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Since there is never a reason that a beer has to be bottled on a certain date, let this beer sit while you procure a hydrometer.

This is a good plan but change the timing if you have a really fine crush. Start monitoring at 1 minute and then every 1 minute thereafter. It will be a real eye opener to those who think a 60 to 90 minute mash is needed.

I don't think you have a problem, I think the yeast have reached the portion of their life cycle where they cease production of CO2. Read through this article and notice the time line of the yeast. http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html

Two downsides that I can think of. One is that it may take longer to cool the wort than a counterflow chilller and the other is that if may take more time and effort to clean the immersion chiller, neither of which have a significant impact on the beer produced.

BIAB brewers paradox. You can't be sure of mash pH until 10 to 15 minutes into the mash but if the grains are milled to get a high efficiency, the conversion will be done before that. Do your calculations of minerals/acids and dough in. At 15 minutes measure the pH. Make notes of the recipe...

No, you shouldn't tip it and yes you likely killed the yeast but the wort should be fine to sit for a day in the fermenter (covered) while you get more yeast.

The purpose of a sparge is to recover the sugars that were left in the grains when you drained the tun. If you recirculate the wort, you are using liquid that is full of sugar to try to extract more. Forget recirculating except the first bit if it contains too many bits of grain to set the...

Yeast nutrient is necessary for fermenting fruit juices as they do not have the free amino nitrogen that wort has.

The lids of the PET bottles need to be tightened more than you think or the seal will leak out the carbonation. Some might still leak even tightened. Develop gorilla arms so you can really tighten them.

There is no set time for a mash, you mash until it is done. I do a really short mash because my grains are like cornmeal and they convert very quickly. Some people do an overnight mash. Try a 90 minute mash and see what you get.

Separate the heating belt from the fermenter with a bit of insulation. It doesn't need much. Experiment with how much.

Since you are going to try this no matter the warning given, try pure vanilla extract and then try artificial vanilla. Be sure to give us a complete report.

With a short fermentation time before bottling, you will have a lot of suspended trub. Yes it will settle out in the bottle but do you want 1/4" of trub in each bottle. BTDT Give the beer time enough for the suspended trub to settle out and compact in the fermenter and you will get so little...

Just my opinion but I think you would be better off waiting to get the Saaz. I think the flavor/aroma of Citra will carry through and will make a far different beer. It might be a better beer but different.

I do 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 gallon batches and ferment them in a 6 1/2 gallon bucket or a 5 gallon bucket. I'd guess that people do 2 1/2 gallon batches because of the math. It is easier to calculate 1/2 than to figure other ratios but....unless you are trying to get an exact clone of someone else's...

Yesterday the local elevator was quoting $4.11 per bushel for corn delivered to them in June. A bushel of corn weighs 60 pounds. Somewhere somebody is making a bundle on corn.

Hey! Who you calling an old fogy? :p

The "One Book" changes throughout your brewing as you learn more and decide to delve into more depth of knowledge. "How to Brew" is on my list as the, "One Book" but I might decide to move on to, "Yeast" as my brewing knowledge increases. YMMV

I strongly recommend that you throw away the instructions from Brewers Best Kits. They were wrong when they were written and never corrected. It is a good idea to use the "secondary carboy" for a different batch but those carboys are usually 5 gallons. Your choices are making a smaller batch...

I must really like stale beer because a lot of mine sit at 68-74 from the time I bottle them until I finally get to drink them. I've drunk a stout that was 2 years in the bottle and it was better than the one I drank at 1 year. That chart might apply to lagers, especially the commercially...