Nathan  Brewer’s Log

 

 

According to Chris, the beer lady, 2.4 cups = 1 lb of corn sugar

1 kilogram (2.2 lbs) of corn sugar (5 ¼ cups) is between 3rd and 4th ring down on Folgers can

 

1.         Munton’s Wheat, no data

Nate’s reviews…..very watery and plain, no carbonation, poor flavor, first effort

 

2.  Munton’s Bock Beer                                                                              Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Ø      2 lbs spray malt boiled in water; lost some when the malt broke

Ø      boiled spray malt and water for ~20 minutes

Ø      added malt extract to boiling mixture; stirred for about 5 minutes

Ø      added about 2 – 3 gallons of cold water

Ø      added about ½ bag of ice and water to bring temp down to 70oF

Ø      hydrometer reading 1.038 – 1.040

 

                                                                                                                           Sunday, April 2, 2006

Ø      no bubbling

Ø      hydrometer reading 1.022

Ø      talked with John Luce who said to wait a couple more days, the yeast may be dormant

 

 

3.  Munton’s Nut Brown Ale                                                                         Wednesday, April 19. 2006

Ø      used ~4 lbs of brewer’s sugar – no spray malt

Ø      boiled the sugar in water

Ø      added malt extract

Ø      cooled with ice water to ~76 oF

Ø      pitched yeast in ~1/3 cup water after boiling and letting cool; let sit for 10 minutes, sirred, then added to wort

Ø      specific gravity 1.050

 

                                                                                                                    Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Ø      ready to bottle

Ø      specific gravity 1.010

 

 

4.  John Bull London Porter                                                                        Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Ø      used Munton’s wheat malt extract in place of brewer’s sugar or spray malt

Ø      pitched the yeast at 70 oF

Ø      hydrometer reading 1.044

 

                                                                                                                       Wednesday, May 3, 2006

Ø      hydrometer reading 1.018

Ø      cut priming sugar from 1 ¼ cup to 1 cup

 

 

5.    Munton’s Bock                                                                                         Wednesday, May 3, 2006

Ø      used 3 lbs unknown Oklahoma spray malt, dark in color

Ø      pre-pitched yeast at 90 oF

Ø      pitched yeast at 76 oF

Ø      specific gravity 1.044

 

Friday, May 12, 2006

Ø      specific gravity before bottling 1.024

Ø      boiled 1 ¼ cup of sugar in 1 cup of water

Ø      added 575 mL (20 oz) of grain alcohol to boost alcohol %

 

 

6.   John Bull Brown Ale                                                                                       Friday, May 12, 2006

Ø      added Munton’s Plain Extra Dark spray malt (3 lbs) with 2 ¼ cups priming sugar; brought to a boil

Ø      added 1 tablespoon of gypsum during boil

Ø      rehydrated yeast at 95 oF, pitched yeast at 80 oF; used blender to whip oxygen into wort during the pitching process

Ø      hydrometer reading 1.046

 

                                                                                                                     Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Ø      hydrometer reading 1.018

Ø      1 ¼ cup priming sugar boiled in water

Ø      added 575 mL of grain alcohol

 

 

7.    Brewer’s Best Amber Cerveza Style (XX)                                                        Friday, May 17, 2006

Ø      steeped the grain

Ø      added 2 tbsp of gypsum

Ø      added 1 extra gallon of water (made 6 gallons total instead of the 5 gallons as described in the kit)

Ø      added 1 extra lb of brewer’s sugar

Ø      hydrometer reading – 1.044

 

                                                                                                                     Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Ø      ready to bottle – hydrometer reading 1.009

Ø      primed with 1 ¼ cup of brewer’s sugar (instead of 5 oz of sugar that came with kit)

 

8.    Munton’s Canadian Style Beer                                                               Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Ø      In Fermenter #1, we used Munton’s Plain Amber spray malt

Ø      In Fermenter #2, we used Munton’s Hopped Dark spray malt

Ø      To each Fermenter, added 2 ¼ cup brewer’s sugar

Ø      Specific gravity of #1 (w/ plain amber spray malt) = 1.034

Ø      Specific gravity of #2 (w/ hopped dark spray malt) = 1.042

 

                                                                                                                     Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Ø      ready to bottle

Ø      hydrometer reading for #2 = 1.016; primed before taking the specific gravity

Ø      primed with 1 ¼ cup of brewer’s sugar

Ø      hydrometer reading for #1 = 1.014 taken prior to priming

Ø      primed with 1 ¼ cup of brewer’s sugar

 

9.   Munton’s Bock (Batch #3)                                                                        Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Ø      Chose not to use spray malt.  Used ~ 4 lbs of brewer’s sugar; dissolved sugar in boiling water. 

Ø      Added 1 tbsp of gypsum to boiling water.

Ø      Added the malt extract to the boiling water.

Ø      Rehydrated yeast at 95 oF; pitched in wort @ 85 oF.

Ø      Specific gravity = 1.050

 

                                                                                                                       Saturday, June 10, 2006

Ø      ready to bottle

Ø      hydrometer reading = 1.006 (sample pulled on Saturday, but not tested until Tuesday, June 13th)

Ø      primed with 1 ¼ cup of brewer’s sugar boiled in water

 

 

10.    Brewer’s Best Robust Porter                                                                   Saturday, June 10, 2006

New batch of Brewer’s Best Robust  Porter brewed on June 10, 2006 at NL’s house.

       KB will insert starting OG collected from sample.

        Made only 5 gallons, not 6,  per instructions.

       Approx 2 tsps of gypsum added….rest of bottle.

       Rehydrated yeast at 82 degrees.

        Pitched at 78 degrees….

Initial hydrometer reading was taken 6-13-06 after some of the sample had already been fermented.  Initial reading was 1.026.

 

                                                                                                                    Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Ø      ready to bottle

Ø      hydrometer reading = 1.014

Ø      primed with 1 ½ cup of brewer’s sugar boiled in water

 

11.    Munton’s Premium Lager – Fermenter #2                                            Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Ø      Added 4 lbs of brewer’s sugar.

Ø      Added 1 tsp of gypsum.

Ø      Added the malt extract to the boiling water.

Ø      Initial hydrometer reading = 1.046

 

                                                                                                                    Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Ø      Ready to bottle.

Ø      Final gravity = 1.010

Ø      Primed with 1 ½ cups of sugar.

 

12.    Cooper’s Real Ale – Fermenter #1                                                       Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Ø      Added 2.2 lbs (5 ¼ cups) of brewer’s sugar.

Ø      Added 1 tsp of gypsum.

Ø      Added the malt extract to the boiling water.

Ø      Initial hydrometer reading = 1.036

 

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Ø      Ready to bottle.

Ø      Final gravity = 1.006

Ø      Primed with 1 ½ cups of sugar.

 

13.    Brewer’s Best Continental Pilsner– Fermenter #3                                   Thursday, June 22, 2006

Ø      1 tsp gypsum

Ø      Instead of 5 gallons, making 6 in new blue Fermenter (#3)

Ø      Adding kilogram of brewer’s sugar to batch.

Ø      Steep 20 minutes, then boil, then add sugars and hops, boil for 55 minutes, then add finishing hops for final 5 minutes.

Ø      Long mark between low and medium is about right for 165 degrees steeping

Ø      Put bag of Nottingham and bag of Windsor yeast in.   Rehydrated

Ø      Original gravity = 1.040

 

                                                                                                                    Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Ø      Ready to bottle.

Ø      Final gravity = 1.012

Ø      The brew stopped fermenting after 2 days of vigorous bubbling.

Ø      Nathan thought it tasted cidery.

Ø      Primed with 1 ½ cups of sugar.

 

14.   Muntons Bock in Ferm 4

2 tspns gypsum

3lbs of Munton Hopped Dark spray malt

2 ½ cups sugar (1 lb)

Pitched at 80F at 1010pm.

OG equals……….1.056 !!

Marked “A” on bottle caps

FG, taken after being primed in bottles for 3 days, 1.014

 

15.  Batches started July 19, 2006

Fermenter 2

Muntons Export Stout

2 tsps gypsum

OG……….1.038

3 lbs Muntons Plain Amber Spray Malt

2.5 cups (1 lb) sugar

Pitched at 76 F

FG……1.018

Bottled July 27, 2006 in all plastic 20 oz bottles, green crate

 

 

16.  Batch started July 19, 2006

Fermenter 1

Coopers Stout

2 tsps gypsum

OG………….1.050

3 lbs Muntons Plain Dark Spray Malt

2.5 cups (1 lb) sugar

Pitched at 80 F

FG………1.016

Bottled July 26, 2006

All glass bottles and bottles on top of stand

 

17.  Munton Nut Brown in Ferm 3,

2 tspns gypsum

3 lbs on Muntons Hopped Dark spray malt

2 ½ cups sugar (1 lb)

OG equals………1.052

Pitched yeast into blue boiler at 9pm at 82 deg. F.

FG is 1.012, after being primed/bottled for 3 days

In clear crate in plastic bottles

 

 

  1.  Brewed August 10, 2006

Fermenter 1

“Beer at Home” LIGHT (bulk ME), 3 inches from top of malt extract “Light”

            Equals 4# of liquid, 5 liquid cups

Fuggle Hop pellets at finishing, will try 1-1/3oz. for last 5 minutes

            Equals ¼ cup or 1 and 1/3 oz of pellets

5 cups (2 lbs sugar)

2 tsps gypsum

1/3 of gallon jug is equal to 4 # liquid ME or 5 cups liquid measure

Also 3 rings down, plus another 3/8 inch down on Folger’s can

Nottingham yeast, pitched at  84  F

OG……1.032

FG…….1.004

Downstairs in bottles, bottled 8.20.06

Pretty weak and watery

 

  1. Brewed August 17,2006

Fermenter 2

“Beer At Home” LIGHT  (Bulk ME),

Going to go for 5#, 6 liquid cups, exactly 3 rings down on Folger’s can

Fuggle Hops, will increase to ½ cup or 2-2/3 oz for last 4 minutes

7.5 cups sugar (3 lbs), 2 rings down

No gypsum

Pitched at 88F, Nottingham yeast

OG……..1.042

FG…..1.004, put into Cornelius keg #1 for the first time, primed with 1 cup sugar

On 8.23.2006

Very drinkable, good carbonation, not too hoppy, just right, not sweet

 

  1. Brewed 8.25.06

Fermenter 2

“Beer At Home” AMBER (Bulk ME)

Sugar 2 rings down on Folgers can, 7 cups (almost 3 lbs sugar)

5#, 6 liquid cups, 3 rings down on can of ME

Fuggle hops, did ¾ (4 oz.) cup for last 4 minutes (rest of bag)

OG……..1.044

Pitched Nottingham at 76  F degrees

FG……..around 1.010

Bottled / kegged on 8.30.06 in keg #2

Had at Pat/Deb’s for first football game over Labor Day with ¼ lemon per beer.   VERY GOOD!!

 

  1. Brewed 9.01.06

Beer at Home AMBER (Bulk ME)

Sugar 2 rings down, 7 cups (3 lbs. sugar)

REST of jar of AMBER 9 ¾ cups (1 ring down on can) 8.125 lbs.

Cascade hops, ½ cup (5.2 percent acidity) for last 4 minutes

3 tsps of gypsum

OG…………..1.074

Pitched TWO Nottingham’s packets at 78 F

FG………..1.014 (8.32 ABV)

Only filled fermenter to black mark equaling 5 gallons, fermenter 2

Racked and kegged on…….Sept 8, 2006, KEG 1, 40 psi initially

Initial tasting of brew when checking gravity…pretty strong alcohol and hops

On November 30, 2006, depressurized keg and added boiled Cascade hops (1/4 cup)

            And 2/3 of plastic cup of coffee, and 12 oz of Real Lemon, and ½ cup brew sugar.

            Set pressure on 7 psi.

 

  1. Brewed  9.01.06

Beer at Home LIGHT (Bulk ME)

Sugar 2 rings down, 7 cups (3 lbs)

REST of jar of LIGHT, (5#, 6 cups….3 rings down)

Cascade hops, ½ cup for last 4 minutes

2 tsps gypsum

OG………1.046

Pitched both Nottingham’s and Munton’s packets at 88  F

FG…………1.004 (5.5 ABV)

5 gallons only, fermenter 1

Racked and kegged on………Keg 3, Sept 6, 2006

Very drinkable as I drain the last drop…..a little lemon or lime, maybe some tea?

 

 

  1. Brewed 9.01.06

Beer at Home LIGHT, blue fermenter 4

4 lbs sugar, 2 rings down plus 2.5 cups

5#, 6 liquid cups of ME, exactly 3 rings down on Folger’s can

Cascade hops, ½ cup for last 4 minutes

2 tsps gypsum

OG…….1.052

Pitched Windsor and Munton’s packets at 88 F

FG…….1.004 (6.4 ABV)

5 gallons only

Racked and kegged on………Sept 6, 2006, Keg 4

 

 

24.  Brewed Sept 9, 2006, fermenter 2

“Beer At Home” LIGHT  (Bulk ME),

 5#, 6 liquid cups, exactly 3 rings down on Folger’s can

Fuggle Hops,  ½ cup or 2-2/3 oz for last 4 minutes

7.5 cups sugar (3 lbs), 2 rings down

2 tsps gypsum

Pitched at  82  F,  2 bags (6 grams each)Munton’s yeast

Then will re-pitch Nottingham’s after a few days (did on 9.13.06), did not lower gravity any

OG……..1.052

FG…..1.006, (46 point drop, 6.1 ABV)                      

Kegged on………..9.13.06 in Keg 2

Lemon juice, added 21 oz (625 ml) on Oct 23, 2006

Same as 2.5 Teaspoons per 12 oz bottle.

Added big orange cup of coffee on Oct 25th, 2006

 

 

  1.  Brewed  10.17.06

Beer at Home LIGHT (Bulk ME)

Sugar 2 rings down, 7 cups (3 lbs)

LIGHT Malt Extract, (5.83 #, 7 cups….2 rings down)

ME weighs .833 lbs/ liquid cup

Fuggle hops, ½ cup for last 4 minutes

2 tsps gypsum

OG………1.062

FG……….1.008

7.3 ABV

Pitched Nottingham’s packet at 82  F

5 gallons only, fermenter  ##2

Kegged on 10.21.06 into keg 3

 

 

 

2 TBSPs in 1 fluid ounce

6Tsps in 1 fluid ounce

 

Gravity Drop divided by 7.5 is close approximation of ABV

 

Metric to U.S.

Cooking Measurement Equivalents

Capacity
1 milliliter (ml) = 1/5 teaspoon
5 ml = 1 teaspoon
15 ml = 1 tablespoon
30 ml = 1 fluid ounce
100 ml = 3.4 fluid ounce
240 ml = 1 cup
1 liter = 34 fluid ounce
1 liter = 4.2 cups
1 liter = 2.1 pints
1 liter = 1.06 quarts
1 liter = .26 gallon

 

 

 

Beer Alcohol Calculator (on Excel)

 

 

 

I do the patient method. It produces the best, most repeatable results, and there is no risk of over carbonating your beer. After you carefully sanitize your receiving keg, put the lid on and attach your gas line, open the relief valve on the lid, set your regulator to 5 psi and purge the keg with CO2 for about a minute to be sure all the air is removed. This will give you a nice blanket of CO2 onto which you can rack your beer without fear of oxidation.

Now remove the lid and with the transfer tubing sitting at the bottom of the keg, rack your beer over. Now replace the keg lid and again connect your gas line and with the regulator still set to 5 psi, "burp" the relief valve 2 or 3 times to make sure there is no air in the head space.

Turn the regulator up to 25 psi or so to seal the lid. Remove the gas and chill in the fridge to serving temp for at least 24 hours. Now connect the gas line and set it to your desired serving pressure and leave it like that in the fridge until it reaches a state of equilibrium, usually about a week. This will also allow your beer to mature a little too while it cold conditions.

Remember that you will also need to ensure that the system be balanced with the proper length of beer line so that you don't just pour glasses of foam. 3/16" ID beer line will drop the pressure about 2 psi/ft. If your serving pressure is 10 psi, you will need at least 5' of 3/16" ID beer line.

Here are some great resources to check out.

John

 

 

 

 


Many homebrewers approach their beer with a fierce sense of pride and the idea of force (artificially) carbonating their beer will send shivers down their spine. "Nothing artificial in my beer, dammit!" Let's look at this from a different angle. When you bottle you add a measured dose of sugar to your beer to allow the residual yeast to referment in the bottle and create the carbonation in a bottle-conditioned beer.

This method is tried and true but completely ignores the following variants:

1) Yeast viability. After fermenting your beer, especially if it's a higher gravity beer of 1.060 or more your yeast may be tired out and might not be up to the task.

2) Sediment. Although it's good for you, it's not pretty. This is probably the single biggest turn-off to the average non-educated beer drinker.

3) Balance. Many homebrewers shudder at the idea of deviating from the Reinheitsgebot (German purity law of 1516 - a very noble stance to take) and would rather prime with DME instead of dextrose or force carbonation. Here's the catch: breweries that naturally carbonate their beer either use refined sugar which is considered 100% fermentable (common in England and Belgium) or they Kraeusen (common in Germany) with fresh wort and yeast. This wort is from batches of the same beer as what's being carbonated, and hopped the same way. Malt based sugars are about 70% fermentable. That remaining 30% are going to alter the character of the final product.

Force carbonating will allow you to hit your desired level every time, without exception, and I'll let you in on a secret - there are a lot of breweries in Germany that force carbonate using reclaimed CO2 from their primary ferments, thereby adhering to the Reinheitsgebot.

There are two methods of force carbonating your beer in a 5-gallon soda (Cornelius) keg. The patient method (recommended) and the impatient method (relax-don't worry-you know the drill). The patient method will always give you the best results. It's based strictly on numbers so you can do it over and over and achieve the same results every time.

The amount of CO2 that will dissolve into your beer is dependent on two factors - temperature and pressure (refer to the PDF chart). Generally ales tend to be carbonated at the lower end, 1.9 to around 2.3; most German style lagers at around 2.4 to 2.7; and American lagers, Japanese lagers, and wheat beers at around 2.7 to 3.0. The amount of CO2 dissolved in beer is most often referred to in terms of volumes. Volumes of CO2 are defined as the volume the CO2 gas would occupy if it were removed from the beer at atmospheric pressure and 0° C, compared to the original volume of beer. Most beers in the United States contain roughly 2.5 volumes of carbon dioxide, or about 5 grams per liter. This means that if all the carbon dioxide in one liter of beer were expanded at 0° C and at one atmosphere of pressure, its volume would be 2.5 liters.



Resources

CO2 Chart

Click on the gage
to view the Carbonation Chart
as a PDF





Using the temperature and pressure conditions of the beer at equilibrium conditions and reading the volumes directly from a chart easily obtain determining the volumes of CO2 in beer. Equilibrium means the same amount of CO2 is diffusing out of the beer as is being dissolved back into solution. It is critical that the readings used for determining CO2 volumes are taken under equilibrium conditions and the instruments used are accurate.

The Patient Method

1) Clean and sanitize your keg thoroughly and connect your gas line to the black liquid out disconnect. Pressurize your keg to 10 psi, wait until you hear/feel the gas stop flowing, disconnect the fitting from the keg and release the pressure from the valve on the lid or through the gray gas in disconnect. By doing this you're purging the oxygen out of your keg.

2) Gently rack your beer into the keg just as you'd rack it into your secondary fermenter or bottling bucket.

3) Replace the lid on the keg and repressurize again to 10 psi, let it sit for a minute, bleed the pressure off again to re-purge (also known as "burping" your keg).

4) Determine the temperature that your beer will be during carbonation and set your regulator accordingly (again, refer to the chart). EXAMPLE: You just kegged your Willamette Valley Golden Ale and you need the carbonation to be just perfect to present that wonderful hop aroma to your nose without making you feel gassed up half way through your first pint. A factor of 2.4 volumes is a really good number here (your results may vary - I don't like my beer to be too gassy). Your fridge that you'll be dispensing from keeps a fairly constant 40 degrees F. You'll want to place your keg in your fridge with your regulator set at just over 11 psi (you see it on the chart, right?). Give your beer 48 hours to carbonate. It will reach its saturation point within this amount of time and the regulator will shut down altogether. Remember that the gas should be connected to the black beverage disconnect so that the CO2 bubbles up through the beer.

The Impatient Method

1) Follow step 1 through 3 from the patient method.

2) Set your regulator to its highest setting or 60 psi (whatever comes first), pressurize your keg through the black beverage fitting until you hear/feel the flow of gas stop, disconnect the gas (this is important-you don't want beer flowing into your gas line) and shake your keg vigorously for 5 minutes.

3) Repeat step 2 until:

a) your beer will receive no more carbonation at this pressure setting.

b) Your testicles drop down to your ankles.

c) You die of a massive heart attack.

Obviously this method should only be used as a last resort. Even if it doesn't cause you grievous bodily harm it leads to rough handling of your precious homebrew and uncertain carbonation levels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chart for CO2 saturation levels……link

 

http://www.homebrew.com/pdfs/CO2chart.pdf