Mike's Excellent Zero Carb Beer Adventure šŸŗ


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #19

Collagen/gelatin foam rings on the beer mug:

One significant feature of the forced carbonation system I built is that it enables me to recarbonate PET bottles as the contents are consumed. So, the last drop is just as carbonated as the first. Hereā€™s the PET bottle recharged to 36 psi after I drank tonightā€™s samples:


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #20

[Nov 28, 2019, 9:00 pm]

In preparation for Experiment #4, I started a 450ml cold brew in my Bodum french press. Thatā€™s 16gr of Tim Hortons Dark Roast ground coffee in 450 gr of water. I added 5 gr of Watkins Pure Orange Extract and 20 gr of Madagascar Bourbon. Iā€™m going to let it brew for 20 hours. This should give me pretty close to the vanilla and orange concentration I want. Iā€™m going to use 400 gr of this, allowing for the coffee grounds to absorb about 50 gr or so of water.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #21

Experiment #4 [Nov 29, 2019, 7 pm]

Base:

Other stuff:

Notes and Results (see below):


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #22

Experiment #4

My CO2 forced carbonation system ready for action.


Coffee Extract - Do It Yourself
Coffee Extract - Do It Yourself
(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #23

Experiment #4 [Dec 4, 2019, 10:45 am]

Not good. I suspect the sediment is the result (primarily) of brewing less coffee and draining more of it out of the French press. It could also be the result of a chemical reaction between the gelatin and the coffee. I have not yet tasted this batch, so I donā€™t know the effect on the overall flavour. Iā€™m not afraid of sediment in beer - I made lots with more/less of it. I could siphon out most of the beer leaving the sediment. More after Iā€™ve tasted this.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #24

Experiment #4 [Dec 5, 2019, 11:30 am]

Two taste tests

First, poured very carefully to avoid any sediment. The second agitated to include some sediment.

First, sediment-free pour: perfectly clear, nice flavour, but very weak carbonation, a ā€˜ginger-aleā€™ head that did not last very long (less than a minute).

Second, some sediment: cloudy, flavour slightly more bitter and again very weak carbonation, the ā€˜ginger-aleā€™ head/retention again.

Although the taste is acceptable, better without the sediment, I think what happened is that the gelatin coagulated out, taking some of the coffee out of solution with it. The only reason I can think of for this to happen is the coffee-making procedure. Instead of brewing a liter of coffee and using 500 ml, I brewed 450 ml and used 400 ml of it. I suspect I got something out of the more concentrated coffee that I left behind in the less concentrated coffee the first time around.

Conclusion

First, need to brew a full liter of coffee and use only half (400 ml). And, maybe run it through 3 paper filters to make sure as little solids as possible get through. Second, instead of adding vanilla/orange to the coffee use a flavoured coffee. My entire reason for making a smaller total amount of coffee in this experiment was to reduce the amount expensive vanilla extract needed. If I go with a flavoured coffee, I eliminate the need to add any vanilla and/or orange extract. For my first experiment with flavoured coffee I'm going to use this one. I've made coffee with this before and like it's flavour. It has hints of vanilla and the macadamia is just enough to add a bit of earthy flavour.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #25

Have you considered using instant espresso?

Also Mike since you are an avid ketone tester I have a couple of questions regarding alcohol. What does 2oz of Whiskey or other hard alcohol do to your ketones? And yesterday I was wondering whatā€™s happening with the new high tech tester you ordered a while back? I assume if you got it already you would post about it. :cowboy_hat_face:


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #26

I havenā€™t thought of using instant coffee because I think it will produce lots of sediment, though I would run it through multiple filters as per others, so maybe not a problem. I donā€™t like instant coffees generally taste-wise. I havenā€™t used instant for so many years itā€™s off my radar! :blush:

Some time ago I had proposed a ketone test with alcohol consumption. You can see my hypothesis and results here:

My Lumen is supposedly shipping in the Dec-Jan time frame. Due to Christmas shipping delays I donā€™t expect it until mid-late January:


(Scott Cavendish) #27

Your 5% ABV is based off the filtered water added, but doesnā€™t seem to be taking the additional water in the coffee into account.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #28

Total volume of water includes the coffee. Total volume of ā€˜beerā€™ is 2 liters. Iā€™m using a 2-liter PET bottle. The two yellow triangles meet at the 2 liter level. Under 36 psi the level is depressed somewhat from the initial fill point.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #29

Experiment #4 [Dec 6, 2019, 12:00 pm]

As I descend into the bottle, the taste remains acceptable (although the first yesterday was the best), clarity decreases and head and retention improves.

I think this supports my initial supposition that something in the coffee precipitated the gelatin prematurely.

Note: for me one of the most enjoyable aspects of brewing over the years was learning from trial and error what worked and what didnā€™t. I am happy to report that in all my lifetime of brewing I only made one batch of beer I dumped. That was my first and last attempt at wheat beer. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #30

[Dec 8, 2019, 9:00 pm]

In preparation for Experiment #5, I started 1 liter of cold brew in my Espro french press. Thatā€™s 25gr of Kauai Vanilla and Macadamia Nut ground coffee in 450 gr of water. Iā€™m going to let it brew for 24 hours. Iā€™m going to use 400 gr of this coffee. I decided to use the Espro rather than the Bodum since it has a much better filter. Hoping that will help keep solids out of the beer. This coffee has a wonderful aroma!

[Correction] Using 1 liter of water, not 450 as mistaken above.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #31

Experiment #5 [Dec 9, 2019, 10 pm]

Base:

Other stuff:

  • 400 gr cold brewed coffee (mix: 25 gr of Kauai Vanilla and Macadamia Nut ground coffee in 1 liter of water)
  • 10 gr Coffee Booster Collagen
  • 1 gr generic gelatin

Notes and Results (see following)


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #32

Experiment #5 [Dec 9, 2019, 10 pm]

I used my Espro french press to make the coffee because it has a double micro-mesh filter. I poured the coffee from the Espro into my Chemix carafe through another micro-mesh and 3 paper filters. Hereā€™s what the paper filters look like after the pour.You can see particulets and moderate colour in the topmost, no particulets and very little colour in the middle and almost no colour in the bottom filter. Note they are in reverse order in the photo


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #33

Experiment #5 [Dec 9, 2019, 10 pm]

The coffee in the Chemix after the pour. It is perfectly clear; you can even read the Chemix logo etched on the bottom (in reverse).


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #34

Experiment #5 [Dec 9, 2019, 10 pm]

The brandy diluted in about 750 ml of water, perfectly transparent.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #35

Experiment #5 [Dec 9, 2019, 10 pm]

400 grams of coffee ready to add to the brandy/water mix. Note, although much darker, the coffee is perfectly transparent.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #36

Experiment #5 [Dec 9, 2019, 10 pm]

After adding the coffee to the brandy/water mix. I suppose one could call it the wort, but itā€™s not exactly the same stuff as real beer wort. Still crystal clear and transparent.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #37

Experiment #5 [Dec 9, 2019, 10 pm]

Mixing 1 gr of gelatin in 90 ml of water with an Aerolatte foamer. Nice head! To get all the gelatin, I poured about half the gelatin solution into the beer mix, then topped up again with water, agitated and poured again 4 times. The last time I added 10 gr of Coffee Booster Collagen. I rinsed this container several times with water to top up the PET bottle to the 2 liter fill mark.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #38

Experiment #5 [Dec 9, 2019, 10 pm]

This is where things start getting cloudy. The gelatin clouds the beer mix and after adding the Coffee Booster collagen precipitation of solids began. Weā€™ll see how it goes from here as I carbonate it. But it looks like the gelatin and/or the gelatin with collagen causes the precipitation. So in the next couple of experiments Iā€™ll leave one or the other out of the mix. I wonder why this problem didnā€™t raise its ugly head prior to experiment #4. Iā€™ll have to review what was different in #3 where the gelatin and collagen worked well together. It just occurred to me: maybe the acid in the orange peels?