Recent content by JiveTurkey

Yes. I throw in a couple pennies and it keeps the foam down. Just my two cents (pun intended).

I think you can just let it sit. The yeast will find the sugar.

The generic recommendation is 3/4 cup dextrose for 5 gallons (~19L). It's best to go by mass/weight (volume can fluctuate, mass can't) and tailor to the beer style.

No idea. It is best, though, to dilute the sugar in a small amount of boiling water first so it will dissolve uniformly in the beer (and to sanitize it). I've heard this happening with table sugar. Try dextrose (corn sugar); I think it is supposed to have a more neutral flavor.

That was way longer than the US Census.

Thanks for the warnings. My original brewing kit came with Iodophor, so I've just stuck with that out of habit and familiarity, so I don't know much about StarSan. I'm guessing Iodophor in the dishwasher wouldn't cause a mess? Again, it's not needed anyway.

Use OxyClean Free or one of the homebrew-specific formulas like PBW. You should rinse it out well before it goes in the dishwasher. Remember, don't expect the dishwasher to do anything except heat the glass up to the point that most everything will die on it. The dishwasher (for this purpose) is...

While your fermenter was overflowing, nothing was allowed in. The only risk I can think of is if the airlock popped out and the foam subsided, then you'd have an open airway into the carboy. However, even this risk is small as so much CO2 is produced and expelled during the height of...

I've interpreted "beer temperature" to be the highest temperature the beer has gotten after fermentation completed and before bottling. The reason this temperature is even important is that there will be some CO2 in the beer before bottling, so when priming, only enough sugar is needed to get...

The dishwasher w/out soap method is a sanitizing procedure. You need to make sure it is clean first, meaning free of foreign matter, dirt, grime, etc. If you don't rinse the bottle soon after pouring it out, then, yes, it's a good idea to scrub it out using OxyClean or whatever you use (no...

The brew pours relatively dark, yet clear. Held to the light, it becomes a disturbingly blood red. Best served in a chilled pint glass, served between one's legs to help minimize swelling. The nose contains that typical spicy Belgian aroma, though not enough to bring on cauterization...

Thanks for posting the label. ;)

This is one of the few threads actually about sterilization (as opposed to sanitation). I'm laying around home recovering from this morning's vasectomy. However, I'm looking forward to a celebratory brew tonight. Last night while picking out some beers for my "vacation" of rest this...

I hope you don't put your dog in the fridge either.

Not really. Whatever yeast there is will eat all the sugar and produce CO2.