Recent content by jaythebassist

I'm in!

Excellent point, Canuck. And I was just chatting with a friend that I AM going to get one for just that purpose. But I was on a time crunch with the meeting looming, and this made do. Thanks!

SUMMARY Here's the parts list with prices: notes: - Unless you're comfortable using pliers on the valve stem (which I wasn't), it's almost impossible to get that sucker tight enough before first use. HOWEVER, once you pop to 15 psi the first time, you can then tighten up that hex nut with...

With the regulator set at 15 psi (and the operator wearing safety glasses cuz I'm a wimp), I popped the bottle up to 15 lbs: Then I shook the sheet outta that puppy until the beer absorbed all that gas. No problem. Repeat that last step 2-3x until the beer won't drink anymore gas...

Next, I isolated just the parts which will be in contact with the beer or CO2. These parts were cleaned w oxyclean free, and then sanitized in starsan. I sanitized the seltzer bottle w starsan, and put together the cap holding the valve stem with the 4-way tool threaded on. Next I drew off...

You've heard of these before, but I figured I would post my build w detailed pics, so it's crystal clear. So I stopped into Pep Boys and had a looksie around. They had the air chuck and barbs, but no chrome hex-nut tire stems. I didn't want the all rubber snap-in type. So I went to Napa...

We used a therminator and recirc chilled the wort until it was in the mid 90's (hot hot day and the groundwater was 80º IIRC) and then we filled my 10g mash tun with ice and pumped the icewater through the coolant side of the therminator while transfering to the fermenter. Worked well, but we...

bobby_m just posted a video of our brewday and when we racked the beer to the barrel. and here she sits in my basement (currently surviving Hurricane Irene).

you had me at "no". lol I'll go with the test mash.

Here's a question that can help me get there.. does pH in water dilute in a linear fashion? Ex: (true or false) 100 oz of 7.0 pH + 12 oz of 1.0 pH = 112 oz of 6.35 pH -or- 100 oz @ 7.0 pH + 100 oz @ 5.0 pH = 200 oz @ 6.0 pH

I gotcha AJ, but aren't numbers 2 and 3 accounted for in the EZ water calculator? That's what I'm asking.. if I manually modify the pH of the strike water how can I get that info into the spreadsheet?

TH, thanks a lot for your hard work on this spreadsheet. I'm really new to water chemistry, but it makes it painless when we have all these great resources. Thanks! I also have a specific question about adjusting my mash pH, but I don't want to hijack, so I started another thread. TH, I...

Is there a way for me to predict a change in mash pH based on adding a specific volume of strike water at a different pH than the rest? I would do this because a. I don't have any 88% lactic acid or acidulated malt on hand, and b. I have a sour mash ready to use (with an unknown acid content)...

Another option, especially if you're tight on space, is to use an old yeast vial to submerge the probe in water. A member of my brewclub did that, and it worked well. Obviously, such a smaller mass of water will heat and cool quicker, but it will still help prevent false readings just because...

I started the sour mash on Wednesday planning to brew Sunday (yesterday), but I had forgotten about a gig in the afternoon, so it didn't happen. Freezing would be easier for me than refrigerating, since we have much more room in the freezer. I could boil and then chill to ~80, then pour it...