re: Homebrewing Thread: Volume II

I ordered some hop Rhizomes yesterday. Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook. Anyone else grow their own? I can't decide if i want to start them in 5 gallon buckets first or go ahead and make a planter bed for them. Anyone with any experience growing?

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I planted mine at the back of my raised vegetable garden bed. I also planted some in 10 gallon containers but those seem to die off every 2 or 3 years. I have a total of about 5 plants and don't get enough production out of those to do much with. I get about 4-5 oz total of whole cone per year.

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I thought i remembered seeing some hop bines in past pictures you've posted. My rhizomes are coming in 3 packs, so planning on planting them in a 16'x3' Landscape timber bed in the backyard. Looking at doing one of the designs below.

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Ive just got a frame on my raised bed I used to tack plastic on to create a greenhouse in the winter. I tie twine to it when the bines start growing.

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I've read that the bines grow to the sun. I won't be able to make a super tall trellis without it looking strange, so i was thinking of having my trellis about 10' tall, then running the lines to the back fence that is another 5-10' away. However, the line would be running away from the sun towards the fence. Would the bines not make it that direction?

Thanks Zapp

So this is the reading after dropping the tilt. Now my regular hydrometer read 1.062 @ 65degrees. I’m wondering if some of the residual starsan foam may be messing with the tilt reading? I guess I’ll find out once the foam dissipates.

What kind of fermenter are you using?

I had a plastic small mouth that would prevent the tilt from tilting too much so my reading was off. Switched to a bucket and it was spot on for OG.

Also did you call before use or verify 1.000 in pure water?

First time I used it mine was off to start but still showed the plateau at the end of fermentation. To me that is what mattered and the temp.

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It’s nice in theory and gives you the general idea when the beer is done but I don’t find it very accurate. It definitely beats taking samples every few days.

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Yeah, not sure how accurate it is. I brewed the beer saturday, pitched the yeast around 3. As of 7 am this morning (16 hours) it's down to 1.020? Doesn't seem like 16 hours would account for 85% of the fermentation. However, this is the first time i'm monitoring FG closely. Usually i take an SG reading, and don't take another reading until the final dry hop, or sometimes, a day before i am kegging.

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Anyone brew a Canebrake wheat ale clone? I like the taste of it. Other wheats (dunkel, hefs, etc) have a noticeable banana aroma that I dont care for but Canebrake is an exception , at least to my tastebuds.

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Well, you're talking 2 different styles. A German Hefe is supposed to have banana/clove esters/phenols. An American Wheat is a bit different, and then you also add in cane sugar syrup which gives it a unique taste.

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water:grain ratio sparge volumes

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Water:grain ratio/sparge volume is more of an indication of your brewing setup and your efficiency, not really style dependent unless you are doing decoction or turbid mashes.

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temps, time, etc etc etc. Any advice appreciated.

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For a wheat ale, i'd aim at an FG around 1.012 or maybe even a little higher. Cane brake has a good bit of residual sweetness though some of that could be from the cane syrup.

What brewing software are you using? I'd highly suggest beersmith, if you aren't already using it.

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Are you in Louisiana growing neomex? I'm reading up on growing my own hops. I've heard Chinook, and Cascade do well down here.

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I missed this post. I'm in Nashville. I've grown both Cascade and Centennial when I lived in New Orleans.

On your pictures of trellis inspiration, don't plant them as close as shown in that first picture. You're just asking for a mildew problem, especially in LA where it rains every day during peak growing season. You're going to want AM sun and not PM sun, if it can be avoided. The LA heat is brutal on hops and you want all the help you can get keeping them coolish in the afternoon.