coil, and fan.

Remove electrical controls and swing out of your way.

Cut bottom of air conditioner off just in front of the compressor mount bolts and the fan mount. Be very careful not to cut into the coil.

Next remove the evaporator fan. If the shaft is in the way you can cut this off too. The condenser fan remains.

Here is the evaporator coil sitting next to the cooler that will be used as the reservoir. The AC unit will have to be raised so that the evap coils can sit inside the cooler without having to bend or twist the copper lines. These are very fragile and with the current cost of R-22, its cheaper to by a new AC rather than fix a goof.

All nestled in and ready to go.

Now for the electric, unplug the motors and remove the capacitor from its clip, don't pull the wires off.

This AC had a digital display, etc, looking at the schematic, you can see two wires from the compressor go to the capacitor, one to the board. Cut the board wire off as long as possible. On the fan motor, two wires go to the capacitor and three to the got to the board. The three wires allow for different speeds on the fan. We are going to use the black wire. Off the capacitor is an orange wire that goes to the board. This is the neutral wire. Using the electric cord from the unit, attach the orange wire to white and the brown and black wires to the black wire on the cord. Securely fasten the green wire to a metal part of the AC. If you are using a Johnson controller, plug the two together put your temp probe in the tank of water (or glycol) and set your temperature. Be sure to place a small fountain pump inside, aimed at the coils to keep the water circulating in order to prevent an ice up.

Thanks for looking, feel free to post questions or comments. If you are not comfortable working with electric, ask for help from a qualified electrician.

ESB

10 pounds Maris Otter
1 pound 65 Crystal
1/2 ounce Northdown ot 60
1 ounce Target at 30
1/2 ounce EKG at 15
1/2 ounce EKG at 0
fermenting on 1968 at 65 degrees.

Dry Stout

10 gallon batch
14 pounds Maris Otter
2 pounds roasted barley
2 pounds flaked barley
1 ounce Target at 60 minutes

It's Bitter Time

Ten gallon batch
14 pounds of Maris Otter
9 ounces of 135L Crystal
Mashed at 148

Snowing, almost up to freezing

But I'm brewing an IPA anyway.
20 pounds of Maris Otter
.5 pounds Carastan
.5 pounds of 60l Crystal
2 pounds of sugar
Mashing at 148
ounce each of Chinook and Cascade at 60, 30 and Knockout

Penrose Mead

My collaboration with Kirkwood Brewing Station. In liquor stores now!

Saturday Kegging

Kegged the last three batches on Saturday. All three turned out really well, will be pleased to offer them in a "mix-a-case" at the auction. Will bottle in 10-14 days!

End of the year porter

Remaking the London Porter, same recipe as before, can't wait.

80 Schilling Scottish Ale

7 pounds of Maris Otter
3 oz of roasted barley
1/2 oz EKG at 60
2 hour boil.
A bit too much roasted barley, fermenting with Wyeast Scottish Ale yeast.

11 Gallons of APA

18 pounds of Maris Otter
1 pound of Carastan

.8 oz Chinook at 60
.8 oz Cascade at 30
2 oz Cascade at 15

Fermenting at 67 with S-05

Brew day had a lot of misadventures. Worthless thermometers, bent shaft on my mill......amazing it turned out! Hit 1045 for an OG which put me at 70% efficiency, about par for when I batch sparge. The wort was a bit cloudy going in, its bubbling away like crazy this morning.

2012 HHHC

The perry took third this year, that was it for awards. Looking forward to seeing the score sheets and seeing how my other entries scored.
The Brewhemoth received the Darrel Cox award! I'm mighty pleased.

English Pale

Ten Gallon Batch

15 pounds of Maris Otter
1 pound 135L
1.5 oz Target at 60
2 oz EKG at 15
2 tsp Irish Moss at 15

Used 1968 yeast.

Old Ale Again

wyeast came out with 9097 again, Old Ale Blend, some English ale yeast and brett. Makes the best ale!

12 pounds of Maris Otter
1 pound of 135L
1/4 pound roasted barley
12 oz molassis at 5 minutes
90 minute boil
1.5 oz Bramling Cross at 60
1 oz Bramling Cross at 15
1 tsp Irish Moss at 15
Fermenting at 65 with 9097
Kegged today, 12-29. very tasty already, the Brett is already showing thru!