 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/17/2012(UTC)
Posts: 118
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"Howdy,I pulled the trigger on the PSII HC 15 gal yesterday, I am soo ready to do this! While im waiting on the ""setup"" i thought id make some wort. I have decided on the birdwatcher recipe that Bayou-Ruler posted...seems simple enough to start with.
My question is what type of water to use in my fermentor? I dont live near a crik in east tennessee so that option is out....I DID catch about 100 gallons of rain water yesterday in barrels. Or do i use tap water to ferment? I've seen on here people speak of the PH, am i gonna have to check it on the rainwater/tap water ? What PH is reccomended?
What else am i forgetting???
Thanks all!"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/17/2012(UTC)
Posts: 118
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"Thanks for the speedy reply BW, I have a turkey fryer that has never been used, I'm thinkin usin it with some concrete tiles coverin the sides to hold in the heat and keep it off my legs. I'm gonna start small, like a 4 gallon run first, so if i mess anything up it wont be a huge ordeal.
If you will indulge me, what kind of yeast have you tried?? I notice everyone has an opinion, the lady I spoke with at BH said use turbo, but I see on here where it leaves a bad?? taste.
I have been lurking around on here about a month and when I decided to do this I joined so I could ask a few dumb questions. I'll have plenty more as this plays out.
Thanks"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/6/2012(UTC)
Posts: 29
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i am also waiting on the PSII. From some of the posts I wonder how long that will be, so i havent started a ferment yet. How did you collect your rain water? just curious cause i do that for my garden and trees. I wouldnt use mine unless it was filtered,boiled, etc, it comes off the roof, gutters etc, and all kinds of stuff gets in there. im going with the TF propane burner also. like the idea of surrounding it with blocks to keep wind out and heat in. Good luck! J
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/17/2012(UTC)
Posts: 118
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"Hey flip, seems we in the same boat, lets hope it isnt too long a wait. I stretched a tarp from the gazebo to the patio, kinda felt like bear grilys, and caught the water. I didnt think it would fill one 55 gall barrel, but it filled two! I printed a recipe from the net which called for rainwater, thats why i did it...i may be wasting time and effort, not sure. I also heard the water makes all the difference for scotch, whiskeys, etc, so im wondering if it makes a big difference w/ shine? It seems flouride, chloride, and whatever they put in tap water couldnt be good for shine...but maybe im wrong.
HOPEFULLY, one of the knowledgeable guys on here will ring in and lemme know if im pissin up a rope!"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/6/2012(UTC)
Posts: 29
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good idea on the tarp setup. I remember driving with the grandparents during summer vacation and grandpa would stop at all the spring pipes dumping water located on the side of the mountains. good water back then. i also have a buddy that runs cattle. didnt think of it before but he has a ton of srpings on the property, some that feed the ranch house too. that might be worth a shot. nothing added, but who knows how ground water is now. i drank a lot of it while working on the ranch, and im ok, well i think i am:)
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/6/2012(UTC)
Posts: 29
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and you know what fish do in water right?
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
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I used to be on a Western Fire Detail Team that got sent out west to fight wild fires and whenever we were on line and would come across alittle babbling brook, we all wanted to try it but all the bosses would say no-no-no cause theres bacterial funk growing in that water. Its kinda like going to Mexico-- THEY --can drink it but we sure as hell should'nt. That germ is called Geardia (i think thats how its spelled) even the cattle can consume it but if ya dont want the screamin squirts ya better leave it be. 
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/17/2012(UTC)
Posts: 118
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"Thanks Flip and BW for the info, I think I'll try regular ole bread yeast for my first batch, then move up to distillers yeast when I get more comfortable with my set up. I also am gonna try rainwater for the first run, then tap water, see what happens and what is different....this could be like a high school science project, I better break out my lab coat and goggles....but the coat wont fit anymore!!!
Yea I recall as a kid we would drive out to see dads friends who lived in the STICKS! Along the way you topped a hill and in the ditch was a small cottonwood tree marking a spring with the coolest tastiest water ever crossed your lips. A rusty can hung in the tree and someone would dig a hole in the sand so the water would settle. MAN! That brings back memories!!
Thanks all"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/17/2012(UTC)
Posts: 118
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"Well I chickened out on the bread yeast, I found a local brew store and went in tellin the guy i need some yeast for mead, he sold me a cpl packets of ec-1118. I have a 4 gallon batch of tomato paste, sugar, and water in the kitchen right now, cooling off to 78 degrees to pitch the yeast. I followed the directions on the back of the packet, have the yeast in a cup of warm water re-hydrating. I put some frozen water bottles in to help cool the wash...i dont wanna sit around all day waiting for it to cool...i'll keep you posted on the results.
The guy at austin homebrew said to add half my sugar now, then 1/4 in 2 days, then the last in 2 days....im gonna try it and see what happens.
Wish me luck!"
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