Recent content by PT Ray

I'm not one to shy away from old ingredients but this may be one I'd have to pass on. With the can bulged the way it is, that's all I need.

Another vote for M20. Used it for the first time late last year and was impressed how close it was for a dry yeast to 3068. Side by side may be a different story. I have a reserve of M20 and a starter going of it for a brew this weekend.

Mini mash. I made a mash tun out of a 2 gallon cooler that has worked for up to 5 pounds of grain. Typically the grain bill for a mini mash is 2-4 pounds. I'll use this to make about a 2.5 gallon, hour boil with hop additions. That gets added to the bucket with all the extract, mix, top off...

I was helping there (Birmingham Brewing Co.) when Steve Betts was brewmaster. From there I went and helped at Southside Cellars as "cellar master" when it first got started. I remember talking to Brad about a full time position when BBC sold and renamed as Little Star(?). The brewery just...

I understand that and feel that's why prehopped kits are great. If I gave the impression otherwise that isn't the case. I've made plenty of good beer with Coopers and just some additional extract. No steep this and boil that attempting to improve it. Defeats the simplicity.

AHS has a good selection of Coopers including Irish Stout in stock. In my opinion, the popularity of prehopped kits has been steadily declining in the States over the past 25 years. As a result, they weren't being stocked to previous levels. I'd also mention imported extract in general isn't...

I've been using quat to sanitize my brew equipment for years despite reading the alleged impact. I'm not going to tell you they're baseless but may have to do with the user. Looking back, using it sparingly it had a minimal impact. Too strong and it may explain a fizzy head and an astringent...

Second the use of Pilsner extract. I don't find caramel malt (cara 8) appropriate for a tripel. Wouldn't waste the dime on candi, cane sugar has worked for me. The style depends a lot on the yeast so choose wisely.

It's prehopped, don't have to add any. From what I could find, it requires 500 grams of sugar to yield 9 liters at a 1.070 OG. I find that to be a modest gravity but if I did want to bump it up slightly I'd make it an 8 liter batch. If you have 4 kits I'd make two 16-18 liter double batches.

FWIW I did a couple fresh herb wheats several years back. One I added .4 oz of fresh sage which turned out well. Another was .3 oz total of fresh parsley, rosemary and sage with two hot peppers. Don't really remember how well it turned out but would remember if was bad. The only herb I have...

Precisely! Good catch.

I figure around 12.5-13.5% abv. Apple juice at 1.050, cane sugar 1.046 per pound per gallon yielding a 1.1075 starting gravity. For finishing gravity I'm feeling that a 1.005 is in the ballpark. This yields a 13.45% abv which I think is a best case scenario. Minimum, 12.5% range.

I'd be really surprised if the sugar on the bottom doesn't get converted / dissolved before too long. It's not ideal but nothing the yeast shouldn't be able to handle with too much delay. You wanting to add juice prior to bottling is called back sweetening. Traditionally you'd add...

The only current offering I can find to use where Jamil calls for English Pale Ale LME is Briess Pale Ale and feel it should do just fine without compromise. Not to be confused with their Pale.

In that case I would say yes there will be a detectable difference. I can pick up a slight viscous, earthiness at 10%. If I thought I could get away with using 20% without a stuck mash I would jump on it. I've heard several on here say they manage just fine...