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Efficiency is the rate of conversion and extraction of sugars from the malt as compared to a theoretical maximum yield, expressed in parts per pound per gallon (ppppg). Let say a 2-row pale malt has a potential yield of 1.037ppppg. That means that if you mash one pound of grain in 1 gallon of...

+1. I brewed 5 gallons of a high gravity saison (at 9% it turned out to be more like a tripple) just to see if I could do it. It turned out nice, and people who like Belgians complement it, but I don't think I can finish it. I can appriciate Belgians in small amounts, but 5 gallons was a little...

I have an aversion to more than 1lb of crystal malt in any beer, so if it were me I would use less of a higher lovibond crystal malt (maybe 40L) and make up the difference with extract. But then again, to me Dogfishhead beers are on the sweeter side, so the extra crystal might be acceptable for...

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned dog biscuits. Take a couple cups of grain, a cup of Peanut butter, an egg and enough flour to make it come together in a stiff dough. Roll to desired thickness and bake on a cookie sheet ~ 325* for 30 minutes or until the dough just starts to dry out. Remove...

Basil IPA sounds interesting. Any chance you'll share the recipe?

Could be a bit hazy from the extra protein though:cross: :D :p

I agree, why go through the trouble of a starter when another packet of dry yeast will run you about a buck-fifty. I think it is important to "proof" the yeast with some warm water to demonstrate its viability, but I know many who simply sprinkle the dried yeast over the finished wort with no...

I would, and do, use a spray bottle with an iodophor solution. Easy to mix and no rinse. If you continue to use bleach, I would recommend using a more dilute solution (10% will kill any and everything) and allowing longer contact time.

Crystal malts add color and a slight sweetness to the finished beer. You should follow your kit's instructions for steeping time. In the future, if you want a lighter color choose a crystal malt with a lower lovibond rating. Crystal ranges from 10L to 120L, which simply indicate the amount of...

Does it taste buttery, or like butterscotch? Those are classic signs of diacetyl. A general "sweet" taste could be a sign of under-attenuation. What was your final gravity? What were your fermentation temps? The only time I have experienced diacetyl is when my temps got rather high due to an A/C...

I also started with BB kits. I definitely think you will see an improvement in your beer and you'll begin to understand how different grains and hops affect the finished product. I would suggest getting a better/fresher yeast. Good luck!

I use DME for yeast starters, so only about 4oz at a time, but whisking is the only way to go IMO.

I simply use frozen water bottles to cool the air around the carboy. Seems to work pretty well that way and less mess. I also use a battery operated probe thermometer that sits inside the cooler to measure the air temp and gives me a reading on a remote display that I sit on the outside of the...

Here are a couple of pics of my fermentation cooler I made out of an 60qt Ice Cube cooler that I got at Wal Mart for $24. It even has wheels and a retractable luggage handle. The lid is hollow. I used my dremel to cut a hole that would fit around the shoulder of a 6.5 gallow carboy on the...

I think promash defaults to 15%, but I have mine adjusted to 18%.

No worries. The little bit of iodophor in your airlock will have no effect on the taste of your beer.

I dump the iodophor out into my back lawn all the time. No problems yet.

I began using starters last year. I never really had a problem with just pitching that smack pack, but since discovering starters I can see a noticeable improvement in all my beers: Cleaner taste, less lag time, better attenuation, etc. I typically make a 1L starter a few days before the and...