OVHA Chat

Is this how you got started?
A classic Alton Brown show from August 2007.

Somewhat how we got started, except we use bags for our grains and hops, and 87degrees is a little too warm for pitching yeast isn't it?

ArtCox wrote:87degrees is a little too warm for pitching yeast isn't it?

That depends. Do you want a rubbing alcohol/nail polish remover tasting beverage that is done fermenting in 2 days? If yes, 87 is perfect.
If not, then a little cooler will be better flavored, but take longer fermenting. I've had a wit fermented at 80 degrees that was fine. Lots of phenol esters, but it was characteristically fine.

I shoot for as near to 70 degrees (+ or -) a few degrees, as I can get.

With my "Some Kind of Wheat Stuff" I fermented at 65 degs for 5 days then raised to 72 degs and held for 3 days, My Old Ale has been sitting at 64 for the last 3 weeks, I'm slowly taking it down to 58 to clean it up.
I try all different temps while in the fermentor, just make notes, don't go out of style and sample, sample, sample.

Wasn't this the infamous episode where he boiled the steeping grains? I love Alton, but damn!

Chris Norrick wrote:Wasn't this the infamous episode where he boiled the steeping grains? I love Alton, but damn!

Yes it is. He needed a better teacher before the show or to pick up a grain bag from the brew shop.

Poor fella',probably was just doing his job by having an episode on Homebrewing and did the best he could.May be that he doesn't brew but had to go by whatever advise/info he could muster in an allotted time frame.I still watch his show when I get the chance,though.The man CAN Cook.

If he was wingin' it (and never brewed before)... he did well.