Recent content by Sollozzo

Just to keep you guys posted, yesterday I added yeast energizer and I pitched Lalvin D47 Wine Yeast. There's very steady airlock activity now. Thanks again to all of you for your help.

Just took a hydro reading. SG reads 1.074 (@ 72 degrees). I started at 1.105 (@ 72 degrees) on March 16th, so we're 9 days in. I was aiming for a FG of 1.012-1.020. So, some fermentation has obviously taken place, I just didn't see that vigorous bubbling that would indicate a...

HAHAHA!! Not a bad suggestion. Maybe yelling "Dracarys" at the carboy will fire things up a bit.

' I used WYeast "Sweet Mead" (4184). Prior to making this mead, I made a blackberry mead with the same yeast, and had really vigorous ferm within 24 hours that lasted about 2 days. I'm going to siphon a sample into my graduated cyl tonight and take a hydrometer reading. I'll post that...

Hey guys, In another thread, I posted some info on this new melomel I made, but I'm having issues with it. There was never a vigorous fermentation period within 72 hours, or much fermentation at all for that matter. The most intense it ever got was 1 bubble per 12 seconds. At this time...

It sounds like a great idea but I'm having issues with mine. I used a WYeast Accelerator Pack, which swelled within an hour, so I'm thinking the yeast was healthy. But for some reason there was never a vigorous fermentation period within 72 hours, and it's only bubbling once every 25 seconds...

Does force carbing cause a decrease in the quality (taste) as opposed to natural carbing? And how long do those cartridges last approximately?

Force carb meaning just install and use the CO2 tank, right? So if I naturally carb two of the them, is it necessary to even use the CO2, or can I save them for force carbing future brews?

Anybody catch this article on Syracuse.com? "Growth in small or 'craft' brewers continues, in Central New York and across the U.S." http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/03/growth_in_small_or_craft_brewe.html#incart_river_default It says craft brewing grew 15% in 2012. Overall...

It's definitely served in NYC, so it's not the whole state. But hopefully it'll show up in time. Good beer.

That seems like a steal. Couple questions. 1. Do I still have to use priming sugar if I keg, specifically in that Tap-a-Draft system? 2. Can you immediately drink your brew (after a night of refrigerating) with that system? 3. Is it absolutely necessary to use a bottling bucket...

That's good news. Any idea where I might find Allagash White in Syracuse? I was in the Party Source store yesterday on Erie Blvd. and spoke with the owner. It's the only craft beer store in Syracuse that I know of, and he said it was impossible for him to get Allagash.

So then I'll probably just keg it all at once in a 5 gallon Cornelius. Gotta buy a keg kit now. Was looking on amazon and found one that came with everything except the CO2 tank for $159.99. Any suggestions on where to find something cheaper, or is that as good as it gets?

Thinking ahead, I'm trying to decide if I should bottle or keg. I can afford to split a keg kit with my buddy, and we know of a few places to pick up CO2 tanks locally. The problem is I don't have a spare fridge. I can buy one off craigslist, but I drive a 4 door Mazda 3 so I have no way to...

Thanks so much. One last question. I don't have a pot big enough to brew all in one. Is it okay to boil in two stove-top pots, with 3.25 gallons of water in each, and just split everything down the middle?