Recent content by smarks2327

No false bottom or hop blocker required. I am in Cincinnati and would prefer local pickup if it is within reasonable distance (i.e. 5-6 hour radius). Thanks, Steve

When using a sour mash technique, does the beer have to age as long as souring in the secondary? I know with most lambics, the souring is done in the secondary fermentation and best when aged 1+ years. Does this also hold true for sour mashed beers, or can those be consumed much quicker?

Thanks for all the replies! I have learned a lot. My thought is that left at room temp, some yeast has died, but certainly not all of it. I mean, I have successfully pitched on top of a yeast cake after 3 weeks in the primary and there is plenty of yeast alive and well at that point. In...

I have always read that high gravity beers require a higher gravity starter. Also, my starter is at room temp (65), not in the fridge...

So I have yeast starter that I made for a brew last week that I never ended up brewing until today. The starter is now 9 days old. It was a one gallon starter that I made at 1.060. What should I do with the starter? Should I decant the fermented wort off the top, put new wort on top? Can...

It aged a total of 5 weeks. I used Denny Conn's Imperial Porter (minus the vanilla) as the base. I soaked 3 oz of French oak cubes in bourbon (just enough to cover the cubes) for 2 weeks, and then added it all to the secondary for 5 weeks. I would not have used less bourbon- I thought the...

I had a hefeweizen that was became unintentionally infected (not positive how it happened, first of many many batches that I have ever had this issue with). However, it is not an unpleasant beer (it tastes a LOT like it was done intentionally, just a different style). To revive it more, I am...

Not sure yet about location specifically, but I know it's legal in the state I'd do it.

Hi Guys, I wanted to get some feedback about brew on premises. Before everyone gets started about killing the idea, please approach this from the standpoint of the general public, not a homebrewer. I know all of us making beer would never consider going to one of these, but let's be...

I am under a time crunch on a lager (I know, stupid and my fault), and I started my diacetyl rest (which was just done as a precaution) at a gravity of 1.023. I let it rest 1.5 days, dropped to lagering temps, racked it to the secondary and then took another reading. I am only at 1.020. I...

Can anyone confirm this?

Correction***: In our local club's homebrew competition

I disagree with the premise that cubes are pointless if aging one month. I made an Imperial Porter that I aged on bourbon soaked french oak cubes for 1 month, and the oak flavor was precisely what I was looking for. The beer is now 9 months bottle aged and still has very nice, subtle oak...

I was under the impression yeast were still active, although slow, at lagering temperatures. I want to reach terminal gravity, so having the beer finish high is not a good option to me.

I have a quick question: on a lager, will racking to a secondary and starting lagering before terminal gravity, but close, say when the beer is at 1.020 but needs to finish at ~1.014, finish fermenting during the lagering stage? Basically, is there any fermentation at all going on during lagering?