Between Brews: DIY HLT and Heat Exchanger
Build your own DIY hot liquor tank (HLT) and heat exchanger.
Category: Equipment
Bottling and Kegging – The Best of Both Worlds
Most of us homebrewers started out bottling our beers, some of us then decided to move on to kegging. Those who bottle claim that bottling is better for portability (bringing to parties, sharing with friends, entering competitions.) Those who keg claim that the time saved cleaning and filling bottles is one of the best things they’ve done to save time, and that you can always Counter Pressure Bottle (CPBF) fill some bottles for competition or for giving away. But a CPB filler is one more piece of equipment to buy and there’s a bit of a learning curve when using one. I know you can also just fill a growler but many times the carbonation on a growler is lacking.
Cheap DIY Option for a Motorized Grain Mill
If there is one thing that can be said about homebrewers, it is that we are a DIY-type crowd. In fact, the very act of homebrewing is DIY, in that you are brewing it yourself, instead of buying in from the store. It is no wonder, therefore, that homebrewers tend to fabricate or re-purpose items to perform a variety of the tasks involved in homebrewing. Whether a homebuilt stir plate made from a computer fan and hard drive batteries (I’ve made two), re-purposing kegs as brew kettles, or converting freezers into fermentation chambers, there is no limit to the ingenuity of homebrewers to accomplish a task or simplify a process. Oftentimes the goal is also to save money.
New “Water Tower” Wort Chiller; Yuba Gold #3
A new wort chiller design was built and had it’s first test during the brewing of yet another new batch of Yuba Gold (#3). It is essentially a cooling tower constructed with a 10-foot garden hose, swimming flotation device (“noodle”), nylon ties and some fittings to attach to the kitchen sink faucet. A drill is used to make small holes every 2 inches or so and aimed at the inside of the device. The water…
Oak Tree #3 brewed and fermenting
The third time’s a charm! Actually the club’s American Amber Ale style beer has always been a favorite. This one should be a little lighter in body, but just as full in flavor and ABV. Propane Burner This is the club’s first attempt at outdoor brewing with boil cook stand and propane tank. Quite an upgrade from the 1800-watt indoor electric range top burner. Bringing brew water to boil was so much faster and better…
Yuba Gold #2
The club members enjoyed another great brewing session today, this time to recreate one of their favorite recipes, Yuba Gold, a light and refreshing American Pale Ale using only American 2-Row Pale and light Crystal malted barley (no sugar adjuncts other than for bottle carbonation). Amarillo Gold and Centennial hops give a citrusy, floral taste and aroma for this well balanced beer. Something like a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, but with more alcohol and body!. The first batch brewed earlier this year…
