How to improve my method?

Get advice on making beer from raw ingredients (malt, hops, water and yeast)
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awalker
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Post by awalker » Tue May 27, 2008 9:40 am

Aleman wrote:I can't recall the fridge model . . . Ventfrost(???), I actually bought a Chest freezer as I could get 6 Cornii in there and it was 120 quid instead of the nearly 400 for the Fridge :shock: I'll see if I can pop into Comet lunchtime tomorrow and check . . . . although for some reason all the sales staff seem to be very busy with other customers whenever I go in . . . . I can't work out why :-k

I would also be interested to know the make and model Aleman
As I only have the room for an upright in the garage and 8 kegs would be a dream as at the moment I can only fit 3 in the old fridge!
Fermenter(s): Lambic, Wheat beer, Amrillo/Cascade Beer
Cornys: Hobgoblin clone, Four Shades Stout, Wheat Beer, Amarillo/Cascade Ale, Apple Wine, Cider, Damson Wine, Ginger Beer
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Aleman
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Post by Aleman » Tue May 27, 2008 8:51 pm

Wasn't able to get into Comet today, as I had forgotten that we had to take the lad to Booth Hall this PM . . .I'll try again tomorrow
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awalker
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Post by awalker » Wed May 28, 2008 10:05 am

Aleman wrote:Wasn't able to get into Comet today, as I had forgotten that we had to take the lad to Booth Hall this PM . . .I'll try again tomorrow
Cheers Aleman
Fermenter(s): Lambic, Wheat beer, Amrillo/Cascade Beer
Cornys: Hobgoblin clone, Four Shades Stout, Wheat Beer, Amarillo/Cascade Ale, Apple Wine, Cider, Damson Wine, Ginger Beer
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delboy

Post by delboy » Wed May 28, 2008 10:25 am

I think i read about someone making 'cornie footprints' from peices of cardboard, eight peices of round cardboard and a tape measure (for the height) sure would be a lot easier to lug about the place :D
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awalker
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Post by awalker » Wed May 28, 2008 10:37 am

delboy wrote:I think i read about someone making 'cornie footprints' from peices of cardboard, eight peices of round cardboard and a tape measure (for the height) sure would be a lot easier to lug about the place :D
Not as much fear in the eyes of the Comet salesman though.
Also its a lot less shiney :wink:
Fermenter(s): Lambic, Wheat beer, Amrillo/Cascade Beer
Cornys: Hobgoblin clone, Four Shades Stout, Wheat Beer, Amarillo/Cascade Ale, Apple Wine, Cider, Damson Wine, Ginger Beer
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MightyMouth

Post by MightyMouth » Wed May 28, 2008 11:08 am

How do you go about using a chest freezer? Mainly how do you keep it from freezing?
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steve_flack

Post by steve_flack » Wed May 28, 2008 11:22 am

You either change the thermostat or use an ATC-800 or similar.
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RabMaxwell

Post by RabMaxwell » Wed May 28, 2008 11:22 am

MightyMouth wrote:How do you go about using a chest freezer? Mainly how do you keep it from freezing?
An external thermostat like the ATC-800 or similar was you reading my mind Steve
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delboy

Post by delboy » Wed May 28, 2008 11:42 am

awalker wrote:
delboy wrote:I think i read about someone making 'cornie footprints' from peices of cardboard, eight peices of round cardboard and a tape measure (for the height) sure would be a lot easier to lug about the place :D
Not as much fear in the eyes of the Comet salesman though.
Also its a lot less shiney :wink:
Wrap them in tinfoil :wink:
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flytact
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Post by flytact » Wed May 28, 2008 12:29 pm

MightyMouth wrote:How do you go about using a chest freezer? Mainly how do you keep it from freezing?
Image
Done to death on here, but here's my small freezer. Note the added collar
Image
Temp controller in gray, cask breather in white :D

PS: my two cents (pence) on your next step - control fermentation temps, I ferment in the basement and keeping the temp higher is my struggle, but very rewarding. Once there, go to liquid yeast
Johnny Clueless was there
With his simulated wood grain
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Should drink more

Post by Should drink more » Wed May 28, 2008 12:59 pm

Another thing to try is using refractometer to monitor if you are sparging below 1008. My efficiency dropped a few % when I started doing this so I can only assume I had previously sparged too long.Without wanting to start an efficiency debate all over again, your efficiency of 87% is quite high and might indicate the same problem I had.

I improved my water treatment and started controlling fermenting temp (chest freezer and ATC800) all at the same time so I'm not sure of the individual effect the sparging had but the combination of those 3 steps transformed my beer.

Adequate chinese refractometers are about £20 on eBay. Beersmith software (£10) helped make sense of the readings.
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scarer

Post by scarer » Thu May 29, 2008 9:34 pm

I already use a refractometer for my gravity readings so all should be okthere. I generally stop between 1010 and 1008, saying that I think one of my latest ones stopped at 1006 so I could get 30L in the boiler....
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scarer

Post by scarer » Thu May 29, 2008 9:36 pm

What's a cask breather for again? Apart from allowing the cask to breath :roll:
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