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I wouldn't worry too much about the beer being carbonated after 5 days. I have had beer carbonate after just 2 days and it did not explode. Once a beer reaches carbonation most of the yeast falls out of suspension anyway and so the beer will not continue to pressurize at an appreciable rate...

Anything that will come in contact with your beer must be sanitized.

Well, It is likely that it is one of two things. Either your brewing equipment or home has a stubborn bacteria or wild yeast that is in your air this time of year, or perhapse your furnace filter (unlikely), or it is something to do with your water. Try giving all of your equipment a...

I haven't made one yet, but I would love to give it a try. Usually you would let it age 6 mo. to a year before you even try it, but with that recipe, you might be good to go 3-4 months after bottling.

I would also like to recommend iodophor because rinsing with cold water is not a sanitary practice. There still may be bacteria in your tap water. Iodophor has been safely used in the food service for decades and is inexpensive when purchased in bulk. It also leaves your bottles clean unlike...

Anchor Steam (california common) is made by using a lager yeast at ale temps. It gives the beer a bit more fruitiness than if lagered but the result can be quite pleasing. I usually use San Francisco lager yeast when I make my Steam beers and they turn out quite nice. So.....I guess to answer...

Did you add any table sugar to the beer? What was the recipe/kit?

As far as safely moving the beer: colder is better due to less pressure at lower temperatures and colder liquids can absorb more of the CO2 pressure. Maybe put an air conditioner in the room for a few days. Also if the beer has not had any explosions for a week then you might be through the...

For this problem I would recommend Coopers Carbination Drops (or the primetabs as our freind Cheezus mentioned). Each piece is enough priming sugar for a 12 oz beer and you use 2 pieces for 22 oz bottles. This will eliminate the dosing problems as well as ensure you do not disturb your beer...

The brown foam and sediment on the sides of your carboy are both good signs. The brown particles in the foam are yeast mixed with sediments from your beer. The sediments are proteins, hops and yeast and they will collect on the sides of your carboy. The foam was white in the begining because...

That is true, DME is a more complex mix of sugars than dextrose (corn sugar) so the yeast has a bit more work to do. It also contains nutrients to keep the yeast healthy as well as a better flavor in the finished beer. There are also dextrins (non-fermentable sugars) that will add body to your...

Ok, if you are really worried about the smell-let's say hypothetically that you do not want someone you live with to know that you are brewing-then you can buy 20 feet of whatever diameter plastic tubing will fit into your fermentor blow off hole, and run the tubing from your closet to the...

You may find that after all the trouble you go through and your ingredients for homemade "Essetial Oils" that it might just be easier to buy "Essential Oils" at the "Essential Olis" store. But who am I to discourage a pioneering attitude?

Here you go. This is actally from "The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing" but looks like a great recipe. Don't be turned off by the name. I am willing to bet that anyone that makes this will love it. Maybe I will make it next time I do a porter (I have one fermenting now) and post my findings...

Smorris, Do you use dry yeast or liquid yeast? The reason I ask is that if you use dry yeast then I would reccomend switching to liquid because it has a faster start over dry. It also produces a better flavor than dry in my opinion. If you do not have access to liquid yeast then you could...

I have heard that adding some pepper(s) to a stout or porter can be quite nice. I have yet to try it though. I saw a recipe for a green chili wheat ale that looked interesting. Other odd recipe ideas: Carrot Beer Garlick Beer Sweet Potato Beer Liqorice Ale Green Apple Jolly Rancher...

If the beer has aged long enough, sometimes I will move it to the fridge to stop the aging process and make the remaining yeast fall out of suspension. As beer ages it becomes a little more dry in flavor and cold temperatures will stop the process for ales. Lagers may continue to slowly age...

I am so glad you brought up this interesting topic. I saw a recipe that called for a whole chicken with its bones broken to be fermented with the ale. You've got to love the colonial times.

Or if you want to get Really, Really crazy then get your recipe kit but add an extra 2 lbs of "special B" grain to the recipe. It will add a rich red malty goodness to your beer and give it a unique charicter sure to amaze your friends.

I beleive that Killian's Irish Red is brewed with Hallertau hops. Try 1 oz boiled for 60 minutes and then 1 oz boiled for 15 minutes. And if you want to get really crazy, and I know you do, throw in 1 oz cascade hops right into your fermentor after 5 days of fermentation then wait a week...