Recent content by markz

username: zmf

Hmmm.... How did you know? What does that do? I remember the first few kits I killed the burner at this stage, but I didn't the last few. I stir it in with a heat resistant spatula to make sure it's incorporate, but I guess maybe it was too hot (very gentle boil). -Z

I've done a few extract kits since I started brewing a year ago. Last night I made a new Octoberfest packaged by my LHBS. I've had success with other kits of theirs, so I was surprised to have the OG so far off. I've had some minor variation, I think mostly due to temperature, but this has to...

Yup - that's one of the main ones I've been reading recently. I think I'll start off hand turning the mill since I don't really have all that much to crush in these kits. Those are some pretty slick setups though. I've been holding off on all grain, and lately I've been wondering why...

giggity. Seriously - I have learned twice the hard way to be patient and focused on my brewing. First time the wind blew over a board (that I put up to block the wind on my flame) which knocked over my boiling wort on to the new plastic deck. Second time (same exact extract kit, try #2) I...

This sounds like sound advice - it makes sense in my realm of newbism. I just started an extract Oktoberfest (a little late, but hey), and it took me about half an hour to crush it all. It wasn't as bad as last time, I think because there was some crystal and some chocolate which crack...

I've done a few 5 gal. kits now that indicate the grain should be cracked before steeping in muslin cloth bags at various points in the boil. I've been using a wooden rolling pin and a cutting board, which turns out to be bad for a number of reasons; it puts dimples in the rolling pin, it's...