Comments for steve-wilson.net http://www.steve-wilson.net my personal site and travel log Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:59:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on basic fermenting knowledge, to date by dnielson http://www.steve-wilson.net/2009/12/05/basic-fermenting-knowledge-to-date/comment-page-1/#comment-100 dnielson Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:59:47 +0000 http://www.steve-wilson.net/?p=458#comment-100 Man, that's pretty comprehensive for sure. I'm ready to get started now. You need a video, with rooster, to be complete. Man, that’s pretty comprehensive for sure. I’m ready to get started now. You need a video, with rooster, to be complete.

]]> Comment on cider making by Steve http://www.steve-wilson.net/2009/10/18/cider-making/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Steve Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:34:29 +0000 http://www.steve-wilson.net/?p=428#comment-99 <strong>Three weeks and four days</strong> since I started the cider : I racked the cider today into a clean carboy and, of course, tasted some along the way. I can say with a smile that it is tasting GOOD! It is soo good. It's a "still" cider right now. I want to carbonate some of it. When I bottle it, I just need to mix in 1/4 cup of sugar in the gallon of cider and bottle it. The residual yeast in the cider will naturally carbonate the cider in the bottle. I can't wait to try that! I may leave some of it "still" though. Since starting this batch of cider, I <a href="http://www.steve-wilson.net/2009/11/01/further-fermentation/" rel="nofollow">started some concord grape wine</a>, and another gallon of cider. For the second batch of cider, which I'm calling "Joe's Birthday Cider" because I started it on my brother's birthday, I followed a different recipe more closely this time. The alcohol content should be higher in this next batch. I'm sure I'll post about it, too. Three weeks and four days since I started the cider : I racked the cider today into a clean carboy and, of course, tasted some along the way. I can say with a smile that it is tasting GOOD! It is soo good. It’s a “still” cider right now. I want to carbonate some of it. When I bottle it, I just need to mix in 1/4 cup of sugar in the gallon of cider and bottle it. The residual yeast in the cider will naturally carbonate the cider in the bottle. I can’t wait to try that! I may leave some of it “still” though.

Since starting this batch of cider, I started some concord grape wine, and another gallon of cider. For the second batch of cider, which I’m calling “Joe’s Birthday Cider” because I started it on my brother’s birthday, I followed a different recipe more closely this time. The alcohol content should be higher in this next batch. I’m sure I’ll post about it, too.

]]> Comment on cider making by Steve http://www.steve-wilson.net/2009/10/18/cider-making/comment-page-1/#comment-98 Steve Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:46:26 +0000 http://www.steve-wilson.net/?p=428#comment-98 <b>Update</b> - 72+ hours later : I went back to the brew shop and picked up a few other items yesterday. The cider making instructions had said to rack (a fancy word for transfer, really) the cider into a secondary fermenter (glass carboy) when the specific gravity reached 1.040. It also said 3-5 days. Well ... it was 4 days. So I racked it. With the hydrometer that I bought, I could not test the SG with the hydrometer until it was in the carboy. (I need to buy a 12 - 14" tall <a href="http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4709" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">test jar</a>). After it was all racked, using the fancy auto-siphon that came with the kit, the hydrometer reading showed the SG was exactly 1.040! I took a little taste, and so far it's tasting good. According to the chart with the hydrometer, at SG of 1.040 there is 5.3% of potential alcohol content. Apparently it will remain in the carboy for another three weeks, when the SG should reach 1.000 and fermenting will be complete. Stay tuned! I'll probably start another full post after this update since the next stage will take quite a while. And, since my primary fermenter is free now, I will probably start something else. Maybe some Concord Grape wine since I can get them locally. Or maybe some pear cider. Or maybe just another batch of apple. I did pick up a few items at the brew shop I didn't add to the first batch: pectic enzyme, energizer and champagne yeast. I also didn't add the sugar it called for too ... So the next batch could end up quite different than the first. It's fun experimenting! Update – 72+ hours later : I went back to the brew shop and picked up a few other items yesterday. The cider making instructions had said to rack (a fancy word for transfer, really) the cider into a secondary fermenter (glass carboy) when the specific gravity reached 1.040. It also said 3-5 days. Well … it was 4 days. So I racked it.

With the hydrometer that I bought, I could not test the SG with the hydrometer until it was in the carboy. (I need to buy a 12 – 14″ tall test jar). After it was all racked, using the fancy auto-siphon that came with the kit, the hydrometer reading showed the SG was exactly 1.040!

I took a little taste, and so far it’s tasting good. According to the chart with the hydrometer, at SG of 1.040 there is 5.3% of potential alcohol content. Apparently it will remain in the carboy for another three weeks, when the SG should reach 1.000 and fermenting will be complete.

Stay tuned! I’ll probably start another full post after this update since the next stage will take quite a while. And, since my primary fermenter is free now, I will probably start something else. Maybe some Concord Grape wine since I can get them locally. Or maybe some pear cider. Or maybe just another batch of apple. I did pick up a few items at the brew shop I didn’t add to the first batch: pectic enzyme, energizer and champagne yeast. I also didn’t add the sugar it called for too … So the next batch could end up quite different than the first. It’s fun experimenting!

]]> Comment on cider making by Steve http://www.steve-wilson.net/2009/10/18/cider-making/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Steve Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:37:17 +0000 http://www.steve-wilson.net/?p=428#comment-97 <b>Update</b> - 60 hours later : The airlock in the fermenter is steadily releasing bubbles of CO<sub>2</sub>. Taking a peek in side it's smelling a little fermenty and looks a bit bubbly! It's cool something is happening. Update – 60 hours later : The airlock in the fermenter is steadily releasing bubbles of CO2. Taking a peek in side it’s smelling a little fermenty and looks a bit bubbly! It’s cool something is happening.

]]> Comment on cider making by Steve http://www.steve-wilson.net/2009/10/18/cider-making/comment-page-1/#comment-96 Steve Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:35:00 +0000 http://www.steve-wilson.net/?p=428#comment-96 Thanks, James. The light was just right on the clothes dryer by a window. But I had to wait until a cloud came by to get some nice diffused lighting. <b>Update</b> - 24 hours later : Not much is going on in the fermenter. The airlock is lifting slowly, a hint that something is starting to happen in there. So far my observation is way to much way to often. I'm kinda feeling like a watched pot never boils kinda thing. I wanna see it start fermenting like crazy! Thanks, James. The light was just right on the clothes dryer by a window. But I had to wait until a cloud came by to get some nice diffused lighting.

Update – 24 hours later : Not much is going on in the fermenter. The airlock is lifting slowly, a hint that something is starting to happen in there. So far my observation is way to much way to often. I’m kinda feeling like a watched pot never boils kinda thing. I wanna see it start fermenting like crazy!

]]> Comment on cider making by James http://www.steve-wilson.net/2009/10/18/cider-making/comment-page-1/#comment-95 James Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:28:50 +0000 http://www.steve-wilson.net/?p=428#comment-95 Nice lighting, shadows, setting, and background for these pics. Glad to see the photography minor is going towards the documentation of you getting home brewed drunk ;) Nice lighting, shadows, setting, and background for these pics. Glad to see the photography minor is going towards the documentation of you getting home brewed drunk ;)

]]> Comment on fallen in shitty water by wouter http://www.steve-wilson.net/2007/07/27/fallen-in-shitty-water/comment-page-1/#comment-85 wouter Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:54:39 +0000 http://steve-wilson.net/2007/07/27/fallen-in-shitty-water/#comment-85 Hey Steve, stumbled upon your post. Great to see some pictures and read your comments on what Frilund looked like in 2007. I was one of the apprentices back in 1997/98. Makes me feel a bit melancholic to hear that so little of the production for Helios is left. Had a great time with so many nice people. I should head over for a visit someday. That shouldn't be too difficult, currently I'm wwoofing on a farm nearby. Anyway, thanks for putting your stories online, and good luck with your (?) farm. Best, Wouter Hey Steve,

stumbled upon your post. Great to see some pictures and read your comments on what Frilund looked like in 2007. I was one of the apprentices back in 1997/98. Makes me feel a bit melancholic to hear that so little of the production for Helios is left. Had a great time with so many nice people. I should head over for a visit someday. That shouldn’t be too difficult, currently I’m wwoofing on a farm nearby. Anyway, thanks for putting your stories online, and good luck with your (?) farm.

Best,

Wouter

]]> Comment on it’s like the U2 song … by jmckey http://www.steve-wilson.net/2008/08/19/its-like-the-u2-song/comment-page-1/#comment-81 jmckey Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:34:18 +0000 http://www.steve-wilson.net/?p=231#comment-81 Oh yeah, I also saw that digg.com was looking for web designers. You should apply for the heck of it :) Oh yeah, I also saw that digg.com was looking for web designers. You should apply for the heck of it :)

]]> Comment on it’s like the U2 song … by jmckey http://www.steve-wilson.net/2008/08/19/its-like-the-u2-song/comment-page-1/#comment-80 jmckey Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:33:20 +0000 http://www.steve-wilson.net/?p=231#comment-80 The biggest thing for me was finally finding someone who was fearless about being open with who they were and even open to the possibility of being hurt. So many of get hurt so many times that we mistake the callousness of scars with 'strength'. We think we need to protect ourselves and exposing our feelings and true self is a sign of weakness. The reality, in my opinion, is that true courage (and thereby strength) comes from putting yourself out there and being honest with you who are even if it you KNOW there is a good chance you could get hurt, even when you KNOW exactly how bad it can feel when things take a turn for the worse. I admire your courage in being honest & open not just with yourself but with those around you. Unfortunately, you are a rare breed my friend, and finding others like you can be a challenge. The biggest thing for me was finally finding someone who was fearless about being open with who they were and even open to the possibility of being hurt. So many of get hurt so many times that we mistake the callousness of scars with ’strength’. We think we need to protect ourselves and exposing our feelings and true self is a sign of weakness. The reality, in my opinion, is that true courage (and thereby strength) comes from putting yourself out there and being honest with you who are even if it you KNOW there is a good chance you could get hurt, even when you KNOW exactly how bad it can feel when things take a turn for the worse.

I admire your courage in being honest & open not just with yourself but with those around you. Unfortunately, you are a rare breed my friend, and finding others like you can be a challenge.

]]> Comment on photo decisions by Steve http://www.steve-wilson.net/2008/07/20/photo-decisions/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Steve Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:48:02 +0000 http://www.steve-wilson.net/?p=229#comment-79 Well, I think maybe I'd still upload to flickr, I just wouldn't be organizing anything into sets or collections. Just a photostream! Well, I think maybe I’d still upload to flickr, I just wouldn’t be organizing anything into sets or collections. Just a photostream!

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