I'm Making Alton's Beer, Update! Options

[BrewerGeorge]

Alright, you Perfectionists, every time the brewing episode of Good Eats comes on people slam it and I defend it. When it came on this last time, I decided to just brew it and see what really results. I will still do the really controversial steps. I will boil the crystal and I will use bottled water and ice straight from the store. I am going to brew it exactly as written using exactly the recommended techniques with the following exceptions:

1) I'm not going to use bleach. I think that any LHBS a new brewer visits to purchase the equipment and extract will automatically sell them a better, modern sanitizer.

2) I'm using Willamette instead of Cascade. They are similar in strength, I already have the willamette but I'd have to buy the cascade, and finally I just don't like cascade. I don't think this invalidates the experiment because the point is to test the procedures more than the recipe. Swapping a hop won't make or break the beer.

3) I don't have a fermenting bucket, so I'll have to use a Better Bottle. The little neck means I will probably siphon the beer instead of pour it through a collander. I will still use the water and ice to chill.

4) I'm pitching an S-04 packet instead of a tube. This is primarily a cost-saving measure as I already have $25 in this experiment for the extract.

[Howie]

I like the idea of your experiment, but I think using the dry yeast will dramatically skew the results, as part of our complaining always involves pitching a tube without a starter.

If you are going to use dry, maybe use half a pack?

[OldStyleCubFan]

Do you think pitching s04 vs. a tube could have a big impact? This looks to be testing 2 things... boiling crystal and using Ice/water. I would think the huge cell counts in S04 vs something pitchable could distort things. If there is a problem with bacteria in the ice/water, the cell counts would make a big difference

----HOWIE.... just saw your post after mine

This post has been edited by OldStyleCubFan: Apr 16 2007, 12:25 PM

[dagomike]

Cool. I say use the beach. I don't remember if he said or not, but let it dry and it should be fine.

[lord of the brew...]

Alright, you Perfectionists, every time the brewing episode of Good Eats comes on people slam it and I defend it. When it came on this last time, I decided to just brew it and see what really results. I will still do the really controversial steps. I will boil the crystal and I will use bottled water and ice straight from the store. I am going to brew it exactly as written using exactly the recommended techniques with the following exceptions:

1) I'm not going to use bleach. I think that any LHBS a new brewer visits to purchase the equipment and extract will automatically sell them a better, modern sanitizer.

2) I'm using Willamette instead of Cascade. They are similar in strength, I already have the willamette but I'd have to buy the cascade, and finally I just don't like cascade. I don't think this invalidates the experiment because the point is to test the procedures more than the recipe. Swapping a hop won't make or break the beer.

3) I don't have a fermenting bucket, so I'll have to use a Better Bottle. The little neck means I will probably siphon the beer instead of pour it through a collander. I will still use the water and ice to chill.

4) I'm pitching an S-04 packet instead of a tube. This is primarily a cost-saving measure as I already have $25 in this experiment for the extract.

wouldn't the controversial steps be, 1) use bleah, see if sanitation suffers, 3)you're boiling the crystal, yet not allowing small breack piecesa to pass through the strainer, 4) not using a yeast from a tube for cost effetcs but wont you be over pitchiung from th erecipe?


my .02$ would be if you are going to do the experiment, then do it, and not change it for argument sake. the hops i can understand that is just a flovor issue and not a brew practice issue.


Paul

[BrewerGeorge]

Many, many people using more typical extract procedures - even occasionally AG - follow the directions on the package and directly pitch a tube or a smack. We know that won't ruin a beer (unless it's a lager). Still, to silence the critics, I will pitch half the pack.

I'm just not going to use bleach. I don't have any and I just doubt many new brewers would ever actually use it after visiting the LHBS. It's not like you can buy the extract at the grocery store.

I'll have to think about the strainer. I guess I could pour it into a bucket, then transfer to a BB...

[dagomike]

Eh... if you want to test the recipe, test the recipe, but the issue everyone has is the procedures. I don't think hops or yeast choice is going to really matter. We've all under pitched beer before.

Geroge -- good or bad, be sure to send Alton a bottle. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/cool.gif)

I'm just not going to use bleach. I don't have any and I just doubt many new brewers would ever actually use it after visiting the LHBS. It's not like you can buy the extract at the grocery store.

Last week at the club there were newbies who use it. There are still old-timers who use bleach, but they apparently are doing it right, because there's no off flavors. It's your deal though... I just see that as one of three big gripes about the show. (Boiling grains and ice the others)

[SpyFox]

Cool George - go for it!

[DJ in KC]

..........

I'll have to think about the strainer. I guess I could pour it into a bucket, then transfer to a BB...

IIRC that was the only aeration used, no stirring when the yeast was pitched.

dj

[Bonhoeffer]

I'm just not going to use bleach. I don't have any and I just doubt many new brewers would ever actually use it after visiting the LHBS. It's not like you can buy the extract at the grocery store.

Lots of folks buy supplies on the internet and never step foot into a LHBS. And anyone wanting to just dip their toe in the hobby and spend as little as possible in case they don't like it would certainly be inclined to sanitize with bleach they already have around the house, rather than spending money on some fancy sanitizer they don't think they need.

[Pseudolus]

Irregardful of the exact details that are being argued over, I think this is a great idea, George. I'd suggest that after it's done you share some with some folks who aren't already into the homebrew/craftbrew scene to see what they think of it. After all, the show wasn't aimed at the already-initiated, and it would be interesting to see how the target audience would recieve it.

[Lagerdemain]

I use bleach quite a bit in my brewing. It's dirt cheap, it's widely available, and it's a fantastic cleaner and a pretty good sanitizer if you're willing to let it soak for a half hour or so. I don't understand the disdain for bleach, quite honestly.

[konertjm]

FWIW, I don't think he really boiled the crystal. When he poured the boiled wort (or as he called it, his mash) through the screen, I could see the hops very well, and I didn't see any spent grain residue. I believe that he removed the grains, and they left that part on the cutting room floor. "Edited to fit time", I believe is the term.

[Muz]

If you want to do it right, follow his directions from the web site. He's had years to rewrite it and there will be no question as to what may or may not have been left out of the show

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...tml?rsrc=search

(Search for Good Brew on Foodtv.com if the link doesn't work)

Chad

[BrewerGeorge]

If you want to do it right, follow his directions from the web site. He's had years to rewrite it and there will be no question as to what may or may not have been left out of the show

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...tml?rsrc=search

(Search for Good Brew on Foodtv.com if the link doesn't work)

Chad

That's what I used. I just poured it over the ice - I ended up using my old turkey-fryer pot to pour into. When the cable guy leaves I'll siphon it into the BB and pitch.