Recent content by LostBoyScout

What's the tasting notes on it? I don't know that there's a style that really works so you might just have to accept that you'll lose a few points there and hope to gain some insight (and points) in the 'Overall Impression' section.

I have used that yeast a few times (and love it!) and with a similar mash temp I'd usually get 88 - 92% attenuation, though I add a small amount (~5%) sugar too. ie my saison at 1.048 finished at 1.005 and 1.039 finished at 1.003. So it might still drop a little more. I always give saison...

I've made a few BdG's now, and my least favourite was the one I added a small amount of dark malt to (touch of de-bittered black), and won't be doing that again. My favourite so far was equal portions pilsner, vienna and munich with about 4% caramunich and 6% plain sugar to round it out. I...

Most of the suggestions so far are taking it to the extreme. If you want to age it for years then yes, best bets are mixed fermentation beers and strong ales like barleywine, imperial stout, Belgian dark strong etc. But a huge range of styles tend to improve, or at least not fall off, over the...

Personally I'd make a big WY1728 starter and pitch that into the stuck RIS and hope it gets going. 1728 can get up to about 13% if it's healthy enough and won't over-dry the beer. Back on topic - I really enjoy making saisons and have tried a number of yeasts now. While 3711 isn't as...

100% depends on your tap water. I'm lucky and have great tap water, low in all minerals and no chloramines. If your tap water has chloramines (like chlorine but doesn't boil off readily) it is not suitable for brewing unfortunately - it will inhibit the yeast.

My personal preference is adding some boiled/cooled water to the cake, mixing it up, pouring into a 1-gal jug and let stand until it separates out the right amount and pour off the milky yeast suspension into jars. I sometimes just pitch fresh wort onto the yeast cake without touching it if i...

I'll certainly be drinking a beer if he wins! Though maybe not for the same reason. ;)

I've brewed a batch of old ale which is around a year of age now with Brett L and it's tasting great, not overly dry but of course brettanomyces won't leave a lot of sugar in a beer. Its OG was 1.099 and it finished at 1.010. It was 88.5% Maris Otter and the remainder was C40, C120, and pale...

Riding my bike!

Leaving the equipment soaking in star san isn't going to do you any good, you're better off with a long PBW soak followed by a shorter star san soak.

Amber ales and cream ales. Bleh. Used to drink them 15 years ago though

Yeah that info was around for a few days now, and while I knew it would create a buzz of complaints on the internet I think it's pretty reasonable for what you get. DLD is the epitome of super-hyped craziness so you've got to be into that to want to participate anyway.

BJCP have stressed that the guidelines are not rigid for 2015 rules, and that it's more important that the beer give a general sense of the style and be enjoyable rather than meet the specs. I feel like it would do better in Berliner than it would in mixed fermentation due to being such a...

I bounce my immersion chiller up and down to agitate the wort and generally don't worry about HSA. Have had good results - not saying I'm not doing some sort of damage, but the end product is still good and I'm thinking the more rapid chill ought to do enough good to cancel out the bad.