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[EAGLE1]

I always used whole hops, buy just what I need, sometimes had a little extra, wrap them up tight and freeze, but only for a few weeks. Pellets are usually stronger, but I just always used whole hops, just thought it was easier to strain after the boil. Mt. Hood and centennial are also a good bittering hops, but I like the spice aftertaste of cascade.

I also MUST use whole leaf hops or the consequences are devastating as I once found out. The pellet will clog the screen I use in the bottom of my boiler, really sucks to be forced to dump 10 gal of wort into buckets and pour it through a strainer. The leaf also creates a great filter bed at the bottom of the screen, leaving behind the hot & cold breaks and any suspended hop particles

[Talon]

Also a lot of protens cling to the hops when you filter through them.

Craig

[EAGLE1]

Boulder, CO - Monday, February 23, 2009 - The Brewers Association, which tabulates industry growth data for U.S. breweries, announced that today's small independent craft brewers are gaining alcohol market share due to a shift toward full flavor beer and increased support for local breweries. From 2007 to 2008, estimated sales by craft brewers were up 5.8 percent by volume and 10.5 percent in dollars¹. Overall share of the beer category from craft brewers was 4.0 percent of production and 6.3 percent of retail sales. More than 1 million new barrels of beer were sold in 2008, and close to half of those barrels were beer from craft brewers.

"2008 was a historic year for beer with the large brewers consolidating and imports losing share, while the top ten selling beer brands dropped in sales. At the same time, small independent craft brewers continued to gain share and attention," said Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association.

With total U.S. beer being more than a $100 billion industry, the Brewers Association estimates the actual dollar sales from craft brewers in 2008 were $6.34 billion, up from $5.74 billion in 2007. Taxable barrels of the total beer category was 1,210,018 more in 2008 with craft brewers producing 473,364 of those barrels. Total craft brewer barrels for 2008 was 8,596,971, up from 8,123,607 barrels in 2007.

Beer's popularity as America's favorite fermented beverage continued in 2008 with Gallup stating "beer is back to a double-digit lead over wine." Taking into account the challenges in today's economy, BevincoNielsen released a survey showing beer was faring better than spirits, with wine lagging. The Brewers Association emphasized trading across from wine and spirits to beer continues, with some of today's wine drinkers discovering the affordable enjoyment and rewards of craft beer.

These increases in share and barrels for craft brewers come at a time when, according to the Brewers Association, the cost of operating a small brewery increased over 39 percent in the period of November 2007 to November 2008. The Brewers Association states that today's craft brewers face many challenges including:

Access to ingredients and raw materials
Increased pricing for materials and supplies
Access to market (competition for shelf space at the retail level)

[Talon]

 

Now all we need it the return of the corner pub!!!!!

[EAGLE1]

Now all we need it the return of the corner pub!!!!!

we have a corner pub called the Oasis, the place caters to the connoisseur , he has about 20 taps with only top shelf micro's, he works from the 100 Best of BeerAdvocate.  He rotates them around and always has a Two for one Beer of the night......how cool is that 

[RJ749]

From the pics section Deschutes does brew a number of lines Talon:

Year Round Brews
 Black Butte Porter
Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Inversion IPA
Green Lakes Organic
Obsidian Stout
Bachelor ESB
Cascade Ale

Seasonal Ales
 Buzzsaw Brown
Cinder Cone Red
Twilight Ale
Jubelale

Bond Street Series
 Hop Trip
Hop Henge

Reserve Series
 The Dissident
Black Butte XX
The Abyss
Mirror Mirror

Check them out online:  http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/default.aspx

[Talon]

From the pics section Deschutes does brew a number of lines Talon:

Year Round Brews
 Black Butte Porter
Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Inversion IPA
Green Lakes Organic
Obsidian Stout
Bachelor ESBCascade Ale
Seasonal Ales
 Buzzsaw Brown
Cinder Cone Red
Twilight Ale
Jubelale

Bond Street Series
 Hop Trip
Hop Henge

Reserve Series
 The Dissident
Black Butte XX
The Abyss
Mirror Mirror

Check them out online:  http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/default.aspx

I have checked their site, not sure why. I'd like to try most, but the ones I really want to try are in bold above! The Abyss, is like the stout I brewed to taste like it was conditioned in a oak whiskey barrel.

[Robmay]

I also MUST use whole leaf hops or the consequences are devastating as I once found out. The pellet will clog the screen I use in the bottom of my boiler, really sucks to be forced to dump 10 gal of wort into buckets and pour it through a strainer. The leaf also creates a great filter bed at the bottom of the screen, leaving behind the hot & cold breaks and any suspended hop particles

I had one of those false bottoms in mine but removed it after my initial mash on my new system last brew. It let too much grain thru. I just have a copper pick up tube in my boiler set to the outside at the bottom. This leaves about one gallon at the bottom of the converted keg (BK) so my trub stays at the bottom and not in my carboy.

Mash tun - new "false bottom"


Boil Kettle (BK) - cant really tell it in the picture but the end of the tube is right against the bottom.

[Talon]

Ha! found it! Went to the store I knew had the biggest selection of beers and the have several Deschutes brews, none of the specialty ones though. Those are usually only local. Really good, nice malt/coffee/chocolate taste, I like it. Now if I could only find the Abyss, maybe they'll order it for me?

[RJ749]

Ha! found it! Went to the store I knew had the biggest selection of beers and the have several Deschutes brews, none of the specialty ones though. Those are usually only local. Really good, nice malt/coffee/chocolate taste, I like it. Now if I could only find the Abyss, maybe they'll order it for me?

 

I like that, a man of action!

[EAGLE1]

I had one of those false bottoms in mine but removed it after my initial mash on my new system last brew. It let too much grain thru. I just have a copper pick up tube in my boiler set to the outside at the bottom. This leaves about one gallon at the bottom of the converted keg (BK) so my trub stays at the bottom and not in my carboy.

Mash tun - new "false bottom"


Boil Kettle (BK) - cant really tell it in the picture but the end of the tube is right against the bottom.

you don't have any kind of screen at all out of your boiler, and are willing to leave behind a gallon of the swweet nectar    sorry bro way too much work to leave anything behind, I cant agree with you on that technique. I prefer using leaf hop anyway, so I let it do all my filtering and nothing but a few ounces gets left behind.

I use the same screen in my mash tun as well, yea some grain get through while I'm mashing but when I'm done I pull out the mixer and recirculate very slowly until the grain bed sets and creates a natural filter as well. then the run to the boiler is crystal clear, I would not have it any other way.

[Robmay]

I knew when I posted that you were gonna say that about leaving that gallon behind!!

I start with 13-14 gallons pre boil, boil down to 11, leave one behind which is mostly gunk anyway and come away with 10 gallons. If I didn't leave behind a gallon, I would start with 12-13 gallons at pre-boil, and come away with.....10 gallons. So I'm not sure I see anything wrong with that. Just less junk in my trunk! 

[Talon]

If you were doing 5 gal that would be a lot, but for the amount your brewing agree, mostly trub, and if you get a lot of that in you fermenter it breaks down and can lead to bad taste and fusel alcohol which causes head aches! Same happens with dead yeast, that's why it's good to rerack after the vigorous fermintation has subsided for a day or two. Really like that system you build Rob. 

Craig

[EAGLE1]

I knew when I posted that you were gonna say that about leaving that gallon behind!!

I start with 13-14 gallons pre boil, boil down to 11, leave one behind which is mostly gunk anyway and come away with 10 gallons. If I didn't leave behind a gallon, I would start with 12-13 gallons at pre-boil, and come away with.....10 gallons. So I'm not sure I see anything wrong with that. Just less junk in my trunk! 

well now your calling it junk, which is better than calling it trub, because trub actually refers to the layer of sediment that appears at the bottom of the fermenter after yeast has completed the bulk of the fermentation, It is composed mainly of heavy fats, proteins and inactive yeast. what you are talking about is in the bottom of your boiler and I can assure you that what you have is mostly the pelletized hops you use, because I do not have this junk in the bottom of my boiler when I'm done, I just have a nice layer of leaf  hops and the coagulated proteins (hot & cold Break), which is usually less than a half inch or so above the hop layer. So your waste (junk) is due to the pellet hops you use which makes this green mush pie at the bottom of your boiler, which is one of the main reasons I hate them. Try a batch with strictly leaf hop and you will see a big difference in the amount of junk in your trunk 

[Robmay]

If you were doing 5 gal that would be a lot, but for the amount your brewing agree, mostly trub, and if you get a lot of that in you fermenter it breaks down and can lead to bad taste and fusel alcohol which causes head aches! Same happens with dead yeast, that's why it's good to rerack after the vigorous fermintation has subsided for a day or two. Really like that system you build Rob. 

Craig

Thanks Craig. You know I have never done a secondary fermentation but something has been gnawing at me to at least try it. I always leave mine alone on the primary for 2-3 weeks then rack. I have the ability tocold crash it for 48 hours before I rack it so that clears it real good.