Recent content by TLaffey

Seems many of us want to reduce the ABV of our WC IPAs. My attempts have been disappointing--I can't get the combination of flavor and aroma with ABV below, say, 6.5-7.0%. Alcohol is a solvent. I'm coming to the conclusion that high levels of hops flavor requires a certain amount of alcohol to...

Do a simple test by putting some beer into a sealed container (you only need about 4 ounces) heat it in some water at 170-180*F for 15 minutes, then chill and taste. My guess is it will taste like absolute garbage until about day 12 and improve until about day 18 or 20. No way to rush it, ya...

Thanks to kevin58 and BugAC for hochkurz info. I started with temps using info from one of Kai's articles on decoction with time from the diagrams. I think my attempts spent too much time in the 145-149*F range, maybe up to an hour the first time. Lately I've been doing a temperature step mash...

I'm interested to know the temps & times you are using for low and high--and how long it takes you to get from low to high. I use hochkurz often (changing temps with direct heat+recirc, not with decoction) but don't think I've got a good handle on these factors. Along with increased efficiency...

Love mine. I added their heat blanket and use it year-round. The pizza oven attachment is kinda fun, but doesn't replace a real pizza oven. I've had no problems with it in ~6yrs other than replacing the igniter heat element.

I always dump before DH as I "burp" the tank with C02 from the bottom to mix the hops and don't want all that settled out gunk floating around again. Cold crash first? Yes, even if it's a "soft" crash to ~50*F instead of 32-34*F. I don't do either of the other two, though I might consider a...

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...