Recent content by CWalters

Thanks for all the input. @ OHIOBRIT - I'm going to increase the primary and secondary times for two weeks each respectively. I have a IPA sitting in the primary now. @ HOOTER - I like your idea of adding to a kit, that leads me into my question. I already have a Raspberry Ale Kit and would...

I need some creative criticism on my brewing technique, my beers seem to lack flavor and I'm unsure if it's me or the beer kits, so here's how I recently brewed a Porter. Any and all feedback is welcome. Steep grains @ 155-165, 30 minutes in a ratio of 1lb of grains to 1 gallon water.....Bring...

MckBrew, thanks for the piece of mind, at least I know someone else cares about my beer.

Okay, So I have two batches in question. I just racked one into a Corny and another into a Secondary. After doing so, I realized that I used 1-Step instead of Starsan to "Sanitize" the equipment. Should the batches be fine or am I SOL? Thanks!

What's the suggested O.G. for the kit? To me your O.G. seems a little low for an Oktoberfest. Are you brewing a Lager or Ale? I'm guessing a Lager. I'm about two weeks into my first Oktoberfest Lager. Tuesday (S.G. 1.026) I racked it to a secondary and today I took another S.G. to see where it...

I allowed a 36 hour diacetyl rest, then racked to a secondary where it's now been for four days @ 40 degrees, the S.G. has dropped from 1.026 to 1.020, I'll recheck it in 5-7 days to see if it Lowers more. The kits F.G. should be around 1.012-14, so It's getting close.

The FG should be around 1.15, per kit product sheet.

Great wealth of information, thanks. I took SG reading today, this time I let the beer warm up to 60 degrees, and it was at 1.026. The krausen head is gone, so I'm going to begin the diacetyl rest, and then rack to the secondary. We'll see what happens.

The SG reading is currently 1.030 @ 50 degree. The starting gravity should have been around 1.064, per kit product sheet. Should it be fine to rack to the secondary?

This is my first Lager and I've been having some problems with it. First, the WYeast that was original pitched never took off, which I think was due to my lack of experience. After waiting 4 or 5 days I sprinkled some dry Lager yeast over the top of the wort, and within 24 hours a Krausen layer...

I woke up this forming to find that the Lager now has good signs of fermentation (Krausening). Sprinkling the yeast did the trick. So should I place the carboy in the chest freezer now, keeping the temp around 55 degree?

Unfortunately I didn't get a good hydro reading. I'd take one now, but I can see the yeast sitting on the top of the wort and I don't want to disturb the process. The first yeast was the White Labs Octoberfest Wyeast Activator. Then I sprinkled a Lager yeast over the top today. I've been a bit...

It's been almost five days and still no activity. I read in a thread somewhere to sprinkle some dry yeast on top of the wort, so I did so today. I hope this works, any thoughts?

I purchased the kit through MidWest. I'm new to all this so forgive my ignorance. I'm using a 6.5 glass carboy, so I can tell that there's no activity. The temp is now at 68.

This is my first Lager, I know they take a bit longer to begin fermentation. It's been over 60 hrs, should I be worried. Temp is 68 degree, yeast smack pack/activator.