Recent content by wbtenor

Excellent. That is what I imagined, but it's good to know. A followup Q: Since I am collecting my wort from a mini all-grain batch instead of DME, the wort will be going into the jars at around 170*F. I expect there is a wort shrinkage factor here. Not the anticipated 4% from boiling to ~70*F...

How would you calculate the original gravity of pressure canned wort (250*F at 15 min) based on a pre-boil gravity? I can take a reading next time I open a jar, but I'd like to know the science behind it. Since there is little to no evaporation with the lids on, does that mean there is no...

Thanks all. The starter is definitely done (not at peak). I think I'll decant and pitch more wort in now that I know the warning signs. I have a long way to go on this stuck ferment, so more yeast isn't going to hurt

I have a stuck fermentation that I'm going to try to fix by pitching a healthy starter of WLP099 (High Grav) at high krausen. Trouble is, I pressure canned my wort with foam control (fermcap S: 1 drop for 2 gal), so no krausen. This is my first experiment with foam control. For a regular...

This has been alluded to a lot in pressure canning wort discussions, but I can't find any simple info on making sterile water. Most brewers that can wort mention that they also like to make up some jars of water, but no real info is given. I've read 15 PSI for 30 min. How much head space do I...

I have 3 five-gallon glass carboys that I use for secondary. The 5 gal mark is dramatically different in each. I tend to fill as full as they will allow to avoid headspace since fermentation is pretty much done. Prior to precise measurement as per this post, I assumed the 5 gal mark was at the...

chigundo, in my experience the yeast/sediment cake is pretty compacted after cold crashing. Moving the carboy around hasn't brought any of that material up for me. In fact, it's solidified enough that my auto-siphon can just rest on top of it without sinking to the bottom of the carboy through...

Great post, ChemE. One followup Q, though. How do you precisely measure the volume when the liquid gets to the carboy shoulder? I understand we read at the base of the meniscus at eye level (90 degrees) with the liquid in the flat portions of the carboy. However, when it curves at the shoulder...

Sorry, I should have been clearer, I was just looking at the CPVC for the wort returning from the pump into the kettle (whirlpool chiller ala Jamil). Once I figure out the right dimensions through CPVC experiments, I was going to add a permanent wort return with copper. I've read the whirlpool...

I've been reading up a lot on the recirculating immersion chiller idea and want to experiment with it but not commit to copper until I knew if it worked for me and my setup and the ideal design. CPVC seems like a great way to tinker on the cheap, but I don't know. The stuff I have is rated to...

Cool, thx Catt22!

I'm tired of hoses collapsing, so I'm upgrading to 90 elbows and silicone tubing. My question is what length of tubing is ideal? Should it go to the bottom of the receiving vessel? Just long enough to get in the vessel? Silicone ain't cheap and I'd like to cut down on the length to save money if...

Thanks for the tips here. Basically, all of these steps are things I've heard other brewers talk about and tried incorporating. It's basically all about clarity. The few times I haven't done secondary, I've ended up fairly cloudy. With secondary, unbelievably clear. So, I'm superstitious now...

I feel like I can finally have a lot of control with fermentation. But, I have questions about best practice for all of the steps I may be incorporating (these may be out of order): Primary (7-10 days @ 64) Dry hop (4 or 5 days in) Temp raise (to 68 ) Cold crash (1+ days @ -50) Secondary...

Thank you ClaudiusB! It's been a few years since chemistry. I totally forgot the term "meniscus" or a google search may have proved easier! Cheers!