12
votes
Any suggestions for getting a thick (almost chewy) body and mouthfeel when brewing a Milk Stout?
Some things I can think of to increase body:
Milk stouts use lactose, or milk sugar, to increase perceived body and sweetness. Lactose is unfermentable by yeast and so passes to the finished beer.
...
- 6,417
10
votes
Accepted
What are the effects of adding water after the boil?
If you have designed your recipe to account for adding the extra water at the end of the boil, then I see no issues what so ever.
I would personally add a couple of litres of boiling water every 10 ...
- 6,993
9
votes
Accepted
Interpreting single-infusion mash instructions with two temperatures listed
The first temperature is of the water you are adding while the second is the expected temperature of the mash after it has been added.
So by adding 12.81 qt of water at 163.7 F to the grain (...
- 1,890
9
votes
Accepted
Does diastatic power reduce with age? Old grain
The only definitive information I could find specific to your question was in the book Malts and Malting:
'[Malt] must be stored cool and dry in sealed stores [...] to arrest the decline in enzyme ...
- 6,417
8
votes
Accepted
How many pounds of frozen strawberries in a Strawberry blonde?
A good starting point for fruit additions in 1lb/gl. Strawberries are pretty subtle, though. I added 7.5lb to 5gl of blonde this summer, and the flavor was easily noticable without being overpowering....
- 10.1k
8
votes
Accepted
Gunk in bottom of all grain boil
This gunk is what's known as "trub", and it is proteins left over from the hot and cold breaks.
The experiment conducted here:
http://brulosophy.com/2014/06/02/the-great-trub-exbeeriment-results-are-...
- 333
7
votes
How much Chloride in PPM is too much for All Grain?
There is a distinct difference between chloride, which is a dissolved Cl- ion, and free residual chlorine (or the longer-lasting chloramine ions). The chloride is likely fine. The 61ppm concentration ...
- 159
7
votes
Accepted
How to achieve an "OJ looking" Pale Ale (a la Trillium/Tired Hands)
The prevailing wisdom on these so called "east coast" IPAs is three fold: The use of ~10% of flaked oats in the grist. A combo of super huge late kettle additions as well as dry hopping. Lastly, the ...
- 36.2k
7
votes
Accepted
Why do all-grain when you can do BIAB?
Well BIAB is all grain brewing. Not to be confused with just steeping specialty grains in extract brewing.
If you have a kettle big enough to do a full mash, doing a partial mash and extract is ...
- 18.5k
7
votes
Slight difference pre and post boil gravity
Q1) No chance of off flavors just from this.
Q2) Yes, this is normal. The post boil gravity will always be higher than pre boil because of the water lost to evaporation.
In your case about 12% of ...
- 18.5k
7
votes
What are the effects of adding water after the boil?
There are two potential, but not serious, issues with boiling the volume lower than full:
1. Maillard reactions (not caramelisation) at higher wort gravity tend to be more prominent. Sometimes it's ...
- 1,488
6
votes
How much Chloride in PPM is too much for All Grain?
As someone noted, chlorine and chloride are two different things.
Basically, zero chlorine and chloramine is desirable in your beer. Chlorine can bind with phenols in beer and form chlorophenols, a ...
- 2,957
6
votes
Accepted
Can wet crushing impede mashing?
Brewing textbooks I referred to universally state that the gap between the rollers of the mill needs to be much closer together for wet-milling. You don't mention making any adjustments, so I'll ...
- 6,417
6
votes
Accepted
Would an all grain brewer ever want to steep grains?
Well you don't steep any grain "during the boil". But to avoid upsetting mash pH you can steep all your non mash required grains in the wort during runoff in the kettle before you start the boil. I ...
- 36.2k
6
votes
What are the effects of adding water after the boil?
I add nearly freezing water to chill it quicker to pitch temperature. 1 gallon of near frozen I add to 4 gallons of wort to chill it to lager pitch temperature quicker. Once my immersion chiller ...
- 203
5
votes
Accepted
Necessity of hot liquor tank
There are two answers, depending on size:
In largish setup, you may want to be able to heat water for second batch when you are mashing first one.
To heat water fast, you want heating element to ...
- 3,718
5
votes
All Grain vs Dry Malt Extract
Control over color is the first thing and the biggest. Even the lightest DME will make beer darker than an all grain made with pilsner to the same gravity.
Control over body. All extract, DME ...
- 36.2k
4
votes
Accepted
How much grain will fit in a 16 liter kettle?
Use the "Can I mash it?" calculator at http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml
According to that, 8 kg of grain will fit with enough water for 1.25 liters/kg mash thickness with .64 liters of headspace.
- 76
4
votes
how long can I stay in an open primary fermentation?
There's basically no need to do a "secondary" fermentation. Time in secondary is just as good as time in primary.
You can go straight from primary to bottling if you like, so long as fermentation has ...
- 10.1k
4
votes
Why do all-grain when you can do BIAB?
BIAB IS all grain brewing. But it's not traditional multi-vessel brewing. Some batch sparge with a cooler, others fly sparge with a sprinkler, some use a bag for the whole water amount (BIAB). All-...
- 366
4
votes
Accepted
What happens if you mash only roasted grains?
It's not really mashing if there are no enzyme present. It's just a big steep. But for the sake of argument...
Yes, it's mostly starches. Depending on the speciality malt being 'mashed' in this ...
- 36.2k
4
votes
Accepted
Cannot avoid boil-over without turning down heat
The only way to prevent a boil-over is either
larger volume kettle/ lower volume batch size
lower temperature
active negotiation (spray bottle, fermcap (see related here))
You can also scoop the ...
- 2,168
4
votes
Accepted
About reusing spent grain
I use second runnings / Parti-Gyle as often as I can. But as my primary mash efficiency rises theres less and less usefulness in the parti-gyle. As for me using the grains, it's compost or given away ...
- 18.5k
4
votes
Accepted
What's going on with these gravities?
Your mash temp favors beta-amylase which makes a more fermentable wort.
While beta-amylase denatures beginning at 149°F / 65°C it takes a little time.
It's possible your thermometers are slightly ...
- 18.5k
4
votes
All Grain vs Dry Malt Extract
Cost - It costs much less per batch (in the long run) to make beer from grain
Control - You have much more control over the brewing process.
Time - I know you said you know this, but this is the main ...
- 3,012
4
votes
All Grain Brewing
Yes, your thinking is on the right track. Mashing with crushed grains at an appropriate temperature (about 150 F or 65 C) for at least 45-60 minutes then draining off basically creates your own "...
- 3,352
3
votes
Accepted
What might be causing a chlorine taste?
This sounds like it could be chlorophenols (typically perceived as plasticky / band-aids / medicinal / chemical flavors). If you're not using Chlorine-based sanitizers, this may have been caused by a ...
- 46
3
votes
Which is worse: a weak boil or boiling with a lid partially on?
Typically, people either do extract/partial boil/late addition or smaller batches if they are using a stove top. For a full boil, you pretty much need to use a stand alone burner or some other system ...
- 2,168
3
votes
How long must water be boiled to remove temporary hardness (bicarbonates)
Here is a different opinion in Brewing Classic Styles (incidentally, also by John Palmer??):
Here is a procedure to remove some of the alkalinity from the water:
Add 1 teaspoon of calcium carbonate ...
- 3,827
3
votes
What can I do with my spent grain after mashing?
all you composters. Add your trub to compost. its a great way to get and keep your compost process going. bugs love food and moisture.
I actually eat some of it like cereal on brew days. Some of ...
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