Recent content by borntobrew

Here's the recipe right off the Stone Beer website: I don't know why there is such a difference. Here are the ingredients: Pale 2-R Malt: 87.5% Dark Wheat: 7% Carafa Special II: 5% White Wheat: 0.5% Magnum Hops: 14.4% Alpha, ~.1 oz/gallon Mt Hood Hops: 4.2 % Alpha...

Just passing along info I heard and helped me. Watch out about drilling holes in the side of the frig. They have hoses which carry essential stuff for the frig and puncturing them will ruin your frig. I just drilled a hole for my gas line and basically took a chance with a small hole and...

The simple answer is comparing your specific gravity with what is the potential sg for the volume you have. Palmer's book "How to Brew" will help with figuring your potential. But one thing I don't know that maybe someone can answer is what sg do you measure. When I measure the sg of preboil...

Thanks for you're help. You mentioned differing pressures inside and outside of frig. Sounds like I have more reading to do......

I am a soon to be kegger having just made a craigslist score which came with a 20# CO2 tank. It's best if the tank stays outside my frig but I would like a very air-tight method of getting the gas line into the frig. I searched but couldn't find any parts for this. Anybody have ideas? Thanks

I followed Palmer's book direction and I didn't get a discard layer either. I just assumed I filtered my brew really well. It was some Nottingham yeast. I did it while I was brewing my next batch so I pitched it right away. The shortest lag time I've ever had.... about 3-4 hours. As far...

Couldn't pass up this discussion without mentioning BJ's Restaurant. Not sure how close to Torrance they get but I go to the one in Huntington Beach and the beer is awesome. They got about 6 regular brews and some seasonal ones. One is a Maibock which I can't wait to duplicate once I can...

I can understand the time thing but my extract brews take 3 hours from start to clean-up. That's about as long as your typically sports game. As far as your 5 year old, sounds like a good age to "help" out - or at least keep you company. I usually brew with 6 kids in the house. I wait for...

Go Ducks......Ducks In Three...... OK, I'm a fair weather fan, but can you blame me. I heard that the Cup winner has not come from the west coast since 1920 something. I live in Orange County and I can't watch the game because it's on some weird channel I don't get. How about.....Ducks in Four.

I'm adding to my equipment slowly and am looking for wort chillers. What's a "16 foot wort chiller"? Is that a typo or do I have something new to look into?

I'm not that old but my Dad is. He used to work in a brewery and one of the perks was that you could drink as much as you wanted during breaks and lunch. These were the people working around the machinery and equipment. Rules have since changed because of lawsuits and lawyers. Having a few...

Welcome from another SoCal brewer. I too had a 15-20 year hiatus and now have 3 batches done and will make my 4th this weekend. This forum is great since it has so many answers and helps you know you're not alone. My SWMBO, friends and neighbors just don't understand the facination.

I've never used a starter. Although I am an old newbie (3 batches this decade, 20 batches last decade) my LHBS guy said it wasn't needed. My brews seem to ferment just fine. Why go through the extra work? I would gladly do one if I thought there would be a benefit. Any comments?

Yooper Chick, Thanks for the recipe. I love the fat tire style and would like to make this my next batch. Have you brewed this before? How did it turn out? Also, I hate sounding stupid but what is a "session beer"?

Just an update . . . Drove home Sat night to see a "Free Frig" sign 2 blocks from my house. Pushed it down the street with a furniture mover, plugged it in and it seems good as new. :rockin: