Recent content by MurderMittenBrewing

Cool, I figured washing it wouldn't hurt. I ran some water through it and if it still smells tomorrow I'll soak it in PBW. Thanks!

Since you're in Michigan you should try to culture the yeast from a bottle of Two Hearted. I've heard of people doing this successfully. Bell's uses a proprietary yeast strain, so using their yeast will probably make your clone more like the original. The yeast they use for bottling is the...

I just bought a distributor and added a second CO2 line. The new co2 hose has a weird plastic smell to it, which is not present in my other hose. Will the affect the flavor of the beer? Should I wash the hose before I use it? Thanks!

Nice work on the chiller! Instead of buying a prechiller I bought a small water pump from Harbor Freight and pump ice water into my chiller. Once the water coming out of the chiller cools down I recirculate until I obtain my desired temperature.

I have the kegs, now I just need the Co2! I'm looking for a local purchase - someone in the greater Portland, Oregon area. Please let me know if you have a tank and/or reg that you would be willing to sell. Thanks!

Most Rogue bottles have some yeast/sediment in the bottom.

+1 I use a closet in the back of my apartment and use a space heater to keep a steady temp. I think it's much easier to control temperature in the winter than in the summer.

Which yeast are you using? Lots of factors (starting gravity, temperature, yeast cell count) can affect how quickly your yeast reaches high krausen. Keep in mind that bubbles in your airlock is not an accurate indication of whether or not fermentation is taking place. I'd wait another day...

Hey gannawdm, Where is this place? Is it within driving distance of Portland?

You can direct pitch from the Activator pack, especially if your OG is less than 1.060 or so. The stuff in the Activator pack is yeast nutrient, but it's not a starter. Starters are designed to increase cell count, whereas the Activator pack just wakes the yeast up a little.

I just leave my chiller in a bucket of no-rinse sanitizer and stick it in the wort after I turn off the heat. I bought mine used, so I soaked it in a vinegar solution before the fist time I used it. Just be sure to wash it really well so you don't get any vinegar in the wort. Congrats on the...

I'm using US-05 in an American Golden ale right now and I'm fermenting in the 58-60 range, so I'm sure it'll be fine at 62. Why did you feel the need to make a starter with US-05? I normally just rehydrate and pitch, and I notice fermentation starting within 8 hours (although my current...

I think this largely depends on the yeast you're using. I've used Safale US-05/California Ale yeast with no harsh odors, but I just brewed an American Wheat with Wyeast 1010 and the smell stunk up the whole room with a very strong sulphur aroma. I've heard that lager yeasts also emit a sulfur...

I've wondered this about breweries at high altitude. There are some decent breweries in Boulder, CO. Because of the altitude water there boils at 202 F. I'm sure it'll still work - as Hopvine said, your only issue is probably hop utilization. Can you brew in your garage? I'm surprised...

I don't think there's anything wrong with ordering from a reputable online store and having it delivered to the hotel. You'll be able to get the best price and everything will be packed and boxed with invoices, which should make going through customs easier. Most hotels will accept mail for...