beer What type of brewing do you do?

What type of brewing do you primarily do?

  • Extract Only

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Extract with Steeped Grains

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Extract with Partial Mash

    Votes: 3 33.3%

  • All Grain

    Votes: 6 66.7%
  • Total voters
    9
Steve973 said:
Just get whatever type of tube fits on the racking cane. I would also get the shortest racking cane that reaches the bottom of your carboy. Taller ones make it harder to start the siphon. To make things easier on you, get a siphon holder that fits into the top of the carboy and holds the racking cane, like this:

http://www.mdhb.com/popup_image.php?pID=3677
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Again you've saved me time and expense by telling me exactly what I need.

Thanks Steve!
 
FloridaSun said:
Steve, here's a question that will help me pick the freezer to use; The recipe calls for 3 gallons. Would I use a 3 gallon carboy filled right to the top or would it be better and safer to use a 5 gallon and have the remaining two gallons of space be there for bubbling or expansion or whatever? I have no idea of what to expect, so I don't know if a 3 gallon batch should be made in a larger container.

I'll need two carboys to allow for the 21 day brewing cycle. So I need know how much height and width I'll need for my containers in the freezer I'll buy. Perhaps it would be a good idea to buy a freezer that 3 of the carboys would fit in, just in case. Wheather it's height is good for a 3 gallon or larger is the question.

Is there a size of freezer that works really well? Maybe a certain cu ft?
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Just thought I'd step in here and offer a bit of advice, at risk of derailing the thread entirely.

I seriously recommend against using carboys or narrow-mouth vessels of any kind for the starter (moto or shubo) and primary fermentation (moromi) stages of saké brewing. Think about it for a moment: making saké calls for adding just shy of ten pounds of cooked rice over a period of a few days, followed by frequent stirring. Shoving pound after pound of hot cooked rice down the neck of an expensive glass carboy (or even more expensive Better Bottle™) is not my idea of fun!

The best vessel for the job is a cheap plastic 7 gallon bucket with tight-fitting lid that has been drilled for an airlock. I suppose you could use your pickle crock if you really want to, but I wouldn't be able to predict the results because I don't actually own a pickle crock and therefore haven't ever used it to make saké with. I do make the occasional batch of sauerkraut in my crockpot, though...but I digress.

Now, for the secondary fermentation following pressing, a three gallon carboy would work fine, as you'll end up with anywhere from 2.5 to 3.0 gallons of cloudy nigorizake. They're expensive, however, so I usually just use three one-gallon jugs instead because they're cheaper and easy to handle.

FloridaSun said:
Is there a particular racking cane that is preferred for 5 gallon carboys? I found quite a few, but there are some major differences. Also, what size of tubing would be most suitable for sake? Half inch or larger?

Thanks again!
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Most racking canes take 3/8" vinyl or silicone tubing, available at your local hardware store. Beware, however: you very likely won't be able to siphon the saké out of the primary fermenter because it will be thick with partially degraded rice. Recently I've found that carefully ladling the moromi out with a sanitized stainless steel pot works best - I apologize that my guide currently doesn't reflect this technique, I just haven't had a chance to update it recently.

If you have any other questions or just want some saké making advice, you can always contact me through my web site. I always answer my e-mail promptly and I don't bite, I promise!

Oh, and just to add something that's actually on-topic for this thread: I'm an all-grain beer brewer in the summer months and a saké brewer during the winter. :cool:
 
Thanks, Taylor-MadeAK. Your information helps a lot. I was anticipating the difficulty of getting all that cooked rice into the bottle.
 
meadmaker

Havent in years- back in the day, I won some contests- and friends- with my meadmaking skills. Helps that I have access to free honey.

Currently no space. maybe after the kitchen rehab.
 
Shhhh! Don't tell mrs. blues but I'll be back to brewing allgrain next month and trying decoction mashing for the first time. Contemplating building the brew sculpture with unistrut. I've got time yet..

Salute', TB
 
Celeste said:
Helps that I have access to free honey.
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OMG, that would be so cool! Honey has gotten so expensive! I am completely, totally, irrevocably addicted to clover honey! I think I was a bee in several of my past lives...
 
FloridaSun said:
OMG, that would be so cool! Honey has gotten so expensive! I am completely, totally, irrevocably addicted to clover honey! I think I was a bee in several of my past lives...
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yer not kidding about the price. I'm seeing $5lb locally if not more. it has put the halt to any further meading for the time being. That and at roughly 2-3lbs per gallon of water (minimum), it's hard to be a mead maker. I made 1 batch and that's about it until the bees start not being in danger.

But for the topic. My first actual brew was partial mash and until i have room for more equipment, no all grain brews for me.

This board has a LARGE amount of people brewing. Before this year i never knew so many people did this.
 
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