ryser2k
Well-Known Member
Quick intro -- I found this site by searching google... I had a lot of doubts about the way I have been brewing and I wanted to get some advice and opinions, and this looks like the place to be. I read through most of what's out there already, so forgive me if I ask a question that has been asked a thousand times already.
First off, I've been brewing for just under a year. Every batch I've made so far has been a mini-mash kit from Austin Homebrew Supply (http://www.austinhomebrew.com/). I have followed the instructions included with the kit, adding in new things I have learned from the internet or from Papazian's New Joy of Homebrewing.
To the questions:
1. Is the One-Step cleaner also considered a sanitizer? I usually mix two gallons of it and use that for my entire brewing "session", to sanitize the fermenters, equipment, bottles, etc. Is this OK?
2. The mini-mash kit I use includes several pounds of malted grain, a bucket of malt extract syrup, pellet hops, and dry yeast, all in sealed containers. Several questions related to this:
a. As a whole, how long can I store the kit on a shelf before using it? I usually order two kits at once (to get the free shipping from AHS) and I only have enough equipment to do one kit at a time.
b. AHS lets you choose which type of yeast you would like: dry, Wyeast liquid, or White Labs liquid. I choose dry because I heard it has a longer shelf life. Is this true? Does liquid yeast result in better beer?
3. The AHS instructions don't tell you to strain the wort before pouring it into the primary fermenter, however the Papazian book does. I tried this last time using an ordinary wire mesh strainer, but it was kind of a pain because the strainer would get clogged with hop gunk, forcing me to rinse it several times. Is straining necessary? Is there a better way? (I saw Alton Brown on Good Eats suggest using a plastic colander on top of the mesh strainer during his homebrew episode, which got me thinking about this whole thing)
4. What, in your opinion, is the best way to clarify your beer? I've seen lots of talk of Polyclar, but haven't tried it yet. I am going to try Super Kleer K.C. Finings for the first time with my current batch, and Gelatin with my next batch. I also add Irish Moss to the wort in the last 15 minutes of the boil. Is there anything else I can be doing?
5. I live in a rural area, and get my water from the township. From what I can tell, the water quality is rather good (they bottle a lot of "spring water" from the same reservoirs we get our water from). Is there anything I can do to make sure my water is the best it can be for homebrewing?
6. I only have a 3 gallon pot currently, so I only use around 2-2.5 gallons of water instead of the 3 gallons that my recipes always recommend. I assumed this wouldn't have much effect on the end result, am I right?
7. Is All Grain worth it, i.e. is the beer that much better that it is worth the added work (and equipment costs)?
8. Does anyone know of another mail-order homebrew site with free shipping? AHS has free shipping for all orders over $60... without that the rates are pretty high. Plus, I live in eastern PA so shipping from Austin, TX is not exactly fast.
I actually thought I had more questions but that's all I can think of right now... and it's probably plenty for you guys to answer. Just want to mention that I'll enter all of these questions and answers on the Homebrew FAQ here.
Thanks for the help!
First off, I've been brewing for just under a year. Every batch I've made so far has been a mini-mash kit from Austin Homebrew Supply (http://www.austinhomebrew.com/). I have followed the instructions included with the kit, adding in new things I have learned from the internet or from Papazian's New Joy of Homebrewing.
To the questions:
1. Is the One-Step cleaner also considered a sanitizer? I usually mix two gallons of it and use that for my entire brewing "session", to sanitize the fermenters, equipment, bottles, etc. Is this OK?
2. The mini-mash kit I use includes several pounds of malted grain, a bucket of malt extract syrup, pellet hops, and dry yeast, all in sealed containers. Several questions related to this:
a. As a whole, how long can I store the kit on a shelf before using it? I usually order two kits at once (to get the free shipping from AHS) and I only have enough equipment to do one kit at a time.
b. AHS lets you choose which type of yeast you would like: dry, Wyeast liquid, or White Labs liquid. I choose dry because I heard it has a longer shelf life. Is this true? Does liquid yeast result in better beer?
3. The AHS instructions don't tell you to strain the wort before pouring it into the primary fermenter, however the Papazian book does. I tried this last time using an ordinary wire mesh strainer, but it was kind of a pain because the strainer would get clogged with hop gunk, forcing me to rinse it several times. Is straining necessary? Is there a better way? (I saw Alton Brown on Good Eats suggest using a plastic colander on top of the mesh strainer during his homebrew episode, which got me thinking about this whole thing)
4. What, in your opinion, is the best way to clarify your beer? I've seen lots of talk of Polyclar, but haven't tried it yet. I am going to try Super Kleer K.C. Finings for the first time with my current batch, and Gelatin with my next batch. I also add Irish Moss to the wort in the last 15 minutes of the boil. Is there anything else I can be doing?
5. I live in a rural area, and get my water from the township. From what I can tell, the water quality is rather good (they bottle a lot of "spring water" from the same reservoirs we get our water from). Is there anything I can do to make sure my water is the best it can be for homebrewing?
6. I only have a 3 gallon pot currently, so I only use around 2-2.5 gallons of water instead of the 3 gallons that my recipes always recommend. I assumed this wouldn't have much effect on the end result, am I right?
7. Is All Grain worth it, i.e. is the beer that much better that it is worth the added work (and equipment costs)?
8. Does anyone know of another mail-order homebrew site with free shipping? AHS has free shipping for all orders over $60... without that the rates are pretty high. Plus, I live in eastern PA so shipping from Austin, TX is not exactly fast.
I actually thought I had more questions but that's all I can think of right now... and it's probably plenty for you guys to answer. Just want to mention that I'll enter all of these questions and answers on the Homebrew FAQ here.
Thanks for the help!