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So I built a wort chiller, just basic 25' immersion chiller. I call it the beast because it looks like a tangled mess of tubing, BUT, it did take a 2.5 gal boil from 207F to 80F in 6 MINUTES!! I have really really cold tap. Any good ways to improve structural stability, on this thing? Was...

Just threw together a immersion wort chiller. Did a vinegar solution boil to test it, worked well, but when I brought it out and wiped it down, it left a yellow residue on the rag. Is this still ok to put into wort??? Is there a better way to clean immersion chillers? Was going to use on...

So I JUST started my boil when my china made probe-wire thermometer just stopped working. Subbing with my roast-thermo yay... Any brands out there that work for over 1 yr? -The one I have is a Taylor Wire probe style. It was nice because I tied it onto my pot handle and let the probe hang...

Ok so I am in a Microbiology class finishing up my 2nd to last semester. They (thoughtfully) decided to make beer in a lab since those wonderful yeasties are part of microbiology. Anyways, they make a batch from powdered extract (and tell their students how good it is because it has measured...

Just did the Brown Ale in the HOW TO BREW book. I used my clean coffee grinder for the grain (sorry but I had to get brewing, couldn't sit around for 2 hrs hitting grain w/ a rolling pin), as expected, the gain was fairly pulverized, but looked ok. Threw it in my fine mesh seeping bag, and got...

I have a bottling bucket that has a crude hole cut in the bottom for a spigot (I was late and I was not going to drive 15 minutes for a 1" drill bit, so I used my 3/4" and knifed out the rest). I first used it as a primary one time, worked fine. Recently used it has a priming bucket, and it...

I made the porter in How To Brew, it has been in the primary for 17 days. Tasted some of it yesterday and it seemed very watery. The only thing I did different was the LHBS guy gave me 7lb of LME instead of 6lb per recipe. Also, I don't exactly remember why, but the liquid level is 5.5...

I wanted to do an easy recipe for garlic beer (its for a coworker). I want to just throw it in my old Mr Beer keg so I dont waste a bucket fermentor (and possibly producing 5 gal of crap beer). SO what I found so far is this: 6 pounds, plain light extract syrup (hopped? who knows...) 2 ounces...

When bottling my last batch I primed for 5 gallons, but since I was using buckets w/ spiggot for a primary only about 4.6 gallons made it (didnt want to stir up alot of sediment). It has been 7 days @ 65 degrees, just cracked the first one and it was very carbonated, & good head retention. Was...

Ok, so at this point in time I do not want to spend the time or $ to make a wort cooler. Last batch I made, I just cooled outside until ready (still took like 3 hrs, not cool because I think I got some off flavors from that). So I am wondering, is it ok to use the Alton Brown method and mix...

just bottled my cincinatti pale ale extract batch, was in primary for 2 1/2 weeks (had to bottle this weekend and all activity was done almost 2 weeks ago). However, there were little tiny yeast colonies that were still floating around on the top of the wort, is that normal?

I am brewing tomorrow and I cannot find unscented detergent @ any of 3 stores I have been to. Will a plastic bucket fermenter pick up that much soap scent? I have washed and rinsed very well before even sanitizing (Star San). My last batch I just washed, rinsed, bleached-sanitized, rinsed...

Since everyone seems to think a secondary fermenter is not necessary, is it ok to open up the primary and throw a bag of hops (planning on 1/2 oz of loose cascades in a nylon mesh bag). From what I have read, dry hopping is done when transfered to the secondary, so if your not doing that, why...

Hey, been reading on wort chillers for my next batch. Instead of copper tubing, can you just take clear vinyl tubing, coil it up in a ice bath, then run the wort through that? Or even coil the tubing into the boil pot, then run cold water through it? I guess my real question is, do you have...

I have a batch of Cincinnati Pale Ale that is going into the secondary soon. I would like to dry hop it for more aroma so I was going to use 1/2 oz of cascades. The beer right now tastes very bitter (I used alot of nugget hops in the boil). An old WWII vet told me his dad would make beer...

Just took my first hydro reading on my first LME brew that is fermenting. I did not take a SG (did not have a hydro). The brew is 4 days in the primary, bubbling has slowed down considerably over the past day, and already the gravity is at 1.015. Does this seem weird to anyone else, or am I...

I have 2 gal of beer that I primed and bottled. They have been sitting for 4 days @ 60-65 degrees, then I realized they probably should be warmer, so they have been @ about 70 ever since. When should they be ok to drink? Are there any methods to improving flavor at this point (besides waiting...

I am fairly new to brewing and I need to purchase more carboys (1 to make apfelwein :mug: ). Right now I have 1-8 gal plastic bucket w/ a spigot on the bottom. I like this style (because of the siggot) except I cant see clearly what is happening inside. What does everyone else use?

I just got my first real brew fermenting (im not counting my mr beer experience), and I did not take a SG reading before it started fermenting (did not have a hydrometer, but will have one soon). Some sites say wait 2-5 days, some say wait 2 weeks, before bottling. I am trying to get this...