Recent content by honeybadgers

Understood, I'll try this out next time!

Useful information, maybe I'll have to fashion up some kind of cooling rig for future batches. As for now, though, i don't have a spare bathroom. I'll definitely start checking my gravity from now on though, I'll wait until it's about 3 weeks in.

I forgot which of the four possible yeast on the recipe i grabbed at the brew supply store (and already took the garbage out so i can't go dig the package out) I'll take a fan to it this weekend (I'm on duty until sunday)

I'm not exactly sure what yeast, just followed the recipe. Either 1028 london, 1084 Irish, 1968 special London, or Nottingham dry. Was a liquid nutrient pouch method. The Christmas ale is a 3522. I do have a hydrometer and should remember how to use it. Guess I'll start checking it regularly...

Sounds good. How will i know when it's ready? Check the gravity again? I didn't take an initial gravity because I've never before had a use for it before as an utter amateur, but I'll check the gravity in the morning and use that as a benchmark. Is there a way too know when the beer is ready...

So i made two 5 gallon batches of beer and two one gallon batches of melomel. The mead seems to be moving a little slowly, but i can see the bubbles moving through the jars, and the Christmas ale went absolutely berserk, so much so that i had to put a bypass hose on the airlock into an overflow...

I made the change because I couldn't follow the recipe correctly and had less pumpkin and water in the boil pot - I will be buying a bigger pot for the next batch, for certain

aha, good to know! Yeah, I would much rather have had the spice there beforehand anyways, but I'll make sure to not give any of this batch to anyone. I was also wondering, ubernoob question, the ale is pretty darn light in flavor and body - does steeping the grains/malt/pumpkin in the...

I cannot lie - I like spice :D I'll try refrigeration as well - going to give them a whole 2-3 weeks in the bottle. They taste like a whole pumpkin pie in a bottle.

I'm a novice to home brewing - my first batch turned out pretty well (a sweet stout) but didn't have the best sanitation, and this second go, I did a pumpkin ale (with much, much better sanitation, heh) and when I was about to bottle it off, I had a taste and decided that it was far too bland...