Recent content by AlZilla

Yeah, 100%+ error is a lot of imprecision. Anyway, didn't mean to stoke controversy.

I can't argue with anything you've said. I could indeed have been more precise about a pound in a total gallon. I'd just add that I don't think a floating hydrometer is a precision instrument anyway and then factor in reading through the meniscus, there's plenty of room for imprecision. OP is...

You guys are really in the weeds here for a new brewer. The simple answer is, add sugar. A pound of table sugar in a gallon of water raises your SG by .046, in theory (I never seem to get quite that high, but regardless ...), which is 5.9% potential alcohol. The almost as simple answer is...

Yeah, it would seem so. Poor planning on my part...

I noticed this in my soup making adventures yesterday. When I had a vigorous boil, it was very much concentrated in the center.

Exactly, Lack of research bit me in the tail. But, I used the induction cooktop making soup today and I can't believe how fast it'll bring a couple gallons of 45F water to a boil. Even at 3100 watts. Now I really, really want to use it.

If Birdwatchers didn't ferment for you, something else is going on. Do other things ferment OK? Maybe your PH or temps are way, way out of whack? Is your yeast from yesteryear?

I thought about more plates but getting the exact height would be a challenge. And maybe costly.

Indeed, I did get the Avantco. I generally don't make beer so my batch sizes are all over the place. 1 gallon to 30, depending on what I stumble into. I have a propane-fired 30 gallon boil kettle outdoors when I need capacity. I have never used an induction cooktop and was pretty disappointed...

I think I'd have a very big mess on my hands ...

Yep, it's definitely a no-go. I might see if I can find a couple of smaller pots, friendly and non-friendly, and try it in small scale.

The 8 gallon kettle is a very heavy, thick kettle. I'd get a cheapo stockpot to surround it.

You know, it's said that the only dumb question is the one you didn't ask. So, this can't possibly be a dumb question, right? I have an 8 gallon boil kettle I want to use on an induction cooktop. But it's not induction friendly. I can not use an induction disk because the bottom of the kettle...

Got it - so in Beer World, All Grain means no extracts. In the Land of Distilled Spirits, All Grain means no added sugar. I appreciate the explanations.

So ... I'm not a beer maker, I just like reading the general discussions. But I have a question. OP says he's making an "all grain" recipe. Doesn't that mean no added sugar? I could see it being all grain if the only added sugar were at bottling time. but he specifically says "fermentation"...