Recent content by thdrduck

I was looking for some ideas on using cranberries. Sand Creek makes very nice ale using them. I will be making something today and thought I would boil the berries for 10 min or so and put them in the primary. Don't know if I should crush them or keep them whole.

Thanks for the kind thoughts folks. After a night filled with bad dreams I am past the morning stage (but I will dress in black today). My (sniffle) plastic carboy will be called into duty today as a primary and my trusty favorite will be stripped of accessories and laid to rest with all the...

I've done it a hundred times with no problem, poured hot wort into a glass carboy. I just spent the last two hours brewing an Imperial Pale Ale on the old wood stove in the man cave, was going to pour it into the carboy and let it cool over night while the yeast starter did it's magic, half way...

That was the only down side I could see, but I really don't care what the SG is. To me it's just a number and it is what it is what it is and once it's said and done... I can't change it, other than add more water and here we go again with the 5 gallon carboy. Round 2 is on the wood stove right...

It just occurred to me that if a person started out with say a gallon less wort in the primary and then added that gallon after the first few days of fermentation, you may not need a blow out tube. I know if I just had a 6 gallon primary that would take care of most of it but I already have two...

If it's a normal alcohol beer, most of the heavy fermentation could be over in 36 to 48 hours if everything was just right. It's probably still working, just at a much slower pace. I'd let it settle for a few days, transfer to the secondary and relax for a week or two. Take a hydrometer reading...

It's all cool Doo. Some of my bigger beers require a "blowout tube" the first few days because the krausen needs somewhere to go (better into a bucket then on the floor).

I like big. mostly because of the boil over factor but also the more water you can use in the boil the less sugar concentration and less chance for scorching on the bottom. That said, something with a heavy bottom is better. I like to brew on an old wood cook stove I have in the basement...

Don't know. But I would take a shovel next Spring, dig up some roots, plant them where I wanted them and say a nice little prayer.

4.5 # seems light to me but I like large stuff. With those light hopping amounts I wouldn't worry about over hopping with either choice. This is for 5 gal. right?

Turns out Phred is a bittering hop. I took about 12 cones and a qt of water started to boil some aroma but not really what I was hoping for. Boiled for about 50 minutes, let cool and tasted about 1/4 teaspoon of the tea. My face about imploded! Yep, Phred is a bittering hop.

I like the term "Black Hop Bomb", I think that's what I'll call it if you don't mind seabass. I may add some light brown sugar into the mix a few days into primary so should end up a little above 1.070. I think I'll keep some records on this one, hope it lives up to expectations. BHB, I like it.

Ya know, I guess it would be. RIS is a really broad style from no hops to tons of hops so it would include any high alcohol Stout.

This is what I love about homebrewing! My three favorite beer types are Stouts, Porters and IPAs soooo... how about an Imperial India Stout Ale? I'm going for a high octane Stout with tons of hoppiness, both aroma and bittering. I think I may be the first one on my block with this one. Doing the...

Dwarven, you mentioned making a "hop tea". That is a great idea! I am in the same boat as in unknown variety with lots of cones. Too much of a nice established plant to pull up so shes a keeper. Today I will make a "hop tea" and check the aroma at 5, 10 and 15 minutes into the boil then let er...