Recent content by beltbuckle

username: beltbuckle

That's absurd. Who the hell orders a beer like this? If the customer is aware of the beer they would ask for it by name, not "give me the beer that comes out of that tap handle with the number 9 on it". Not too mention they look completely different.

I usually don't see any, but I do see the starter viscosity change and it does get thicker after a number of hours and you'll see less of a vortex as a result.

You won't get much cell growth with a 100 billion cells placed into a 1L starter. Yeast have an sense of cell density and will not bud if the density is at a certain point. You will still do good having a 1L starter because you will start up the metabolism of the yeast and get them ready to go...

You mean like double boiler I think? Sure, there's no reason this couldn't be done. It's not far off from the steam jacketed kettles used by commercial brewers. As with most things the cost and complexity of building it are a factor as well as the capacity of the reduced kettle size. Another...

also your dishwasher won't sterilize, it will sanitize. To sterilize you would need to put them in the oven for a considerable period of time, or put them in an autoclave.

Thanks all. Here's another version I am playing with.

I have this scale as well. Compared to my wife's "expensive" cooking scale, it is just as accurate and I have no complaints. I used it for hops and brewing salts and it works great.

OK. revision 2. I (and my wife too) agree, decreasing the kerning makes it easier to read. Also cleaned up a few lines. Slapped one of these on a brown 12oz bottle and the colors were a nice match.

Hah, yeah that makes sense. I kept increasing the kerning so it would span the whole 170 degrees but I will try your suggestion and see if I like it.

Still tweaking a bit, but designing a standard label in GIMP on linux. Will probably add a bit more text with brew date, bottle date, and ABV. Anyway what you ya think? (BTW my last name is "fuhrman" hence the name...)

I don't think there is much difference between an electric element and a 100k BTU propane burner heating up the bottom of a kettle. I've never seen it be an issue.

Electric is better in every way as far as I am concerned. It's easily controlled (just manually switch a relay or add PID control easily) Can be shut off and on instantly (like if you are about to have a boilover) No open flame It's absolutely quiet It's cheaper ($0.06 per kWh for me)...

Yes main reason is to reduce DMS. Not really necessary for your normal 2-row domestic malts, but recommended for pilsener malts. I do 90 minute boils for lagers, but haven't felt the need to for ales.

How cold is your basement? A lot of ale yeasts will do great and ferment nice and clean in the low 60s, some down into the high 50's. If it's in the low 50s, maybe consider doing some lagers.