Recent content by billtzk

passing out works too

I don't know why but I'm wound up. I need to unwind. Music helps at times. Miles Davis, Bitches Brew. Michael Franks, love is just like baseball. That works usualy, but right now, the asynchronicity is bothering me. Have y'all ever noticed the gaps? I can hear black holes. They are...

Your recipe sounds great, Mr. Cat, and so I'm going to try it for my first Saison. I should probably read this whole lengthy thread, but perhaps it won't hurt to ask. I know a beer like this begs to be bottled, but I recycled all my bottles when I built my keezer. So to keg this, how many...

I made my brewstand and manifold out of 2x2 inch mild steel square tubing, 1/8" inch wall, like Lonnie Mac's original Brutus except that I used mild steel instead of stainless. I drilled holes with a step-bit to just barely bigger than the outside diameter of the weldable steel 1/2 inch NPT...

This is a loooooooong thread. I'm on page 10 right now. I plan to read the entire thread. Be back in a week -- maybe -- later.

I used 1272 for an American amber ale a couple of months ago and it came out brilliant. Though when it comes to dry yeast, it's hard not to like US-05.

That seems pretty high. I'm in Dallas. The 2010 water report lists total alkalinity as CaCO3 at <60 mg/L. I know we have a number of brewers from your area, so hopefully one of them has been down that road and will be able to offer you some advice.

Thank you for the back story. It's very worrisome that a carboy would break under those circumstances. Maybe there was a hairline crack or something. I haven't heard of plasti-dip before, but I'm definitely going to look into it.

But then, what do I know? Here is a light colored IPA, one of Denny's recipes, with a low SRM. Maybe check out the alternative yeasts listed in that recipe for other ideas for your own brew. All-Grain - Denny Conn's Wry Smile Rye IPA I just found it time-consuming to make a big enough...

I just used DF50 for the first time for a stout. It's still in the fermenter, so I can't evaulate yet. One concern I have about DF50 is that it is a low flocculating yeast, and I tend to prefer high floccers. But this won't be a problem in a stout, for sure. I can't say that DF50 wouldn't...

I also check unanswered threads every day or so. I answer them if I can. I do make a greater effort when it is a new poster. I think sometimes that a new person will just leave the site for good if his first or second question doesn't get responded to.

I would not downgrade. A 15 gallon pot is ok for a 10 gallon batch, but 20 is better. A 10 gallon pot is only useful for a 5 gallon batch. You usually need something like 13 gallons of pre-boil wort (depending on your boiloff rate and boil time) to wind up with 10 gallons of wort at the end...

You should not touch the glass of your yeast starter flask with any cloth at all. If you absolutely must, open a sealed sterile pad and pour some Everclear on it and wipe with that. Then take two swigs of Everclear, and relax. The best thing to do is to flame the top of your yeast starter...

Thank you. Yeah, I could see why she'd be mad, but I'd insist on the same thing. I always make sure my hands are dry and I have a good grip. I made a carboy drain stand from a 5 gallon bucket. I drilled several holes in the bottom. If I'm just draining out cleaning solution or water or...

Would you guys mind sharing a little about how your accidents happened? I have 11 glass carboys, and I use them for beer and wine. I've never broken one, but I'd sure like to know what not to do from those who have learned the hard way.