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National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 6:52 am
by ScrewyBrewer
Ok, who's brewing what today? I'm always excited to brew and today even more so than usual. After kegging the Witbier that was taking up room in the chest freezer last night, I needed to make room for today's batch, I also prepped the brewing water for today's Big Brew. My plan is to have 2 beers on tap for the months ahead, an Orange Sunshine Belgian Witbier and today's batch of Old Vinyl IPA.

It's been cold and rainy here for the past week but the garage brew room is warm, dry and ready to go and so am I. Today's 10 gallon Old Vinyl IPA recipe uses US 2 Row, a bit of Crystal 60L and a pound of hops. The hops are added to the kettle at 20 minutes or less before flameout so I expect to have lots of flavor and aroma in this beer.

Is anyone else brewing today, if so care to share your plans? Are you brewing in honor of National Big Brew Day or like me is it just a coincidence?

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 7:00 am
by Dawg LB Steve
I have no keg room at this time, have three empty kegs and 4 batches ready to keg. So I am going to hang out at LHBS for the Big Brew Day with some brewing buddies.

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 7:01 am
by BlackDuck
Unfortunately, I'm not brewing today. To many things on the honey-do list this weekend. Also the in-laws are coming over later this afternoon. We are taking my mother in law out for dinner to celebrate Mother's Day.

To all of you that are brewing today.....have fun and brew well!!

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 7:54 am
by John Sand
I am also busy today. But I have two batches fermenting now, so I am grandfathered in.

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 8:42 am
by RickBeer
Not brewing, but heading to Big Brew day at AIH for some sampling, food (hopefully), and to buy some ingredients (haven't brewed in 4 months). Going to make a Dunkelweizen using one of my $5.68 cans of Mr. Beer Bavarian Weissbier, as well as 5 gallons of Oatmeal Stout. But not brewing today.

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 8:47 am
by Beer-lord
Wish I could but I have too much to do and not much time to get it done. I'll proxy brew through those who can.

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 11:52 am
by BigPapaG
I had a faucet failure a couple of weeks ago (3?) and bought and installed a new faucet.

Went to start cleaning and found my faucet adapter (to garden hose thread) was now the wrong diameter and thread pitch to work on the new faucet...

So, after hunting through the local hardware stores and the two big box home improvement folks, to no avail, I ended up finding and ordering the correct one from the interweb.

It has now arrived!

So, I have two carboys and a keg to now scrub out... And two batches to brew... But...

Preparations for Mother's Day preclude both brewing activity as well as hanging with my homies at the LHBS.

Well, there's always next weekend!

:cool:

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 2:21 pm
by ScrewyBrewer
From the sounds of it I'm pretty lucky to have had things work out the way they did for me today. I hit all of my numbers again today, final gravity and the correct volume of beer to fill both fermentors. I also got a chance to brew with my soon to be ex future son-in-law too. He and I haven't brewed together in quite some time but today we hit our stride and had a great time brewing together. We even had a chance to play our guitars and learn a few new tunes.

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 4:54 pm
by Inkleg
Just got back from brewing at my LHBS. 3rd year brewing A Toast to Big Fuzzy Russian Imperial Stout at NBBD. This will be the recipe I brew every year. I have 6 gallons in the fermenter chilling to 66* before pitching the yeast. This years SG came in at 1.111 :o , lets see what a pint of WLP007 thick slurry can do to this. :D

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 5:03 pm
by FedoraDave
Sunday is my brew day. I went to the LHBS today and bought the ingredients I need for my next two batches.

So tomorrow I'll be brewing a Fat Tire clone I found online. It's mighty good.

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 6:54 am
by Dawg LB Steve
Gonna be a big one Jeff, where does it compare to the past OG's? A pint pitch I'm sure will eat thru it.

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 7:52 am
by Inkleg
The first was 1.100 and last years came in at 1.105. Used WLP002 with both of those and last years finished higher than I wanted at 1.033. So I'm hoping the WLP007 will chew this down a little further. I took the pint jar out of the fridge when I got home yeasterday (see what I did there ;) ) and let it sit on the counter to warm up. Looked at it when getting ready to pitch and the lid was bulging, eased it open to burp it, set it back down on the counter and looked away for 2 seconds. Well........lets just say that year must have smelled the wort in the other room and it just started oozing out the top. By the time I oxygenated the wort I had lost at least 1/4 of the yeast. Pitched at about 10pm last night and I'll post a picture here in a few.

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 8:16 am
by ScrewyBrewer
@Jeff I'm sure that beer will not be ready to drink in a week either. I'm still a little skeptical as to how Momentum Brewhouse goes from kettle to glass in a week with their 13% Barley Wine. Sounds like you had yourself a great brewday!

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 8:40 am
by RandyG
Hi Gang, not brewing anything,but have 2x2 gallon batches to bottle Tuesday. A Cerveza,and a Strong Ale. I usually put brewing on hold until late Sept.,but I may brew a couple of saisons over the summer.Maybe with Citra,and Nelson Hops,using Belle Saison yeast. Should be good.

Re: National Big Brew Day!

Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 9:50 am
by Inkleg
Hot off the press at 67*
Image


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