Recent content by krahm

It gives a lot of character to the beer and tends to under-attenuate, even if you mash low. That leaves the beer somewhat fruity/yeasty and sweet. If you like a dry porter made with a "clean" yeast, then it's a bad choice for you. If you like a sweeter porter with a lot of esters, then give it a...

I'm going to assume that you're avoiding multiple transfers because you're skipping the bottling bucket and bottling from the fermenter (?). Personally, I find that approach to be incredibly messy and stressful and inefficient vs. using a bottling bucket, but maybe that's just me (I'm kinda'...

My back is usually screaming at the end of the day. That's about it, though. I like the waiting. It gives me a chance to sit quietly and think. Or have lunch. Both of which can be rewarding experiences.

I've had yeast behave this way. It was using US-05. Only time it's ever happened, though I use that yeast all the time. It just clumped up like cheese curds, all the way through fermentation (you should have seen those globs churning around during active fermentation). When it was done, it...

Look at the bright side. You could be like me. I have no friends, and I don't get to brew nearly often enough....

The previous posts are giving good advice, but I'm just going to complicate things slightly, if you all don't mind. If you're getting a "tart" note to the beer, it could be something else. I've gotten tart flavors from particular yeasts and particular hops. Nottingham yeast can, every once in a...

I think I'm seeing what the OP is referring to. It's hard to make out, but it looks like there's a film on the surface that would make me concerned, too. I'd say, if you really want to know, leave it in primary for another few weeks. If you open it back up, and you see a pellicle, there's your...

You can do that, too. I cut mine because it was easier. 'Took all of about 30 seconds. No oiling, no drilling, no cleaning up to do. The only purpose of the gas dip tube is to hold an o-ring in place, after all, and 1/3" length is plenty long enough for that. If you look at the tapered tube...

If I'm understanding your question, yes, that's the tapered gas tube. FYI, if you don't want to use the plastic one, you can use a shortened SS tube. You'll just need to cut it down to about 1/3" in length using a pipe cutter. That's what I did with mine, and it works fine. The plastic...

You can add the gelatin to warm beer (beer temp. makes no difference), you can add it to the keg, and you don't need to stir. You're not doing anything wrong. You're not getting the goo from the bottom of the keg either. That only comes out on the initial pour, unless you disturb the keg or...

If you're shooting for a "traditional" version, I'd say the percentage of wheat looks a bit high to me. I'd also say that 1 oz. of hops at 15 minutes will break the mold a bit, too. You're definitely going to get some noticeable hop character in the finished beer, which will cover the malt a...

If you look around, you'll see that different folks often use different approaches. It all depends on what you're set up for and what kind of beer you're making. Ideally, you want to rack to secondary to get the beer off the yeast and other gunk (since the whole point of lagering is to get the...

Er, I think it's the "looks like a sweater" part that's giving the OP pause. IPAs aren't supposed to be hairy. CPAs maybe, but IPAs, no way. OP, we need a more focused pic. If you've got a "hairy" beer, you may, indeed, have a problem. If you do have an infected batch, I'd advise against...

Hey, there, and welcome to the hobby. I completely understand your predicament, but I'd encourage you to rethink the bit about icy bottles and wet t-shirts. It can be frustrating to put a lot of work into something only to get mediocre results. Temp. control will make a huge difference in the...

OP: What you're doing is called lagering. It's a time-honored practice traditionally employed to clarify the beer (and improve flavor). Lager on and enjoy! Forgive me for being a bit of a wise-a**. It was meant in good fun (we kid because we care).