What's everyone brewing?

[dean2k]

Wish me luck kids. I'm flying without a net today experimenting with my own recipe concoction: 3-hop APA using my newly converted cooler for a hybrid BIAB.

Cooler didn't leak, except heat. I was better with a pot and blanket in terms of mash temp. Like, wow. But I did break my first thermometer !!!

[Jimmy]

Wish me luck kids. I'm flying without a net today experimenting with my own recipe concoction: 3-hop APA using my newly converted cooler for a hybrid BIAB.

Cooler didn't leak, except heat. I was better with a pot and blanket in terms of mash temp. Like, wow. But I did break my first thermometer !!!

Did you account for the heat that would be absorbed by the cooler? It can suck up quite a bit of heat for the first little bit. It's recommended to preheat your cooler before adding strike water, or making the strike water extra hot to account for the absorption. I heat my strike water 10* hotter than normal, add it to my cooler, then let it rest for about 10 minutes to equalize before adding my grain. What kind of head space did you have between the grain and the top of your cooler?

[dean2k]

I heat my strike water 10* hotter than normal, add it to my cooler, then let it rest for about 10 minutes to equalize before adding my grain. What kind of head space did you have between the grain and the top of your cooler?

Good idea. I'll try that next time. And I also had *ample* head space since I'm going mash 1.5-2 gal. for 1 gallon batches. Was it heating that air space? The cooler was not warm to the touch at all, which had me wondering if the SS ball valve was the culprit since it was hot to the touch. I couldn't image that such a small surface area would have done it. Thanks for the heads up.

[Jimmy]

I heat my strike water 10* hotter than normal, add it to my cooler, then let it rest for about 10 minutes to equalize before adding my grain. What kind of head space did you have between the grain and the top of your cooler?

Good idea. I'll try that next time. And I also had *ample* head space since I'm going mash 1.5-2 gal. for 1 gallon batches. Was it heating that air space? The cooler was not warm to the touch at all, which had me wondering if the SS ball valve was the culprit since it was hot to the touch. I couldn't image that such a small surface area would have done it. Thanks for the heads up.

Head space and the ball valve will both contribute to heat loss. Some other users on here said they use a piece of tinfoil on top of their mash to prevent heat loss to the head space. You could also wrap the ball valve with insulation of some sort during the mash if you find it's still losing too much heat.

[sleepyjamie]

ive used level-wall insulation wrapped in tin foil to reduce headspace and it works well.
also i typically wrap my mash tun in a blanket to keep any radiant heat from escaping.
you probably could get real fancy and wrap your cooler in reflectix if you were insane. im considering this.

[dean2k]

Yikes. We'll see how this one ultimately turns out. Still learning and adapting my methods. Having to insulate a cooler to those extremes, seems ... er, extreme.

[jeffsmith]

Yikes. We'll see how this one ultimately turns out. Still learning and adapting my methods. Having to insulate a cooler to those extremes, seems ... er, extreme.

I'd say go tech—throw a piece of foil on top of the grain bed before you close the cooler up and cover it up with a blanket. That should be enough to hold you within a degree or so.

[sleepyjamie]

Yikes. We'll see how this one ultimately turns out. Still learning and adapting my methods. Having to insulate a cooler to those extremes, seems ... er, extreme.

definitely. it really depends on your system and methods.

i want to start doing mashes during my work lunch and then do boil when i come home.

thus im likely going to need something a little more superior than your average cooler. i havent tested this yet but its in the works.

if you are doing 60 min mashes then u probably wont need to put much more work into your mash tun cooler.

[LiverDance]

Yikes. We'll see how this one ultimately turns out. Still learning and adapting my methods. Having to insulate a cooler to those extremes, seems ... er, extreme.

definitely. it really depends on your system and methods.

i want to start doing mashes during my work lunch and then do boil when i come home.

thus im likely going to need something a little more superior than your average cooler. i havent tested this yet but its in the works.

if you are doing 60 min mashes then u probably wont need to put much more work into your mash tun cooler.

I do this, mash in at lunch and boil after supper. I lose about 10-15 degrees in a blue coleman cooler. I'm not worreid about converstion since most is done in 20 mins and then I account for that loss when calculating my sparge water temp.

Planning on brewing my single hop polaris pale ale this weekend and maybe another pale ale.

[Jimmy]

I do this, mash in at lunch and boil after supper. I lose about 10-15 degrees in a blue coleman cooler. I'm not worreid about converstion since most is done in 20 mins and then I account for that loss when calculating my sparge water temp.

That's my view on it as well. I don't worry as long as it's decent for the hour (or less) that matters.

[dean2k]

Thanks for all the feedback guys!

[Barr]

I'm experimenting this weekend with a Christmas Ale I'm trying to develope. It's a wheat beer with a little Vienna malt for color. Adding a half kg of oats and a little brown sugar to bump up the OG and give a more interesting mouth feel. I'll add tangerine zest at boil, mixed berries at secondary and dry hop with Christmas spices like cloves and cinnamon.

I love the freedom and creativity of home brewing.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Yikes. We'll see how this one ultimately turns out. Still learning and adapting my methods. Having to insulate a cooler to those extremes, seems ... er, extreme.

I'd say go tech—throw a piece of foil on top of the grain bed before you close the cooler up and cover it up with a blanket. That should be enough to hold you within a degree or so.

yup, no need to get complicated. preheating the cooler is the biggest culprit. i dont even put tinfoil over the mash. With my blue cooler, as long as i put my mash in water in about 10F (5C) hotter than i need and wait for it to cool down before putting in the grains, and i chuck a blanket on top to keep the heat from escaping the uninsulated lid. i lose maybe 2F at the most over a 60 min mash.

[Stusbrews]

Another heat loss culprit is likely the small volume as well.(not much thermal mass)
I know I see a difference in temp loss between big/smaller grain bills.

[Tony L]

I plan on doing my Spruce ale tomorrow. Got my hose brought inside to thaw out so I can use it to
supply my IC. Brrr it frickin cold out there.

[canuck]

I plan on doing my Spruce ale tomorrow. Got my hose brought inside to thaw out so I can use it to
supply my IC. Brrr it frickin cold out there.

I hear ya, supposed to go down to -16C tonight.

[Tony L]

[
I hear ya, supposed to go down to -16C tonight.

I said cold not frigid Jeez it's bad enough to drop to -8 let alone -16.

Just speaking to my father in Florida. He said he needs mitts sent to him.. it was only about 85f today.

[canuck]

[
I hear ya, supposed to go down to -16C tonight.

I said cold not frigid Jeez it's bad enough to drop to -8 let alone -16.

Just speaking to my father in Florida. He said he needs mitts sent to him.. it was only about 85f today.

Only 85F eh? I feel bad for the poor guy! LOL

I'm still dreaming of the Caribbean weather from last month........

[Jimmy]

[
I hear ya, supposed to go down to -16C tonight.

I said cold not frigid Jeez it's bad enough to drop to -8 let alone -16.

Just speaking to my father in Florida. He said he needs mitts sent to him.. it was only about 85f today.

I was talking to my father who happens to be in Florida as well - he was just having supper after a long day of golf

[Tony L]

I was talking to my father who happens to be in Florida as well - he was just having supper after a long day of golf

I wonder will I retire to Florida in a few years time
I'll let you know after I win the jackpot tonight.

[LiverDance]

Heating the strike water on my single hop Polaris brew

[BrooklandBrewer]

Brewing a Cream Ale tomorrow. May add a bit of orange peel to it.

[TimG]

Heating the strike water on my single hop Polaris brew

Dress warm kids! I'm going to brew a Rye DIPA tomorrow. Investigated using the water connections behind my washer to supply my IC, looks like it should work... my hose is all frozen as well!

[Jimmy]

Heating the strike water on my single hop Polaris brew

Dress warm kids! I'm going to brew a Rye DIPA tomorrow. Investigated using the water connections behind my washer to supply my IC, looks like it should work... my hose is all frozen as well!

Yes, that will work. I've thought about doing that but don't want to screw with the pex pipe...it looks sketchy.

[TimG]

Ya, the 'valve' on the end of the PEX pipe is definitely sketchy.. but seems to work out, wouldn't want to 'cycle' the valve weekly that's for sure.

Tim