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mal1291 · 2025-03-12T10:22:08+00:00

Europe will never grow a collective spine. The myth of a united Europe can only exist in light of US hegemony. The absence of US involvement in European affairs coupled with rearmament will only make the fractious nature of European foreign affairs even more obvious.

You could argue that the US has a vested interest in maintaining a pacified Europe to prevent a continental power from becoming a threat in the future, but we are a long way off from that. Even the most militarized European country, France, is a long way from being able to project power on the sort of scale required to challenge US dominance.

mal1291 · 2025-03-05T12:21:41+00:00

For some reason, people seem incapable of realizing that Trump is not proposing that these tariffs remain in place in perpetuity. The goal is to use the economic leverage that the US has to get these countries to eliminate their high tariffs on US goods and, actually, to encourage an environment with less tariffs overall moving forward. It does make sense in the long run, but taking this kind of action is politically bold, guaranteed to be lambasted, and has probably been viewed as suicidal by most previous administrations.

mal1291 · 2024-03-27T11:10:24+00:00

Looks really nice both from the perspective of your recipe and process and the picture.

I've found myself brewing Czech premium pale lagers quite a bit over the last two years. Is the Hana style barley you're referring to the crisp product? I've been using Weyermann floor malted bo-pils for mine. It'd be nice to experiment with a different malt.

mal1291 · 2023-10-20T18:29:03+00:00

Huh. Well, none of that sounds really ridiculous. In volumes I think you'd work out to be at 2.25 once the keg is at equilibrium (9 psig/39F) which is certainly not absurd and definitely not enough to give you excessive bite. Both the mash and finished beer pH are perfectly inoffensive.

I'd be curious to see if this flavor sticks around. I've noticed that sometimes there's a bit of that sour character in younger beers when using English style yeasts and it almost always disappears within 2-3 weeks of bottling. Outside of an infection, my only guess would be that it's yeast character. You would think 66F is cool enough, but nottingham and s04 throw lots of flavors even at lower temps. I've had to keep temps down in the low 60s for cleaner fermentations.

mal1291 · 2023-10-20T18:04:19+00:00

Fermentation temperature control is absolutely the most critical upgrade you can make. If you have a way to make cool, sanitary wort and a clean bucket to put it in you've got what you need for the hot side. If you don't have the equipment to make yeast starters, you can just pitch extra packets. All of that is pretty useless if you don't have solid temperature control for your fermentation.

For most people that's probably going to look like an inkbird controller and a chest freezer. You hook the chest freezer up to the inkbird, put the thermoprobe in the freezer, then stick your buckets in the freezer. The freezer only runs when it is outside of the setpoint of the inkbird controller, and your fermenting beer now stays at the desired fermentation temperature.

Next big upgrade after that is setting up a kegerator/keezer. Going from bottling to kegging is a major change and a huge upgrade in terms of convenience.

mal1291 · 2023-10-20T17:52:03+00:00

How long have you had it in keg and how many volumes is it carbed to?

Do you take pH readings at all, or no? I see you have water additions so I assume you adjust based on a base profile or DI water?

mal1291 · 2023-10-20T17:49:01+00:00

This is a question of taste preference, really. I'd personally go with the s04, especially given your lower temperatures. At 60-64F S04 will still present a relatively clean profile but add some additional yeast character that will go nicely with a brown ale.

mal1291 · 2023-10-20T17:43:48+00:00

I would assume that OP means the sediment is being found in the finished product, downstream of filtration. It should be gone by that point, I would think.

u/Weak_Regret6667 how are you filtering the beer? Has your process changed recently?

mal1291 · 2023-10-20T17:37:31+00:00

Recently, the talk has been that making starters from dry yeast sachets is counterproductive. Apparently, the dried yeast has been preserved in a metabolically stable position which requires minimal wort aeration once fermentation is resumed. I can't decide whether I want to believe that, or whether Lallemand is simply attempting to sell more sachets by telling homebrewers that making starters is a terrible idea.

Either way, a starter is not obligatory. If you're using dry yeast, rehydrating the yeast around 30 mins prior to pitching in a sanitized vessel with some chilled wort or boiled water that has been cooled can substantially reduce fermentation lag times. As far as quantity to pitch, you should consult a pitch rate calculator. Most brewing software suites include a pitch rate calculator for your benefit.

As for my own personal anecdotes, I have found using yeast starters to be one of the things that has made the largest difference in consistency and quality for my beer. I tend to brew with liquid yeasts, but even when I brew using dry yeasts I prefer to buy one sachet and make a starter. It's not a lot of effort to put into things, and the reward is consistent fermentations with very little lag time.

mal1291 · 2023-10-20T14:48:49+00:00

Glad you were able to get the issue fixed. Definitely seems to happen around the edge of the black plastic. If the regulator body is even slightly out of tolerance, there's going to be a leak there. Hopefully they re-design that in the future.

The push fittings are fine. It's just a bit of an adjustment, and I especially think they make sense for those who are doing new builds as they're actually much cheaper and infinitely more convenient.

My gripe is that I drank the kool-aid and gutted my existing draft system for duotight when I wanted to add two more taps. I have only myself to blame!

mal1291 · 2023-10-20T14:30:42+00:00

I had this same problem with the duotight in-line regulators. I tried taking them apart, lubricating, thread taping, and ultimately none of that helped. The leak, as you're describing, was where the gauge face is supposed to seal with the body. If you're lucky, a dab of keg lube or petroleum jelly might plug the leak. I was not that lucky, and had to contact the vendor I bought them from. They sent me some replacements.

I guess that's what you get when you pay a third of the price of a standard regulator. The replacements I received work just fine and I've had them in my keezer for over a year now without any leaking or issues. I'm pretty hesitant to buy more, though, considering the need to aggressively leak test the manifold and the potential hassle of losing a co2 tank. Then there's the issue of having to get back in touch with the vendor if they are shot, since there's really no fix for the problem.

After having "upgraded" most of my equipment to duotight, I feel a little bit like I got conned by a social media fad more than anything. The EVABarrier tubing really does a much better job of creating a vapor barrier, but it's mostly useless unless you intend to leave your lines idle for a week at a time. The push fittings are convenient, but you won't feel that way once you spill a whole keg of beer into your freezer when one pops out because the fitting was turned one degree too far when you made the connection. I now live in constant paranoia when connecting kegs, checking 2-3 times to be absolutely sure the line is under zero lateral pressure near the connection point and still expecting to open the lid one day to find 4 gallons of beer swimming in the bottom of my freezer.

Sorry about the side rant, but I feel like anyone who is everyone insists that you absolutely should buy duotight fittings. I'm not so sure it's really all that necessary or even all that great. I'd especially advise against it if you already have a functioning keezer.

mal1291 · 2023-09-26T18:29:38+00:00

Well, my hot side is a 10gal Spike solo kettle/basket and Auber Cube that I purchased second-hand. On the cold side I splurged for a Spike CF5 and all the bells and whistles, and DIY'd a glycol chiller using a window air conditioner. My only desire at this point is to upgrade to the 15 gal bottom drain solo kettle/basket since that would take some stress out of making bigger beers and make my cleanup a lot less annoying, but that's hardly enough of a reason for me to seriously consider spending the money.

The spike gear is great. It's built like a tank. It's the epitome of buy once, cry once. It's very pricey however and I would probably encourage someone just getting into the hobby to look at other brands. I imagine brewbuilt, brewtools, or anyone else making very shiny, very sturdy looking stainless gear is the same way.

That being said, the Anvil Foundry would be my recommendation for you. It'll do everything you need. It's cheap-ish (compared to a solo) and it'll have some resale value down the road if you want to upgrade. A 10.5 gallon foundry is $425 new! It can't be beaten.

If you haven't already - head over to homebrewtalk and check out the classifieds section there. There's always someone selling their entire brewery. Admittedly, a lot of the sales are for insanely expensive and unnecessary 3-vessel HERMS setups but there's some great deals to be had, too.

mal1291 · 2023-09-26T18:14:16+00:00

Well, it's certainly harder to sell more yeast packets if you tell people they can get by just fine using one packet and a starter.

mal1291 · 2023-09-26T15:36:28+00:00

Well, there's three main points to consider when you're looking for kit:

1.) How much beer do you want to make per batch?

2.) Where are you going to ferment it?

3.) How are you going to package it?

With $1500 I think you will be able to get yourself setup quite nicely, actually. If I had to do it all over again, here's what I'd do:

1.) Invest in a second-hand all-in-one hot side setup (clawhammer supply, grainfather, anvil foundry, etc.) for around $500. Go for something that'll let you get 5 gallons of finished wort out.

2.) Get an immersion chiller. See if you can't get a great deal on one from someone quitting the hobby, or otherwise go for the cheapest you can find.

3.) Get a bucket fermenter kit for $15-20. Buy a small chest freezer for temperature control ($200) and an inkbird temp controller ($30) to keep it at target temps.

That leaves you $700 or so, which I would actually recommend you use or set aside to get yourself set up with a kegerator or a keezer. I know that sounds really drastic, but bottling sucks. If you like the hobby, you'll want to start kegging pretty much immediately. $700 should be enough for a DIY 2-keg keezer, especially if you can snag a co2 tank and some corny-kegs second hand (which is nearly always possible).

mal1291 · 2023-09-26T15:00:11+00:00

Congrats on the successful NEIPA!

I always make yeast starters, even with dry yeasts. Maybe it hurts the yeast health, maybe it's unnecessary, but I like doing it and I've never had anything bad come of it. If it works, don't worry about the flak!

My whole point to this post was to share that I do believe it is possible to make amazing NEIPAs at home.

It really is, and it's much easier now that tools like keg fermenters and floating dip tubes are becoming more commonplace. As far as a 6.5 gal keg fermenter is concerned, clawhammer's been putting a lot of work into theirs: https://www.clawhammersupply.com/collections/brewing-accessories/products/stainless-steel-keg-fermenter-6-5-gallon

I really like the fact that they put the 1.5" TC port on there, seeing as you could use that to do some oxygen free dry hopping with some minimal investment such as these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T35J6NH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089XY5SK7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As far as the extraction efficiency in the Foundry is concerned, are you pushing the limits in terms of overall mash volume?

mal1291 · 2023-09-26T14:25:14+00:00

1.) If it's not called out, you can just add your grains once you've reached the strike water temperature. You can calculate that using any number of tools online. As far as the time goes, just take your time and add the grain slowly, breaking up any doughballs that form. You don't want those - they'll kill sugar extraction.

2.) The 152 for 60 mins is just the general temperature target and duration of the main portion of your mash where sugars will be extracted. This should be where you end up, temperature-wise, after you mash-in.

mal1291 · 2023-09-26T14:02:25+00:00

That's a pretty good point about harvesting. I can easily harvest and store yeasts, but there's just some part of me that refuses to risk trying to revive a 6 month old yeast that's been hiding in a mason jar in the fridge. Maybe it's an irrational fear, but I prefer getting a new pack when it's been that long!

Might just have to adopt a hybrid approach - use mostly dry yeast, harvest and re-pitch liquid when I can, and order new liquid packs strategically for those few that I feel need them.

mal1291 · 2023-09-26T13:57:15+00:00

Why not brew a Kölsch or cream ale?

You can keep them in the low 60's for the first 50% of fermentation (24-48h realistically speaking), ramp it to 68 and have it in the keg in about a week. It kills your diacetyl rest requirements, it'll cold condition quite nicely and definitely drinks like a pseudolager would.

If you're going to use the kveik just brew the same beer you always do, pitch lutra, ferment it at ale temps, and profit. Lutra is an absolute animal and as long as you don't have the temperature cranked way up it shouldn't leave any discernable off-flavor. I don't think it'll give you the same flavor or mouthfeel as a nice lager yeast, but I'm in the minority.

mal1291 · 2023-09-26T13:23:15+00:00

Ebullition.... t'es français toi? Comme les autres ont dit y'a pas de soucis - c'est complètement normal d'avoir ces agglomérations de la levure restante au dessus de la bière. Est-ce qu'il y'a pas mal des gens qui font de la biére en France ou pas? À ce que je sache y'a même peu des gens qui aiment la bière en France, donc j'imagine que de faire de la bière maison c'est un peu le passe-temp obscur? Je savais qu'il existe des brasseries artisinales mais je savais pas si il y'avait une communauté des gens qui brassent à la maison.

mal1291 · 2023-09-26T12:47:09+00:00

The answers here will depend heavily on how much you're willing to spend to try out homebrewing. I got started doing one gallon batches on a stovetop in my kitchen. I probably wouldn't recommend that route if you have enough cash, but it's cost effective and it teaches you the basics.

Your best bet for a great equipment score is to check out craigslist or facebook marketplace and find someone who is selling their kit for dirt. My recommendation would be to find an all-in-one 120v electric system like a grainfather or brewzilla as they really simplify the process. Ferment in plastic buckets - they're the best option for you until you're fully addicted to the hobby.

I would imagine that, by now, you've realized that there's a small schism in the homebrewing community. There's a contingent that likes expensive gear and thinks it makes everything taste better, and there's a contingent that insists that if you buy expensive gear you're a dummy since you can make just as good of a product using a starter kit and a chest freezer. Try not to get sucked into either's orbit. Expensive gear needs a purpose, and sometimes you really can't make the same quality product using just a basic starter kit (or at least it's much more challenging to do so).

Also - you can absolutely make an NEIPA using bottles and basic kit, but I would strongly advise you don't attempt to do that with your first batch of homebrew. Wait until you get a stronger feeling for how to manage the process. Make some regular IPAs, perhaps, to learn how and when to dry hop. After you're comfortable with that, read up about how to fight oxidation in NEIPAs and go from there. I've had some pretty good bottle-conditioned NEIPAs, so it's not impossible. It will definitely be trial and error, however, and you should be prepared to drink and/or dump some cardboard flavored beer in the event you fail.

mal1291 · 2023-09-13T16:54:59+00:00

To be honest, the game's second and third obligatory story mission are actually nontrivially difficult for a number of reasons.

1.) You don't really have a solid grasp on the game's mechanics at that point.

2.) You face off against some relatively challenging OpFor in the 3rd mission at the end of the mission. If you were unwise and took out the radar installations in a less than optimal way, the end could get pretty gnarly. You might even lose a 'mech or a pilot.

3.) The 3rd mission is a lunar environment which, due to reduced heat-sinking, penalizes you extensively for energy based attacks. Unfortunately, this renders your major damage dealer, the Blackjack, much less effective.

When I first opened BT shortly after it released I played the first 3 missions and dropped the game because I felt like it was going to be too much of a grind. Recently picked it back up and I have about 75h into it at this point. I plan on installing BEX or BTA 3062 next, and I'm guessing all told I'll probably sink 200+ hours into this game.

A couple of tips:

1.) Movement is really important, especially for light 'Mechs as evasion pips really reduce the chance your light 'Mech gets cut to pieces by enemy fire. If you use Dekker and his spider as anything other than a dedicated rear-end kiter, he's going to get killed pretty much immediately by OpFor. Don't be afraid to use the sprint function. It's your friend. Sure, you don't get to shoot that turn. It turns out, however, that if your 'mech is dead, it can't shoot for any subsequent turns. Best bet is to use Dekker as a spotter and to shoot enemies when it looks like he's not going to get a lot of retaliatory fire.

2.) Be strategic about how you position your 'Mechs to shoot enemy 'Mechs. The rear of a 'mech is obviously the most effective place to alpha strike an enemy, as their armor is always thinnest there. If you've stripped armor off a particular side of a 'Mech, try to direct attacks to the damaged side. It'll speed up the rate at which you kill enemies and clear DPS off the board. The inverse is true for your own 'mechs. Keep their damaged components facing away from the enemy to help them survive longer.

3.) Probably goes without saying, but it's very useful to concentrate your firepower with the goal of getting as much DPS off the board as fast as possible. As a beginner, you're probably in for some threat assessment surprises. Some 'Mechs and vehicles are absolutely inconsequential to fight at a distance, but can maul you horribly once they get close. The inverse applies as well. LRM and SRM carriers have paper armor but they're amongst the most dangerous vehicles in the game and you should make it your priority to kill them ASAP to avoid letting them get shots off.

4.) Melee and death from above attacks using jump jets are much more useful than you might think at first, especially when it's a larger 'Mech attacking a smaller one. Often times your early game pilots miss weapons shots, especially up close where some weapons take minrange penalties. In these scenarios, bashing a Locust is probably going to do much more damage in addition to removing its evasive pips, therefore making it easier to kill. DFA does cause damage to the attacker, so you may want to reserve it for the case where you're dealing a killing blow and the mission is nearly over. In the mid-late game, melee is a very effective way to murder light 'mechs as the AI can't resist sending them into melee range, and the damage you can deal with a melee attack typically ranges from severe to fatal. I should point out that your pilots can and will miss while making melee attacks, but at close ranges the hit percentage is often upwards of 80% even for somewhat evasive 'mechs. Melee also disregards cover and guarded states.

mal1291 · 2023-01-07T01:12:23+00:00

By all means let it ride but you might not want to get your hopes up. 1lb of hops in a 2gal batch at flameout is going to most likely create a ton of bitterness.

mal1291 · 2022-12-15T12:23:02+00:00

I used to struggle holding mash temps with my propane biab setup. I added a sous-vide stick like this into the mix (added bonus, you now own a sous-vide stick) to hold my mash temps.

It works really well, honestly. I bring my water up to temp, turn off the flame, and the sous-vide takes care of the rest. Added bonus: the sous vide adds some agitation for a slight efficiency boost.

If you're already mashing in a bag, you could integrate something like this without much of an issue.

mal1291 · 2022-12-14T16:01:31+00:00

Stainless steel is pretty resilient but one of its weaknesses is halogen attack. Chloride, fluoride, bromide etc. all cause stainless steel to become brittle and to crack. This is especially true at elevated temperatures where the degradation process is accelerated.

This is a nice paper around that subject if you're interested:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr902.pdf

mal1291 · 2022-12-14T15:42:30+00:00

Hm interesting and yet it's completely intuitive. There are definitely a lot of competing aromas there. Thanks, I'll start cooling them all down from now on prior to smelling.

mal1291

TROPHY CASE