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So Im moving into the world of canning. Nice purrty new Oktober SL1. Im the only beer drinker in the house but I also brew a lot of beer - 1/2bbl per run. Limited kegs and full keg storage, I now package in cans to free up kegs and keg space so that I can keep doing what I love!...the art of...

Made a bigger than anticipated saison with an OG of 1.100 (target was 1.094). So I made a 1L starter 24 hrs in advance. Ive never had problems with 1L starters in big beers - even stouts at 1.160. Pitched at 65F (those plate chillers are killer fast in the winter) and set my chamber to ferment...

So I have a wine fridge that I use for my fermentation chamber. Being in the winter season, I needed a warmer fermentation temp that the household ambient temp. I rigged a lamp to my johonson controller and put the lamp in the fridge and left the fridge unplugged. The lamp seemed to do the trick...

Added re-circulation for vorlauf on my 10gal cooler. Havent seen anything like it so it was a challenge. Havent used it yet to test how well it works but there are no leaks! :} Apparently, all Im really short is an external heat element to turn it into a RIMS but for now this will work Cheers ~

I have a tube of White labs British ale yeast that had gone a few weeks past " best if used before" date. I made a starter with it. When I opened the tube, it fizzed like crazy indicating they fermented inside the tube. I used them anyway. 24 hours later in the starter they are showing only the...

Anyone got a good idea for an Irish green ale? I'm not talking just add green food color to a beer. Something that has a great taste to go along with that green-ness. I thought about throwing a touch of mint flavoring. Something unique.... Thanks, TxT

Anyone use those Flensburger flip-top bottles for bottling? I use the heck out of them. They are 12oz and seal great!. At $1.48 per bottle (pre-filled with great German beer) I have amassed quite a collection. My question is, the grommets, they are sealed to the flip top and almost impossible to...

I got a recipe kit for an imperial oktoberfest but Ive never lagered a beer before. I just acquired a spare fridge but its old. Ive managed to get the temp to hover around 45 at the lowest but Im still playing with it. When I got my kit, I told the guy I may end up doing this at room temp...

I have an IPA conditioning in a secondary (actually tertiary) but before I moved it to there and removed the dry hop bag, there were little white floaties all throughout the beer. I swear one of them blinked at me. Im thinking it may be bacteria. If you could imagine little pieces of hard bacon...

Brewed an IPA tonite. Started out with my trusty companion but he bailed (15hr work day). I went it solo tonite. When my bud bailed that should have been an ominous sign. First sign of trouble, it began to darken outside and I began to get kamakaze bugs aiming for my boil. I covered with lid...

I have a handheld CO2 keg charger w/ CO2 cartriges but cant seem to get my 2-liter bottles to carb up. I leave about 3 inches or so of space from the top, squeeze out the air then pull the trigger until the bottle is very firm. I shake it about and the bottle starts to suck in again as it is...

I bottled some stout last week and was eager to check the carbonation/taste of one as I let them age. I figured by at least a week the bottles should have some CO2 but there was none. Usually any brew I bottle is carbonated by 1 week but this one has none. I will check in another week but I am...

I came across two of those Budweiser millenium bottles in a garage sale yesterday. A buck each. Really huge with a plastic cap. What capacity are those? any one try to use one for fermenting like a soda or racking a small brew? The rubber cover for the better bottle carboy fits almost perfectly...

Just moved my modified imperial stout to secondary fermenter. OG was 1.114 and took another reading just before transfer - 1.032. Is that the ideal time for FG or should I take that at bottling time? Currently, that equals right at 10% ABV. Beersmith says to leave in secondary for 7 days. Any...

Ever since I have bottling (started two batches ago), I have been having problems with the flip-top bottles. I get lots of flat bottles. Some are carbonated good while others are flat. All the rubber lid stoppers are new and appear to seal good. I have tried capping a few 12oz bottles and those...

Just finished up an imperial stout variation. It been 36hrs now and not a single sign of giddy-up from the yeast. Not a single bubble on the surface of the wort. I would have though I would have blow-out problems with this one. Its double pitched with london ale 1028. I aerated (vigorously...

Just finished my first stout. I made an imperial stout and added in 1/2lb rye malt and 1lb honey. This will be interesting. I measured my OG temp adjusted to 60'F. I could'nt believe my eyes when I saw that sucker floating at 1.114. I took it out, rinsed it, put it back in and gave it a few more...

Im making a really stout brew and it will have lots of fermentables. All I have is an air lock and Im concerned the fermentation on this one will blow the lid off my fermenter. I am not going to aerate or oxegenate the wort but is there still a concern? should I put in an blowoff hose and drain...

What is the difference between partial mash and mini mash? is it one in the same? I use extract but also steep grains as well. Thanks for helping this budding newcomer! TxT