Recent content by bigjoe

Good point about it being most accurate in the range I'll be taking measurements. Like I said in my 1st I'm not all that concerned about it, but I didn't expect it. I know people who only calibrate them once a year and thats at the brew club meeting we do it. Thanks for the response. I'm...

I got a Hanna Phep+ pH tester last week. I soaked it per instructions, and calibrated with 4.01 and 7.01 solutions. I took some readings on various things. I stored it in storage solution, after rinsing per instructions. The next day I wanted to take a reading of some beer I was getting...

I marked a paddle, then metal ruler, and ouitside the kettle while I was at it. The kettle marks have worn off. Like someone said add water a half gallon at a time from a pitcher or kitchen measure of some sort. I'd checked to see how much your immersion chiller displaces if you use one while...

Good call RM-MN I think small batches on the stove are great. I do 1 or 2 each year in the winter. I have yet to do one this year though. You could probably do 2.5 - 3 gallon batches on the stove with your 16 qt. BIAB and direct fire your mash. When I got back into all grain a few years back I...

Sorry I meant to mention BIAB in my post and never did. I was writing my post assuming BIAB from paraordnance post. Yes bigger pot for future larger batches. If you can find a turkey fryer big enough I'd say that's a good way to go. You can use the burner later on most likely. The cheap...

Like paraordnance mentioned. If you can already do full boils, which you didn't mention specifically you should be able to transition to all grain for the price of a paint strainer bag. The hold a decent grain bill for 5 gallon batches. You mention needing a larger kettle than what you have so...

I had mine apart quite a few times, the vibration would loosen things up a bit. I put petroleum jelly on the gears. How many beers have you put through it so far? It really is a cheap way to crush grain. Its goes well with BIAB as far the minimal investment you have to make. I've read about the...

Hermit I had a small kettle when I started BIAB. I'd mash with what ever amount of water and grain I could get in the kettle, which varied from brew to brew. I'd add top off water as it evaporated during the boil. During the mash I didn't worry about the volume in the kettle too much. I was...

I agree. Like I said in the other post its really a minimalist approach. I was getting 75% - 80% before my recent efficiency problems. Not sure when I'll be able to brew with the new mill. We got a bunch of snow yesterday and its been kind of cold. Does anyone ever take a gravity reading before...

gingerdawg, I have used a pasta mill for crushing also for quite some time. It finally wore out. I can't get a fine enough crush and I've ran it through as many as 3 times. It did get a lot of brews out of it. Probably almost 50. At least half of them had grain bills of 15 lbs or more. For $12...

Good to see you added more hops. Did you take into consideration that you only added half the corn sugar on your gravity reading? A beer that big whats .005 anyway :)

I'm curious about this as someone mentioned it a post about BIAB. I would appreciate it if you could post how many BIAB's you've done and how often you use it as your main method of mashing. By how often I mean 25%, 50%, etc... And whether partial mashing or all grain. By rinsing I mean...

I am not trying to be a jerk... again. The reason I pointed out the obviously inconsquential is because the method is a minimalist approach, and I'm one of the people on here who has pointed it out before. I might be splitting hairs, but you could say that about fly vs. batch sparging also...

Shaker Definitely possible its my crush. I got a new mill for xmas. My old mill which was DIY pasta roller someone posted on here. I've brewed a ton of batches with it. I have it adjusted as fine as it will go. I thought the crush looked good, but once I ran some grain through my new Barley...

BARBQ, like a couple of others mentioned you can go with a very fine crush. If you have a way of checking your pH I'd do that to make sure your in the ball park, and check thermomter. You might try mashing longer. Stir the mash a lot, because it doesn't matter if you disturb the grain bed. I'm...