Recent content by DevilDog2000

I have a couple of questions: How precise / smooth is the flame adjustment? I have problems getting the flame adjusted to the level I want on my Bayou due to the cheap(?) valve for adjusting the gas flow. Does this have a "sparker" starter? It's a PITA for me to get down on the floor and use a...

I am SO replying. :rockin: Good stuff!!!

Citra! It's a fairly new hop but seems readily available. It has a bit of a floral aroma, but its main taste note is grapefruit. I do an all citra IPA that even non-IPA drinkers like. :mug:

Back in the day of returnable bottles, I could buy cases of empties from my local beer store for the price of the deposit: $2.00 per case!!! Since those bottles were meant to be reused by the brewery, they were sturdy -- a bit thicker than current bottles. I still have many of those bottles that...

I brew in the garage now that I have stepped up to an 8 gal. pot with a propane burner. In cool, blustery weather, I have opened the overhead door about a foot. This opens it a bit at the top also as the top panel starts to travel on the tracks. My thinking is that convection (hot air rising and...

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. :)

I think the answer to your question is: You can't tell from the video. As others have noted, the difference is the strain of yeast AND the fermentation temperature / process. The activity in the carboy tells you nothing except that it is, well, active. Also, lagering is as much a process as it...

You need to convince her that bigger batches are better. More beer! You might try hiding a few bottles (3 or 4) then bring it out after another month. The improvement can be remarkable. If she realizes how much better the beer can be with more conditioning time she may become a bit more patient. :)

I have used three different methods for transferring from brew pot to fermenter: 1) Pour through a funnel with a filter. PITA because the filter clogs. Even without the filter, the funnel can clog. 2) Whirlpool and siphon leaving behind the majority of the trub (mostly hops) along with a small...

Guess I'll have to time it next time. I always set aside the day (don't plan any other major activities) and just enjoy the process. So, I've never really considered how long it takes me.

How soon you rack from primary to secondary is up to you. I wait at least 4 days and usually at most 7 days to be sure most of the heavy fermentation is done. By that time I'm usually down under 1.020 and quite possibly very close to my expected final gravity. The main thing here is that I want...

I leave mine in the primary (I use a bucket) for 4 to 7 days. Then it goes into a carboy for awhile. It generally sits in the secondary for at least a couple weeks. I do this for a couple reasons: I have more carboys than primary buckets, so I can have more beer in the "pipeline"; and, I think...

I use a solution of 1 oz. Clorox and 1 oz. white vinegar in 5 gal cool water after cleaning / soaking anything (carboys, bottles, fermenting pails) with Oxyclean. The Oxy tends to leave a deposit like you mention and the weak acid gets rid of it nicely. If you mix some of this up, be sure you do...

I'm not sure what "sani cycle" is on a dishwasher, but I think for good sensitization, you need to use a sanitizer like StarSan or Idopor (sp?). I sanitize my bottles just before bottling, put a very clean towel over the top of the case, and then turn the case upside down to drain them while I...

It's not how it looks or how long, but how it measures. Have you checked the specific gravity? You need to check it then wait at least two days and check it again. If the gravity does not change between the two readings and it is about where you expect the final gravity to be, it is ready to bottle.