Recent content by cire

No, not totally. Cheap TDS meters are fine, I've used both of mine for over 10 years and they do their job. The down side is that they are mostly calibrated for saline solutions, not for potable water. I calibrated one for my water after sending a sample for analysis and keeping some for...

Any sugar addition, either solid or syrup, can be placed in a jug and dissolved in hot wort from the boiler before the end of the boil. It may take several additions of boiling wort to fully dissolve the sugars, but allows chance for temperature rise to the higher boiling point without danger of...

Well, as I was mentioned, here are my last 3 brews, two might be classed as a bitter, the middle one, recreation of a pale ale sold in Northern Workingmen's Clubs in years long gone. The recipes are named for filing purposes by year-month-day, my manuscript brewing records have the beer name...

Probably none, with the price of sugar likely two or three times the equivalent price of malt to a commercial brewery. Today's beers are not like those with invert sugar, and I for one preferred them.

It is said that 65% of a pale beer's taste comes from hops, and likely very similar for bitter. Pure invert will add little or no taste, just dilute the 35% flavor component by 3.5% for a 10% invert addition. With a little molasses in that invert, that 3.5% reduction can be replaced by an...

@Scout, I might have brought a stop to discussions about brewing possibilities with your well water. That wasn't my intention, just wishing to advise that English style ales are generally balanced, rather than extremes made from highly mineralized water. Your water won't make a typical English...

Absolutely, and that will always be good. Many times my water starts with 135ppm sulfate and near 50ppm sodium, to which I add salts and acids, but none that will reach the levels in the water currently under discussion. A 50/50 mix of that water and RO would make a good starting point, I have...

Yes, high sulfate levels are frequently used in British beers, but be careful when with high levels of sodium. Usually in British natural waters, sodium will be present as common salt, with chloride. In this case it appear to be in the form sodium sulfate as there is very little chloride in that...

I'm with @AdjunctBrewer on calibration, although, maybe in this case, it may not be vital to use three point calibration. What is important is the first calibration be done at pH 7, because it is centre scale. That adjustment moves the entire scale sideways if we think in an analogue way. The...

Graham Wheeler always used Muscovado when the recipe could take it, he reckoned it was mostly invert due to the process used to make it. Yes it can go directly into the boil, usually by homebrewers in the last half hour. When Graham wrote his books it wasn't possible for homebrewers to get...

Invert will not replace crystal malt or vice versa. Sugar was used in British beers long before crystal malt existed. Can I suggest you replace some crystal in your recipe with an equal weight of light or dark Muscovado sugar and judge for yourself. Few British beers have 5% or more crystal...

Those numbers don't balance, 5.74 Cations and 4.33 Anions. Butty Bach is one I've never drank, but currently have some bottles of their Hereford Pale Ale, also bottle conditioned. That's a decent enough drink, but nothing especially out of the ordinary, but potentially the bottle conditioning...

There is only one rule for my Mild Ale, never serve it cold, 50F or slightly warmer. By all means store it lower if necessary, but give it time to warm or a short blast in a microwave There are some fabulous Milds, others not so great, but I feel serving a Mild at any temperature where the...

Are you sure that "At Declaration" is when yeast is pitched? Dry Hopping in Britain is traditionally added to casks when declarations for Customs and Excise are recorded.

And the Keelman is set back from the river as you reach the outskirts of Newburn. At least from that point there is no more serious accent, so a few pints shouldn't slow you down greatly. Enjoy.