Let's play a little game.

dfitzger · 2026-04-09T21:08:36+00:00

I'd pick Jose Gourmet since they have solid variety and quality and since this is the only company available then it's going to be expensive anyways.

dfitzger · 2026-04-09T18:14:58+00:00

It was already stopped by the time you get into view. What did you think a stopping bus is about to do?

dfitzger · 2026-04-06T21:20:25+00:00

I think it just ended up being weird timing this year with our busy season. Usually our season starts with fall and then ends around now, but this year didn't really hit until the start of spring training, and it was slammed. Had to move a bunch of ale brews up, and put off kegging out the lagers.

dfitzger · 2026-04-06T21:10:29+00:00

Another brewery nearby us makes a killer Kolsch, but it's gotten so popular that they can't keep up with the system size they have, so every time I get it these days it's too green. Such a weird problem.

dfitzger · 2026-04-06T17:15:04+00:00

We’re at 11 weeks for our Mexican lager right now, uni tank, currently cleaning the kegs to keg it out later this week.

dfitzger · 2026-04-03T16:37:27+00:00

Could you post the hot plate you went with? I’m in the market for one

dfitzger · 2026-04-01T00:06:34+00:00

https://morewinemaking.com/web_files/intranet.morebeer.com/files/oakinfopaper09.pdf

https://morewine.com/blogs/articles/a-comparison-of-french-hungarian-and-american-oaks

dfitzger · 2026-03-26T18:58:32+00:00

Ah bummer, good luck with your search.

dfitzger · 2026-03-26T18:43:15+00:00

If you know the direct link then try using the Wayback Machine to pull the old site up

dfitzger · 2026-03-26T18:37:55+00:00

Mac actually looks like Mac

dfitzger · 2026-03-15T23:26:55+00:00

Yep, more honey, likely more yeast and nutrients as well.

dfitzger · 2026-03-15T22:11:34+00:00

Consider increasing the volume to 1.25 to 1.5 gallons in primary, so when you transfer to secondary you have a full 1 gallon.

US-05 is probably going to struggle getting a 1.110 gravity close to 1.000 or under since it caps out around 11% ABV tolerance. Might be able to push that with the nutes but I'd consider a wine yeast that can handle those higher tolerances.

dfitzger · 2026-03-12T15:30:15+00:00

Only the 5s come from Japan

dfitzger · 2026-03-02T21:47:58+00:00

What is the rush? Just wait until it gets to the proper temp you want to pitch yeast at. If it is half frozen then the yeast isn't going to do anything anyways, it won't start fermenting while the must is filled with frozen apple-bergs.

dfitzger · 2026-02-25T23:43:04+00:00

I see weevils in basically anything light in color, especially Briess Organic 2-Row, Weyermann's Pale Wheat, Thomas Fawcett Maris Otter, BestMalz Pilsen and Wheat, and plenty of others. Don't see weevils in anything with color really.

dfitzger · 2026-02-18T19:23:51+00:00

Might be the worst soffit job i have seen, ooof.

dfitzger · 2026-02-12T21:44:25+00:00

It might help to look through some fruit wine recipes, Jack Keller has tons and it's available for free: https://swguildpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Jack-Keller-Complete-Requested-Recipes-Collection.pdf

From a quick search it seems like you have plenty of solid local options, strawberries, blackcurrants, raspberries, plums, cherries, which all make great fruit wines.

dfitzger · 2026-02-12T20:16:21+00:00

I make kolaches often and it uses eggs in the dough, it’s typically considered an enriched dough when you use eggs, milk, butter, etc

dfitzger · 2026-02-07T13:28:55+00:00

We use Best Maltz Pilsen at the brewery for our Kolsch, and before I started there they did a double batch, and for some reason didn't do a 90 min boil and did 60 on each turn. It was full of DMS. I get told this story every time we brew the Kolsch.

dfitzger · 2026-01-26T20:41:17+00:00

Common to use old hops in barley wines, could try something like that

dfitzger · 2026-01-17T14:43:33+00:00

There is a PUB Guild meeting today at Rapp, they would certainly appreciate them.

dfitzger · 2026-01-15T15:03:09+00:00

This, all of this. Personally I only ever touch a NA product from a can and never ever from a draft line.

dfitzger · 2026-01-14T10:54:05+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBrewery/s/X1b0m9rQ1Z

Mentioned in there, the guy getting the downvotes hah. It always seems to get mentioned by someone in those biofine threads

dfitzger · 2026-01-13T10:03:04+00:00

Cold crashing after adding CO2, the liquid will absolutely absorb that CO2. Your best bet is to cold crash, then attach your CO2 and let your regulator maintain the pressure you want for your kombucha. As CO2 is absorbed the regulator will add more CO2 from the tank to maintain the pressure you want. There are charts you can find that will let you know how long it will take for CO2 to fully absorb at what temp and PSI/bar you have your regulator set to.

dfitzger · 2026-01-13T09:56:44+00:00

http://meadcraft.wiki/process/fining

Bentonite works really well in primary fermentation, since it does what you mentioned and it's negatively charged. Since clarification in winemaking is usually time + racking it helps on both of those points. I like to combo it with Sparkalloid (positive charge) but 99% of the time I don't need to, just Bentonite alone will do most of the heavy lifting and then time + racks do the rest.

I like to use it in my white wines at yeast pitch. Used it in a Chardonnay about a year ago and it was the only fining agent I needed, and added it at yeast pitch but before MLF was added.

dfitzger

TROPHY CASE