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I've seen a lot of talk about how clean (the current incarnation of) s-04 is, but I tasted one of my recent beers along with an old bottle of a previous version of the same ale fermented with A-09 and found them surprisingly similar, although noticeably different. The A-09 was fruitier...

I also just brewed 2 beers with S-04 for the first time in years. Both cleared significantly on the third day. Both tasted downright sour a few days later, when I am accustomed to (normal) highly flocculant English yeast being done. Both lost the sourness, along with about one gravity point...

Last year I came back from an eleven-year break. You'll be beer then you ever were after a half dozen batches.

Here's a glass of the ale I mentioned above (the latest in a series): 1.042/1.006 (85% AA) 60% Ashburne Mild malt 20% US pilsner 20% white sugar 34 IBU of Cluster at 45 minutes S-04, second pitch, fermentation started at about 69, raised to 72 when krausen subsided on day 2 carbed to 3 vol...

Thanks for sounding the alarm. Saved me a bundle over the next year and change.

I just got another one with ashburne mild in the fermenter. It's one more in a series--I'm working toward a sparkling ale suitable to fill the place ice-cold light American lager holds in the Southern summer. I was told by a more experienced brewer that I was on the track of what the bjcp calls...

I like it with cluster hops and a fruity yeast, so far. You might get more body than you want if you use it alone. I would at least use a high percentage of sugar, if not a fraction of adjunct+something with more dp. On the other hand, a SMASH will be informative even if not the most balanced...

I will add that I've used it in 2 beers, both at around half, with us pilsner malt and flaked corn. Very American. If US pale ale malt is bland or unremarkable compared to English pale ale malt, then subbing in 25-50% ashburne mild brings it up to parity. Same amount of flavor, different flavor...

I have not used Ashbourne in an English mild yet, but I have recently made 2 beers with it. There's very little buzz about it anywhere on the internet, and yet morebeer carries it. I don't know who's buying it or what they are doing with it. But I really, really like it so far. I wish people...

https://www.murphyrudemalting.com I heard about them here. Apparently they built out a web store and a brick and mortar specifically to cater to homebrewers. There was a thread recently about domestic/local ingredients. I've been very interested in the craft malt scene, but it seems like it's...

Before crimping, hold the cap down with your thumb and shake the bottle to purge the headspace air with liberated co2. No mess. Works every time.

At this point, I only bottle in 32oz EZ Cap bottles. I use an online priming sugar calculator to hit the carbonation level for the style I'm bottling. The results have been great so far. I think I am going to start shrinking my headspace, based on this discussion. We'll see how it goes....

I have wondered about this, specifically-- could the elimination of most of the headspace (filling from the tap) actually be better than the elimination of splashing (bottling wand)? Every single piece of gear the homebrewer can pitch over the side is a small win, in my opinion.

I think I might be the most lax, and I'm sure I'm asking for trouble.... But I've been rinsing several times right after emptying, soaking for a day or 3 with (plain water), then rinsing again, then starsan, then into the box. Shoot if starsan right before filling. I use a flashlight to...

It is done all the time. You might have more or less yeast in suspension to carbonate--less can make it really slow, but it's only a problem with the most extreme floccers and then still very rare, more just leaves more sediment in your bottles. No big deal. Personally, I do not even own a...

I think there's a trick to getting a reliable seal with swing tops: seat the cap by hand and compress the gasket with your thumb, then toggle the bail. The fit between the stopper and the mouth of the bottle is a spherical joint, but the bail applies force along a line. If that line ends up...

Reviving this old thread to ask if any of this is still active. I have been trying to get in touch with the club in Columbia with no success.

Gadget of the month for the brewer who is perpetually short on time and money: That's a 1500 watt bucket heater and a 120VAC mechanical timer. I treat the whole volume of liquor in the (stainless) HLT the night before, wrap a blanket around the HLT, and set this to be passing 160-170 degrees...

I am sure pitching within a week is optimal, but lots of homebrewers get excellent results repitching slurry much, much later. You have to make an educated guess about viability, of course, just like you do on cell density. Without a microscope you will never know for sure, but a little...

This is a great thread. I'm very interested in the domestic craft malt. A lot of it seems hard to actually buy, but I'm going to start experimenting with what I can get soon. I've used a ton of Maris Otter at this point, but have recently been trying the domestic malts out of...