Recent content by mworkman

Geez, let me list my mistakes on my first batch which is also in bottles now. 1. Didn't boil the water which was added. (just used tap well water) 2. Didn't stir or shake to add oxygen before adding yeast. 3. I think the lid leaks because there were no bubbles in air lock. 4...

Has anyone tried any of these kits? It looks like they come with a premade 15 liters of wort. You just add the amount of water you want. You can also reboil and add more hopps etc.

So, you just pour all the trub out of your primary into a jar then seal it and put it in the fridge? And then you just poor the entire jar into your new brew? (after letting it warm up) It seemed like I had a lot of trub when I did my first batch, probably at least a Qt.

I don't get this. Let's say you have 2 gal of wort. If you cool 2 gal of wort to 80F and add it to 3 gal of cold water, wouldn't that make your wart a lot colder then 80F? Maybe even colder then the desired temp of say 70F? Also, once you have your 5 gal cooled to the desired temperature...

I've only been living here for about a year (New House and well). They tested it before I moved in and they said it was good. No dumps or farms near by. :)

When I did my first batch, I just used tap water and I didn't boil it. My water tastes good and I have my own well so there is no chlorine in there. I just bottled it yesterday. Now I read that you should boil it first. Is the need to boil it because of city water and what they put in it...

More of the same you think? Or some different kind? I don't know what kind would go good with this. :confused:

I bought a home brew kit on ebay which had a carboy, siphons, bucket etc. It also had an old kit of ingredients to make amber beer (dated 2002) I threw the yeast out. Here is what it came with: 3 lb Amber DME 2lb light DME 2cups Crystal Malt 3/4 cup priming sugar There was no hops so...

That's what I thought. I ended up using 1 1/2 cups water so it should go ok. The recipe was from the St. Louis Wine and Beer making kit I had.

I'm making a 5 gal batch. Is that gonna be enough sugar?

Do you boil the water first and then add the sugar? Or just boil sugar and water together?

My recipe calls for 3/4 cup of corn sugar in 1/2 cup water then boil. This doesn't seem like much water to me. Should I follow the recipe or use more water? I will be bottling today. I just got everything sanatized. :mug:

Do most people cool the wort before adding to the cold water? And, once it is added and then cooled, you airate right before pitching the yeast? I take it you just shake it up?

I was thinking of putting a spigot on my fermenting bucket. My thinking is that I wouldn't have to siphon to the secondary, I could just put a hose on the spigot and run it to the secondary. The spigot would be 1 1/2 inches from the bottom so you wouldn't disturb any of the sludge on the...

Can't you just add the hot wort say (1 1/2 gal) to the fermentor which allready has 4 gal of cold water in it? What is the purpose of cooling the wort before adding it to the water? That is what I did.. Then I stuck it outside (Minnesota) and it cooled down pretty quick. Got it down to about...