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I recently purchased a false bottom for my 10 gallon cooler on line. When it came out of the box, I set it on a flat surface and it did not set symmetrical on the flat surface. In other words, two opposing edges remained about a 1/4 inch above the surface . . . the false bottom was slightly...

I brewed a 1554 Clone recipe I got from Homebrewtalk. I just pulled the first pint off the keg and it does not seem right. First, the aroma smells lightly of a damp sponge or a roadside used cigarette. The taste matched that with an undefinable flavor that wasn't bitter . . . but it simply...

I am in the market for a refractometer. There seem to be many options so it's difficult to figure out which ones are the accurate ones, ease of use, value for money, etc. Then again, they may be all the same regardless of manufacturer/vendor. I know thermometer adjustment is a feature but don't...

That's close I think but here are my thoughts . . . I would consider batch sparing unless you are very confident in your efficiency. This would make the first rubbings high in gravity and will taper off as you go along. As well, I would be careful lautering a pre-determined amount of wort...

Quick question: I have had several recipes ask for 2-Row grains. When I go to my LHBS, they ask if I want UK or US. What's the difference aside from the obvious (name/origin)? Do I use the US for the US beers and the UK for English beers? Does it matter?

I learned a couple things on this that may help. Bed depth does matter but only if it exceeds 10" deep or so. The thinner the braid (I.e. less than a 1/2 inch) can be crushed so a 1/2 inch seems to be what the cool kids are doing. Also, Palmer talks about the braid needing to be uniform on the...

I wouldn't say the beer is ruined . . . Yet. First indication will probably be at fermentation. I would continue and see what happens and take away the learning points at a minimum.

I am making a malty Czech lager that I previously did as an extract (this one will be AG). It turned out great but the yeast used in the recipe (Northern Brewer recipe Tmave Vycepny) was a Wyeast strain that is no longer offered: Staro Prague. What is a good yeast substitute? The recipe is...

This is all awesome info! I have been very successful with one-step for my brews and wine so I am glad to see I haven't been making a mistake with it in the wine. That said, I am leaning towards trying the Starsan for 2 reasons: 1. The one step powder will sometimes not dissolve quickly and I...

I think I mis-spoke. I use One-Step which I thought was the same as PBW. I use One-Step which I believe is an oxygen-based sanitizer. Does this change your responses? Again, my apologies on the mis-speak.

Sorry -- auto-correct changed 'sparging' to 'sparking' and 'lagering' to 'layering.' Good advice from each of you. I appreciate it.

They gave a really weird technique for all grain brewing. They said nothing of sparking or layering but instructed that you keep pouring your wort through the grains five or six times and then top off with water to reach the desired gravity. I followed palmer's book instead and asked James @...

I have done a dozen or so extract recipes and just started all grains. I am concerned that my friends and I bask in the glory of our beer but lack the knowledge of how to identify mistakes. How do you learn the flavors, etc., that identify things like under/over-pitching yeast, diacetyl...

I've done 3 wine kits but don't feel comfortable that the sanitizer I am using is the right choice. I use oxidizing sanitizer -- like PBW -- but was told by my LHBS to only use metabisulphite solutions for a sanitizer in wine. Does this matter? Do oxygen based sanitizers have that big of an...

I am a beginner all-grain brewer (2 5-gal all-grain batches up to now). The experiences created several questions. I followed the Palmer book as a guide. 1. What is the value in measuring a pre-boil gravity? If it is too high, isn't it easier to add water post-boil? 2. What do you do if your...