Recent content by Val-the-Brew-Gal

I've soaked my rinds in triple sec and added it all to the secondary when making an orange wheat. I guess I could consider adding a huckleberry vodka...I will need to taste test before though to see how much of a berry flavor it has...a sacrifice I am willing to make in the name of...

Thanks! It's interesting that the recipe calls for adding more yeast when the blood orangeade is added...but then that could be because of the amount of lemonade being added at that time. Makes me want to try that beer...lol!

I have done a bit of research online to see if I could find more information. There are a couple small threads on other forums but not a lot of solid information from someone who has actually done it, mostly theories and guesses about how it would turn out. I do not have equipment to keg so am...

Last year I made a 1 gallon batch of a wheat beer and I added real huckleberries. It turned out okay but it didn't really end up with much huckleberry flavor. I would like to try again with an extract but huckleberry is harder to find than I anticipated. I am tempted to try using a Torani...

UPDATE!!! Well, after all of the suggestions, ideas, comments and support from everyone regarding this thread, I think I have finally figured out my issue! I recently brewed two batches of beer and today was bottling day. I decided to start with a fresh batch of StarSan to sanitize everything...

Thanks for the well wishes! I like the suggestion of brewing on someone else's gear. I have also thought about calling the friend who helped me with my very first batch and asking him to come over and just watch my process to see if he can pick up on any mistakes I am making. But I have my...

Yes, there are dimples in the caps when I am done and it is a floor capper. 5 oz of priming sugar is what comes pre-packaged in all of the kits I have made. I started tipping for a couple reasons...one, it confirms that I have a good seal and two, I was told by my local brew shop that it...

Thanks for the continued suggestions, ideas, and thoughts on this post! I finally worked up the nerve to try another batch, which I started last week. I am doing an Amber Bock kit that turned out very good the first time I made it, so I know what it should taste like if all goes well. I did a...

Thanks for taking the time to read through the whole thread! I appreciate your thoughts and questions. I don't have an update just because I haven't worked up the courage to try another batch. I have an Amber Bock kit that I really probably start next week following tips and ideas offered here...

I have gotten my kits from a couple different online retailers. It has happened with kits from both places. I have used all tap water on batches that have turned out and all spring water on batches that have not.

I have decided that with the next batch I am going to rack and bottle the more conventional way...i.e not using the All-In-One. As for the capping process...I am definitely not using twist off bottles. I have had others taste for me but not a seasoned brewer or judge. It is something to...

No, the All-In-One does not have a filter unless you add the whole house filter setup...which I haven't!

I use the bottle filling attachment which does run the beer down the side of the bottle...but it is all done under vacuum so it isn't introducing any oxygen in the process. I am rinsing the bottles well with hot water, so I don't think that is the problem...but I suppose I can be more...

I rinse the bottles several times with very hot water. And I use the same procedure on all batches (those that have turned out good and those that haven't) so that doesn't seem like a possible cause to me. Plus it doesn't seem like it would be all the bottles in the batch if that were the...

I don't use a bottling bucket so there is no spigot to deal with. I use my All-in-One pump for bottling but have carefully sanitized the tubing and bottling attachment. I clean my bottles with an oxy product and sanitize using StarSan and a bottle rinser attached to the top of my drying tree.