Thanks, guys. Your replies are much appreciated!
bertmurphy: Thanks for the link to the SG correction chart. It's ironic that the link you provided took me to a website for Diesel Generators because that's what I do for a living. I'm an Industrial Diesel Generator Technician.
This might sound like a dumb question, but I just want to try to get it right (as best as I can) the first time instead of ruining my first batch. I've read the Wiki on this site; I've read a book on home brewing; and I talked to some homebrewers that I work with. There are just little things that i'm not sure of: (Again, most likey dumb questions; just want to be sure)
1) How often should I stir the pot when boiling my Malt Extract (wheat; hopped and unhopped; most of it liquid, some of it powder), if at all??
2) I'm using powdered Yeast: should I stir it in my wort or just add it and let it sink to the bottom?? (both have been recommended to me by two different people)
3) How do I keep my long handled Stainless Steel spoon (to stir wort) sanitized during the time between boiling my malt extract and stirring in yeast??
Is it OK to use a (sanitized) Stainless Steel Spoon for these purposes??
4) (I can't remember the name for the device that goes in the top of the fermentation bucket; the indicator- 3 piece)... should i just add water (that I boiled, let cool, and covered) to it or something else (like a mix of water and sanitizer, etc...)??
Sorry to be a pest. Thanks.
1. Make sure you stir well to avoid scorching it on the bottom when you first mix it together. After that, it doesn't matter at all if you stir or not. If it's "thick", you may want to stir occasionally just to ensure it's not clumping on the bottom and scorching.
2. Either rehydrate it in warm (80-90 degree) water, OR sprinkle it on the wort. If you add it dry to the wort, don't stir it in. Let it soak up the wort itself and then it'll know what to do.
3. You don't have to sanitize the spoon until AFTER the boil. The boiling wort is ok with not sanitizing the utensils, since the boil kills any nasties. But once you turn off the burning, anything that will touch your wort like spoons, thermometers, etc, will need to be sanitized. Some people keep wallpaper trays out on the counter, filled with sanitizer, and just put the utensils in there and grab them out when needed. You'll need to sanitize the fermenter, lid, airlock, etc, too.
4. The airlock is fine with just water, but lots of people use vodka. That way, if a little bit of the "inside" liquid drips back into the fermenter, it's not going to hurt the beer.
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