BeerBorg

I can't believe I haven't brewed since May, but it's true. My longest layoff in 2-1/2 years of brewing. But I broke the slump today with a Belgian Pale. BIABed the BCS recipe, with some changes. And I didn't start really goofing up until the end. That's when I dropped an open package of hops into the wort. Fished it out, poured it out, probably okay. Then when I started chilling, I left the discharge end in the pot! Quickly noticed no water coming out, shut it off and corrected. Since My gravity was high, no big deal there either. Now a month to see if I can break my 2015 curse of mediocre beer.

Well, extra hops and uncalculated for water.... should be your best. Good luck duplicating!

I'm starting to ramp up my brewing a bit and have brewed less this year than the last 3. I admit I've toned down my drinking AND bought way too much craft beer so I need to create new priorities.
I'm off next week and will brew once which is all I have time for.

I'm sure your brew will be fine.

GO JOHN! GO JOHN! GO JOHN!

Brewbirds wrote:GO JOHN! GO JOHN! GO JOHN!

Thanks BB, that fixed my whole day.
Thanks you all. The smackpack didn't swell much either, but I can't blame myself for that. I'm still optimistic about this batch. I made this recipe as half of The Belgian Split and it was very good. Low water=high gravity, so I may add water to the ferment or the keg. I'll update the thread.

Low water=high gravity, so I may add water to the ferment or the keg put it away to cellar for several months and have a nice Winter Jacket ready around the holidays.

Glad to see you got something brew'n again John, Summer months are rough for all of us up North. Between trying to fit in everything you want to get done in our short summer season and the temp swings we have, it's a little challenging to brew.

John Sand wrote: The smackpack didn't swell much either, but I can't blame myself for that. I'm still optimistic about this batch.

I had a run of Smack Packs that swelled so much I thought I'd have a blow-out with yeast everywhere. Now this last batch I did, no swell (or very little) I kept thinking maybe I didn't pop it, but I pitched it and the sack was popped and it took off like crazy anyways. So I guess that's just the way it works.......

BB, you fixed that for me? I have about 10 gallons of sub-par beer in the house, I need this to be ready soon.
Berry, thanks. I'm not too worried about it. At worst if it doesn't get started, I have another pack.

"It's alive, It's alive! (maniacal laugh)"
Probably my longest lag ever, 3+ days. But it's bubbling away now. And I recently saw the 1936 Frankenstein movie.

Good for you, Mr Sand. I've been in the hobby (obsession) since '08, but haven't brewed since last October. BUT... I placed an order last night. I should rectify this situation sometime next week

Hope your brew turns out great!!!

Thanks Pudge, you too!

John, I'm not a big fan of the smack packs. I prefer to make a yeast starter with a vial of White Labs yeast, and since that's what my LHBS carries, it works out. But just as every batch of beer is different, so is every smack pack or vial of yeast. The thing to do is make sure you have a back-up and then RDWHAHB. I'm glad it took off for you (and the original Frankenstein movie was 1931, BTW).

Keep on brewing, buddy, and get that pipeline full. And here's hoping your beers are high-quality from here on out. I know how disappointing it is to make beer you consider sub-par.

Thanks Dave. I do have another pack, and I ordered 3 Abbaye dry packs for future use. If this hadn't started yesterday, I would have repitched. This batch uses 3787, Westmalle. I think that's the same as WLP530, which with I've had success.

Congrats. It's a weird feeling getting back into the groove, isn't it? I've been light this year but also brewed this past weekend. It felt good.

What was awkward for me was the last time I bottled. I haven't done that in a while and my old process felt clunky and inefficient. When I was doing it regularly I was in a rhythm but it also reminded me why I keg now!

Funny you mention. My pipeline is low, so I'm drinking some older bottles. I hardly want to wash them, I'm so used to kegging.