Now that I have beer in the barrels, I started to look at the different ways to transfer the beer from the barrels to the kegs. I was going to use a pump and a hose, but remembered that when I did this from my fermenter to kegs, the beer was oxidized. This seems to be a common issue with pump transfers at this stage on a homebrew scale. In my research, I came across a piece of equipment called a Bulldog. Continue reading “Transferring from Barrel to Keg – the Bulldog”
Adding Barrels to the Brewery
I was finally successful in acquiring a couple reasonably priced barrels for use in the brewery. I am lucky enough to have a friend who runs a great barrel-only fermentation brewery and he was kind enough to pass on some savings, so…no links for purchase. This is more for preparing the barrels for use, maintenance, and care of the barrels. I’ve also build a multi-use stand for the barrels that will be detailed here.
External HERMS Coil
I’ve been wanting to put this together for quite some time. I’ve had the coil for a long time and the Quick Disconnects have been installed onto the hoses for about as long. Well, now is that time. I am going to use this HERMS coil externally because I do not want to install it into my HLT. It will also make the system more modular to be its own entity. Continue reading “External HERMS Coil”
The little things I use or have built for the Brewery
In this post, I am opening my toolbox and will list some of the items that I have come across or built that have been incorporated into my Brew Days. These will be smaller items that won’t take a lot of space or need their own post. Continue reading “The little things I use or have built for the Brewery”
Creating a 3D Plaster Mold Ales of the Dead Logo!
This is pretty exciting. You may not know this, but Halloween is my favorite time of the year. You already know that I love to build projects, and making things is a passion of mine. Well, I have combined the two for this post. I will detail the process of creating a silicone mold to make plaster castings and then finish out the casting with all the accouterments necessary to create a life-sized, 3D model of the Ales of the Dead logo. Continue reading “Creating a 3D Plaster Mold Ales of the Dead Logo!”
Adding a Sight Glass to a Coors Keggle
Instead of performing the arduous task of placing the 1″ dowel rod into the Keggle that is used as the HLT, I decided that a Sight Glass was needed. Why, exactly? Why not. It seems the best answer I can give and a sight glass allows for a quick glance to determine the amount of strike/sparge water being transferred. Continue reading “Adding a Sight Glass to a Coors Keggle”
Aeration with an Aquarium Pump
The next item on the agenda was aeration (oxygenation) of the wort. This is done after the wort has been transferred to the fermenter, but prior to pitching the yeast. The two most common methods of doing this are: Continue reading “Aeration with an Aquarium Pump”
Inline Randall with Quick Disconnects
Now that kegging is a thing at Ales of the Dead, I (of course) wanted to play with different flavors and fruits in beers. After looking at different options, I decided to build a Randall in introduce these flavors.
Continue reading “Inline Randall with Quick Disconnects”
OakWoodBarrels.com Debacle – THEY’RE A SCAM!
Continue reading “OakWoodBarrels.com Debacle – THEY’RE A SCAM!”
Beer Line Cleaner for Kegerator
Those that keg are always looking for an easy way to clean beer lines in between kegs. I know brewers that go two or three kegs between cleaning lines. With this little gem, you’ll have no issue with cleaning the lines between each keg swap.
Continue reading “Beer Line Cleaner for Kegerator”