Last Updated on Saturday, 6 February 2010 10:12 Written by admin Saturday, 6 February 2010 10:12

It is not uncommon for wine to absorb carbon dioxide, the gas created as a byproduct of fermentation. This especially tends to occur when fermentation slows to the point that bubbles escape the airlock at a rate slower than one bubble every 15 minutes. The positive pressure of CO2 in the headspace between the wine and the airlock bears equally on the wine and the liquid inside the airlock. Some of that CO2 is simply absorbed into the wine. The result is a wine that fizzes when poured. It may not fizz as much as a sparkling wine, but it greatly detracts from a wine that is supposed to be a still (nonsparkling) wine.

There are several ways to release this gas and return the wine to a true still wine. The simplest way is to simply stir the wine with a wooden dowel or a plastic rod. Stir the wine vigorously for about a minute and then replace the airlock and let the wine settle down for 30-45 minutes. Then repeat the procedure several times until the wine stops giving up CO2 gas. I use a plastic rod used to pull curtains closed. I heated one end of the rod in boiling water for a few minutes, layed the heated end on a wooden cutting board, and gently tapped it with a wooden mallet to flatten the end of it into a narrow “paddle” shape. I sanitize it by standing in upright (paddle-end down) in a 22-inch hydrometer test jar for 5 minutes filled with sulfite solution. I then put the paddle end into the carboy and attach the other end to an electric drill. This is undoubtedly safer than using a wooden dowel because the plastic cannot absorb bacteria or mold the way the wooden dowel can.

There are several products out there which are essentially a long rod with spring-loaded folding blades at one end. The opposite end is inserted in an electric drill and the blade end inserted into the carboy. The blades unfold inside the carboy and the electric drill is turned on. The propeller-style blades are raised and lowered throughout the body of wine to degasse a greater volume. After 30 seconds or so, the drill is turned off and the rod is withdrawn from the carboy. The airlock is refitted and 30-45 minutes later the procedure is repeated. This procedure works much faster and better than simply stirring with a rod or dowel, but my “paddle” works just fine for me and so I’m staying with it.

A word of caution when using an electric drill. Obviously, you do not want to get the electric cord or the electric motor wet, so be careful. Also, when you first insert the paddle or propeller-type device, tap the trigger a few times for just a couple of seconds to see how much gas is in the wine. If there is a lot, foam will erupt from the mouth of the carboy that — at worse — could shoot up into the electric drill before you realize what is happening and electrocute you. Just to be safe, wear heavy duty rubber gloves. At the very least it will be a mess to clean up, and of course will reduce the volume of your wine. Go slowly and be safe — and don’t forget the rubber gloves!

After a wine is degassed, it should sit for a while under airlock to “recover” from the procedure, as degassing a wine tends to “flatten” its taste for a couple of months. After sitting under airlock for the prescribed period, the wine can be bottled.

Last Updated on Saturday, 6 February 2010 10:02 Written by admin Saturday, 6 February 2010 10:02

Ingredients:

* 7 pounds, unhopped extract syrup
* 1 pound, chocolate malt, not cracked
* 1/2 pound, black patent malt, not cracked
* 1/2 pound, crystal malt (90 degrees L.)
* 1/2 pound, Sumatra decaf coffee
* 1-1/2 ounces, Cascade hops (boil)
* 1/2 ounce, Cascade hops (finish)
* yeast

Procedure:
Place chocolate, patent, and crystal malts in about 2 gallons of water and bring to almost boil, Sparge into boiling pot. Add 2 more gallons of water. Bring to boil and add bittering hops. 30 minutes into the boil, add 1/2 teaspoon Irish moss. Boil one more hour. Add finishing hops in last 2 minutes of boil. Pour into fermenter and add coffee. Pitch yeast.

Last Updated on Saturday, 6 February 2010 09:59 Written by admin Saturday, 6 February 2010 09:59

Description:
Don’t know if they are good, but I have made a few braggots I like. Just tried one last night in fact.

If you leave out the largeish amount of crystal malt you will get a product that is more “winey” than “beery”, and kind of thin. If you use a darker crystal malt the malt flavor begins to overwhelm the honey. I like it with the crystal malt in, but a friend of mine prefers it without. Without the crystal you will get an impressively pale product.

Do not use finishing hops, they mask the floral character of the honey. Honey seems to not add much of a taste component, but an incredible aroma.
Ingredients:

* 2 lbs light malt extract
* 2 lbs honey (The more “wild” the better, I have been using Mesquite)
* About 0.5 lb 20l crystal malt
* boiling hops to taste (NO finishing hops)
* Your favorite yeast (Most recently used Yeast Lab’s Dry Australian Ale)

Procedure:
Steep the grains and boil the malt and hops like normal. Add the honey at the end of the boil, like you would with finishing hops. Ferment, bottle and drink.

Last Updated on Saturday, 6 February 2010 09:55 Written by admin Saturday, 6 February 2010 09:55

Description:
First, let’s look at the style. A Kolsch has starting gravity of 1.040 to 1.046, IBUs of 20-30, and SRM of 3.5 to 5. The Zymurgy description of a Kolsch is: Pale gold. Low hop flavor and aroma. Medium bitterness. Light to medium body. Slightly dry, winy palate. Malted wheat okay. Lager or ale yeast or combination of yeasts okay.

Malts can be U.S. or continental, including a fraction of wheat malt if desired. Hopping should be continental noble hops. The yeast is the tricky part, as to my knowledge there is no available Kolsch yeast. The Goose Island Brewery in Chicago brews a Kolsch using a Kolsch yeast from Germany. The Free State Brewery in Lawrence, Kansas, brews a Kolsch using Wyeast “European” ale. This yeast is suggested by Fred Eckhardt. I’ve used the yeast from time to time and think it’s a great yeast, so use this in preference to any generic ale yeast.
Ingredients:

* 6 pounds, U.S. 2–row malt
* 1 pound, Vienna malt
* 1 pound, wheat malt
* 1/4 pound, light crystal malt (10 L.)
* 1 ounce, Hallertauer (2.9% alpha) (60 minute boil)
* 1 ounce, Hallertauer (30 minute boil)
* 1/4 ounce, Tettnanger (3.8% alpha) (15 minute boil)
* 1/4 ounce, Tettnanger (2 minute boil)
* Wyeast European ale yeast

Procedure:
I’m assuming 80% extraction efficiency. The hop schedule broadly follows the German method, and you can substitute Perle or Spalt, and mix and match however you want.

Following Fred Eckhardt’s description of Widmer’s mash sequence, mash in at 122 degrees F and hold for 30 to 45 minutes, and then raise to 158 degrees F for starch conversion. Following conversion, raise to 170 degrees F for mash out and hold for 10 minutes.

Primary fermentation should be done in the mid-60s. This beer benefits from cold-conditioning, so rack to secondary and “lager” at 40 degrees for a couple weeks.

Last Updated on Saturday, 6 February 2010 09:54 Written by admin Saturday, 6 February 2010 09:54

Description:
Here is an extract recipe for a Kolsch brew. I’m real happy with it, and I have several people to thank for this one. Being the dunderhead that I am, I have forgotten some names (most notably the fine brewer up in Alaska who assisted with my Kolsch yeast questions). It is based on the recipe found in Papazian’s “The Complete Hombrewer’s Companion” (I think that’s the title), except for different malt counts and yeast and fermentation.
Ingredients:

* 6.00 lb. Light Dry Malt Extract
* 0.25 lb.lb. Wheat
* 0.50 oz. G. Northern-Br. 6.9% 75 min
* 0.75 oz. American Spalt 4.0% 15 min
* 1.25 oz. G. Hallertau 3.1% 15 min
* 0.50 oz. Czek Saaz 3.5% dry hopped
* 0.50 oz. G. Hallertau 3.1% dry hopped
* 1 teaspoon of Irish Moss
* Kolsch Wyeast

Procedure:
The .25lb. crushed wheat grain was placed in a grain bag, put in the cold water (2.5 gallons), and raised to 165 degrees where it steeped for 10 minutes. I then raised the it to a boil, added the boiling hops (the Northern) and the DME. After 60 minutes I added the flavor hops (.75 oz. of the spalt and 1.25 oz. of the Hallertau) and 1 teaspoon of Irish Moss. I then let this boil for 15 minutes (75 minutes total).

I then put in my primary and added the Kolsch Wyeast (liquid, natch). This is an interesting yeast. I let it ferment at around 62-64 for about 1 1/2 weeks, until it seemed just about done. I then threw it into the fridge at 42 degrees for about 2 weeks. When I took it out, the yeast appeared upset by the sudden temperature change and it fermented rather energetically for about 1/2 day or so, and then it slowed down. I toook a specific gravity and it was 1.08. Done. (I screwed up the starting gravity. Ooops).

I primed and bottled. Let it sit for two weeks, then placed it in the fridge. Let it sit in teh fridge about 1 week before drinking, and MMMMMMMMMMMM…..good stuff.