Recent content by BrewDoc_Md

Would it be worth adding Grub-Ex or some other grub pesticide to the lawn make a dent in the number of beetles that mature later on?

I've got the same type of scraggly looking "pre-cones" on my Galena and Mt Hood. Nothing yet on the others. Galena will be the first to reach the top of my 15 ft trellis system in the next couple of days, with the Mt. Hood and Goldings not far behind. Way more than I expected from 1st...

I bought a big bag of pine bark mulch at home depot for like $3. I spread it about an inch deep, in a 9-12 inch radius around my first year hop sprouts. It does a great job deterring weeds.

+1 cheap vodka, even in the airlock itself. way more sanitary than tap water.

They say the typical growing season is 120 days. When's winter up there? If they're first year hops, plant them anyway. Their goal this season is just to develop a good root system. don't worry about cone formation.

Try making a yeast starter (1-2 qts) from the liquid yeast packs a couple days before you brew. Also, if you have high SG (>1.065), you may be ready at 1.02. Easiest thing would be to just shake/stir the primary bucket/carboy every couple of days to rouse the yeast at the bottom. Doing that...

+1 I went this route and it works great! Made the handles from wooden table legs (of various lengths) bought at home depot and stained with different color stains. Then glued the sheet metal on a thin piece of wood slightly larger and already screwed into the handle. Stick a hex nut in...

I recently bought a house with a cool basement (~55F), so I tried brewing a couple lagers. When I measured the final gravity of the Oktoberfest lager and drank the sample, it was amazing (very clear already, too)! It was significantly better than any ale I've made at that stage (4 weeks in the...

Are the sticks attached to the wall somehow (can't see the apex in the photo)? If not, I'd be afraid they'd be blown over in a strong wind, especially once the hops grow tall enough that the leaves act like s thousand little ship's sails. The buckets have drainage holes on the bottoms, right...

Even though my five rhizomes are 1st years, the heat wave triggered some big time growth in Western MD. My Galena grew over a foot in one week, while the others are coming along strong. If this is a preview of summer growth, my 15 ft trellis system is woefully inadequate! :drunk: Viva Global...

Graphic record of my hop growing, 2009. All five rhizomes are 1st years. Several days or rain following by a multi-day heat wave (highs in the 90s) encouraged rapid growth.

Graphic record of my hop growing, 2009. All five rhizomes are 1st years. planted in mid march in mounds made of 50% indigenous earth (mostly clay) plus compost and small rocks (drainage).

Light weight, easy to clean, love it. Only problem is rubber plug for air lock doesn't fit very well at all. I need to use rubber bands to keep it on tight. Price Payed: $28.00 Recommended? Yes

Light weight, easy to clean, love it. Only problem is rubber plug for air lock doesn't fit very well at all. I need to use rubber bands to keep it on tight. Price Payed: $28.00 Recommended? Yes