Recent content by HokieHT07

5-6 gallon batches and I have not step mashed. I intend to step mash, but won't get to it for another year or so.

The Brewhardware RIMS tube set up was an absolute dream. Brewed an Abbey Ale today and it turned out great!

I went with your system. Seemed like a good fit and I'm very excited to try it. I got it in the mail today and put it together. Is it ok if the heating element touches the inside of the RIMS tube? I want to make darn sure I don't electrocute myself, and burn my beer.

I've looked at his stuff and am waiting for it to come in stock. It is most likely what I will go with based on my research and this thread.

I've been using my rubbermaids for mashing and sparging for years and don't want to move to BIAB. I feel like if I'm going to buy new equipment it should build on what I aleady have and use. it also just doesn't seem as fun.

I've thought about that and figured RIMs was the way to go. However, a lot of the controllers for them are 220 it seems. I tried using a grainfather once. If I'm space constrianed for a long period of time I'll have to look at it, but where I live in Northern NY it was waaaaay to slow heating...

Good point. I brew five gallon batches.

Looking at going RIMS or HERMS, but I have to stay at 120v. I move around a lot (military) and can't garuntee that the next place I live will have 220v. What are my options? I like the RIMS setup at Brewhardware, but am also aware of the issues with RIMS systems writ large.

Does anyone out there have a Blueberry Cream Porter recipe? I am debating just putting a pint or two of blueberrys in the mash or boil and a vanilla bean in the secondary. I know AHS makes a kit, but it is on backorder.

Thanks for the info gents. After inputting the Arrowhead spring water stats into EZ water calculator I should be alright after some minor adjustments. Also, I will definitely stay away from the "5.2".

I am about to brew my first all grain batch, a Smashing Pumpkin Ale and I am worried about alkalinity. I only used store bought Spring water to make things easy for me. Should I worry about adding gypsum or other salts?

They should stay crashed as long as it is ale yeast. However, don't expect the aging process to stop. I have cold crashed bottles and let them stay in the fridge for well over 6 months and they continued to age.

Looks like I have over carbonated my beer. My thought is that this is from short fermentation before bottling. I opened my first bottle after two weeks of conditioning (one week in primary and one week in secondary) and it opened like champagne. Poured nothing but head! This happened once...

Your beer should be fine. This has happened to me two or three times. I began using a hop spider when boiling my hops. Using a spider or bagging your hops will help prevent these incidents. The times it happened to me it was because of hops and other junk blocking the krausen from blowing off.

Anyone ever had a bottle explode on them? I recently had one explode like a little glass grenade. Thank goodness for the chest freezer preventing shrapnel! I have heard of and seen bottle caps pop off, but never this.