Beersmith interview

[clibit]

Got an email from Beersmith containing an interview with Dan Morey, the American brewer who created the Morey equation for estimating beer colour.

This was an interesting answer:

Beer brewing has changed a lot since you and I started brewing beer. What advice would you have for today's brewers to make great beer?

Good question. The basic and simple answer is good cleaning and sanitation practices. But this has always been true. One of the biggest changes has been equipment. Seems like HERM and RIM systems abound today. A lot of brewers are paying good money for fancy mash system and I just don't get it. I'd like one, but that is not the first place I'd invest a large chunk on money if I wanted to brew better beer. I mean I know people who have dropped $3-5K on these systems.

There is great beer made from all different kinds of wort from 100% extract, to partial mash, and all grain. What I recommend, when you are ready for a big purchase, invest in temperature control of you fermenters. Get a frig or freezer with a temperature controller, a brew belt, or a heated and cooled conical. By controlling the temperature of your fermentation you can do more to affect the quality of the final product. Hit the correct ester profile, get the right attenuation, limit fusels, have repeatable results. The best made wort may not make the best beer when fermentation is all over the place. Focus you efforts on fermentation before worrying about wort.

 

[HebridesRob]

Hard to argue with.

If there was a bit of kit I'd like to splash loadsa money on it would be one of those conicals. They really appeal to me.

 

[TartanSpecial]

He's right on the temperature control. I've got one of those ss brewtech stainless conical fermenters with a thermowell poking into the centre of it. I didn't realise how hot my brews were getting in the first couple of days...like 25 C if I don't start off in a cooler room. I've no idea why, but i've found the consistency of my fermentations (ie end product) is better than when I used a bucket and the fermentation seems to be a lot quicker...normally 4 or 5 days. Not sure if that is due to the conical or improved techniques on oxygenation and yeast rehydration or keepng a closer eye on temperature. They are fun to use though if you like stripping down ball valves etc..(which I do)

 

[Halfacrem]

He's right on the temperature control. I've got one of those ss brewtech stainless conical fermenters with a thermowell poking into the centre of it. I didn't realise how hot my brews were getting in the first couple of days...like 25 C if I don't start off in a cooler room. I've no idea why, but i've found the consistency of my fermentations (ie end product) is better than when I used a bucket and the fermentation seems to be a lot quicker...normally 4 or 5 days. Not sure if that is due to the conical or improved techniques on oxygenation and yeast rehydration or keepng a closer eye on temperature. They are fun to use though if you like stripping down ball valves etc..(which I do)

Those fermenters look great :) And you can buy heating/cooling jackets for them also.

 

[MyQul]

Those fermenters look great :) And you can buy heating/cooling jackets for them also.

Got a link?

 

[Halfacrem]

Got a link?

Pricey, with the fermenter and the jacket, and you need to supply it with water.

http://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=55

 

[dan125]

+1 for temp control.
I'm currently drinking my 4th & 5th batches fermented in my brew fridge and can defo notice the improvement. It's great to have control over the temp.

 

[clibit]

I've got a mate who's a general builder keeping an out for a fridge. Nowhere to put it but hey! I've got a big bedroom. :thumb:

 

[McMullan]

There ain't no arguing against that wisdom. My BM is a great little wort maker, but it's not a requirement for making great beer, in my experience. It's a nice to have thing that makes brew day a lot easier. Temperature control is MUCH more important. Here's my temperature control chamber. I started out with an old fridge from eBay and realised how important temperature control really is.

 

[MyQul]

Pricey, with the fermenter and the jacket, and you need to supply it with water.

http://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=55

Like you say very pricey.

I've got my eye on one of these

https://www.cool-brewing.com/

Its $65 so about �£40 plus there'll be shipping costs and import duties. Expensive for what its is, I know, but I have no room for a brew fridge. They've got fantastic reviews and do as advertised

 

[Halfacrem]

Like you say very pricey.

I've got my eye on one of these

https://www.cool-brewing.com/

Its $65 so about ��£40 plus there'll be shipping costs and import duties. Expensive for what its is, I know, but I have no room for a brew fridge. They've got fantastic reviews and do as advertised

Looks handy.

I've also seen another product in the advert boxes on this site. It's like a big carboy that has an element that sits in the beer and adjusts temperature automatically. I can't remember what it's called. It's a lot more expensive than the above though.

 

[MyQul]

Looks handy.

I've also seen another product in the advert boxes on this site. It's like a big carboy that has an element that sits in the beer and adjusts temperature automatically. I can't remember what it's called. It's a lot more expensive than the above though.

I know which one you mean. I think it only works with a carboy though.

 

[BreadMurderer]

Living in Oz for a bit definitely opened my eyes up to fermentation temperatures and how they need to be controlled. In Scotland you don't need to worry too much about it (although I will when I get back) but the summer months in Oz create massive fermentation temperatures, a nightmare if not controlled. A brew fridge was acquired (free) and with an STC plus some reptile heating wire it was the perfect setup for accurately controlling my brewing temperature. The only way I'll do it now.

 

[TartanSpecial]

I don't have special temperature control except moving to a cooler room for the first few days of fermentation. Bulk of fermentation is done in the kitchen diner area which has underfloor heating which keeps it at a remarkably steady 20.5 deg c day and night (creeps up to 21.5 when oven is on for extended periods). Lack of (cooling) temp control is why I only brew beer from October to April, then drink it all during the summer. In May last year I did a mead since the yeast is said to be OK up to 30 c. As my name suggests I am Scottish, but live in the south of england....brewing season could be extended if I lived in Scotland. That cool brewing thing gives me an idea..I could get the wife to sew up a belt to go round the ss brewtech conical with pockets to fit freezer blocks for initial fermentation cooling.

 

[McMullan]

An active primary fermentation can kick out a lot of heat. I drop the fermentation chamber temperature to 18*C once it starts. When I've been fussed to measure the primary fermenting wort temp, it's read 20-22*C at an 'ambient' temperature of 18*C. Up to 4*C above ambient! When primary is finished, the temperature gets set to 20*C.

 

[MyQul]

I don't have special temperature control except moving to a cooler room for the first few days of fermentation. Bulk of fermentation is done in the kitchen diner area which has underfloor heating which keeps it at a remarkably steady 20.5 deg c day and night (creeps up to 21.5 when oven is on for extended periods). Lack of (cooling) temp control is why I only brew beer from October to April, then drink it all during the summer. In May last year I did a mead since the yeast is said to be OK up to 30 c. As my name suggests I am Scottish, but live in the south of england....brewing season could be extended if I lived in Scotland. That cool brewing thing gives me an idea..I could get the wife to sew up a belt to go round the ss brewtech conical with pockets to fit freezer blocks for initial fermentation cooling.

I trialed a water bath with 500ml ice bottles over the summer. I works but requires monitering and the ice bottles need changing approx every 6 hours, which is no good when I'm out at work. The think I like the look of with the cool brewining bag is that they only need changing every 12 hours at most

 

[BeerGirly]

The Cool Brewing Fermentation Cooler will be available throughout Europe in January! https://www.brouwland.com/nl will carry the product along with the stores that it distributes to :) Cheers!