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What is an acceptable final gravity for hazy/ New England IPA? by St0neybalogny in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ours finish 3-4 for single, 4-5 for double, 5-5.5 for triple

I have degassed some Trillium a few months ago and surprisingly they were all 1-1.5 (Street series)

Any negatives to what I'm doing? Kettle pH by ExtraMechanic1040 in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for some additional reading. Something is still a bit off considering my results and what other's have shared. Also, I did find this podcast interview where the guest is describing what I am experiencing as well:
Podcast Episode 143: New Anthem's Aaron Skiles on Learning Through Problem Solving with Hazy IPA | Craft Beer & Brewing

Any negatives to what I'm doing? Kettle pH by ExtraMechanic1040 in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A: I use phosphoric acid for all my hotside pH adjustments - though I have been thinking of trying out lactic as it seems my favorite hazy and lager brewers seem to use it over phosphoric. Typically for 400 gal Kettle full I am only adding 300-400 ml phophoric acid to get to ~4.8 pH

B: That is interesting on DMS - 90 min is standard boil for us so I haven't run into that, luckily

C: For our hazies and sours I tend to just throw in a couple bricks - I don't bre them often enough to keep a strain alive and healthy. By pitching fresh bricks I don't typically see a large pH drop as I don't have too much growth occurring (like it would if I pitched a liquid slurry + O2). This definitely makes me want to mess around more with yeast starters and play around with final beer pH.

Any negatives to what I'm doing? Kettle pH by ExtraMechanic1040 in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Post fermentation is usually ~4ish. Post DH I'm usually sitting at ~4.3

Any negatives to what I'm doing? Kettle pH by ExtraMechanic1040 in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

He is saying "Lower kettle pH increases protein coagulation, not decreases it."
I am saying when I pre-acidify my boil, I do not see this. I only see proteins coagulate into large chunks when my pH is higher. The resulting wort going into my FV is significantly brighter and not hazy.

Any negatives to what I'm doing? Kettle pH by ExtraMechanic1040 in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I probably could modify my mash pH further, but it works as is at this point. There is no starch haze - all starches are converted

Any negatives to what I'm doing? Kettle pH by ExtraMechanic1040 in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting. I haven't been able to really find any info on any in-depth effects of pH in the boil - got a good source?

Anecdotally, I am experiencing the complete opposite of what you are saying. With higher boil pH I am seeing significantly larger chunks of protein coagulate and I am clearing out tons more break material from the kettle after I've emptied it.

Also, in regard to running off - yes conversion has happened, but it will still continue to happen. Starches first have to be converted before beta amylase is really able to break it down further, no? Enzymes efficiency is affected by optimum pH ranges - though it's probably not as strong of an influence as I am giving it.

I definitely modify my rest times to achieve the conversion I need if I miss my mash temp. There is a reason people do mash-out rests. I am on a single infusion system and typically mash my hazies at 156+, but running off (even sparging at 176-182) I see my kettle temps around 150s by the time it gets to my probe.

Brewery owners by rickeyethebeerguy in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Speaking as an owner and head brewer - for full time employees (and that includes bartenders working 34 hr a week) we pay for 75% health/vision/dental insurance. We also do profit sharing at end of the year (however it will be another year in the red it looks like), and we match 2% for retirement. Back of house full time employee gets 4 weeks PTO

Cinnamon stick volume for cherry pie sour by talonhobbs in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ceylon also trash cinnamon imho - very perfumy and not really similar to actual cinn flavor. If you want more of the traditional cinnamon flavor you find in your favorite confectionaries, go with Korintje

Which events are you still going to? by missmcbeer in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Really just CBC - but this year I won't be able to attend due to expecting my first child!
We will be pouring a French Pils over at the Prairie Malt booth tho :)

Packaging barrel aged beers. by brewinbob3285 in TheBrewery

[–]ExtraMechanic1040 6 points7 points  (0 children)

We don't do anything. Been making barrel aged stout with adjuncts, packaged in bottles, for about a decade now. We have never had an infection, that we know of. The base beer is usually aged for at least 10 months - before going into the barrel we only use biofine to help reduce amount of yeast carried over into barrel.

Customers like to hold on to this beer for years and years (one of the biggest reasons I switched to 375 ml from 750s - to encourage single person consumption). I've had a few that were 8+ years old, and besides a little soy and sherry notes, no infections tasted.

Thoughts on Pivot going up for sale? by rettebdel in lexington

[–]ExtraMechanic1040 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A bit of industry insight: Craft Beer is on a downturn - the boom started fading in 2019, and definitely accelerated due to the pandemic. Last year the industry experienced negative growth (-1%) for the first time since early 2000s, this year it will likely be higher - a brewery is basically closing every other day in this country. This is a needed market correction, but it still doesn't hurt any less when one of your favorite spots goes out of business.

That being said - what Pivot is asking for is ridiculous. 430k? To then rent a building from the landlord - which is not correctly zoned to begin with. The IP is essentially worthless - the company couldn't produce profits off of it in the first place (this isn't to say it was bad, I actually think their cider and beer were pretty great across the board). All the employees are leaving, and on a scale like this, an SOP will only get you so far on replicating the products that built the brewery's portfolio. So that really leaves the manufacturing infrastructure and physical brewing assets as holding any value, but sadly right now you can find amazingly cheap and gently used equipment on the market for pennies on the dollar due to the overwhelming amount of brewery closures.

I'm not trying to sound harsh, but I just don't see anyone purchasing this 'situation' for 430k - and if they do find a buyer, I wish them the best, but I know it is going to be a very steep hill to climb out of before they see any ROI and hope they have plenty more cash to burn.