I have been trolling through the forums lately and I really like the site. I have been brewing on and off since 2000 or so. I have been picking it back up lately and getting excellent results. just discovered beersmith and it rocks. I mostly keg now but I am getting my collection of bottles out so I can make more batches at one time. could use some help on a few things though.
usually I brew with mostly extract and a steeping of some crystal malt. I usually only boil and steep about one gallon of water. I do this so I can cool the wort quicker once its all done with icy/cold spring or well water. beyond getting a lower extraction % on my grains and hops, are there any other negative impacts to doing it this way?
When I begin primary fermentation I dump the entire contents of the brew kettle into the fermenter thinking more hop flavor will come out. Could I leave all the mush in the kettle so I have less particles to worry about in the bottom of the fermenter?
Is it necessary to always let the primary fermentation carry on for days and days? I had a recent batch reach its desired Final gravity within 24 hours using nottingham yeast. Is this process just to allow more stuff to settle to the bottom or would it be fine to suck my beer off into a carboy and cold crash it to get the junk out faster? I hate waiting a week when no bubbles are coming through the airlock. why should I do that if fermentation has completed?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Bottles ready for washing after a couple years in the attic, took a long tome to drink all of those lol :
Why doesn't my image load ?
usually I brew with mostly extract and a steeping of some crystal malt. I usually only boil and steep about one gallon of water. I do this so I can cool the wort quicker once its all done with icy/cold spring or well water. beyond getting a lower extraction % on my grains and hops, are there any other negative impacts to doing it this way?
When I begin primary fermentation I dump the entire contents of the brew kettle into the fermenter thinking more hop flavor will come out. Could I leave all the mush in the kettle so I have less particles to worry about in the bottom of the fermenter?
Is it necessary to always let the primary fermentation carry on for days and days? I had a recent batch reach its desired Final gravity within 24 hours using nottingham yeast. Is this process just to allow more stuff to settle to the bottom or would it be fine to suck my beer off into a carboy and cold crash it to get the junk out faster? I hate waiting a week when no bubbles are coming through the airlock. why should I do that if fermentation has completed?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Bottles ready for washing after a couple years in the attic, took a long tome to drink all of those lol :
Why doesn't my image load ?