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I think it’s looking pretty good! I only have a couple suggestions based on my own experiences. For yeast I would go with 1007 (or Imperial’s Kaiser), that strain has worked well for me in the past. With that I suggest a big yeast pitch since you want this nice and clean. Ferment 55-58 degrees...

Also if you don’t have access to a grain mill or don’t want to spend money on it now, I would buy an extra pound or 2 of base malt to make up for the efficiency loss. But increasing boil time and adjusting your water volumes could make a big difference.

I think taking most of the advice from above is the best bet. Better/more fine crush of your grains, if you want to mash say 90 minutes you can but I’m not sure you have to. Given your boil off rate, up it to a 90 minute boil. My approach is to use 6-6.5 gallons in the mash and 2-2.5 gallons...

A bit out of season märzen but delicious and smooth after a couple months in keg! Cleared up nicely!

Second the Genny Cream. I always pick up a 12 pack when I’m back home. Perfect lawnmower beer!

Took a gravity reading on the pils today at the end of diacetyl rest. Finished at 1.008 which is right around where I was hoping. I tasted the sample and while a bit yeasty still, I did not detect the same harsh/zesty/green/astringent flavor this thread is about. I’m going to slowly drop the...

One thing I started doing with mine during the sparge is putting the rubber cover/stopper thing over the central tube and slowly pouring the sparge water over the top of the grain. I noticed that I had a fair amount of sparge water sneak down the little central pipe. I agree your volumes may...

I think the Cheerios would be plenty diluted especially if you decant off the top liquid before making your starter. I went from a dark dunkel to medium colored märzen to a pils and I didn’t notice any carryover in darkness or appearance. I imagine would be similar with a cheerio beer

I think it would work to use the 34/70 - but I would build a starter with that to make sure you’ve got good yeast viability and activity. This is basically what I do with my lagers. First batch has a starter built, then I save the cake when I keg. Usually a month or so goes by before I use it...

I would err on the side of caution and get a second pack. Not only will fermentation move along faster, you’ll be less likely to encounter off flavors from yeast stress. I’d rather pitch a little more than needed than not enough.

Glad you have it sorted for the time being. Congratulations on being a fellow owner of an old Higene beer engine!

As long as it isn’t contamination character… “Lanternfly Lager: now with 100% more lanternfly”

Hit my gravity target, and pH for this batch. All went well except for a lantern fly nymph that decided to jump into my cooled wort…not having 2 hours to heat it back to boil and cool it back down I just sanitized my hand and scooped it out. Fingers crossed that thing doesn’t ruin the whole...

I am suspicious that the issues I had before may be mash pH related. Using my typical calculator I needed 0.7ml 88% lactic acid to hit a mash pH of 5.4. I ended up adding 3.7ml to hit a mash pH of 5.55. I wonder if I was just too high and that’s where the green/zesty/astringent(?) flavor was...

I keep reading the title as “technomalt”. This may be one of those rare cases where decoction mashing really is still called for. Kind of cool in that regard but only if you’re planning for it. I can see how it makes for a stressful brewday otherwise!

I think I have a decent meter. Came with some calibration solution packets so I’ll be calibrating it before each use. I figure let the mash go 10-15 minutes, pull a sample and cool it in an ice bath to room temp measure and make adjustments if needed. Quick question for the meter users out...

The liquid shouldn’t pass back to the chamber, most beer engines have a check valve built into the out spout on the cylinder. Maybe yours is faulty? You could look into a check valve to pop onto your out line and see if that helps resolve things as well.

I’m surprised that if it’s spotless inside that you would be tasting the rust. If you’re looking for spare parts I would say contact RLBS in the UK with pictures of your beer engine and maybe even describe what issue you have. They were able to identify my discontinued beer engine and set me up...

Taking the yeast cake through one more go on a German pils. 98% barke pils, 2% Bestmalz chit. Perle at FW, 70, 40 and 20. Since the cake is pretty old, I’m waking it up with a 2L starter to try to ensure a good amount of yeast. This will be an interesting batch, I’m trying to chase down some...

Hmm good point. I know in brewer’s friend I selected to add only to mash, maybe I need to have a look at Bru’n water and make sure I don’t have something erroneously filled out or that I’m looking in the wrong place. Thanks for the pointer to the thread! I’ll bust out some scratch paper and see...