Recent content by dfohio

I'm with you on this off flavor. Brewed a neipa recently, my water was similar cl 105, SO4 57. The beer is very muted in hop flavor. It has a minerally, salty taste that, like you, I cant describe. I can only attribute this to the water.

Tape the probe to the side of the fermenter. I just use a couple strips of duct tape, but some use foam as insulation around the probe. This method comes really close to measuring the real temperature of the wort.

Yes, same thing.

Only in the presence of AAB

This is my set up; I really like the vittle vaults

I've used nibs; just dumped them straight in. I hate trying to pull a bag out that has swollen because of absorption. The nibs will drop to the bottom. Other's have had success, but I doubt i will use them in a beer again. Taste a handful of them and see if you like the taste. I used 4oz in an...

They should grow only where the loop streaked the agar. Having said that, I've had them spread everywhere. If there is any condensation in the slant, it can drip and carry cells all over the slant. It doesn't bother me either way.

Lets not stop at umami. We also have taste receptors for fat. The old diagram of the four taste bud zones you learned in grade school is nothing more than art.

Here is what Randy Mosher has to say about umami in beer. "Yeast contributes rich, meaty flavors through a process called "autolysis," the same process that gives champagne its toasty aromas (autolysed yeast rarely manifests this toastiness in beer). The meatiness comes from the break-down of...

Both Amiaji and Bobby M have the idea here. Palmer never intended that his water sheet be used as the law. Once you start moving towards the end, things are no longer linear. Kaiser has done some initial research showing this. Don't think of dark malt as acidic but as acting more like a buffer.

My Agar is in flakes. 2.5 grams = 1Tbsp for these. Not quite sure about a powder though

1. Maybe 2. No. At 4 weeks lagering there should still be plenty of yeast in suspension for carbonation. I said maybe on 1. because it depends on if you've done a sufficient primary. Assuming you have, then yes. FWIW, I like about 3 weeks in the primary, the 4th week being cooled down to...

I'd say pitch them together and see what results you get. See if you can pick out what each strain contributed. By the way, what two strains are you thinking about?

I would take the opposite approach of throwing a gram of epsom in for good measure, even though it won't effect levels much. The amount of magnesium needed for brewing is very minimal. I've brew with distilled water and do not make any direct magnesium additions. Yeast growth and flocculation...

I don't understand what the argument is about. Forrest cannot possibly beat the price of wholesale; end of story. What he can do is offer excellent service and unique product offers. I think he does this well. A couple bucks more for homebrew shop advice and convenience is well worth it for a...