Product Spotlight: The Anvil Brewing Kettle

By Mark Iacopelli

The holiday season is a great time for homebrewers. The seasonal brews are wonderful and Saint Nick is here to bring you those much needed upgrades to your brewing system.

If you have been thinking of making the leap to all-grain brewing and need a bigger pot, want to expand your existing system or would like to transition into electric brewing, the new Anvil Brewing kettle is perfect.

Anvil Brewing Equipment is a sister company to Blichmann Engineering. Their goal is to bring Blichmann quality and durability into a price range that is more accessible. Despite the lower price point almost nothing was taken away, and a couple features added. Stainless steel ball valve, thermometer, laser etched volume markings and dip tube all come standard with this kettle.

This kettle is also clad with induction capable stainless steel allowing you to do electric brewing more safely and inexpensively. The typical route for electric brewing is to drill a number of holes into your pot and install electric heating coils which get in the way of stirring and are difficult to clean. For about $80 on Amazon you can get an 1800w portable induction top and you’re immediately set up for up to 7-gallon boils for 5-gallon batches.

Another unique feature with this kettle is that it doubles as a fermentor. A hole in the lid allows for a grommet and airlock to be used, and the rim can be covered with a silicone seal. This means all you need to do is cool the beer down and pitch your yeast — no transfer necessary.

At Siciliano’s we currently carry the 10-gallon model for $249.99. We can also order in 5.5-gallon through 20-gallon versions by request.

Bootleg Biology Yeast Wrangling Kits, Now Available

Kits now available at Siciliano's

By Max Spencer

Whether we know it or not, microbes impact almost every aspect of our existence upon this rock we call home. Most people go about their daily lives never giving a thought to the tiny microscopic critters all about and within them. As homebrewers, we must forego this ignorance in favor of understanding and utilizing the metabolic processes that yeast provides us. Yeast, that holiest of microbes, is what enables us to make the beer we love so much. Without yeast our brewing efforts would amount to unpalatable hop soda. On the flip side, adding hops to beer and our preoccupation with sanitation techniques are designed to prevent other microbes from finding their way into our beer, though they need not always be excluded. Microbes are at the core of our hobby.

As a lover of all things biology and homebrewing, I am thrilled that we will be carrying Yeast Wrangling Kits from Bootleg Biology™. The Wrangling Kit allows you to capture wild yeast and other microbes from a variety of environmental sources with three main methods: open air capture, putting fruit, flowers and so on into test tubes, and using cotton swabs. It also contains everything needed to then culture and isolate microbes from these wild fermentations. The kit and methods involved are very approachable and do not require a science background to undertake. Additionally, if you’re a little nervous using wild microbes the kit is also capable of isolating microbes from the bottle dredges in your favorite beers!

The components of the Wrangling Kits

The Bootleg Biology website has useful articles in the DIY section on how to capture, cultivate and isolate wild yeast using the materials provided in the kit. This section is worth glancing at before and after making a purchase as it breaks down the methods involved into clear and easy to understand steps. Jeff Mello, Chief Yeast Wrangler, also takes the time to respond to any questions sent his way via his email in the contact section on the company website.

We carry the Yeast Wrangling Kit for $60.00 + tax and agar plate and agar blend refill kits for $30.00 + tax.

INCLUDED IN THE KIT:

• ½ Gallon mason jar (for open air capture and making starters)
• 4 Cheesecloth covers for the mason jar
• 10 Agar plates (for culturing / isolating)
• 18g Agar blend
• 1’ x 2” Parafilm (seals agar plates)
• 6 Test tubes (for collecting from fruit, flowers, etc.)
• 6 Plastic pipettes
• 4 packets of 2 sterile cotton swabs
• 1 Paper clip
• 2 Fermetrics™ stickers (fermentation trackers)
• One pre-paid contributor pack (to submit yeast to the database)

Be sure to keep an eye out for Part II of this blog post (coming soon) to read about Jeff’s inspiration and his advice for homebrewers looking to use the kit. Until then, happy wrangling!

Matt's Chats: The Right Yeast for Summer Brewing

By Matt Ross

I still have not acquired a fermentation chamber so for the time being my fermentation temperature continues to remain at the will of the weather. Fortunately summer is my favorite time to brew. It is now warm and consistent enough that I can ferment with Belgian yeast in the heat and also use American yeast in the cooler areas of my home. There are a few things I have learned over the years that have generally improved the quality of my brews.

First off, fermentation temperature is one of the most crucial things throughout the entire brewing process. It can be difficult to ballpark ambient temp. At my current location I have what I consider a warm spot and a cooler spot. One thing I do to get a better idea of temperature consistency is leave a glass of water in the room I plan to ferment in. I will periodically check the temp with a trusted thermometer at different times to see what sort of variations may occur. I typically base the beer I am making off the temperature ranges observed.

This weather has finally turned a corner. I mentioned that I love fermenting with saison yeast and the season is upon us. The 3711 from Wyeast is their French saison yeast and is one of my personal favorites. There are a couple of things worth mentioning about this yeast. First it is an absolute beast that attenuates very high, particularly under warmer temperatures. This yeast produces spicy peppery esters that when paired with a simple malt build create a bold yet refreshing beverage.

The next thing I do is a pretty common practice that never fails to get funny looks but is worthy of mentioning regardless. The fermentation process produces small amounts of heat. To encourage consistent temperatures, I usually wrap my vessels as an added form of insulation. There is no better way to get curious eyebrow raise from a new houseguest than to have a bucket wrapped in old clothing sitting in the corner of your room. As a side bonus, this helps to prevent light from reaching the beer as well.

As a follow up to the last fermentation discussion, I have been taking my own advice and fermenting within my means. I made a rye beer using smoked malt and the Wyeast 1007 German Ale yeast. All in all it is a clean finishing ale yeast that can ferment cooler. My primary fermentation occurred around 59 degrees and was shockingly aggressive. It was my first time using that yeast and it will be added to the lineup of winter/spring yeasts.

For those of you who share my temperature control issues I've included a list of yeast (see below) that are versatile and don’t mind moderate heat. Come in and share your experiences with seasonal brewing with any of us at Siciliano’s Market. Brew on.

• Wyeast 3711 French Saison
• WLP 550 Belgian Ale
• Danstar Belle Saison
• Wyeast 1010 American Wheat
• WLP 400 Belgian Wit Ale

Misadventures in Homebrewing: Safe and Sane on Brew Day

By Matt Ross

I try to learn from my mistakes and not repeat them. Unfortunately, most mistakes on brew day are beer related since, as we all know, you must drink beer to make beer. Most rules start after someone did something regrettable. (Ever wonder why there are signs surrounding electric fences reminding you not to touch them?) My regrettable moment: I connected my corny keg to an open faucet and pushed beer all over my feet and floor. Now I don’t drink beer until I am done with the boil.

I digress. Not all of my mistakes are that dramatic and more often than not they turn out fine. I suppose the purpose behind this blog post is to laugh at myself and point out avoidable pitfalls to help your brew day run without a hitch. 

• If you are using glass anything, do not leave it in your murky Star San. I broke a lab thermometer (filled with mercury) in a plastic fermenter filled with sanitizer. It is now a compost bucket.
• Never ferment 5 gallons of wort in a 5-gallon glass carboy unless you have a blow-off tube. This one is pretty self-explanatory.
• If you have a boil pot with a valve and screen, be aware of protein production and the power of Irish moss. I clogged my screen while making a beer that was 40% rye and using a Whirlfloc tablet. It was a mess. 

A large portion of brewing is controlling variables to the best of your ability. Sometimes life intervenes and you’re caught with your pants down. Moments like these are humbling and make me sympathize with Homer Simpson (D'oh!). My stories are mostly laughable but as brewers we are responsible for gallons of boiling wort and powerful chemicals, which is to say: Be safe and brew smart.

Used Whiskey Barrels, Available Now at Siciliano's

Brace yourselves, folks. Barrels are back at Siciliano’s — for a limited time.

By Joe Potter

KBS. Bourbon County. Dragon’s Milk. No Rules — You know the beers. You know you want to clone them. Now, here’s your chance.

By a stroke of luck, Siciliano’s has acquired a very limited quantity of ex-whiskey barrels, retired by Journeyman Distillery of Three Oaks and Breuckelen Distilling of NYC. The barrels are 15 and 25 gallons in size, and are available for $175 on a first-come-first-serve basis.

However, if you’re like me, before you go out and drop $175, you want a little background info on barrels and what to expect:

First off, these barrels will need to be rehydrated before their first use. When a barrel is empty, the wood dries out and shrinks, causing leaks. When filled, the wood swells and the barrel becomes watertight again. To rehydrate a barrel, you can take it outside and fill it with clean water for a day, being sure to periodically replace water lost to leaking, evaporation or absorption by the wood. Alternatively, hot water can be used to speed up the process. If you don’t intend to fill the barrel with beer right away, a holding solution of 0.6 oz citric acid and 2 oz potassium metabisulfite (both available at Siciliano's) per gallon can be used to keep the barrel wet and promote sterility.  

Secondly, these are charred barrels that have previously housed cask-strength distillate of ~120 proof. This means they (theoretically) are sterile and free of any funkifying microorganisms.
However, if you would like to sanitize the barrel prior to use, I would strongly advise AGAINST using a burning sulfur stick (which is a common practice for treating wine barrels). The extremely high proof of the spirit leaves flammable alcohol vapors inside the barrel, and exposing them to an open flame could effectively create a bomb. If you do feel the need to clean and sanitize the barrel before use, I’d recommend a liquid-based method such as Barolkleen and Star San to avoid an explosion/fire/great personal harm.

Third, it’s important to note that barrels do have a shelf life (sort of, depending on what you’re into). Many homebrewers find that after one to three uses of a retired barrel, the beer stops pulling spirit character. Imparted oakiness will also diminish with use. Further, even with regular cleaning and sanitation between batches, many homebrewers note a perceptible tartness in their beer after a few barrel fills. This is due to wild yeast and bacteria which have begun to take hold inside the cask. It is, therefore, a common practice to age one or two “clean” beers in the barrel before retiring it as a souring vessel. If you’re a sour fan, that’s great news — you can get a couple batches of BBA beers and then continue to use the barrel for your funky beers. If you’re not into funk, sell your barrel to someone who is when you no longer have use for it. Everybody wins!

(At this point, a curious homebrewer might ask, “Isn’t it possible, that once a barrel stops imparting spirit flavor, one could simply refill it with high proof whiskey, replenishing its spirit character and wiping out any souring microbes harbored inside?” My answer is, “I think so?” It seems to me that it would be possible to “refurbish” a barrel by refilling it with distillate, but unless you or someone you know is running a still, that could prove expensive and impractical.)
 
A barrel-ager should also be aware that liquid can be lost from the inside of a cask due to evaporation and absorption by the wood. A practice called “topping up” is required to refill the lost space inside the barrel in order to prevent oxidation. A similar beer should be used for this, or you may even experiment with using a cheap whiskey. One could even employ a sort of solera system where, for example, five gallons of beer are removed from the barrel for consumption/bottling and 6 gallons of freshly brewed beer enter for aging. This mixing of both old and new is common for sherries and ports.

One final note: with these barrels being smaller than the standard 55-gallon cask used in most commercial operations, the ratio of barrel surface area to volume is much higher. This means that barrel will impart spirit and wood characters much more quickly (as little as a few months), and frequent sampling should be performed to avoid overdoing it.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Brew on.