Recent content by Richabt

Welcome to the addiction! The first batch is always good, even if it doesn't go as planned. Midwest is great, but you have a good homebrew shop not too far away in Gainesville, as well an active homebrewing community over there. Best of luck!!:mug:

Depending in what your brewing, that aroma could be perfectly normal. Some yeast strains give off a banana/clove aroma (german, Belgian, hefeweisen etc) I wouldn't sweat it.

I tend to agree with John. With those hop varieties, you should see little issue. But, in general, your assumption is correct. Good Luck :mug:

I'm gonna miss the club brew if it's the 25th, I'll be in Nassau. :fro:

I've run across similar readings, and I tend to feel I probably didn't stir it well for that first reading, and take a second one. With a refractometer, the temp issue doesn't matter as much.

Looks good! I see your basket fits nicely! :mug:

I have used both, and had the same concern about Stevia. I used it last night in a small batch of root beer and cream soda, and I really enjoyed it. No noticable aftertaste.

I have had several disasters along the way and decent beer always was the end result. Maybe not what I was originally shooting for, but something to remember for the next batch.

I had bottles sit for a month with no problems with carbonation that way. Though I dont use a beer gun, I do take care to limit the O2 in the bottles by filling from the bottom using a bottling wand, and small cork attached to a party tap. I fill at about 5lbs of pressure. There is a thread...

I had bottles sit for a month with no problems with carbonation that way. Though I dont use a beer gun, I do take care to limit the O2 in the bottles by filling from the bottom using a bottling wand, and small cork attached to a party tap. I fill at about 5lbs of pressure. There is a thread...

I made a little chamber that I put fermenters in out of reflectex material. I can keep temps below 70 for several days with just a few frozen water bottles. Look at my Gallery Images for more details, I saved a few pics of it there. It works great and took about 20 minutes to make. I have used...

I'm thinking it wil taste fine. If you are tracking your gravities and they are similar it should work. There may be some differences in flavor, but still quite drinkable.

Ive used carb tabs and table sugar for bottling with decent results. Your point about your IPA being strong enought to kill any nastys may be true, but if using table sugar, I would opt to dilute it in water and heat it before dropping in your bottles. Another thought, If you are kegging...

Fining with whirlflock or Iris Moss, and even geletin is about as far as I go. Others mentioned cold crashing and long primary times. I agree with them all. Since I went to kegging, my filtration consist of removing sediment after pulling off the first pint of a keg. After that it's clear.

Welcome to HBT and to brewing. It's a fun and addictive hobby. You will everything you need to know, plus more here.