Recent content by wvlheel

I'm different than most home brewers. I got a process (brew in a bag) down, I can make pretty good beer within a fairly defined window of styles (nothing too big), and now I just churn out 50 beers at a time for $20 - $25. With 3 kids I don't have time to experiment (experiment=buying lots of...

My brother's beer of choice is Bud Light. I recently gave him 18 of BierMunchers Centennial Blonde. He and his roommate still rave about it as the "best beer they have ever had" - and I'm not a very good brewer. It's a great gateway beer into something a bit more flavorful - main thing is...

I bottle with my daughter. Its fun. Really. We've done it enough that it takes about an hour or so, and it's an hour that she's willing to spend with me doing something that I enjoy. I really don't mind it a bit, in fact - I look forward to it.

PBR -one reason only I raft the Gauley River every fall with some good friends. After we're done (and still alive - hopefully) the rafting company passes out PBRs on the bus ride back to camp. The adrenaline is still pumping, we're all alive and reliving the incredible day, and the PBR is...

I BIAB with two 7.5 gallon pots - mash in one, sparge in the second, then add the two together for the boil. The most grain my "mash" pot can handle is about 13 lbs. While that is mashing, I bring my sparge water to temp and then dunk/sparge. Its a really easy way to go all-grain. If...

5 Fools Brewing Co. - I have a wife and 3 kids The wife and daughter designed a logo and made me a t-shirt last Christmas. I wear it whenever I brew.

This was my first saison, and I used 3711. First, the fermentation was outstanding - very consistent with what everyone else has posted. With rgards to taste - I was quite impressed with the final product. However, I kept the initial fermentation temps low - mid 60's - and allowed it to...

This is an obvious rimshot - but I can't resist. You could have substituted an "o" and had the perfect comeback (and name for your next ale). However, your response was just fine. I had 3 batches in various stages of fermentation a while ago. A co-worker asked me "how much beer do you...

I never win anything

I thought that amylase was self limiting (as opposed to Beano) and would essentially stop itself and not ferment the beer down to nothing. I read a few threads where folks successfully dropped their gravity 10 points and the fermentation stopped. If wrong, so be it - I couldn't drink what I...

Chasing kids. Camping with kids (not nearly often enough). Fishing with kids (see sidenote on camping). Gardening to feed kids. Did I mention that I have kids? I also like to cook, especially using locally grown stuff either from my garden or the farmer's market. Once a year I raft...

I'm in the middle of a marathon event. I brewed Biermuncher's SWMBO Slayer. BIAB - for some reason efficiency was terrible, probably due to crush. O.G. was 10 points low - okay, I'll have a nice session Belgian Blonde. After 3 weeks fermentation stalled completely at 1.020. I tried...

I also use SN bottles almost exclusively because I like the way the box stores compactly in my closet. I've never had an issue, but have only bottled about 10 batches in my career.

Arrrgh - SWMBO I think that I'll call this beer the Slayer of Nottingham.

I recently brewed Biermuncher's SWBO Slayer recipe. For some reason (probably lack of starter), fermentation stalled at 1.020. After several weeks, I gave up and pitched it onto a Nottingham cake that came available. Fermentation started immediately and vigorously. Question - how long...