**Official Champagne Project Thread**

Message

Blktre · #1 Post by **Blktre** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 6:44 pm

Ive messed around with a few Belgian recipes and so far i like how they have turned out. So, here is what i propose.....and my thoughts.

1) For consistency, i would like the batches to brewed on one system using the same stock of grains. I have on hand some Franco-Belgian Pils malt i feel would work as most the base. So, a buy in on the ingriedents and utilities like the last barrel brew seems like it would work best.

2) Each member will need to supply their own champagne bottles. They arent real expensive, but they will need to be a certian size in order for the disengorgement and uncorking to work. We also need to make sure on the neck size of the bottles that a crown cap will fit and then this will help with cork size too. If some need to buy bottles, i think it would be better to do a bulk buy so the bottles are the same for everyone.

3) The bottles will ned to be riddled every few days and a rack holding multiple bottles can be made so the bottles can be tilted togther at the same time so the sediment collects consistently for all the bottles.

4) I think 2 10g batches to start off with doing a light and a dark beer would be best. These beers can be brewed on the same day or reletivaly within a week or two so the batches can mature at the same time. This also allows making disengorgement go faster and easier to plan.

5) Which brings me to the conclusion that the project needs to be centered in one location. So i volunteer my basement and my rig. I work like 10 days a month and can keep a watchful eye out during the months long of riddling.

Heres the old list of folks wanting to do this and we will need to figure out ways or rounds to get everyone involved. We will also need to figure out a max. number of people per 10g. So far......
Andy
Steve Bradt
John
Jarrell
Chuck
Shane
Dustin
Matt

Please express your interest rather quickly as i can see this round filling fast...

Question, thoughts, and so forth.........

Snowman · #2 Post by **Snowman** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 7:28 am

Andy

I still want in. Willing to do what ever is needed to pull this of successfully. More than happy to lend wood working skills and make the riddling rack.

Jarrell

Greenblood · #3 Post by **Greenblood** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:20 am

Andy,
Any chance of getting a contact from the falcons for ordering magnum champagne bottles? I have had a lot of trouble finding them when I have looked in the past. I immagine that shipping will be a killer, so we may just want to use 750ml champagne bottles, but still worth looking into.

Cheers

John

Blktre · #4 Post by **Blktre** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:29 am

John,
Drew gave me a source already. Its in Cali. and that source seemed like thats all he could find too. Ill ask him again. Yea, i think a few magnums would be cool. I dont think i will do all of my cut in magnums but 1 would be nice, well, maybe 2

Greenblood · #5 Post by **Greenblood** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:21 pm

That was kinda what I was thinkin. We can split up a case or two of magnums among the group so everybody can have one or two, and then use regular champagne bottles for everything else.

John

bike2brew · #6 Post by **bike2brew** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 7:19 am

Andy

Would it be possible to get just one regular champagne bottle out of each batch????

Snowman · #7 Post by **Snowman** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 7:58 am

I'm sure this idea makes riddling difficult but IMO I'd rather have something smallish like 1/4 bottles...special brew savor it! I'll go with a couple magnums for the cool factor and the sharing at a special occasion. Heck I'm just glad to be able to do this...regular champagne bottles it is.

BJ1833 · #8 Post by **BJ1833** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 3:33 pm

I'd like in on this too.

I have a handful of 750 champagne bottles and one magnum.

Bill · #9 Post by **Bill** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 3:48 pm

Count me in. I would love to see this process in action!

Blktre · #10 Post by **Blktre** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 9:41 am

Snowman wrote:I'm sure this idea makes riddling difficult but IMO I'd rather have something smallish like 1/4 bottles...special brew savor it! I'll go with a couple magnums for the cool factor and the sharing at a special occasion. Heck I'm just glad to be able to do this...regular champagne bottles it is.

Not gonna work. Drew reccomends the smallest as 750ml. As disengorgement and popping to serve theres a loss. Also you wont get much of the champagne effect using smaller bottles.

Blktre · #11 Post by **Blktre** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 9:52 am

bike2brew wrote:Andy

Would it be possible to get just one regular champagne bottle out of each batch????

not sure....that will be determined by how many can be in a round, which i havent done the quick math yet. That could cause a odd number. And if thats the case, then we would have to ask somebody to give up a bottle. Ill let you know how the numbers work out.

bike2brew · #12 Post by **bike2brew** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 1:58 pm

Andy - Never mind.

Blktre wrote:
bike2brew wrote:Andy

Would it be possible to get just one regular champagne bottle out of each batch????
not sure....that will be determined by how many can be in a round, which i havent done the quick math yet. That could cause a odd number. And if thats the case, then we would have to ask somebody to give up a bottle. Ill let you know how the numbers work out.

Blktre · #13 Post by **Blktre** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:48 pm

Got the yeast and gonna start propping it up next week. I think it will be important to do a smaller beer first then use the cultivated cake for the project. I will have enuff yeast to do 20g.....i will be posting recipes soon to see if ya like......

Greenblood · #14 Post by **Greenblood** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:10 pm

Awesome! Keep us popsted on how things go!

John

Jensen · #15 Post by **Jensen** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 10:33 pm

If there is any room I'd love in.... If not, I'd still like to watch.... I can squeeze myself in a closet real well...