Recent content by TheGambler87

Bump. Prices lowered.

Make an offer for the SS shanks, need to get rid of them

Faucet and 4" shank sold

PM sent

Pictures as promised

Bought 2 of these last year, one was mocked up and not used, the other on never even opened. $15 for both shipped http://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/843420.htm Older rear-sealing chrome faucet w/ 4" shank, pretty worn but still works fine, doesn't look the best, flaking chrome etc. Pics...

This is awesome! Count me in!

Mechanical Engineer here, work in the steel/metals industry for an equipment manufacturer.

Stainless steel, ball bearings, high-pressure lip seals, precision machining...

what you are looking for is called a rotary union http://www.mcmaster.com/#rotating-unions/=x1ualu

Which is why I said if you didn't follow the recipe or add enough or too much water. I agree its good practice, but not as necessary as it would be doing all-grain. Then again I think I'm in the minority in not being obsessed about checking gravity. I check pre-boil gravity and FG at...

If its an extract brew, there isn't really any reason to check the OG, unless you didn't follow the recipe or didn't add enough top up water, there isn't really anything to go wrong that would cause your gravity to be off.

Go easy on the dry hopping, especially if there isnt a lot of accompanying bitterness. I made a blonde/pale ale hybrid last year that I dry hopped with about 2-3 oz of cascade, it had this overpowering aroma without much else. It was kind of boring actually, like hop-water.

1 cider and 3 extract brews before I took the leap. Built my own cooler mash tun, it probably would have taken longer if i didnt have that old cooler lying in the basement...:p

Likely not infected since you didnt mention any mold or bad smells. Id say it was a fermentation issue...too cold, not enough yeast, old/bad yeast etc. As far as the hops, what was the recipe you used, and when did you add them? The flavor/aroma hops (the ones that get added at the end of...