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Jeff Smith スミス

@sumisu3@mastodon.beer

mastodon 4.6.6

Home brewer. Primarily German and Czech beers using traditional methods. I love decoction! Growing my own hops - currently Wakatu, Riwaka, Perle and East Kent Golding.

Sauna サウナ, wine, craft beer, 日本酒, BBQ, chilis, guitar, French Horn, jazz, Irish Setters, vinyl & books. 30+ yrs IT. Finnish/German/Chicagoan in NZ via Japan.
Aotearoa, Tāmaki Makaurau, Matakana

178 Followers

116 Following

19 Posts

Joined November 19, 2022

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Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 10, 2026

@stojg@mastodon.nz building a two generation starter really seems to get them revved up

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 10, 2026

Replying to @sumisu3@mastodon.beer

One week after pitching yeast - terminal gravity. This is the fastest I’ve ever had a lager ferment. This WY2278 is a different strain from WLP800 and the second round of using it. I’m quite impressed and far less stressed. Will let it sit a day or so and then add the 2L of wort I reserved, into the keg with a spunding valve and some time to naturally carbonate. Then lagering time of 30-42 days. The Polotmavé is close behind and on the same track to finish in 1 week #pivo #beer #HomeBrew

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 05, 2026

Replying to @sumisu3@mastodon.beer

I’ve done this (the reorganization of my brewing setup) while cleaning up today. The Polotmavé is beautiful. And the Urquell clone is the perfect color.

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 05, 2026

It was time to rethink my brewing setup. Now being back to a full time job means I need to make everything as efficient as possible. The pump on the Grainfather G40 is shit and despite my taking it apart and cleaning it thoroughly it stopped after my first test the other day and didn’t work at all today. So my external pump is essential. Ordered three-way T valves and various parts to get this all hooked up properly. Still need to run the silicon hose to the fermenters each time.

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 05, 2026

Replying to @sumisu3@mastodon.beer

24 hours after pitching the yeast (WY2278) from a two stage starter. Woke up the yeast slurry with a DME wort, chilled and decanted, then in chilled wort from this brew while the main wort chilled to 4°C. Oxygenated the wort and then poured in the starter. Let the temp free rise to 9°C. Saw the surface temp with the Tilt rise to around 12° and then the drop to <9° as it all started to get going. This is the least lager lag I’ve ever had. #HomeBrew #Pivo #PilsnerUrquell #Kräusen #Beer

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 03, 2026

Replying to @sumisu3@mastodon.beer

Brewfather tells me that this brew hit 97.5% mash efficiency. That is one side effect of this triple decoction. Get a lot out of the grain this way.

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 03, 2026

@stojg@mastodon.nz Sunday I’m brewing a Polotmavé (half dark Czech lager - kind of like a Vienna but a bit darker than those usually run).

Single decoction only. It’ll be an easy day.

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 03, 2026

@stojg@mastodon.nz this recipe, evidently from some historic Pilsner Urquell recipe, actually does a step mash with each decoction (55°, 62°, 73° and then boil). The boil is 20 minutes. Of course each decoction drops the lowest temp and you end up doing 73 and boil in the third.

I don’t know if this makes so much of a difference but I keep doing it. I could just do a typical decoction of boil to get to 55° for the protein rest, boil and then beta rest, etc.

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 03, 2026

Third decoction bubbling away

Světlý Ležák 11°P -> Pilsner Urquell clone

#HomeBrew #Pivo #SvetlyLezak

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Apr 01, 2026

Replying to @sumisu3@mastodon.beer

Now I have a difficult decision. Was just notified what we will have a power cut on 8 April. The beer will be fermenting and I can just let it rise to ambient - probably around 20°C - and hope for the best or I don’t brew at all. I think I’m going to hope for the best. At least it isn’t summer 25°+

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Mar 28, 2026

Tuesday I will kick off my Urquell yeast starter for a Good Friday brew of my PU recipe. Then Sunday I brew a Polotmavé which should be able to use Kräusen from the Urquell (sort of) since I will use some of the Urquell wort right away to feed the some of the initial starter, and the Polotmavé wort won’t be chilled enough until Monday. All depends heavily on my initial starter being vigorous.

🤞

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Mar 14, 2026

I should finally have some time to brew over the Easter Break - four days off in NZ. Should brew my rice lager (or rice Kölsch as that is the yeast I’ll use) but the love of my life is calling and I’ll brew the Pilsner Urquell clone and a Polotmavý. A triple and a double decoction but so worth it.

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Mar 01, 2026

@stojg@mastodon.nz just like uni students making sure to pre-load before they go out to the bars - you need to pre-load before the Indian takeaway.

This is a similar danger as going grocery shopping when you are hungry

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Mar 01, 2026

I have no idea when I’m going to get a chance to brew. Maybe the Easter break. Crazy pace in a new job at a startup really gets in the way of brewing. Even weekends, as I’m playing catchup on all the household things I don’t get around to during the week.

I need to brew the rice lager/Kölsch, a Rauchbier and I must get another Polotmavy and a Svetly Lezak in the fermenter. Oh and I’d really like to have a Vienna Lager for the coming winter.

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Feb 09, 2026

I am hoping to brew this coming Sunday. New job has kept me really busy but a brew day also seems like a sorely needed break.

Plan is to do the rice “lager” I’ve been planning with the Kölsch yeast - as inspired by the Taiwan Beer 18 Days which really drinks like a Kölsch IMO

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Jan 20, 2026

@stojg@mastodon.nz you could do that too

I introduced the kids to tomato and also avocado “sashimi” a long time ago. Didn’t always go get fish (they love salmon since they were very young). Avocado with soy sauce and wasabi is like toro so why not.

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Jan 20, 2026

@stojg@mastodon.nz I regularly do tomato “sashimi” - cut the tomatoes and then soy sauce and wasabi. The other to look up is “hiyashi tomato” - poach/blanch tomatoes, drop into ice water and peel skin, chill further and then eat - ideally with green shiso leaves and a chilled dashi. Have also had with finely chopped garlic and soy sauce or dashi. Can also do super thin onion and vinegar, sugar, salt, parsley…

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Jan 11, 2026

@skinnylatte@hachyderm.io wow that is by someone who shouldn’t bother traveling or trying anything other than whatever bland, boring food they grew up eating. Must have been a miserable trip for someone like that. Only saving grace is thinking about how uncomfortable they must have felt the entire time.

Jeff Smith スミス @sumisu3@mastodon.beer · Dec 22, 2023

Replying to @kfury@mstdn.social

@kfury@mstdn.social Looks like the face of a puffer fish

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