Welcome back! You know what time it is: it’s time for another episode of our weekly Homebrew Happy Hour podcast!… THE home brew #podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Trub Club! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts to Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
Yeast Pitch Rate for Pressure Pilsners, Gravity Readings During Active Fermentation, Temperature Control for Storing Grains, & Sanitation Procedure on a Brew Day
00:00:00 – 00:21:17 Sponsors & Small Talk
00:21:18 – 00:25:45 Listener Feedback
00:25:46 – 00:37:54 Yeast Pitch Rate for Pressure Pils
00:37:55 – 00:47:23 Gravity Readings During Fermentation
00:47:24 – 00:55:49 Temp Control when Storing Grains
00:55:50 – 01:02:02 Sanitation Procedure on Brew Day
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Each and every episode is made possible by Kegconnection.com! Build the kegerator or keezer of your dreams using Kegconnection.com’s unique customizable product options that allows you to get exactly what you need. Kegconnection.com also stocks products and solutions for kegging kits, draft systems, hardware, components, cleaning and much much more. Kegconnection.com has been operating for more than 15 years in the industry and has established expertise and superior customer service. Visit Kegconnection.com and use our promo code HHH to receive 5% off of your order. Even better – join one of the premium tiers in our Trub Club and get up to 12% off your orders! That’s Kegconnection.com, promo code HHH or visit HomebrewHappyHour.com/club for more information.
————————–
Thank you to our show’s sponsor, Imperial Yeast, for supporting us and the homebrewing community. Learn more about why we LOVE Imperial Yeast by checking out their entire line, available at https://www.imperialyeast.com/
This episode is brought to you by, Muntons Malts – a company that is passionate about providing premium malts to brewers worldwide. YOU can experience the difference Muntons offers by joining a recipe receiving tier of our Trub Club because every kit that ships out now includes premium Muntons Malt OR you can get Muntons whenever you’d like from our friends at TXBrewing.comhttps://www.txbrewing.com/searchanise/result?q=Muntons
It’s time for another episode of our weekly Homebrew Happy Hour podcast!… THE home brew #podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Trub Club! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts to Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
Cold Storing Bulk Hops, Flow Rate when Using Wort Chillers, & Bourbon Barrel Oak Chips Affecting Bottle Carbonation
00:00:00 – 00:16:23 Sponsors & Small Talk
00:16:24 – 00:20:48 Listener Feedback
00:20:49 – 00:33:04 Cold Storing Bulk Hops
00:33:05 – 00:44:44 Wort Chiller Flow Rate
00:44:45 – 00:56:01 Bottling a Bourbon Barrel Oak Beer
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Each and every episode is made possible by Kegconnection.com! Build the kegerator or keezer of your dreams using Kegconnection.com’s unique customizable product options that allows you to get exactly what you need. Kegconnection.com also stocks products and solutions for kegging kits, draft systems, hardware, components, cleaning and much much more. Kegconnection.com has been operating for more than 15 years in the industry and has established expertise and superior customer service. Visit Kegconnection.com and use our promo code HHH to receive 5% off of your order. Even better – join one of the premium tiers in our Trub Club and get up to 12% off your orders! That’s Kegconnection.com, promo code HHH or visit HomebrewHappyHour.com/club for more information.
————————–
Thank you to our show’s sponsor, Imperial Yeast, for supporting us and the homebrewing community. Learn more about why we LOVE Imperial Yeast by checking out their entire line, available at https://www.imperialyeast.com/
This episode is brought to you by, Muntons Malts – a company that is passionate about providing premium malts to brewers worldwide. YOU can experience the difference Muntons offers by joining a recipe receiving tier of our Trub Club because every kit that ships out now includes premium Muntons Malt OR you can get Muntons whenever you’d like from our friends at TXBrewing.comhttps://www.txbrewing.com/searchanise/result?q=Muntons
It’s time for another episode of our weekly Homebrew Happy Hour podcast!… THE home brew #podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Trub Club! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts to Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
Measuring How Much Beer is Still in My Kegs, Where Do I Keep My Sanitized Stuff, Handling Varying Mash Temps, & 2 Kegs, 1 Tap
00:00:00 – 00:13:56 Sponsors & Small Talk
00:13:57 – 00:20:52 Listener Feedback on Closed Transferring
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Each and every episode is made possible by Kegconnection.com! Build the kegerator or keezer of your dreams using Kegconnection.com’s unique customizable product options that allows you to get exactly what you need. Kegconnection.com also stocks products and solutions for kegging kits, draft systems, hardware, components, cleaning and much much more. Kegconnection.com has been operating for more than 15 years in the industry and has established expertise and superior customer service. Visit Kegconnection.com and use our promo code HHH to receive 5% off of your order. Even better – join one of the premium tiers in our Trub Club and get up to 12% off your orders! That’s Kegconnection.com, promo code HHH or visit HomebrewHappyHour.com/club for more information.
————————–
Thank you to our show’s sponsor, Imperial Yeast, for supporting us and the homebrewing community. Learn more about why we LOVE Imperial Yeast by checking out their entire line, available at https://www.imperialyeast.com/
This episode is brought to you by, Muntons Malts – a company that is passionate about providing premium malts to brewers worldwide. YOU can experience the difference Muntons offers by joining a recipe receiving tier of our Trub Club because every kit that ships out now includes premium Muntons Malt OR you can get Muntons whenever you’d like from our friends at TXBrewing.comhttps://www.txbrewing.com/searchanise/result?q=Muntons
So sorry for our absence last week. In case you missed it, it was Icepocalypse 2023 here in Texas and it took down our operations for a few days. Either way…You know what time it is: It’s time for another episode of our weekly Homebrew Happy Hour podcast!… THE home brew #podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Trub Club! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts to Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
Lingering Metallic Taste in my Keg, 120v vs 240v Electric Brewing, Finding Leaks in Your Draft System, & Brewing Authentic Styles
00:00:00 – 00:25:28 Sponsors & Small Talk
00:25:29 – 00:35:58 Metal Taste in my Keg
00:35:59 – 00:44:01 120v versus 240v Electric Brewing
00:44:02 – 00:54:20 CO2 Leaking in my Draft Beer System
00:54:21 – 01:06:27 Brewing Authentic Styles of Beer
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Each and every episode is made possible by Kegconnection.com! Build the kegerator or keezer of your dreams using Kegconnection.com’s unique customizable product options that allows you to get exactly what you need. Kegconnection.com also stocks products and solutions for kegging kits, draft systems, hardware, components, cleaning and much much more. Kegconnection.com has been operating for more than 15 years in the industry and has established expertise and superior customer service. Visit Kegconnection.com and use our promo code HHH to receive 5% off of your order. Even better – join one of the premium tiers in our Trub Club and get up to 12% off your orders! That’s Kegconnection.com, promo code HHH or visit HomebrewHappyHour.com/club for more information.
————————–
Thank you to our show’s sponsor, Imperial Yeast, for supporting us and the homebrewing community. Learn more about why we LOVE Imperial Yeast by checking out their entire line, available at https://www.imperialyeast.com/
This episode is brought to you by, Muntons Malts – a company that is passionate about providing premium malts to brewers worldwide. YOU can experience the difference Muntons offers by joining a recipe receiving tier of our Trub Club because every kit that ships out now includes premium Muntons Malt OR you can get Muntons whenever you’d like from our friends at TXBrewing.comhttps://www.txbrewing.com/searchanise/result?q=Muntons
Watch (CLICK HERE) as James Carlson from CMBecker.com shows the way we try out overnight mashing. Please let us know in the comments how YOU do it; do you keep your heat source on and recirculation on too? Do you find that an Igloo style cooler maintains heat the best if you aren’t doing electric brewing? Any hints or tips are greatly appreciated!
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Trub Club! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts to Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
You know what time it is: It’s time for another episode of our weekly Homebrew Happy Hour podcast!… THE home brew #podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Trub Club! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts to Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
Draft Beer Systems for Events, Making Non-Alcholic Beer and/or Hop water, & Do I Really Need a Water Profile for my Beer
00:00:00 – 00:17:00 Sponsors & Small Talk
00:17:01 – 00:22:14 Listener Feedback
00:22:15 – 00:32:36 Draft Systems for Weddings
00:32:37 – 00:41:13 Making NA Beer
00:41:14 – 01:02:10 Water Profiles
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Each and every episode is made possible by Kegconnection.com! Build the kegerator or keezer of your dreams using Kegconnection.com’s unique customizable product options that allows you to get exactly what you need. Kegconnection.com also stocks products and solutions for kegging kits, draft systems, hardware, components, cleaning and much much more. Kegconnection.com has been operating for more than 15 years in the industry and has established expertise and superior customer service. Visit Kegconnection.com and use our promo code HHH to receive 5% off of your order. Even better – join one of the premium tiers in our Trub Club and get up to 12% off your orders! That’s Kegconnection.com, promo code HHH or visit HomebrewHappyHour.com/club for more information.
————————–
Thank you to our show’s sponsor, Imperial Yeast, for supporting us and the homebrewing community. Learn more about why we LOVE Imperial Yeast by checking out their entire line, available at ImperialYeast.com
I hope you’re having a wonderful week, my friend. You know what time it is: It’s time for another episode of our weekly Homebrew Happy Hour podcast!… THE home brew #podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Trub Club! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts to Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
Closed Transferring from Brew Buckets, Rinsing Your Glass Between Every New Beer, & Splitting Up Your Brew Day
00:00:00 – 00:24:45 Sponsors & Small Talk
00:24:46 – 00:36:52 Closed Transferring from Brew Buckets
00:36:53 – 00:46:09 Rinsing Glass Between EVERY Pour
00:46:10 – 01:02:10 Splitting up Brew Day
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Each and every episode is made possible by Kegconnection.com! Build the kegerator or keezer of your dreams using Kegconnection.com’s unique customizable product options that allows you to get exactly what you need. Kegconnection.com also stocks products and solutions for kegging kits, draft systems, hardware, components, cleaning and much much more. Kegconnection.com has been operating for more than 15 years in the industry and has established expertise and superior customer service. Visit Kegconnection.com and use our promo code HHH to receive 5% off of your order. Even better – join one of the premium tiers in our Trub Club and get up to 12% off your orders! That’s Kegconnection.com, promo code HHH or visit HomebrewHappyHour.com/club for more information.
————————–
Thank you to our show’s sponsor, Imperial Yeast, for supporting us and the homebrewing community. Learn more about why we LOVE Imperial Yeast by checking out their entire line, available at ImperialYeast.com
This year, one of my new year’s resolutions is to cover more fermentable consumables so we’re kicking it off with a #kombucha Q&A with one of my most favorite people in the world, Lorena Evans!
Lorena Evans is a longtime admin of HomebrewTalk.com and works with Brewer’s Friend cloud brewing software. She has fermented things for as long as she can remember: flowers for wine, tea for kombucha, fruits for country wine and cider, and vegetables for lacto-fermented pickles or even wine. Fermented hot peppers make a great hot sauce, and hard cider can make a delicious vinegar. From rhubarb wine to blackberry kombucha and, of course, beer, fermented products are a way of life for her. Lorena is a lifetime forager, and her motto is “If it doesn’t move, ferment it!”
Merriam Webster defines fermentation as “the enzyme-catalyzed anaerobic breakdown of an energy-rich compound (such as a carbohydrate to carbon dioxide and alcohol or to an organic acid) by the action of microorganisms (such as bacteria or yeast) that occurs naturally and is commonly used in the production of various products (such as food, alcoholic beverages, and pharmaceuticals) especially by controlling microbial enzymatic activity”.
A more basic explanation is that all living things (or once living things) will break down and this process of decomposition happens naturally. The difference between rotting and fermenting is in the details. In fermentation, specific types of microorganism (usually yeast) convert sugars to acids, gasses and alcohol while decomposition utilizes additional microorganisms to degrade dead material. They key to fermentation vs decomposition is about controlling the environment so that the desired microbes have a hospitable environment while deterring unwanted microbes.
Reasons for fermented foods/drink:
Just as in brewing, the digestive process of those desirable microorganisms create the new molecules (secondary metabolites to be more precise). This creates complex flavors in the products- for example sauerkraut vs pickled cabbage. Initially, our ancestors used the power of fermentation to help with storage and longevity, but also safety and nutrition. Fermented foods will remain safe to eat for a long time, compared to a fresh vegetable. Wine of course in the olden days was safer than water for drinking due to the alcohol content. In a food such as sauerkraut, studies show that vitamin C content can be increased by as much as 400%. However, in today’s world most of us are interested in fermented foods for the complex flavors but the beneficial bacteria contained in fermented foods are a bonus to many health conscious people.
To get started, remember that all living things seek a hospitable environment to live and thrive. They defend themselves to keep invaders out, to digest (eat) and to maintain this balance by rejecting its waste products. In general, the more complex the sugars, the more specialized the organism. Home fermentation involves several types of microorganisms but there are two that are the most common; yeast and bacteria. Homebrewers usually do yeast fermentations in beer brewing and wine making, but occasionally will utilize strains of bacteria like lactobacillus strains or Brettanomyces fungus strains for a bit of sour or funky flavor. Yeast will ferment simple sugars, usually transforming sugars into alcohol. Beer, wine, and bread will be the foods that come to mind here. Bacteria (notably strains of lactobacillus or acetobacter) are responsible for vinegar, yogurt, cheese, and sauerkraut type of foods.
Fermented drinks like kefir or kombucha will usually involve a mixed fermentation of yeast and bacteria and several different strains of them. The environment surrounding the fermentation plays a huge role in the outcome and final flavor. Making kombucha is a simple and straightforward process, but for the best results it’s best to begin with a SCOBY that was commercially purchased or acquired from another successful kombucha maker. SCOBY is the acronym for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. The microbes of course are microscopic, but they build a cellulose mat that you will notice in your fermenting kombucha and sometimes that is erroneous referred to as the SCOBY itself. While it is possible to grow a SCOBY from a bottle of kombucha, it takes steps to grow the culture so that it can outcompete undesirable microbes. Starting with a SCOBY and strong starter means success will come much easier.
In a symbiotic culture fermentation, there are two or more types of microorganisms working at the same time, usually to the benefit of both. In the case of kombucha, it is generally bacteria strains and yeast strains. In general, alcohol is produced first as the sugars are fermented, and then acetic acid (vinegar) bacteria will ferment most of the alcohol to vinegar and water. Lactobacillus is often in kombucha, and it produces lactic acid with a gentler ‘tang’ than vinegar. Brettanomyces is usually found in kombucha as well. The actual strains of bacteria and yeast in your kombucha will vary depending on the source of the SCOBY, the temperature, the environment, and your base ingredients.
Making your kombucha (one gallon)
Use a glass or ceramic vessel with a wide mouth if possible NO metal. Plastic utensils are fine. A large cleaned pickle jar, a wide mouth mason jar, etc- all would be suitable.
A coffee filter or paper towel attached with a rubber band for a lid
Clean your workspace and your vessels and rinse well. Wash your hands before starting. No need to sanitize clean utensils.
Recipe:
1 gallon of strong black tea (green tea doesn’t have the nutrients to start a batch), room temperature
1 cup of white sugar (not honey, not brown sugar!) mixed into the tea at dissolved
1 SCOBY with 1 cup of starter kombucha
That’s it! Mix the SCOBY and starter kombucha together, cover with a cloth or paper towel, and set in a place approximately 75 degrees if possible. Keep the vessel covered, to keep out fruit flies, and wait. You will see a new cellulose mat being formed, and stringy things may be developing on it. That’s fine- it’s there to protect your kombucha from mold. In about 10 days, take a clean straw or turkey baster and remove some of the liquid under the new SCOBY mat. Taste- if it’s still sweet, allow it to ferment longer. If not, and you like the amount of tartness, you can bottle.
Secondary fermentation:
At this point, when you package your kombucha you can add whatever flavorings you like, if any. Grated ginger and some lemon zest are great, like ginger ale without all of the sugar. Plain kombucha is great too! You can add some honey or a bit of sugar if you’d like it sweeter, or if you’d like to carbonate it.
When you bottle your kombucha, bottle in plastic bottles to avoid bottle bombs, especially if you add fermentable sugars at bottling. Or least, keep one plastic bottle as your tester to ensure that if that gets rock hard, to release some of the pressure of glass bottles. Just like with beer, carbonation will happen in a few days if there is fermentable sugar.
Save 1 cup of the fresh kombucha, AND the cellulose mats in a new clean vessel to start your new batch. You can separate the baby SCOBY from the mother, and now you have two! Place those in the jar you are using, and cover with a paper towel or tea towel, fasten with a rubber band and now you have a ‘SCOBY hotel” for future use.
Image shows fermenting kombucha on the left and the SCOBY hotel on the right
What’s going on, friend? You know what time it is? It’s time for another episode of our weekly Homebrew Happy Hour podcast!… THE home brew #podcast where we answer all of your home brewing questions and discuss anything related to craft beer!
A SUBTLE REMINDER:
If you appreciate the things we do here at Homebrew Happy Hour, consider joining our Trub Club! Not only will you be supporting our efforts, but you’ll also receive exclusive perks such as HUGE discounts to Kegconnection.com, welcome packs with our merch, discounts to BrewersFriend.com, and lots more! Click the link and join today — https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=21132635
On Today’s Show:
Using Whirlflock in Wheat Beers, Should Stored Kegs be Under Pressure, & Getting Hard Water Deposits off Your Electric Heating Element
If you have a question that you’d like us to discuss on a future episode, please click on the “Submit a Question” link at the top of our website or you can now call in your questions via our questions hotline @ 325-305-6107 and leave your message after the beep. This is a friendly reminder that, if we choose your question for a future episode, we give you a $25 gift card to that episode’s sponsor!
Each and every episode is made possible by Kegconnection.com! Build the kegerator or keezer of your dreams using Kegconnection.com’s unique customizable product options that allows you to get exactly what you need. Kegconnection.com also stocks products and solutions for kegging kits, draft systems, hardware, components, cleaning and much much more. Kegconnection.com has been operating for more than 15 years in the industry and has established expertise and superior customer service. Visit Kegconnection.com and use our promo code HHH to receive 5% off of your order. Even better – join one of the premium tiers in our Trub Club and get up to 12% off your orders! That’s Kegconnection.com, promo code HHH or visit HomebrewHappyHour.com/club for more information.
————————–
Thank you to our show’s sponsor, Imperial Yeast, for supporting us and the homebrewing community. Learn more about why we LOVE Imperial Yeast by checking out their entire line, available at ImperialYeast.com
https://www.kegconnection.com/
