Recent content by BrewinMAINEiac

Wow....don't let these guys scare you. If you already have the freezer, all you really need is a temperature controller. Picnic taps work just fine in the beginning...add a fan ( i have had a 6" personal desk fan running nonstop for 7 months inside mine) works fine. But that is all you NEED...

Does anyone run the drain to the bottom of the keg on there mash tun. I know the room is tight under there for an elbow and piping. But you could tack another ring to the bottom of the keg to raise the bottom high enough to accommodate the piping. No hole needed in your false bottom, no wort...

I just tasted a friends cider. He has been doing it for years. He uses oak barrels to ferment a non-sparkling cider. I am getting a metallic end note on the taste. Good flavor but that metallic taste just after you swallow is a buzz killa. Bottles and caps were clean and in good shape (no rust)...

OK here is my recipe: 1) 4.75 gallons of fresh pressed cider 2) 5 tsp of Fermax yeast nutrient 3) 5 Campden Tablets 4) 2 lbs of Caramelized Brown sugar 5) 1.5 lbs of wild honey 6) 1 pkg Safeale S-04 yeast OG was at 1.072 and It has been going at 65-68 deg for 2 weeks now. Bubbles every 3...

Should I need to add any more yeast nutrient later in the fermentation? Or should I just let it go?

So as in beer, its is the yeast strain that your using that determines the temperature range of fermentation?

Your sarcasm is duly noted....I hope.

Oh and 4.75 gallons of Fresh pressed cider.

I am using safeale s-04 yeast w/5 tsp of Fermax yeast nutrient . What is an ideal temperature to ferment my cider at? OG is at 1.072. I used 2 lbs of Caramelized Brown sugar and 1.5 lbs of wild honey (from my bees) and 4.75 gallons of fresh pressed cider. This is my first try at a cider.

I have a very similar method but I would NEVER squeeze the grains... I wait until the dripping slows then I slowly shower the grains with a little sparge water. Squeezing will surly release tannins that will give you off flavors.

I just did'nt know if you lost any hop flavors not getting rid of the trub? None of the readings I have looked at tell you to strain or remove spent hops till secondary racking.

After finishing the boil using pellet hops, do you transfer the green goo to your fermenter or leave as much out as possible. I am using a keggle for the first time and I had a small clog at the pick up tube and all that broken down hops were left at the bottom....any tips??

Looks easy to me!