Recent content by Frenchtom

So.....I had a small mash tun and decided to build a medium mash tun. I was about to sell the small mash tun when I realized that maybe I ought to keep it. Is there any advantage to mashing certain grains in one tun and remaining grains in another tun before combining their worts in the...

Hi Bill - I add the sugar immediately before bottling the beer after it has been dissolved in hot water. I also let the water cool to room temperature before adding it in.

Hi guys - I wrote this message e while back and have since brewed an american amber ale. I did not get the thin, watery results I had been getting. It is very rich and full bodied. However, the carbonation is still way off. Its much better than before. I used to get a tremendous amount of...

Hello guys - If I am shooting for 5 gallons of post boil wort how much pre-boil wort should I start with? I know there is no one correct amount as there are so many variables but I am looking for order-of-magnitude numbers here. Should it be 6 gallons, 8 gallons, 10 gallons? Thanks, Frenchtom

Hi guys - when I am sparging my mash I use a continuous sparge - I add 170F water on top of my grain bed and draw from the bottom of the grain bed at the same slow rate that I am adding my 170F water. My question is, should I stop intermittently and stir up the grain bed? I have a feeling that...

Hello everyone and thanks for your prompt responses. I am embarrassed by how inaccurate I was in my thinking but I am glad I asked because your answers helped clarify some problems I was having, namely weak beer. Some follow up questions and answers: Are you using a recipe? - yes, I buy...

Hello – I am getting back into brewing after a 10 year hiatus. Things have changed a little bit, mostly terms and technology, and I am a little confused in the area of gravity readings. Please review the below list and kindly comment/correct on anything I have wrong Original gravity...

Hi Woodland - just to verify...mashing for a longer amount of time would produce a thinner beer and sparging at lower than 170 would also lean towards a thinner beer? That seems counter-intuitive but if true would explain my problems. I tend to mash longer under the impression that "more is...

Hi Bill, thanks for the response, I will try calibrating my thermometer to boiling water and compare against some other thermometers I have that I use for grilling. If memory serves me correctly, I aim for about 156 mash temp. When you say higher temperature, just how much higher? Five...

Hello - I used to brew great beer but then jobs, wife and kids got in the way for about 10 years. I am trying to get back into brewing but I am having horrible luck. I brew all grain recipes and the last 3 or 4 have the same common problem, the flavor is thin or weak. Its almost like drinking...