Recent content by stevehaun

Purchased new in 2017. Extras include racking arm, CIP ball, bracing shelf, gas manifold, eccentric reducer (2" to 1.5"), extra 2" butterfly valve, pressure release valve and miscellaneous triclamp fittings. It also comes with the new spike lid gasket and many triclamp gaskets. $600 OBO.

Blichmann Therminator. Never used with pellet hops. Cleaned with PBW and acid rinse after every batch. $90 or best offer. Buyer pays shipping.

My grain bill is as follows: Weyermann Pilsner malt 60% Weyermann munich 30% Weyermann caramunich II 7% Weyermann carafa special III 3%

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143829939182?epid=170021678&hash=item217ceeb3ee:g:MiMAAOSwpxNftBfX

I have a spike fermenter with a sample valve that looks identical to yours. I tried dash 112 which did not fit. I ended up buying dash 907 which has worked pefectly. 2.08 mm ID = 13.46 mm OD = 17.62 mm I think it is also called a 2 x 13.5 mm o-ring

Great workmanship!

Why not just open the lid and pour the yeast slurry into a sanitized container?

Or you could use U Fleku's recipe: https://vinepair.com/articles/czech-beer-dark-lager/ I personally think it is too heavy on the caramunich. I prefer the following grain bill: 60% Weyermann pilsner malt 30% Weyermann light munich malt 7% Weyermann caramunich II 3% Weyermann carafa special...

I agree with Bobby on batch size. I used to brew 30 gallon (114 l) batches in a 55 gallon (209 l) kettle. As stated previously, I powered both the BK and the HLT with two 4500 watt elements. My HLT was 15 gallons (57 l). I had no problems maintaining a mash temp but step mashes were...

For clarification, are your vessels 200 liters or is your batch size 200 liters? I had 190 liter vessels and my preboil volume was about 150 liters. I had two 4500 watt elements that I ran at 90% power once a boil was achieved. I do not think you will be happy with two 4000 watt elements.

Strong work!

I have been using a steam condenser for several years now. I primarily brew lagers and thus use mostly pilsner malt. I have not had any issues with DMS. My boil length is 75 min. I can smell DMS in the run off from the steam condenser. The smell disappears after 45-60 min of boiling. You...

You might try touching up the threads on the element with a fine triangular file. They might me slightly buggered up.

You can find quality SSRs, eg, Crydom, at reasonable prices on Ebay.

I run my sample thru a coffee filter prior to using my refractometer. This gives me very consistent results. If I run samples in triplicate, they rarely vary and if they do, it is only by 0.1 brix. I have had good results with S-04 by fermenting at 64F for 72 hours and then letting temp rise...