Recent content by ejg700

I've looked into the 5.2, but read of people having mixed results from it. I suppose it can't hurt to try though. Definitely good advice on the digital thermo. Mine was off by twelve degrees. I have been thinking about starting a brewing log. I used to be able to remember every precise detail...

I'm glad you mentioned the thermometer! I was going to check into that, but forgot the last time. I had a suspected it might be that, as it's reading 98, and I know it's nowhere near that. I would be why my yeast stalled when it read 62, and there was still blocks of ice in the water... Thanks...

I'm at a loss. I'm relatively new to all grain brewing, and I just can't seem to make a beer with the type of flavor profile that I'm looking for. I have done extract brews for a while, and they all have turned out excellent. I've brewed about one hundred gallons of all grain beer, and they've...

Thank you for the advice. I will definitely keep it simple from now on. In the meanwhile, I wonder how much USPS will charge to ship 5 gallons of beer to Alabama from Minnesota:)

Thanks for all the advice, I'm definitely going to take it all in. That's why I come here! Ideas really sound good in my head, until I run them past people that actually know what they are doing. What is the most accurate IBU calculator? I think my next recipe will be be a simple one. 12...

I guess I'm still getting over my "experiment with everything," phase. I was looking for a complex brew, with a lot of different flavors, but perhaps that was a bit overboard. I think from now on, I'll be one base malt brews with one or two specialty malts, and see how they work with each...

I'm pretty new to AG brewing. So far, I have about 10 batches under my belt. I have yet to make an enjoyable beer. They have all been drinkable, but not quite enjoyable. I keep making stupid mistakes... Too high temp on the fermentation... Too low mash temps... Adding flavoring extracts with...

I love Newcastle brown ale! It is by far one of my favorite commercial brews. I recently brewed Midwest brew supplies clone, Oldcastle, and I think it's even better than the original! My only problem with both the real thing, and the clone is I like a beer with a little more malt favoring. I was...

Good point on the preservatives, I hadn't even thought of that. I achieved only about 60% attenuation, and that just might be why. Perhaps a blend might be in order. In hindsight, I should have also used a higher attenuating yeast for such a big beer. Lesson learned.

So, I took a shot in the dark in formulating a winter warmer brown ale. I used 6 pounds of domestic 2 row, 2 pounds of caramunich, .5 pounds of crystal 120 .5 pounds chocolate malt, 6 pounds of light munich 2 pounds of brown sugar, 3 pounds of honey, one pound of hazelnut syrup, and cascade, 1...

I was doing a 3 gallon batch to blend with another batch. I found the problem- it was a faulty thermometer. Temp was about 12 degrees too high. Going to the lhbs to get a digital. Thanks, your suggestions helped as well.

First of all, isn't "sweet wort" suppose to be sweet? That's been my problem. Every wort I've done comes out tasting like grain water, with barely any sweetness. I've tried mashing at 152, and 148 with the same results. I've even tried adding amylase to no avail. The fermentations always take...

I mashed at 152 for 70 minutes, but I didn't get a complete conversion. I don't think I used enough water in the mash. Then I added Beano to the wort for an additional 60 minutes at 126, as alpha galactosidase deactivates at ~137. LHBS was closed so I couldn't get amylase. It's still quite sweet...

Hydrometer, sorry that was a typo.

I used 7 pounds of American 2 row, 2 pounds of caramunich, .25 pounds of chocolate malt, .50 pounds of golden naked oats, .33 pounds of honey malt, 24 oz of honey, 14 ounces of maple syrup, 1 oz vanilla extract, and .10 oz anise seed, S04, and 1oz Chinook. It's been in the primary for about a...