Recent content by TLaffey

I agitate the tank with gas bursts from the bottom after dry hopping. If you don't dump trub before DH and the agitate, all that stuff has to settle out again--and it desnt help beer flavor one bit.

Congratulations on the new hardware. I'm fermenting with a CF-5 and a CF-10 and use a 2" to 1.5" offset reducer after the 2" valve to whatever I need downstream. I tried eliminating the 2" valve and using only a 1.5" valve downstream from the reducer and that just clogged with yeast and trub...

I did exactly this with my last brew. The yeast didn't finish, or at the very least under pressure the yeast slows down too much. My normal practice is to open blow-off for first 2-3 days, then spund at 3psi. and normal ferm temps. I believe this gives me the least possible yeast expression for...

My beers are never done fermenting in 11 days. I recommend a VDK test before either crashing or kegging.

My wife is a wine drinker. If it's beer, it has to be Witbier or Hefeweisen--Allagash is a go-to.

Add a spunding valve if your beer is already carbonated. With a fermenter at 15psi, holding the keg around 10psi allows it to fill without too much loss of CO2. I started "tipping" the destination keg before I had a scale and it's so simple I've stuck with it.

Yes, I did replace the fan but I also had to replace the internal 12V power supply to power it. The OEM fan is a 120V fan and, surprisingly, the fans I could find that moved more air are 12V fans. I was after max air flow, so of course the fan is not quiet (though maybe slightly quieter than...

I recirculate and believe that there are only a few instances where stirring is necessary: Dough in, briefly at the end of a temperatures step (if step mashing), after refilling mash tun for a batch sparge. IMO, stirring more often is to be avoided so as not to stir in more air. All that said...

Are you running the cold glycol into the bottom end of the coil? I believe that would maximize heat transfer and reduce the risk of icing. I'm not sure what ABV you are working with, but that would also be a factor in how cold you can go. My quick google search (I can't find the table I'm...

Thanks for that reference; I may want to try that also. This is the thread that got me started on this: Adding Sodium Metabisulphite to Keg to reduce oxygen. I currently add 2gm SMB to 6G of starsan, which I believe to be overkill. I push out every little bit of solution before introducing...

Yes, I was assuming use of tap water, not RO. If you use municipal tap water for your Starsan solution, there's going to be chlorine/chloramine in there.

Yes, and also chlorine/chloramine. I add SMB when filling to remove both.

To get that last bit of starsan out: 1. before filling, trim the gas-in post very short 2. after purging, pressurize the keg (some), invert it, and let some gas out through the (short) gas-in post. I ususally use an adjustable pressure relief valve (my spunding valve) to ensure I don't let out...

Primarily concern about coppper contributing to accelerated beer aging. As others have said, SS is also easier to clean. Completely agree that the heat transfer is much better with copper, but the other points are what caused me to eliminate copper.

I use Fermcap-S for the same reason as the OP. Two points to add to the thread: Even refrigerated and shaken before use, there is a shelf life. So if it clumps or gets mold, replace it! Second, there is a maximum amount you can use due to the nature of the product. To be sure that there is no...