Batch 108, Gemutlich

A repeat of the excellent oatmeal pale ale. I haven't done this one in a while.

10 gallon batch
OG: 1.057
FG: 1.014
IBU: 21
SRM: 11
ABV: 5.5%


11 lbs 2-row
5.5 lbs munich
3.5 lbs wheat
1.5 lbs flaked oats
0.5 lbs honey (added at flame out)

Mash at 148F, collect 13 gallons.

2 oz Tettnanger, 90 minutes
1 oz Tettnanger, 30 minutes
1 oz Tettnanger, 5 minutes
2 oz Mt. Hood, 5 minutes

1 tsp Irish Moss, 10 minutes

Wyeast 1272

Actual OG: 1.060

BJCP Comment Generator

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Batch 107, Prickly Pear Beer

A second attempt at a prickly pear beer. The one I made last year still isn't very good. I tried a bottle today, so I know for sure. This year, I did things a little different. First, no honey. Second, no cooking of the prickly pears. I just added them at flame out and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Like last year, I ran them through my food processor first to make sort of a prickly pear soup.

10 gallon batch.

15 lbs 2-row
1 lbs wheat
8 lbs prickly pears (just a guess, I didn't actually weigh them)
2 oz Delta hops, 60 minutes
Wyeast 1318, London Ale III yeast

Mash at 152F.

I didn't calculate any sugar contribution from the pears, so I really don't know what they add. Just the grain should have given me an OG of 1.045, I ended up with 1.052 actual. Volumes were dead on, so I'm going to guess the difference is from the pears.

I used the new stainless braids that I made today. They worked very well.

A few brewday pictures:

The prickly pears. Lots of seeds and a lot of very small cactus spines.

About 2 gallons after the food processor.

New screen in the boil kettle.

New screen in the mash tun.

No screen in the HLT.

Grain is ready to grind.

Grinding grain. Mostly 2-row with a little wheat.

A picture of me brewing.

Another picture of me.

Mash out. I sure do like this thermometer.

Hops are ready. I went with Delta instead of Willamette because I was out of Willamette.

I put this screen over the boil kettle because the trees kept dropping things.

Those are the things I hope to prevent from getting in my beer.

Those are the trees. Last day of skiing at Bogus.

It's quite red in color, no scorched flavor this year!

Almost done, just filling the fermenters.

New SS Braids

My old SS braids for my kettles are looking pretty pathetic. They are old, stained, stretched, and flattened. I only had two braids, one for my mash tun and one for my boil kettle. I wanted a third for my HLT so it could double as a boil kettle, which I've used it for when making partigyle batches. I got enough parts to make three new ones.

Parts list:

1 - 6' washing machine hose with stainless steel braid, cut into 2' sections

3 - 1/2" copper T fittings

3 - 1/2" copper elbow fittings

1 - 1/2" copper pipe, 18" long

6 - 3/4" hose clamps

1 - 7' 14 gauge Romex house wire, cut into 28" sections

I got the washing machine hose from a local building materials recycling store for $3. I bought the 1/2" copper fittings, pipe, and hose clamps at Lowes for about $10. I already had the Romex, and already had solder and a propane torch to join the copper pieces.  Pretty cheap project.

I only used the ground wire out of the Romex. My thought with the wire is to insert it through the inside of the braid and twist the ends together. That will keep the braid from stretching, and I think it will also help keep it from floating.

I cut the copper pipe into three 3" pieces and three 2" pieces. This works out just right for my kettles.

Most of the parts.

Assembly in progress.

I cut off the end of the twisted part.

A little out of focus, but this shows how well the wire keeps the braid nice and round.

All done and ready to put in a kettle.

Installed in a kettle. Looks good!

Three new SS braids.

New vs old. See why I'm replacing them?