Recent content by TTB-J

Grew up in Kansas City and went to multiple Wizards games, so I do get some measure of joy in seeing KC play well. That being said, I'm hoping the Dynamo, if no one else, knocks them off come July!

Are you shaking it? Did you aerate your wort before you threw it in? Lack of oxygen will result in a long lag time. If it looks weird and smells bad, it is bad. Otherwise, it's coo. Shake that (shake that!), shake that (shake that!), shake that healthy yeast.

Looks like you're all set and then some. I had maybe half that when I first got started - you just sort of find a way to make it work. No point in leaving any of it off though, once you get hooked you'll only be adding more equipment, not getting rid of any. One item that isn't on there...

I have had it with these ************* hops on this ************* plane! We could start a whole thread on homebrewing items that were confiscated by TSA. I went through security with a spent 16g CO2 cartridge once that I used for a party pig and wanted to bring with me to the LHBS to make...

Nope, I've used both leaf and pellet with no bag - both end up falling out to the bottom of the fermenter after about a week.

Yes - they will eventually become saturated with beer, break down, and fall to the bottom. For the first few days, they lay across the top like that as a sort of green krausen. Should have a completely clear top layer of beer in about a week.

I just dump them in all at once and I never use a bag, I just toss them in. Heck, I don't even use a secondary, just dump them in the primary and let it sit for a week.

I agree with the others, check out Deathbrewer's guide on partial mash brewing, it's excellent. The two things I would specifically do differently are: 1) instead of pouring the 170 degree water over the grains and through a strainer, like others said, soak the grains in a mesh bag in around...

Bottle it up and find out! Two months is not too long.

Cleaning the lines every time is a best practice, but not everyone does it. If the beer you just finished and the beer you are about to put in the keg are similar styles, you could go another batch or two without cleaning the lines with no significant side effects. You should always run...

Agreed - great combo and will compliment the Cascade flavor that you have in there very well.

Agreed - to stay true to the style, you should be 10% or less crystal - but if you put a bunch of hops in an Amber, I'm not sure what else to call it. Kinda like this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/hoppy-american-amber-malty-american-pale-ale-145402/

Huh? I've made pale ales with 30% crystal (7lbs two row, 1 lb each of Crystal 20/40/60 - ounce of Cascade hops every 15 minutes), they were perfectly drinkable. It's all a matter of taste.

Bah - I think it's a mistake to reduce the specialty malts that much, it won't really be to style. It's not unusual for a Brown Ale to get up to around 25% specialty malt.

Check out the SWMBO Slayer in the recipes section - many have tried it, all have been slain.