Barrel emptying - Sept 23, 9am

[Jayme]

Although alpha amalyze might help you, it's hard to say.....

If he didn't get complete conversion in the mash that should help. Beano also can help if the mash temp was too high and produced a lot of dextrins. But if the yeast pitch was too small or improperly prepared I don't think enzymes are going to fix the situation.

That's absolutely right. Is beano the same as alpha? I've heard rumors that beano won't stop, but I don't know much about it.

It's not quite the same - beano won't do anything for unconverted starches. It breaks down long chain sugar to simple. I used it recently on a beer to drop a beer 3 points (1 crushed tablet) and it seemed to stop. Not sure if that was just because the yeast got tired or if the beano just complied to my wishes I've read the same thing that it won't stop, but I've also read that it will.

[GillettBreweryCnslt]

I was going to suggest making a barleywine for the second barrell run with the others so I sure hope hogie makes it. Go team Hogie

I was hoping for the RIS for the second batch! That's my vote.

[LiverDance]

I'm pretty sure the barrel is 55 US gal, so that's the number I was working with (I use US gallons at all time regardless). I will double check that though.

**UPDATE**

Ok Fellas, after a bit of fooling around, success with the folks at Glenora as they are now holding a freshly decommissioned barrel for us;

Emptied 30 days ago, 180 litres, same measurements as earlier in this post, $100 plus tax.

I'm in Cape Breton for a couple of days for work and am planning on picking it up on my way back home. I'm still assuming that interest on filling this bad boy won't be an issue based on the past activity here but I'll feel better once I have it on the truck......

9 guys * 20 liters (5.3 U.S gallons) = 180 liters (47.55 U.S gallons)

[mr x]

OK, my mistake I guess. I thought it was a standard 55 gallon barrel, as NCM lists their Jack barrels as 53 gallons, and that's where Glenora gets them.

Are we actually doing 20 litre batches? What's a corny hold? I assumed most people will transport by keg.

[Jayme]

A corny is 19L I believe - that's what I will be bringing.

edit - actually 18.925 Litres aka 5 US gallons.

[LiverDance]

If everyone is bringing a keg then you will end up 10 liters short for 9 guys.

[mr x]

Some of us will have 2. Myself and Jmac did 10 gallon batches. I'm still a little uncomfortable with Glenora's volume. That doesn't sound like any kind of standard barrel. We should have 50 gallons of beer ready to go.

[chalmers]

Some of us will have 2. Myself and Jmac did 10 gallon batches. I'm still a little uncomfortable with Glenora's volume. That doesn't sound like any kind of standard barrel. We should have 50 gallons of beer ready to go.

Sounds like we have the correct volume if Johnny did a double batch.

10 cornies = 190L =approx 50Gal > 180L stated barrel volume

[mr x]

That's assuming GAM and hogie's beers are good. Hogie's might have some issues. Nick is going to try to brew this weekend, so we may have a backup there, but it's still no guarantee that we are going to have enough volume....and I'm still not confident that the 180L number from Glenora is accurate - it's an odd number....

We should have a guaranteed 50 gallons ready to go.

[Jayme]

So I take it the goal of filling on July 14th in conjunction with the fruitfest is not going to happen?

[RobD]

I may have a backup for you as well. I threw on a RIS a couple weeks ago after I saw the recipe that everyone used. I didn't have the exact ingredients, but it was very close. I'll do a reading on it when I get home, and can post the stats. OG was 1.104

I was planning to just bottle it, but if you need some/all of it, I can give it to the all mighty barrel.

[chalmers]

That's assuming GAM and hogie's beers are good. Hogie's might have some issues. Nick is going to try to brew this weekend, so we may have a backup there, but it's still no guarantee that we are going to have enough volume....and I'm still not confident that the 180L number from Glenora is accurate - it's an odd number....

We should have a guaranteed 50 gallons ready to go.

Who knows if any of our beers are good! What if mine is shit? What if yours is? That's why I was pushing for a group brew, to keep things consistent.

I understand that 180L is suspicious to you, but why stop at 50Gal? Why not 55, just to be sure? Of course, all of this should have been worked out 3 weeks ago when we (well, most of us) brewed.

Having said all of that, it's too late for me to be complaining about shit over which I have no control. I am happy to put in my 19L, and to receive whatever comes out the other side. Thanks to everyone else for being good sports.

[mr x]

I may have a backup for you as well. I threw on a RIS a couple weeks ago after I saw the recipe that everyone used. I didn't have the exact ingredients, but it was very close. I'll do a reading on it when I get home, and can post the stats. OG was 1.104

I was planning to just bottle it, but if you need some/all of it, I can give it to the all mighty barrel.

You just hang on to that for a few days.

[KMcK]

Well I'm organizing it and I talk gallons, and don't ever intend to change.

Neither do I.

[mr x]

That's assuming GAM and hogie's beers are good. Hogie's might have some issues. Nick is going to try to brew this weekend, so we may have a backup there, but it's still no guarantee that we are going to have enough volume....and I'm still not confident that the 180L number from Glenora is accurate - it's an odd number....

We should have a guaranteed 50 gallons ready to go.

Who knows if any of our beers are good! What if mine is shit? What if yours is? That's why I was pushing for a group brew, to keep things consistent.

I understand that 180L is suspicious to you, but why stop at 50Gal? Why not 55, just to be sure? Of course, all of this should have been worked out 3 weeks ago when we (well, most of us) brewed.

Having said all of that, it's too late for me to be complaining about shit over which I have no control. I am happy to put in my 19L, and to receive whatever comes out the other side. Thanks to everyone else for being good sports.

Group brew wouldn't have solved much. The problems are most likely to occur in the fermentation. A group brew and transport would be a greater risk. All you have to do is take some gravities and taste the beer to decide if it's good. I have no problem having 55 gallon ready. And we may very well have it. But that means that the next beer is also an RIS so anyone who brewed extra can get in on the next filling. I was accounting for this weeks ago when i cracking the whip for people to get brewing.

[KMcK]

A corny is 19L I believe - that's what I will be bringing.

edit - actually 18.925 Litres aka 5 US gallons.

No, 5.0000 US gallons = 18.925 litres. I seriously doubt anyone here fills his corny keg that precisely. Using proper scientific conversion 5 US gallons = 20 litres.

[mr x]

Well I'm organizing it and I talk gallons, and don't ever intend to change.

Neither do I.

Excellent. You can get your own barrel and thread and use any system you like to deal with it.

There are reasons that certain things get done a certain way, and it's not up for discussion here.

[hogie]

That's assuming GAM and hogie's beers are good. Hogie's might have some issues. Nick is going to try to brew this weekend, so we may have a backup there, but it's still no guarantee that we are going to have enough volume....and I'm still not confident that the 180L number from Glenora is accurate - it's an odd number....

We should have a guaranteed 50 gallons ready to go.

Who knows if any of our beers are good! What if mine is shit? What if yours is? That's why I was pushing for a group brew, to keep things consistent.

I understand that 180L is suspicious to you, but why stop at 50Gal? Why not 55, just to be sure? Of course, all of this should have been worked out 3 weeks ago when we (well, most of us) brewed.

Having said all of that, it's too late for me to be complaining about shit over which I have no control. I am happy to put in my 19L, and to receive whatever comes out the other side. Thanks to everyone else for being good sports.

I'd hate to get voted off of the rizzisland... I am working on getting access to a viable yeast cake or making another starter. Will keep you posted.

[Jayme]

A corny is 19L I believe - that's what I will be bringing.

edit - actually 18.925 Litres aka 5 US gallons.

No, 5.0000 US gallons = 18.925 litres. I seriously doubt anyone here fills his corny keg that precisely. Using proper scientific conversion 5 US gallons = 20 litres.

Sorry, I didn't realize there was a significant digit Nazi present on the forum. My mistake. A Corny holds 19L or 5.0 US gallons - but I fill mine to 18.925L.

[mr x]

I'd hate to get voted off of the rizzisland... I am working on getting access to a viable yeast cake or making another starter. Will keep you posted.

Don't get too bent out of shape. There will be another barrel filling shortly, and if it turns out that this beer isn't up to scratch, get back on the horse for next time. I was assuming one or two beers wouldn't turn out first crack. Happens to everyone sooner or later, myself included. It took me over a month to get my imperial brown to finish the final 7 degrees plato. Four different yeasts, CLO2, and AA included in that fiasco. Do what you can, but I would advise on the fresh cake as opposed to the starter.

[chalmers]

Yeesh, this thread has turned nasty this afternoon, and I'm to blame. Sorry about that.

My parting thoughts:
Do we have an approximate filling date in mind?
Here's hoping hogie can get his beer on the go.
I don't imagine we'll hear anything from GAM for the next while, so his is up in the air.
I haven't actually tasted mine, so I can't comment on the quality, but I trust the cellar man in charge of it. And the yeasties who are doing their thing.
I love sig figs too. If we all just measured volumes in millihectoGallons, this would be a non-issue.

[mr x]

I was looking at the 15th as a possible fill day, but am communicating with Nick about this currently, at it depends on his schedule. I though GAM was home on the 6th....

[Jayme]

I love sig figs too. If we all just measured volumes in millihectoGallons, this would be a non-issue.

I adhere to them every day at work - I'm paid to care about them. Nit picking 5 gallons is 20L does not accomplish anything No one would be very happy if we ended up 10L (or more) short for the barrel because we assumed 5 gallon kegs are 20L.

Anyhow, my comment was not intended to be nasty - but a sarcastic remark often earns a sarcastic reply

As for the unit debate, my vote is still for that ancient unit from Rome, the sextarium. Although it sounds more like a location for an orgy than a unit of volume Those perverted Romans!

[hogie]

I'd hate to get voted off of the rizzisland... I am working on getting access to a viable yeast cake or making another starter. Will keep you posted.

Don't get too bent out of shape. There will be another barrel filling shortly, and if it turns out that this beer isn't up to scratch, get back on the horse for next time. I was assuming one or two beers wouldn't turn out first crack. Happens to everyone sooner or later, myself included. It took me over a month to get my imperial brown to finish the final 7 degrees plato. Four different yeasts, CLO2, and AA included in that fiasco. Do what you can, but I would advise on the fresh cake as opposed to the starter.

Fortunately, Wortly has a rauchbier that he's kegging tonight. Going to use the cake from that.

[Keggermeister]

Does anyone have a yeast cake that I can grab? I am doing mine this weekend.
The 15th sounds ok with me, I doubt mine will be totally fermented out by then though.