Styro-Igloo for Windowsill Lagering

While most people complain and grow weary of our frigid Chicago Winter weather, I am quite pleased. I'll begin to strike up a boring conversation about how my lagers depend on the weather they despise, and how cool my styro-igloo is. Luckily this year has been consistently cold, and it has worked out marvelously.

A space heater thermostat is utilized to control primary fermentation temps in an unheated porch. After the first batch of lager beer is racked into lagering stage, I need a way to control two temperatures in the same space...primary (40's) and lagering (30's-40). The setup for primary temp, basically fills the whole porch with 40°F ambient air. But then I've built a box out of large styro-foam panels (previously packaging material for shelving units) to surround 1 to 3 carboys on a windowsill. Two carboys get a trapezoidal shaped box, and 1 or 3 carboys get a triangular shaped box.

This box is the styro-igloo for lagering beer on a windowsill. One wall of this box is the window. Light guarded carboys rest half-way on the windowsill, and half-way on a section of kitchen cabinet & counter-top. The styro-foam panels are simply held together by light weights like boxes of empty bottles, or books or whatever (not shown in photos) It really works well and keeps consistent lower temperatures.




Take a look at an old post about my first lager to see a picture of the 10-gallon mashtun cooler converted into a lagering icebox.

Going All-Grain

My brother David went to a NOmeansno show back in Spring 2005. After the show, he made his way over to their merch table to see the goods. Among all the albums and t-shirts he found something just a bit unusual…a home made video about making home made beer. Looks like these legendary punk rockers were also big into brewing their own beer! And they were doing it all-grain!

So David bought the video as a bit of a surprise. Its a rad video. It clearly shows the punk rock way to make beer…which is pretty much the same way anyone else would make the stuff, but they’re punk rockers, and infuse the video with their own punk songs about brewing beer. It’s a must see. Oh, the only way you'd see it is to go to their show, or ask me to lend it to you. Thanks to Mr. John Hanson's video, I am now an all-grain brewer.

All-grain brewing totally rocks! The BIG difference is that with all-grain brewing you are in total control of the malt profile (aroma, taste & color) in the finished beer. My experience with malt extract has resulted in a similar “fruity” malt flavor and aroma no matter what style of beer I tried to make. On the contrary, all of the all-grain batches taste completely different, and much closer to what the style calls for. It’s a lot more fun, it requires a better understating of the large variety of malts, and the finished beer tastes loads better.

For our first batch, I decided to go with the recipe they had on the video. Its a light Scottish style, and very simple. This beer came out great!

Johnny's Rockin' Ale
Approx. 4.5%

7.5 lbs. Pale Malt (2-row)
0.5 lbs. Crystal Malt
2.0 oz. Chocolate Malt
2.0 oz. N. Brewer Hops (Pellets), 60min.
Irish Moss & Gypsum
Dry Yeast
Cost: Under $20 (about 30 cents per bottle)

Much like music or art, creative choices implemented within every step of the all-grain procedures provides the opportunity to express myself fully. In the beginning, I had to familiarize myself with it through practice. I was adjusting to the "science" and methodology of it all. After gaining experience with technicalities of many different beer styles, I now understand and appreciate the finer elements/variables. Using the AG method, I'm in total control over how the finished beer will taste. I'm sure bakers, coffee roasters, and other culinary artisans feel similarly. It is really a great feeling. And at this point I see how artistic expression is starting to blend with the practical/scientific element.

AG brewing is surely a more lengthy process, but it's much more fun and rewarding. I especially appreciate the assistance of my brother David and old HS friend Brian Mateja (they are always ready to help out). We're like a team that can easily work through difficulties and tighten productivity. Most of all, the finished beer is usually quite good. Most beers I make don't have outstanding negative traits, but I do have some areas to improve on...mainly malty, hop aroma, and alcoholic presence.

After a couple years of AG brewing, I've become a little more "scientific." It seems to be a natural inclination due to the required attention at every step in the process. After brewing experimental batches, I see how my beers can take on a sort of "artistic" expression. I plan to explore and write about these topics of "science" and "art" as it applies to our beers. I welcome everyone back to read those in the future..

Thanks for checking out my brewing journal. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed putting it together. It's definitely fun writing about brewing in between brewing. I plan on keeping up with it often. I'm also looking forward to changing the scope by periodically adding posts about bread making and fermenting foods such as kimchi, krauts, pickling and kombucha.

Mini-Masher

Last year I got in a bunch of small test batch ales. Some ideas that were too risky to brew a whole 5 gallons. They were all DME base beers with steeped specialty grains. After a number of these 1to2 gallon batches, I noticed the same "fruity" taste and aroma present in almost all of them. I pretty much assumed it was the brand of malt extract, and didn't want anything to do with the stuff anymore. So I started brainstorming ways to brew these experimental batches using a compact all-grain system.

I guess my brain's wheels were spinning ever since I read about how to use a coffee machine for all-grain brewing. I'm sure you all have seen that article at allaboutbeer...right? So I went out to find some used coffee machines, but the capacity was rediculously low.

I went around looking for smaller Rubbermaid coolers, but nobody was carrying them in November. I also had ideas for converting a coffee pump-carafe. After looking up the price for one of these, I nearly choked. I figured I pop my head into a local dusty/dingy resale shop. Luckily I found one. It's a 2.2 liter pump carafe with a small dent on the side. It was all dusty, but the inside glass lining was clean and in great shape. I took it for 6 bucks.

The next step was to attatch some kind of filter to keep the grains from getting sucked up the downtube during the sparge. I thought a pipe cleaner stuffed into the tube would work, but might not have a large enough surface area/diameter to allow good drainage. After a few more designs, I ended up using a copper pipe coupler with the .75 inch end attatched to the downtube and the 1.25 inch end falling in between the very end of the downtube and the bottom of the glass lining (literally about 1/8th inch from the bottom).

The first filter was a 4-ply cheese cloth tightly tied onto the end. It was fairly difficult to push the pump lever down to get liquid out. I slowly pumped out about 1-2 cups, and then filled the carafe with more hot sparge water...and kept repeating this process until the final volume was obtained.

The second filter was from a stainless screen bent and tied around the end of the coupler. I also drilled 8 small holes into the coupler for more flow. I also got a continual sparge by raising the carafe and attatching a drain tube ending below the intake of the downtube. This time sparging was continuous. Pumping was only used to get the "syphon" going.

These carafes are designed to hold hot temperatures for a long time, and it rested perfectly never dropping a degree. I simply mash in like I would with full batches. The downtube is not inside during the mash process so as to stir the grains, check temperature, and pull ph and conversion samples. The downtube is inserted right before sparging.

The capacity of this 2.2 liter carafe is about 1-1.25 lbs of grain. Not a whole lot, but it makes for a fairly simple experimental batch system.

My first use for this thing was for an all-grain yeast starter for a double-decoction Munich Dunkel brewed in December 2006. The gravity of the starter (I believe it was 2.5 liters) came out right about 1.040. It fermented very well. The whole starter (yeast + liquid) was added to the Dunkel wort.

The Munich Dunkel is finished and quite drinkable now. It has a subtle and enjoyable "grainy" taste to it, that is completely unique to any other beer I've made. It was the first time I did a double decoction mash, so I'm not sure if it was the decoction procedure or the starter. But, the slight grainy quality blends well with the slight sweetness and low bitterness. Overall it is a well balanced lager.

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1. Downtube & coupler fitted with plastic tube spacers

2. Coupler with stainless screen bent & tied on

3. Carafe & drain tube positioned above collection vessel

4. Complete system

First Lager

Back in 2002, my good friend from HS enlisted in the army as an Intelligence Analyst. For about two years he was stationed outside a small town southeast of Munich called Bad Ibling. Naturally, drinking the finest German/Bavarian lagers was infused into nearly every social event. He enjoyed classic Munich Helles, Dunkels, Octoberfest, and local strong fest beers. I managed to visit him there, and pretty much marveled at his fortunate circumstances.

After I heard Brian returned home, we got back in touch. He was impressed by my new hobby of home brewing, and started helping out. So I asked him what style he would like to brew. Then he mentioned the beer he was so accustomed to drinking…the one and only Munich Helles (specifically...Augustiner Brau Lagerbier Hell). I said…I hadn’t brewed a lager before, but the pale lager style is what I wanted to brew in the very beginning (specifically a hoppy pilsner).

Since the brew date was scheduled for January 7th 2006, I thought…"the weather is cold enough, so why not?" So I quickly brainstormed how to regulate the primary and secondary fermentation temperatures. A space heater thermostat would keep a consistent primary temperature out in the porch. For maintaining lager temperatures, I thought about turning my ten gallon Rubbermaid mashtun into an icebox. I then fabricated a Styrofoam lid that fit perfectly around the neck of the secondary 5-gallon carboy. By weighing it down with books, it creates a tight insulated lid. Over the course of a week I slowly added more and more ice. It worked perfectly.

My first attempt at a good clean pale Munch lager was a complete success. It’s still one of Brian's and my favorites. Unfortunately a whole year would pass until I could brew another one. Since then I’ve become much more attracted to tasting/drinking lagers. I feel like lagers provide just as much room for experimentation as does the brewing of ales. This winter season I am getting in about 19 gallons of lager beer. (Munich Dunkel, Schwartzbier, Bohemian/Czech Pilsner, and four 1 gallon experimentals)

Overall, brewing lager beers has been a rewarding experience. I totally recommend it. It doesn’t take a whole lot to maintain cold temperatures during the winter season (well...in the northern zones). And the end result is well worth the time and energy. It definitely provides a nice break/alternative to normally brewing ales throughout the rest of the year.

Munich Helles – 1st Lager
Brewed January 7 & Bottled March 5th 2006
Lagered 1.5 months at 32-35*F
Utilized a diacetyl rest

Grains:
10 lb. 2-row malt
.5 lb. Cara-Pils
.25 lb. Flaked Wheat

Hops:
.75 oz. Hallertau 60min
.50 oz. Hallertau 40min
.50 oz. Hallertau 20min

Yeast:
2308 - Munich Lager

Results:
Having never brewed a lager before, I didn't know what to expect. Brian said it tasted just like his favorite session beer back in Germany. It was a very clean tasting pale gold lager with good malt character and low subtle bitterness. It finished just a bit sweet. It's great head retention and carbonation helped create a sense of dryness. It was very clear and thrist quenching. Overall, we were quite impressed. The only regret is only brewing 5 gallons of it. I didn't take accurate measurements so...
Approx. OG = 1.046
Approx. FG = 1.012
Approx. ABV = 4.4%
Approx. IBU = 19