Recent content by N5629

Gila - you use a ground cover plant around your hops? How well does that work out? Do you run into problems with the clover spreading further than you want it to?

grow hops grow

Oh, I composted the hell out of the ground I put the rhyzomes in. I think I'll just dump all the grass clippings around the plants next time I mow.

What do you guys use to mulch around your hops? Anything in particular or is mulch just mulch?

There are times when I think that living in the Midwest makes a lot of sense. I suspect being in a good size earthquake would be one of them. Glad everybody is okay.

...Twister grabbed it, and sucked it right up...and it NEVER. Hit. The Ground. And that's why we call Billy "The Extreme." Honey, this is a tissue of lies. That was an old Bill, and evil Bill, and I killed him...

For those of us with inlet and outlet on the sides of the pump head, when it comes to orienting the pump on a stand should the inlet or outlet be pointed up, or should the thing be set horizontally, for easiest priming?

Looks beautiful man, I will probably be borrowing a few of your ideas for my own rig soon. Speaking of which, do you know the McMaster part number for that float switch?

Every single thing I have come across in the course of getting into this hobby, and I mean every single damn thing, has been done here before. I should also mention it has been done by people who are quite a bit smarter than me. So as much fun as screwing stuff up and wasting money on uninformed...

Totally valid point. New plan - Kenmore Mini Fridge, 10 gallon HDPE conical, heating pad, dual stage controller (Love brand, in all likelihood). Everybody needs one of these.

Well 10 gallons it is. And the 7 gallon batch idea is intriguing. I am pretty sure that if you fabricated the stand properly, one of these would definitely fit into a mini fridge. Whether there would be sufficient room in there for a heater is questionable, so maybe it wouldn't be best for...

I've been thinking about procuring a couple of these... - Plastic-Mart - ...5 gal HDPE conicals from Plastic Mart for primary fermenters. The next size up is 10 gallons, but since I am doing 5 gallon batches, that seems excessive headspace. So my question is this - for 5 gallon batches...

These are my family's new brew-ducks that came in earlier this week. Our former flock either took off for greener pastures or got eaten by coyotes last fall, so here is the new starter population. With their poop, healthy hops will be grown.

Beerthoven - you recirculate your chill water - how well does that work for you? Do you have to pour off warm waste water and add more ice or is the one bucket enough?

Takes the dang cake. I have seen some sweet basements in my life, but this...jeez. Very nice work.