Recent content by dayjm

Dave, you are correct. The "middle" layer in your pic is the yeast. Decant that into a new vessel, leaving behind the trub. Put the decanted yeast in the fridge and it will settle out even more. You may be able to get more trub to settle out as well...

Make a starter with it.

Perhaps the yeast they use to bottle condition their beers is completely different than the yeast they use for active fermentation. What sorts of smells are you getting from the fermenter?

Maris Otter based IPA/APA brewed with some home grown Cascade. A ~1080 chocolate stout that will be bottled for the cooler months. And, a basic cider that will go into a keg ASAP.

Check out the Zymurgy web site for a version of Janet's Brown Ale that is highly hopped and delicious. Not at all like a porter. I'm drinking one right now.

about an hour east here in Athens...very active craft brew and home brew scene here.

I recently took a chance on the $14 "clearance" pin lock kegs at CornyKeg.com. I got two of them--shipped for--44.72 total. The site says that the kegs have a "damaged handle", and they are not always available. Mine have intact handles that are a bit rough and look like they sat in the sun for...

Hard to tell from your original post, but when you say that your keg of stout is sitting in the basement at 10psi, is it still hooked up to your CO2 tank? Setting to 10 psi and then taking off the gas connect will not force carb over time. The keg needs to equalize while still receiving CO2 from...

I have just completed a new keezer and have installed a Perlick 525ss faucet. I have been using my system with no problems with a picnic faucet connected to five feet of beverage line (i.e. nice pours without excess foam). Any thoughts on whether I might need more line for the faucet/shank combo...

I see references to "$2" packets US-05 or 04 on HBT from time to time. Where, pray tell, are people acquiring this yeast?! (the $2 variety, that is)

Take the ferry over to Coronado and visit the Coronado Brewing Company. Very good brewpub and great ride on the ferry with a view of the San Diego skyline.

thanks--it wasn't a question out of worry, but of curiosity. It fermented in the 67 to 68 degree range. Things just looked so, well, nice, in the carboy when I opened it up. I'm used to it looking like at least a bit of a party has been going on in there. I was reassured by the attenuation...

I brewed a chocolate porter on 12/23 that has fermented from about 1.074 down to about 1.022 as of today (New year's day). I used Safale US-04. When I opened the fermenter today, everything looked good, but I did not see the resinous yeasty ring around the inside of the fermenter that I am used...

thanks billtzk, that link and recipe is helpful. I have used both the 1056 and US-05 before, and I was thinking about having the 05 on hand so that I could brew my recipe without the need for a starter. May try the 05 later this week for it...

So, I have an IPA that turned out really well that I would like to brew again. Here's the grain bill for a 5 gallon batch: 12 lbs Maris Otter ( Crisp) 1 lb rye malt 0.5 lb crystal 40 0.5 lb malt (toasted by LHBS, kind of like Victory) 1 oz Magnum (13.1 AA) at 60 min 1 oz Cascade (7.5 AA) at 15...