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I have two Flemish Reds that I have been ageing in secondary now for over a year, and it's getting to the stage where I am looking at packaging them. I really want to keg them (knowing that traditionally they are bottle conditioned). So a couple of questions as this is my first sour: 1...

Hi there, I am relatively new to kegging, and I am quite keen to clarify a porter I have just kegged. I have read up on using Gelatine - which is the way I'll go with this brew. The article says that the beer should be nice and cold before adding the gelatine. So, for a beer that was at...

I recently brewed a Flanders Red ale, and used WLP655. I left in primary for about 3 weeks, before racking into a carboy for ageing, along with the addition of some oak cubes. That was a week ago, and to day I have seen no activity whatsoever in the carboy. I know the bugs can take a while to...

Hi all, So, down here in New Zealand we can get most hops - both local and imported. But I am struggling to find Mt Hood. I want to try a batch of "Denny's Wry Smile" as I keep reading this is one recipe every brewer should try. My question is, what would be a suitable substitute for Mt...

I'm new to sour beers, and am in the process of brewing a flanders red. The recipe I am following talks about adding medium-toast oak cubes to secondary. Problem is that none of the LHBS seem to have medium toast oak. Only lightly toasted. I take it this won't make much of a difference. I...

Gidday all, So I am brewing my first sour beer at present - a Flanders Red that I am using WhiteLabs WLP665 Belgian Sour Mix 1. I have read elsewhere that after racking to secondary it is possible to pitch wort straight onto the yeast cake at the bottom of the original fermentor. Is it is...

Hi there, I am heading away on a business trip from New Zealand to Canada. I have a bit of time for pleasure, so was wanting to sample some of Canada's finest. Any recommendations for good pubs serving local brews?. We have a couple of nights in Ottawa, a night in Quebec, and the rest of...

I'm getting fed up with gas, so was thinking of going for an electric solution. I only do 5 gal batches, and I have my eye on a 30l pot. There is a 2200w element for sale on our local auction site. Would this be powerful enough to boil wort at this volume? I know next to nothing on the electric...

Okay, so I have a mix of PET and Swing-tops, both bought new from my LHBS. I am finding that about 50% of my swingtops end up going flat before I can drink them. Its getting to the point where I am going to bin them in favour of PETs. As I am reasonably new to this I was wondering: -...

Okay, so I have finally made what I think is a very drinkable Witbier, after a couple of false starts. But now I am faced with a new problem, in that it appears my beer is going flat when chilling it. After about 3 weeks of conditioning, the plastic bottles were rock solid to touch. You...

Hi there, I am about to buy a Coleman 5gal beverage cooler to use as a mash tun. As I am all the way down in New Zealand we are somewhat limited to what we have access to. I think I would prefer to go with a false bottom setup, rather than try to make a manifold, just for ease of simplicity...

So,... My first go at BIAB and I think I have a problem. I am doing a Belgian Wit, and my SG was not what it should be (1.034). Now it appears that my fermentation has ground to a halt at 1.014, giving me a ABV of about 2.6%,...not exactly what I was after. Is there anyway I can save...

Just saw in the local news that the WilliamsWarn micro breweries are about to be shipped. Have heard quite a bit about them over here, but didnt know what to think about it, but then the top award at the Asian Beer Awards was taken out by a Pilsner brewed in one of these things,....so I guess...

Hi there, I am about to do my first BIAB, switching from Extract. I am doing a Wit and have used BeerSmith (also for the first time) to calculate the recipe. I get the overall method as far as BIAB is concerned, but was a bit confused as to what the Mash details from BrewSmith meant. It is...

Okay, So I was gong to be brewing a Wit today until I suffered an equipment failure. So the yeast starter I had prepared 48 hours ago (the first one ever) is now unlikely to be used for a few days. I have put it in the fridge, and it has separated out (see photo),...is there anything else...

Hi there, I am reasonably new at this brewing thing, having only done 4 batches to date. One thing I have noticed is that all my beers seem to be half flat. I have used both dextrose tablets, as well as making a bottling mix with DME and adding to the entire brew before bottling. I find when I...

Hi there, So I have made a couple of wheat beer "Hoegarden Clone" type recipes using extract recently, but have been disappointed. What I get tastes about 60% right, but the colour is very dark, and definitely does not resemble a cloudy white beer. So, I am going to give BIAB a go, as I...

I am currently brewing a Hoegarden clone, and was wondering what is the best mixture for priming it prior to bottling. Previously I just used a couple of dextrose tablets in each bottle (this was my first ever attempt at brewing), and while this worked, I was wanting to do something a little...

Ok, newbie question here, as that's what I am... I am getting close to bottling a Belgian Ale that calls for me to boil some Candi sugar with some water, place it it a bucket, then add the ale to it. My question is, do I need to wait until the sugar has cooled before siphoning on top of it, in...

Hi there, I am pretty new to this, so please excuse my ignorance. I am quite keen to try out the recipe that the Whitehouse posted on their website for the Honey Ale that they are brewing. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/09/01/ale-chief-white-house-beer-recipe ) The recipe talks...