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Because CO2 has a much higher density than air, doesn't the CO2 in the keg drop to the bottom and displace air out the top as you fill the keg? I certainly understand that anything that involves removing the keg lid is not 100% closed and free of air, but this approach seems to get pretty close...

There are quite a few discussion out there that challenge the traditional thought on tannins. Not sure what I believe, but if the Germans can boil a mash, grain and all for a decoction and make a great pilsner, I am guessing your stout will be just fine with a few grains in the boil. Just my...

5 gal batch suggestion for good IPA All 6kg of grain plus 500 g of a light to medium crystal (40L). Hop to 50 IBUs with Chinook and Amarillo in the boil and dry hop with Citra. Shoot for a 1.065 OG. Use a neutral yeast like Safeale US-05.

I like 3-4 days for a dry hop. Much more and I have notice grassy flavors. I skip a cold crash and just go right from primary at fermentation temp to a purged keg. Everything settles in the keg once chilled and it’s clear and carbed in 10 days or so, minus the first pint. If your are going...

Sounds a bit high on use. That’s only 26 kegs (assuming 5 gal corny). I get about 8-10 kegs out of a 5lb tank. Fill and purge twice (oxy/starsan), force carb, and serve at about 12 psi. Check my math, but with 2 purges, carb to 2.5 vol, and serving at 12 psi it should take about 6 volumes (30...

Check for compression fittings in the plumbing section of a hardware store.

I used them for a while in between bottling and 5 gal kegs. They were a big time saver over filling bottles and I didn't need room for a corny keg in the refrigerator. They are also much easier to bring to a party. They prime, carbonate, and hold pressure just like a bottle and take about 10-14...

At this point I’d just hope that it’s a bad OG reading, let it ferment out and take a FG with both a refractoneter and a hydrometer. You can play with one of the online calculators with both values to get an approximation if the actual OG and final ABV.

@yorkeken I just bought this plate chiller, but stepped up to the 40 plate for larger batches. Glad to hear how well it has worked for you. Any problems with hops clogging up the chiller? Are you using a spider or bags to separate hops, or is the whirlpool enough to keep the wort flowing...

Looking for similar advice. I am currently using a counter flow that I sanitize at the end of the boil. I cool to about 130 in the kettle then whirlpool and transfer. Now I am hoping to just whirlpool at flameout and direct transfer with plate chiller. Since I am using pellet hops with...

Noticed it on the prior batch then again yesterday. Could be something I just never noticed. No issues with smell, taste, or head retention, so I’ll let it go. Thanks for the comments everyone.

Pump is rated to 240 deg. Doesn’t require any added lubrication, only source could be internal grease from a blown seal, but looks fine to me. I did find a couple old threads that report similar sheens from StarSan. The fermenters were sanitized with the same, no rinse. Could be??Northern...

Hopefully this one comes through better. Hop schedule was 60/15/5/0. Only an ounce at flameout. Pump is the basic Northern Brewer transfer pump.

Anyone else ever get a slight oily iridescent sheen on the top of wort right of the kettle? Noticed this yesterday on the top of both fermentors. All grain amber ale, pumped through counterflow chiller. No unusual ingredients, just barley malt, hops, and some Irish moss. Only source of oils...

Agreed. I notice more predictable attenuation and steadier fermentation (less blow off) with subsequent generations. Glad to hear I’m not the only one that is using slurry that is a few months old. Might try some cell counts someday if I can bum a microscope, but for now I like the simplicity...

Guess I have no worries with this 6 week old starter. Mr Malty says 27% viability but my 2L starters are 2 hrs old and going full bore. I think I over thunk this. Time for beer.

@BruceH and @bracconiere Thanks for the feedback. Nice to hear what has worked well for you, I value experience over theory. I got into the weeds on calculating pitch rates, which some will say is essential, but I have brewed for many years with a similar approach to what you all are doing...

Do you do any pitch rate calculations, or at this point do you just have it dialed in enough to repeat what works?

Perhaps I am overthinking this, but do you need to consider reduced viability in subsequent generations of re-pitched yeast, to account for the nonviable portion of yeast that was pitched in the prior batch? Or is the volume of new viable yeast produced in the fermentation enough to make this...

I'm on my 3rd batch of Marzen using 34/70 in the mid to low 60s. Great results. Getting 73-76% attenuation in just a few days and keg at about 10-14 days. Kegs sit in the low 60s for anywhere from a week to 2 months until there is room on tap. The first time these beers see a temp below 60...