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I have a bad track record of my OG ending up about 10 points less than Beersmith is expecting. Even with lowering the efficiency to 65% I wanted to describe my system and process and see if I can get some advice on what I may be doing wrong, or over looking. The system is a single tier, 3...

I'd like to build a new fermentation chamber out of what I have laying around. Hoping for some review to see if I'm over looking some obvious problems. I have a dead 25 cu ft chest freezer and a working Sanyo 4912 mini fridge that I currently use as a kegerator. My thought is to build a...

This spring I planted two rhizomes too close together and they grew intertwined. Wouldn't be a problem except one is nugget and one is cascade. Now I have a mixed harvest. Now that they are done for the season, can I dig one up and move it? Would it be better to wait for the spring? FYI...

Can any of the automated systems use RTD temp probes? I'm considering upgrading from PIDs and would like to reuse what I can.

This has probably been covered already. When building a fermentation chamber most people use rigid foam with an R value of about 5. What about using fiberglass which has a rating from 19 to 30?

I have an all brett beer that I want to keg half and bottle half in corked belgians to let it age. I know I could prime the bottles and let them carb naturally, but since I have a keg set up, why deal with all the sediment? I guess the two questions are... 1. If I force carb, transfer...

I'm trying to motorize my Crankandstein mill. I have a 1/2" 550 rpm drill. I sized a belt and pulleys to step it down to 180 rpm. I got everything put together and started to test it out. It's running fine, speed looks good. Drop a little grain in, looks good. Drop a handfull of grain in...

I just used up my first tank of nitrogen, and it didn't make it through one keg. It is a 22 Cu. Ft tank which is in between a 5 and 10lb Co2 tank in size. Is this normal or should I be looking for leaks once it's refilled.

I read that you should keep your fresh mozzarella in a salt water brine. I have done this with my first batch, and it almost seems to me melting into the water. I mean within a day. How is everyone else handling short term storage? Thanks.

I brewed 10 gallons of Berliner Wiesse saturday. Last time I brewed it, I pitched the yeast and Lactobasilicus at the same time. This time I pitched the Lacto on Saturday to give it a head start. Today when I opened it up to pitch the yeast, it smelled like rotten veggies. Is this common with...

I have a Bier de Mars thats been souring for a few months. I've used the dregs of Orval, Ommegang Bier de Mars, & Gueze Boon. It has been in for 3-4 months, and has a slight sourness, and not much going on on the surface. I also have a Lambic made with Wyeast Lambic blend that has a thick...

I had an idea for the aged hops that are called for in Lambic recipes. Since they are not meant to impart bitterness or flavor, just be a preservative, what about using previously used hops. I'm thinking if you saved, rinsed, and dried your hops from a previous boil they would be similar...

Last week I was at my LHBS and they gave me a pack of Wyeast Lambic blend for free, because it was 10-11 months old. I smacked it and set it aside to see what might happen. A week later, it's starting to swell. I wonder if the yeast is dead, and that's the bugs, or if the yeast has survived...

I brewed a highly bitter APA with recultured Pacman yeast, and have a thick yeast cake I don't want to go to waste. I still have 2 jars of this washed in the fridge, but I'm trying to figure out what to brew to pitch on this big cake. Any suggestions of beers that would benefit from Pacman yeast?

I did a small test batch of a Berliner Weisse, and didn't take any hydro readings. It was in primary for two weeks. I keg, and forgot the importants of making sure the yeast is done. I opened one today to check the flavor (I added lactic acid at bottleing time), not expecting any carbonation...

Are you buying new smack packs of bugs for every batch, or is there a way to save or repitch? I have a few ideas for slightly soured farmhouse ales, but I'd rather not buy new packs every few weeks.

Can you grow sour bugs from the dregs of a commercial bottle? I'm wondering if you can grow them like building up a starter. Anyone try this and have any tips?

We brewed our St Bernardus Abt12 clone with a OG of 1.118, pitched with Wyeast Trappist High Gravity. It stopped at 1.040 which is 10.2%ABV I pitched a champagne yeast 4 or 5 days ago, and have seen no change. It's sitting in a 60* fermentation cabinet, but I believe that is an OK temp for...

When storing bulk grain, do the containers need to be food safe plastic, or can standard buckets be used?

I've allways just made a 600ml starter in my 1L flask and pitched the whole thing. I hear people talk about stepping up their starter, but I've never got the details. Do you just add some fresh wort every day or two? Do you decant the fermented liguid, and add fresh? How often do you step...