Recent content by tlsmart1

Just a week, it seemed.

I decided that everything in the freezer has to be the temperature of the fermenting brew. So if I'm fermenting a lager, all the bottled beer rests at 50 degrees. When I do a diacetyl rest everything is at 60 and when I'm lagering, everything is at 40. Works good enough, I guess. If I want to...

I've only brewed a half dozen batches of beer so far, but I've tried to learn and improve with each batch. My efforts have led to full batch boils, better yeast pitching rates and more thoughtful temperature control. (Got a category ribbon in my first contest!) I tend to prefer ales, but I'm...

I've recarbonated a batch that was already bottled, but instead of pouring them all back into a bottling bucket I dropped a tab or two of sugar tablets in each bottle and it worked nicely.

I've been brewing in the garage through the winter using a fermwrap and temperature controller. I insulate the carboy with bubble wrap and closed cell foam, and I like the control I have with the fermentation temp. But as spring and summer are coming, I'm contemplating fermenting in the deep...

Thanks for the advice, but maybe you can illuminate me a little more. I've heard John Palmer say that two-stage fermentation is "old school" and he doesn't recommend it except when adding fruit additions or dry hops. Since I'm planning a month-long fermentation, I figured glass would be better...

It was a kit from Brewer's Best. I did brew a ESB first because I was tired of waiting for the back ordered kit to come in. I'm glad I did. I didn't follow the kit recipe, exactly because 1) I thought full-batch boil would be better and 2) I didn't think the Nottingham yeast that was...

This one's a tripel. You should see it now - it has overflowed the milk jug, and there is wort in the overflow pan. A spider was attracted to it and died in the wort. The hallway smells like (good) beer. The dog is lying outside the closet pawing at the door because of the bubbling and the...

I dumped a bottle of my first homebrew down the drain today when my wife suggested I open the bottle of Koenings Hoeven Quadrupel that was in the fridge. It was a good choice - my first batch doesn't come remotely close. My second batch is showing great fermentation, but I'm skeptical that I'll...

I don't have any of the equipment for a starter yet, so all options are still open. Maybe I'll just get 2 vials of yeast and 2 2-liter jars - that way I could make 2 starters at once. I played around with making a stir plate today, and if I use that then Mr. Malty says 1.7 liters of starter is...

Even though Mr. Malty says 3 packs are necessary? Also, if 1 is enough then can I conclude that I could make a starter with a single pack the way Palmer suggests (without repeating) and assume that would be plenty?

I'm planning to brew a 1.080 OG ale and would like to make a yeast starter. The Mr. Malty Pitching Calculator suggests 2.66 liters of starter if I intermittently shake it. But I'm confused about how to make this volume of starter. "How to Brew" suggests making starters with 0.5 quart of water...

I'm preparing to brew my second batch of beer from extract. I brew outside with a 8 gallon pot and would like to make a MLT and try all-grain for my 3rd batch. But my city's water report is incomplete at best (I do know that Sodium is 140, Sulfate is 101 and Mg is non-detectable). Is it...

For my second batch of homebrew I'm making a Belgian Tripel from a kit. The kit recipe calls for a 2.5 gallon boil, but I have the capacity to boil the full batch if desired. I played with the hops calculator in my demo version of Beer Alchemy to figure out the hops adjustment for a full boil...

I'm following this thread but could somebody explain how to alter a patial boil recipe into full boil without a lot of theory. Also, what pot is recommended that could later be used as a pot for all grain brewing.