Anyone here brew their own beer?

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JHUNSY

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Aug 31, 2013
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Des Moines, IA
Not beer, but just got my latest batch of cider (technically wine now) finally into the bottling bucket after some aging. Took some readings and this is the highest ABV I've ever hit and it was my first time trying out this yeast (S-05). 13.39%. I triple checked my calculations to make sure I didn't make any errors. After a taste test, I'm beyond impressed with this strain. Anyone else ever try it?
 

Cardinal2001

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Feb 14, 2007
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Ames
Awesome, never caught that this was here!

I've started homebrewing too. Did a few extracts, then went all grain. Been a fun hobby, and learning a lot about it right now. Just bottled batch 8, an all-grain Kolsch. Fat Sam and a Blue Moon clone are bubbling away in fermenters right now.
 

NickTheGreat

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Good reminder that I haven't brewed since my last post in here . . . May 2015 . . . :confused:

We had a baby in there but still :(
 

Lexclone

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OK, not beer (this time) but hard cider. I went to the local orchard and got 5 gallons of fresh pressed cider to which I pitched Red Star Cote Des Blanc yeast. I thought about going natural yeast, but the thought having bad bugs take over and dumping the batch led me in this direction.

A couple of questions for those who have made ciders:

  • Do you rack over into a secondary once the primary fermentation slows/ends? Multiple times?
  • If you rack over, have you added gelatin to clarify?

I know these are probably questions better for a dedicated home brewing forum, but Cyclone fan advice is always pretty solid. Are there any good forums for ciders?
 

NickTheGreat

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Central Iowa
OK, not beer (this time) but hard cider. I went to the local orchard and got 5 gallons of fresh pressed cider to which I pitched Red Star Cote Des Blanc yeast. I thought about going natural yeast, but the thought having bad bugs take over and dumping the batch led me in this direction.

A couple of questions for those who have made ciders:

  • Do you rack over into a secondary once the primary fermentation slows/ends? Multiple times?
  • If you rack over, have you added gelatin to clarify?

I know these are probably questions better for a dedicated home brewing forum, but Cyclone fan advice is always pretty solid. Are there any good forums for ciders?

I've never done a cider but have always been intrigued. I have this article from HomeBrewTalk in my favorites.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/cider-batch-planning.html

I like that forum. Seems like a lot of knowledge over there, but I'm just a fledgling home brewer
 
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AmesHawk

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Apr 20, 2010
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Ankeny, IA
OK, not beer (this time) but hard cider. I went to the local orchard and got 5 gallons of fresh pressed cider to which I pitched Red Star Cote Des Blanc yeast. I thought about going natural yeast, but the thought having bad bugs take over and dumping the batch led me in this direction.

A couple of questions for those who have made ciders:

  • Do you rack over into a secondary once the primary fermentation slows/ends? Multiple times?
  • If you rack over, have you added gelatin to clarify?

I know these are probably questions better for a dedicated home brewing forum, but Cyclone fan advice is always pretty solid. Are there any good forums for ciders?
1) You can, depends on how good much you want to minimize the cloudiness. Should setting out pretty well after main attenuation. I really don't buy in to the idea that leaving yeast cakes in imparts any off flavors, but others might.
2) Again, up to you. I wouldn't bother.

Also, are you planning on back-sweetening? If so, you going to add concentrate and sorbate then keg?
 

Lexclone

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1) You can, depends on how good much you want to minimize the cloudiness. Should setting out pretty well after main attenuation. I really don't buy in to the idea that leaving yeast cakes in imparts any off flavors, but others might.
2) Again, up to you. I wouldn't bother.

Also, are you planning on back-sweetening? If so, you going to add concentrate and sorbate then keg?

Thanks for the advice!

The questions on back-sweetening: Yes, but I honestly hadn't gotten that far (the yeast I am using is supposedly very slow working so I figure I have months, I racked over my one mead try 4-5 times before bottling). I have brewed and only bottled beer before so far so this will be my first kegging run.

So far so good. The batch is VIGOROUSLY producing CO2. It's actually kind of fun to watch.
 

AmesHawk

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Apr 20, 2010
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Ankeny, IA
Thanks for the advice!

The questions on back-sweetening: Yes, but I honestly hadn't gotten that far (the yeast I am using is supposedly very slow working so I figure I have months, I racked over my one mead try 4-5 times before bottling). I have brewed and only bottled beer before so far so this will be my first kegging run.

So far so good. The batch is VIGOROUSLY producing CO2. It's actually kind of fun to watch.
No problem. Again, I'm not worried about the appearance, but for some it's really important. Figure out what works for you.

Also, if you plan on letting it sit for months, it might not hurt to transfer to a secondary and let it sit clean. I was thinking about a standard S-05 batch which would be done in about 2 weeks. I wouldn't switch it over more than that though, as I think you're really increasing your exposure to oxygen needlessly at that point. Although, if it really is going that fast now, I'd start taking hydrometer readings pretty regularly after letting it warm up for a few days, and see if you're fully attenuated anyway.

As far as back-sweetening, good luck. I have all the equipment needed to keg but never have followed through. I've done a batch that I back-sweetened with apple juice concentrate and bottled with live yeast. I then cracked one every few days until they were ready and pasteurized the rest. Would not recommend that. It's got to be so much easier to use sorbate, back-sweeten, then keg.
 

Hoggins

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Got the northern brewer starter kit to try something new. Brewed a Amber Ale today. We’ll see how it turns out