Recent content by Cervesarius

Any updates on using ascorbic Acid to reduce gradual bittering? About to do a beer with a large percentage of blue maize and was wondering if you had suggested dosing levels?

Although increasing the ingredients by a factor of three is the gist of what needs to be done, I would point out that this is not true for the hop additions. Because you will be brewing with a larger volume of wort you will have a better rate of utilization. Thus your target IBUs should dictate...

I have a few refinements to throw in. When dealing with the prickly pear, it is important to peel the outer skin off with a potato peeler. My friend and i just chopped up everything, minus the thorns, and threw it in. This led to an odd vegetative taste that I haven't experienced before that...

Today I passed the BJCP Entrance Exam. I thought I would share some observations about the test in case anyone studying for it or wondering what it is could get a gauge from. To get an idea of where I started from: 1. I have been brewing, extract to all grain, for roughly five years now...

Brewed this up last weekend. Fermentation is quick starting at 12 hours. Of course the oxygen and yeast nutrients I add always seem to kick the process up a bit. As for the pre-fermentation wort I have a few observations. 1. I opted to added the puree from 5 fresh prickly pears instead of the...

Thanks for the responses every one. Looks like BIAB is going to be the next step on my slow march towards a full fledged Brutus 10 set up (which I hope I make before the decade is out). Time to buy a bigger pot and a bag. WoodlandBrew, great idea using the rack to hold the bag over the pot. I...

Hmmm, I will have to give BIAB a try. I attempted to convert a 50 quart Coleman cooler into a MLT about 2 years ago. It leaked worse than the titanic (it was about 15 years old). I do like the idea of doing a direct fired mash after looking into it a little bit more. Aim big right? I've read...

All, I'm saving for a wedding, so my funds are tied up and brewing dollars are hard to come by. I am trying to make the leap from extract to all grain on a budget. a tiny budget. As I was walking through WalMart a few days ago I came upon an IMUSA 32 Quart tamale steamer that has been...

So a friend and I are sitting around, having a beer, planning the next home brew we will whip up for Christmas time. Of course the standard ingredients are thrown out there: how about nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger root, etc... But then I started thinking: I live in the southwest; we don't have any...

There only advice I could find on this dealt with a 1bbl system in a brite tank, which is a few years and several thousand dollars from my current point. I have an upright refrigerator that I've placed a regulating thermostat on to create a fermentation chamber. Currently I have a Falconer's...

I just did this same exact thing with a cherry chocolate stout about three hours ago. thankfully I was filling from the bottom of the keg. This cause the beer to somewhat mix at first but then the lighter colored starsan began to rise on top of the racking beer. After finishing racking I just...