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I find that a lot of my brewing friends ferment too high temperature and do not use enough yeast. I also find that they don't really know how hot the beer got during fermentation. I have my Ranco controller sensor in a stainless tube and it is in the fermenter liquid. This keeps overheating...

Once you start to brew you have to finish the job otherwise the bacteria will take over.

The worst things you can do to ruin your beer is...... Not using enough yeast for the quantity brewed. Fermenting in the upper range of the yeast's suggested range of temperature. The colder you go the better because you get less esters and a much cleaner beer. Use a refrigerator 1 time...

Do some searching for Grain suppliers on the web and just maybe you can find a source within driving distance. Ask any local small brewery if you can buy grain from them? If not then follow up with well then where can I buy bulk grains near here? That is what I have done because shipping...

Fermentation Temperature (Not room temperature), Gravity, Yeast type all play a part in the fermentation speed. The blow off hose size has no effect. I like to ferment at the lower temperatures the yeast will permit so that the beer does not travel out of the fermenter through the blowoff tube...

Step away from the fermenter until it's done. 3 weeks in the primary at the proper temperature for the yeast is a good starting point before checking gravity and then keg or bottle if it's done.

Generally it takes 2 weeks to a month minimum fermentation to be ready to keg or bottle. The gravity of the wort and the type of yeast and the temperature determines this time. Bottles take 3 to 4 weeks to produce enough CO2 in solution. You can always drink any beer before it's time but it...

I have had lots of experience with propane and natural gas. The 23 jet burners are usually designed for "Natural gas" and are jetted for this. If you try to run LP the jetting sizes prevents them from burning properly. Natural gas is very low pressure and so the holes that the gas comes out...

Your question is debatable in that a lot of us do not have a thermometer on the boil kettle. A little below half way up is good for a brewmometer. The drain should be as low as is reasonable and some have a tube that goes to the edge of the pot at the bottom to avoid sediment and not leave too...

Any time you are about to brew with new equipment you need to proove that there are no leaks and that you have everything you need. Once you are brewing is not the time to start looking for things you may not have. If your cooler is cracked and can not be sealed by new orings or rubber...

Ok, I use the same idea on a Sanke keg and have a regulator and guage so I know how much pressure it has. You need to test for leaks. Starsan (Five star chemicals) in a spray bottle works for this and will not hurt the beer. Once you know where the pressure is leaking you can come up...

With ales there is no need for a secondary as it is not fermenting/conditioning that long. 2 weeks in the primary is a good rule of thumb then bottle or keg. Next time just let it be. :)

Always spray sanitizer in the valve before you open it and purge a small amount before you actually catch the liquid. I used to keep a sanitized plastic bag or aluminum foil over the valve with a rubber band. I don't use pails for fermentation any more though.:)

I have made a Hefe many times with wlp300 and I always get good beer. If you keep the fermentation itself at 67F it should have only a slight bananna and a more pronounced clove taste. I always use all grains 50/50 wheat and 2 row. Being sanitary is a must with any beer and a hefe has nowhere...

I think you are right on the dry hops being responsible for an earthy grassy taste. This is why a lot of us do not dry hop unless we have the bitterness high so as to mask the grassy taste. Different hops give other tastes and so you must experiment and come to your own conclusions. I have...

Well your approach would be fine too providing he had room in the mash tun and boiler. I was not trying to get him to decoct other than to raise his temperature to the intended temperature without increasing mash volume. I just take some of the mash and heat it to 154F and let it sit to...

I have always used a refrigerator after my early brewing because I was frustrated with trying to keep temperatures where they should be. I use a Ranco controller to hold within 2 degrees of the set temperature. It all depends on how much you like having control over your brewing process and...

Racking canes or auto-siphons can loose their flow if there is the tiniest air leak at the hose connection. Always use a clamp and do not over tighten the clamp or you will crack the auto-siphon or the cane.

The best way to get the temp up is to decoct part of the mash and add it back to the main mash. This way you do not add to the volume at all. Read up on decoction mashing. I'm too late with this suggestion for this batch though. :)

You will be more patient if you have more beer brewed and aging. You then keep brewing as needed to keep the pipeline full. This does require more containers but once you have them you will have plenty of beer to drink and share.