Ask The Experts: Denny Conn

General Homebrew Discussion
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AHA Governing Committee member and AHA Forum & BrewTechTalk Moderator is now taking questions on batch sparging equipment and techniques through October 24 for the AHA’s Ask The Experts.

Questions need to be submitted to: asktheexperts@brewersassociation.org

Answers will be posted within a couple of weeks after the completion of the submission period. You will need to be registered as an AHA member on HomebrewersAssociation.org to access the posted questions and answers.

You can see the Q & A from our past guest experts at www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/lets-brew/ask-the-experts.

Denny’s Bio
Denny Conn has been homebrewing for more than 14 years in the foothills of the Coast Range Mountains in Oregon. He is an audio engineer by trade, but that’s just to finance the brewing. Denny did about six extract batches before switching to all-grain and discovering the “Cheap’n’Easy” batch sparge brewing technique. He’s a BJCP National Judge and his Rye IPA recipe has been brewed both by Rogue Ales in the U.S. and Olfabrikken in Denmark. He also has written articles for brewing magazines, is a frequent contributor to many internet beer discussion forums and was a speaker at the 2008 and 2010 AHA conferences. He’s the Tech Tsar of the Cascade Brewers Society, based in Eugene, Ore.

Thanks for taking this on Denny!

Cheers!
Gary

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Denny who?  ;D

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This guy?

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I didn’t know his first name was Denny  ;D

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Is that the guy with the cooler and braid thing? A pragmatic sort of fellow I understand.

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Isn’t the AHA forum always an “ask Denny Conn” forum?

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I saw his picture in Zymurgy a couple of issues ago.  He must be buying hair gel by the barrel to keep this look going.  Where’s his tie?  ;D

Paul

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Denny Conn Noonien Singh

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Dear Denny,

What was the thinking behind changing your avatar from George Carlin to that guy from Spinal Tap?

Your adoring fan,

James

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BAWAHAHAHA!!! Too damn funny!!!

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Dear Denny:

I want to make a passion fruit wheat honey ale with Ringwood yeast.  What temperature should I ferment the beer to maximize the fruity esters?

Your friend,
chumley

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Dear Chumster,

As you realize, you’re brewing one of my favorite styles with my all time favorite yeast.  I recommend you ferment at 130F for 6 months.  Th serve, pour the beer on your lawn, then open a PBR.

Good luck, you’ll need it…

Denny

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:D, don’t forget the Fuggles!

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Oh no, Denny loves his Nugget…btw Denny, did you ever get that hop irradicated from your yard?

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It dies back a little more each year, but it’s still there.

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Denny (expert)
The recipe for your Bourbon Vanilla Porter calls for the vanilla beans to be scraped. Why and what do you do with the “scrapings”?

I put the scrapings and the hulls into the beer. It’s a month old and starting to taste pretty good…

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You did the right thing!  I guess I just assumed people are familiar with how to use vanilla beans in cooking, but I’ve found that that’s not always true.  Most of the flavor in vanilla beans comes from the “gunk” inside them.  By splitting them lengthwise and scraping that out, you get the greatest effect from them.  But, as you point out, the pod itself has flavor and should be used, also.  Those suckers are expensive and you don’t want to waste anything!

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Denny’s Ask The Experts Q & A is now posted: http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/lets-brew/ask-the-experts.

Thanks Denny!

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They grow on trees around here (actually the orchids that produce the pods grow on trees around here).  :smiley:

I put my spent vanilla pods into a bowl of sugar.  After a week or two you have vanilla-sugar.  (Thank you for the idea Chef Emeril).

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Can you harvest and cure those pods Carl? I have wanted to grow and harvest vanilla for years but have not lived in a climate where it is practical or even been able to find an ochid to try and grow indoors. From what I understand it’s actually a pretty easy orchid to grow as these things go. The curing process is long and laborious but so is brewing so…