Recent content by Hopin-Josh

Hello, I really haven't seen much on the actual technique of sweeping grains. Most places just say put them in a bag and steep for 150 or so for about 30...but not much on the actual technique... So with my latest batch I had 1 pound of pale malt and 1 pound of flaked barley. I steeped...

No hairs and there is one bubble about the size of a pencil eraser. I'm torn between dumping and racking under the scum and seeing what I got. I'm still above my FG so I don't THINK I'll have bottle bombs. I think I might have picked something up all the times I popped the lid of to check the...

Let's try this again... http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l266/josh_454/IMAG0022.jpg

Hi all, Well I have been watching my Imperial Stout with a hydrometer for the past month or so. Yesterday when I popped the lid off, I found this strange white film on the top. Infected? I was having problems hitting my FG and even with the film on top it's still over my FG at about 1.035...

LOL OK good, as long as I am not the only one who missed the raisins and apricots!!! Well at least it was only a $9 bottle and not a $250 bottle of Utopias...

OK, so my brother and I happened to find a bottle of this stuff. We were so geeked. So we immediately ran home and pour some into a shot glass. We were so excited we were almost levitating off the floor. We had heard this was the stuff of legends. So we take a sip of it expecting to love...

OK, I guess I will stop worrying and start brewing. Thanks to all for you expertise!:mug:

Ok, looks like I now have yeast flocculated on the bottom. Maybe a watched kettle never boils? LOL Although it looks really dark to me. Is this a characteristic of Kolsch yeast?

In the second photo I was trying to show the yeast in the starter. It kinda looks stringy I guess is the best way to describe it.

How long should it take to begin seeing activity with a starter? It's been 12 hours and I'm starting to get nervous. The last vial I used from WL, after 2 two days and not seeing any activity in my starter I pitched I dry yeast pack anyways. I am really starting to lose faith in WL...

Well so far so good no more bombs. I was kinda concerned because once the caps were off it seemed to really to spur the carbonation even once the caps were back on. It was a cranberry wheat for Thanksgiving Day so hopefully it will last until Thursday. I have to tell you the sound of the...

So I messed up... I brewed a half batch and didn't think to cut my priming sugar in half and yeah. Not good! So I pulled all the caps let them sit for a couple of minutes. Will this suffice or do I need to drink them all tonight? The good news is the beer tastes like champagne! I want...

Thanks for all the help. The recipes have varied from something along the alongs of a Boston ale, a hoppier version of a Two Hearted and hefeweizen. Next batch I am going to do a nice starter. If that doesn't help I am going AG. : )

Thanks for advice guys. I have used both White Labs yeast as well as Safale dry yeast. I only used one packet with the Safale and I didn't use a starter with the White Labs. I am wondering if this is my problem!

Hello, Seems like the first thing people say when they try one of my brews is that, "it tastes sweet." I was wondering if anyone had any insight on this. They are kind of your run of the mill ales. A couple of thoughts I had: My FG is usually a couple points over expected, ie ends up...