Recent content by Kriznac

Cpt_Kirks nailed it. The oxide layer returns very fast after it has been removed. If you take a chunk of aluminum and scrub it with something like a wire brush the brush will kind of slide along the alum. at first. After a few strokes the oxide layer is removed and you will feel the brush really...

Hells yeah, I'm gonna be brewing up a dunkelweizen in a few days, these pics are making me anxious to brew it. Looks great!

Without pictures it's hard to be 100% certain, but it sounds like a normal fermentation. If you have an off white foam with a thin layer of brown "crud" on top of that then no worries, it's just yeast and is totally normal. And remember, if it tastes good it is good.

I have some yeast that I have captured and know it can make a good beer but now I want to find out its alcohol tolerance. I am planning on making a high gravity wort out of some DME and letting it ferment. After it is done fermenting is the ABV the alcohol tolerance? What should the OG be for...

So, how did you learn to brew, how did you get into the hobby? Did you have a family member or good friend there to show you the ropes or did you have to "self-educate" and learn from your own mistakes. I know we all have made mistakes and hopefully learned from them as well, but I want to hear...

That's strange. About a year ago I came home to find my brother had made steak and fresh boiled crab for dinner. Awesome! But when I found out he used my brew kettle (aluminum) to boil the crab I was less than pleased. I thought for sure the pot was ruined. Not so. I scrubbed it out with some...

I use Better Bottles and set my auto-siphon in the little "dimple" in the center until the beer gets low and then VERY carefully tilt the carboy to get the rest. I always end up with a bit of trub/yeast coming through the siphon at the end, but I use secondaries for a lot of my beers so it...

That wort looks fine. Let it ferment and clear a little bit and I think you will be presently surprised. Besides, as long as it tastes good who cares what it looks like. We all love to have beautiful looking beers but I find it easier to drink an ugly beer that tastes good rather than a beer...

I run into this same problem almost every brew. It's not a big deal. Sure, a 10L difference will theoretically make for a darker beer but I doubt anybody would ever be able to tell. Just get what's closest and go ahead as planned, your beer will be just fine.

Try putting a rubber or perhahps a nylon washer on the inside between the cooler and your bulkhead. Wrench it down tight and you should be good to go.

I've had the same issues with Sierra Nevada's PA, it really seems to be hit or miss for me lately. I also had a six pack of Mirror Pond from Deschutes that tasted off, not enough bitterness and something else that was just...off. I blame my pallet for the Deschutes but I've had problems with the...

After losing yet another job I have decided (finally) to go back to school.I will be entering the mechatronics program at the local community college and have considered pursueing this career upon graduation. I have read alot about the profession lately but haven't talked to anybody who knows...

Just golf. Between that and brewing it's hard to find the money to do much else, although I used to play paintball quite a bit. Now I just have about a $1000 worth of paintball gear sitting in the garage.

I've built two mash tuns, one 5gal and one 12gal, both modeled after ChemE's super efficient mash tun thread. The only difference is that I didn't install a manifold for sparging. I get great efficiency with these and have yet to have anything close to a stuck sparge. I cut my slots with a...

I recently had a chance to try a version of Widmers, Brrrr aged in bourbon barrels. Not too sure what style this beer falls into, but it lent itself to the bourbon flavor very well. Don't know if you guys get Widmer down there in Texas but it would definetly be worth checking out IMO.