American Strong Ale | Tapcooler Counter Pressure Bottle Filler

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Wow talk about Murphy's LAW!!! LOL The struggle is REAL! Love that Tap cooler. hands down the easiest way to bottle a couple of bottles or a whole keg. I have found special B will add some "fruit type" flavors and aroma to that style of beer. It gets more apparent with age too. Cheers Martin! 👍🍻

[@Unsub-Me-Now]

that's interesting. I'll have to remember that.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@Unsub-Me-Now yes not only cherries but a raisin or fig flavor as well.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Now the real challenge - to let it age and see if those fruity favors develop. Must. Not. Drain. Keg.

[@thndrpnts]

I made an Arrogant Bastard Clone with 10% special b and 4% cara-120, remaining percentage being 2 row. I'd probably dial back on that special b the next time I make it, making it equal to the cara-120. It turned out pretty good, though!

[@Unsub-Me-Now]

@@TheHomebrewChallenge you didn't complete that sentence. I'll help . . . Must. Not. Drain. Keg. In. To. Mouth!

[@mattb6124]

Oh man, lots of those packages at the beginning have me super excited for future videos. They look exactly like the packages that showed up on my porch a few days after cyber Monday as well!!! It'll be a month or two before my spike system is running, bit super pumped to see what you do with yours! Cheers! Keep making the awesome content Martin!

[@Kaesekuchen002]

I love that Lauren has such a weirdly specific description of what she tastes in the beer. Reminds me of when I had this barrel aged quad and described the flavor in a similar way. Around here in Germany we have those chocolate-coated gingerbread hearts that have some filling in the middle. It's a bit like jam, kinda mushy, very sweet. I described the flavor I got as that. My friends called me insane.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Oh we will have to remember “chocolate coated gingerbread heart filling” as a descriptor for when I do a quad 🙂

[@tedschuurmans]

Interesting beer ! :-) I also decreased the distance between the rollers with 0.1mm and it really "woke up" my efficiency.

[@poisonpotato1]

I saw somewhere that a picnic tap with a bottle filler and a stopper could work

[@gregbiehn8280]

Great video! Thanks for featuring the counter pressure filler. I've been thinking of getting one.

[@glleon80517]

Translation from Queen’s English to American English: Naught means Zero! Props to Lauren for the expert nose!

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

😂 👑

[@JoeGraves24]

Great job Martin! Wow that looks good. Cant wait for some of the upcoming styles. Saving the best for last!

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

I’m so excited for some of these. Have literally been waiting 2 years

[@albahathri]

Finally gone from number 1 beer to current beer in 9 days. Must congratulate you Martin on such a great effort and quality piece of work and something I think homebrewers will refer to as a reference in years to come. A couple of questions: 1. What happened to the condenser? It sounded in theory a perfect solution to brewing in a basement. Eager to understand your experience as I am looking to pull a trigger on one for my Brewtools B40. although my reservation is about killing polar bears due to the water wastage. 2. Sparging - why the non sparge method? You miust have done some research here as to why to drop sparging even though this goes against the current system best practices for these all in one systems. I am starting to query why I sparge when it is clearly very ineffiicient as I have been "vorlaufing" the poor grain for an hour already. I then sparge 10 litres and it runs through in 5 minutes and doubt this is actually doing much. 3. Why the dropping of the Unibrau ? It seemed a great system. Maybe there needs to be a fresh rethink on how to best use these electric all in one systems and break away revisiting the 3V system blueprint methods which may or may not be relevant any more. Sounds like a book / website you could write. I am happy to help with tasting :-) As I know you love tech. I highly recommend you trial a Brewtools. Handcrafted in Norway by Viking virgins and just oozes quality and innovation. Every brewday just brings a big smile. I am sure they would love to use your channel to promote their stuff and maybe a chance for another few patents to break the record with like minded people. Off to make a Rye IPA and a Tropical Stout. Thanks for the inspiration. Best wishes to you, Lauren and family over the Christmas period and beyond from a fellow Hog (Gosport - the crappest town in Hampshire)

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Wow, 9 days, hats off to you! I couldn't get through 3 videos before getting completely sick of me! To answer your Qs: 1. I still have the condenser and have some plans for it in future. 2. The folks at Clawhammer Supply told me no sparge is needed. And I'm all for skipping a step or two. 3. It is a great system, no complaints from me. I'm working with the folks at Clawhammer now hence the switch. That Brewtools systems looks interesting. Techie. Good luck with the IPA and stout. Happy holidays as they say in these parts!

[@tylerb6081]

Wonder if the Sim-rillo made things go a little oddball sweet fruit or perhaps a yeast interaction? Although, never used Special B and people below mentioned it might be a source. I did a Cascade-Chinook Barleywine (MO/C40/Honey Malt / Brown Sugar) with M44 yeast that turned into an American Strong Ale due to poor mash efficiency and was a nice balance of spice/pine/citrus leaning on the 'strong' malty backbone.

[@TheBruSho]

Ive noticed more dough balls with a finer grind but I do get a better efficiency, either way looks like a great beer!

[@Unsub-Me-Now]

Same! However, if you condition your grain before a fine milling the husks don't disintegrate.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Oh cool, condition as in give the grains a spray with water?

[@Unsub-Me-Now]

@@TheHomebrewChallenge First off, you are truly inspiring. I love your channel. Anyway, you'll want to spray your grains in warm (recommended like 150f - 158f) water mixing well while spraying. Use about 2% of your grain weight of water. So if you have 10lbs of grain, you'll want to spray .2lbs of water on the grains. Mix the grains to ensure they absorb all of the water. It will be sticky at first but eventually, they will just feel slightly moist, then you know your grains are ready to mill. Caution, only use this on barley. Wheat, Rye, Oats, Rice, Corn, and other grains will gunk up your rollers.

[@jafarym77]

With that high gravity brew, how long did you let it age before start drinking it?

[@MrPhillian]

Going to hunt down that Tapcooler bottle filter in Australia. Cheers.

[@nickrobertshaw9692]

i reckon it looks like a tedious way to fill bottles.

[@tapcoolertapcooler8894]

@@nickrobertshaw9692 Use the hands free and keg connector when filling many bottles: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pprcaH2lZ856bpo

[@ElementaryBrewingCo]

Another great video! Question about your ball lock tap set up. I currently just have picnic taps set up off my kegs but would like to fill bottles with a tap cooler. What parts do I need to set up that handy little ball lock tap connector? Thanks in advance!

[@Unsub-Me-Now]

You would need a ball lock connector, a forward sealing tap, a beer faucet to ball lock adapter. Adventures in home brewing sells the adapter needed --> www.homebrewing.org/Adapter-to-Connect-Faucet-to-Quick-Disconnect_p_2650.html

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

That’s the answer. Thanks!

[@nickrobertshaw9692]

Martin you have a pretty well equipped brewery yet still using a drill for the mill ? go find a cheap bread maker and use the motor and drive belt/pulleys to power the mill.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Nice idea.

[@pdubb9754]

Strong American hopped beer featuring prominent dose of Special B looks like a riff on an Arrogant Bastard. The Special B is the most likely source of the noted fruitiness.

[@shawndaley5907]

How much water do you start with? Seems like 3 or 4 gallons but you never show you adding any water.

[@nordlands8798]

7:00 I think you are supposed to pressurize the bottle with the CO2 before you open the tap, otherwise you will get some extra foam in the beginning. If you are going to fill several bottles the keg should also have a CO2 supply. Check out Sarah Flora's video kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXbFZXend7qDqdU

[@gregmorris2022]

How do you regulate the pressure in the keg? I’m assuming this device is intended as a quick way to fill a couple bottles. Guessing its not intended for bottling an entire keg.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Right. Could use a separate gas hookup for the keg if need be.

[@richiegg123]

Great vids Martin, Iv learned loads from you already, just started homebrewing.. You didn't by any chance used to live in Southampton area did you? The more I watch the vids the more I'm sure I recognize you...

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Well now I’m curious 🙂. Yes originally from Southampton.

[@richiegg123]

The Homebrew Challenge I thought it was you, Paul’s brother if I’m not correct? It’s been bugging me all week I kept thinking you have a familiar face, I went to applemore. We’re you in sea scouts or Cubs at Hythe many years back too. I may have made that last bit up it’s been many years lol.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Oh wow yes, that’s me! What a crazy coincidence. What’s your name?

[@richiegg123]

The Homebrew Challenge sorry I did reply a few weeks back but it seems it didn’t send. My names Richard Guy-Gibbens, done a few brews now but not having much success with them, the brewing is ok and then fermentation, I leave it for 2 weeks in the bucket but then I think as I have no co2 or anything to put it in the keg I think it’s getting too much air, I only make ringwood razor back style beers but the last two just have not worked out.

[@JusBrewing]

how long do you think the beer is good for when bottling this way? The typical 3 days or is it longer since there's almost no oxygen in it?

[@nordlands8798]

If you do it properly and cap on foam it should last as long or longer than bottle carbonated beer. Much of the beer in stores is filled this way in automated machines.

[@amarillohomebrewing4602]

I have Barley Wines bottled this way 4 years ago and have aged very well and still carbonated.

[@JusBrewing]

@@amarillohomebrewing4602 sounds like a worth while investment! Cheers!

[@davidbeiler6364]

i love this style of beer, how did you come up with your hop schedule? I used chinook at 60, 45 and 0, and used citra at 15. i am going to do this again but with your recipe and substitute some of the fruity hops w/ citra

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Sounds good to me.

[@davidbeiler6364]

@@TheHomebrewChallenge great generic response....

[@carlosh8113]

Did you smack the pack?

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Always!

[@kodydubarry4827]

Could you theoretically fill a growler with the tap cooler?

[@Unsub-Me-Now]

absolutely!

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

For sure.

[@TheAlchemistsBrewery]

When I do a step mash in BIAB I have higher efficiency...

[@iliffavenuebrewhouse6496]

I think Lauren is getting those cherry, dark fruit notes from the large amount of special b in this beer. I use about 1/4# in my strong however I have fermented with black cherry juice with great results. Ha!

[@atomictyler]

Agreed. 6% of special B is a large amount. A little of that goes a long ways!

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

So she wasn’t just making it up! 🤔

[@atomictyler]

@@TheHomebrewChallenge I certainly have friends that do not like special B. It's one of those ingredients that some people just can't stand, like smoked malts.

[@jakubkubinsky8627]

The moment you went to put that tap on the keg I was like man, make sure its clo... ok, never mind. Happened to me few times too.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Haha yeah not the first time.

[@davidbeiler6364]

where the weight on the dumbells?

[@abboirie4680]

What was the final gravity?

[@xander1052]

says at 11:48, 1.011.

[@redsideburnz]

That drill is so overkill! Even for a BIG beer like this! 😂

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

😎

[@alexanderstahlner583]

Mr. Maris Otter using 2-row instead didn't expect that haha

[@bugagaify]

coool!

[@donluidzi8916]

Hi Martin, great video same as usual. To be honest every week I'm waiting for a next one anyway.... Up to now you have brewed few styles which could improve with age, as we all know. My question is do you have any of them left ??? For example Baltic Porter my favourite style this time a year. If you do it would be nice to see how good them are now. Take care mate... 😎

[@Unsub-Me-Now]

he's got a swimming pool full of beer by now.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Yes I have been saving some of the styles for tasting further down the line.

[@donluidzi8916]

@@TheHomebrewChallenge Xmas special maybe 🤔🎉🎉🎉

[@thndrpnts]

Plug for Atlantic Brew Supply: they will double mill grains for you!

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

They will indeed!

[@johnsikking4891]

Martin for your crush, crush to dust to get your efficiency.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

So even finer then..

[@johnsikking4891]

Let the beer age a bit more time and it taste will mature. A bit more time like a month or two.

[@sergiobogarin4452]

Faltaría que lo subtitulen al español

[@HW1984]

Hahahaha that intro..........!