Recent content by mikerobrewer

Update: gravity reading today was 1.012. That extra week seems to have done the trick. I'll be bottling this weekend.

You can get the DFH openers on their website. Also, I'm enjoying a 60 Minute IPA right now.

I've been drawing up some ideas for six packs as well. Thought it would be cool to put one of those wall-mount style bottle openers on the end of it too. Like the ones here: http://imgur.com/a/ULohS

Here's a picture of a crate I built today. Got the 6' 1x3s from Home Depot on sale for $0.75/ea. Went back to get more afterwards and they were all gone. Dammit.

Stirring didn't seem like a good idea when I first heard it. I've heard arguments both ways, but decided against it mainly because I don't want to risk any contamination by removing the entire lid off the fermenter. I'm just going to leave it and take another measurement this coming Friday and...

Thanks for all the input. As of this morning, the temp on the stick-on fermometer on the bucket reads 66/70. But the temp of the sample I took on Friday was 76.7 (taken with my digital thermometer). The airlock is still bubbling about once every ten seconds now. Sounds like the general...

I used a packet of dry Muntons yeast that came with the kit. The kit listed the OG at 1.046. I came up a little short with my OG reading and, based on feedback from other members, it was likely due to not stirring the wort well enough when I moved it to the fermenter. So, presumably my OG may...

I've had a brown ale fermenting for two weeks exactly. Yesterday I took a hydro sample and planned to do another tomorrow and bottle if the readings were the same. Before I took a sample my airlock was bubbling about once every 4 minutes. Now this morning it's bubbling once every 20 seconds. Not...

Just a thought...I saw 50' of 3/8" OD copper at Lowes for $40 the other day. Add in the few extra pieces you need to make it complete and you're looking at less than $55 for a 50' chiller.

Or how about something like this put through a drilled stopper? The hole would, of course, have to be a very snug fit for the thermometer to keep the seal.

Point taken, and agreed. You could get really ridiculous about it if you wanted to. All I want is to get an idea of what my wort's temp is. I'll probably just do like dcarter suggested. Seems simple enough and will give me what I'm looking for.

It's gonna be a good year for brewing!

Yeah, I was thinking more a thermometer on a wire. Some have a longer (3-4") actual probe end on them, which is why I was kind of using the term interchangeably. I'm using plastic buckets to ferment in, so I'm not sure how well one of the Blichmann Brewmometers would work. Then again, maybe it...

I have a stick-on thermometer on the side of it right now. I have it sitting in my kitchen a few feet from my thermostat (figured that would give me the most accurate estimate for ambient temp near the fermenter). Currently the thermostat says the inside temp is 72 and my stick-on is showing...

I don't have a temp controller at this point so I would like to get the most accurate reading I can so that I know what measures, if any, I need to take to keep it at optimal temp.