Recent content by isleofman

Skip Hops, unless you want a bunch of super dry history and stories about hops. There is about a chapter's worth of actual science and applicable brewing techniques woven throughout a whole book of hop history. It is well written but don't expect to gain much practical hop knowledge from it...

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Agreed. For instance, from Wyeast's website for 1056: "Mild citrus notes develop with cooler 60-66°F (15-19ºC) fermentations." Take this info and say, do I want mild citrus notes in the beer I am planning? Adjust accordingly.

A hangover :)

Your hop utilization will be lower because of the higher OG during the boil. Next time, check your gravity before your boil and adjust then.

This is just completely false. From How To Brew: Clean - To be free from dirt, stain, or foreign matter. Sanitize - To kill/reduce spoiling microorganisms to negligible levels. Sterilize - To eliminate all forms of life, especially microorganisms, either by chemical or physical means. Soaps...

I applaud your tenacity, but do you have a way to temperature control all of the ferementing beer? If you want to become a better brewer, temp control is a big step.

Parallel's my life as well, but my "gateway" beer was Blue Moon and of course picking up homebrewing a little before "whale hunting."

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I use an STC-1000 and a chest freezer. I started off using the probe "taped to the side of the fermenter with insulation" and had wild temperature swings. So much so, that the fermwrap would usually kick on after the cool cycle, only to cause the cool cycle to kick back on after that, etc. I...

I agree 100%, Also: The earlier in the fermentation cycle the wort is, the more crucial the control needed. Ambient temp in your cellar does not equal the temp in the fermenter.

Less than 50k for that kind of knowledge and experience? ***** please. This sounds like the Rogue I have heard other horror stories about. http://aleheads.com/2013/06/17/we-do-not-plan/#more-17219

I can get an ale into the bottle in 10-14 days including a 5 day cold crash with gelatin: Around 1.055 OG Plenty Of 02 Proper Pitch Rate Temp Control (Inluding a way to warm the fermenter for a 24 - 36 hour D rest) Three weeks primary for an average OG ale is just overkill.

I would suggest a pumpkin ale or an Oktoberfest. If you can't brew a lager, you can always try these versions of an Oktoberfest: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f63/biermunchers-oktoberfast-ale-ag-39021/ https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f63/bee-cave-brewery-oktoberfest-ale-38880/

1) Follow the critical path for each step of the day. By this I mean, only get ready the equipment or ingrediants you need for the NEXT step. Try and do this while the CURRENT step is being done. Examples: don't measure out hops until mashed in, don't clean and sanitize the fermenter until...