Recent content by mikeosoft

In!

Are you trying to bottle carb it?

Make sure you book a reservation at stone (I was told that they book up 3 months in advance, even on week days). I was there in February and we also took a trip to Temecula. Don't expect great wines, and they're too expensive for the quality, but we still had fun tasting and it's really...

Also doesn't the lacto feed on dead yeast cells? It makes sense to me that you would have a lot more of that available from the start if you pitch onto an old cake.

I'm guessing that beer/alcohol gets a lot more attention than other products from whoever regulates that sort of stuff. You can go to the mall and buy a T-shirt that says just about anything but there's a lot focus on alcoholic products. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that many...

Looks like Founders Dirty Bastard has been banned in Alabama for using "Bastard" in the name. I feel bad for the folks in Bama. Sorry if this is a repost, I did a search and didn't find it already posted...

I weighed and milled the grains myself, so the only way the grain bill got mixed is if the boxes were mislabeled (it's certainly possible). Apache is correct about the old beer being much more clear than the young beer. I could see that playing a role also, but they seem to have two distinctly...

Haha, you're probably right!

I typically go for draft, but I'm convinced that some beers actually taste better in a bottle. Bells Oberon is a good example, every time I have it on draft the fruity yeast character seems to be missing. I can only assume this comes from bottle conditioning and the small amount of lees at the...

Just a batch sparge and a 1hr boil. I'm certain that it was just pils and wheat. Come to think of it, I did "age" the hops in the oven for the first batch at a low temp (150F). Could this have added color?

Welcome from Grand Rapids. There is a lot of great information here. Happy Brewing!

I just brought home a growler from a great newish Belgian style brewery (Brewery Vivant) in Grand Rapids. It's an Oak Aged version of their Belgian IPA (Triomphe). The Triomphe is good, but the Oak Aged version is a completely different beer, amazing.

I suppose a difference in wheat is possible, but only if my LHBS had it mislabeled. Caramelization seems like it could be possible, but nothing about the beer tastes burnt.

I built one into an old canning cellar that was in my basement. I insulated the inside walls/ceiling, tiled the floor, then built my racks in.