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+1. I shoot for 5.5 in the primary to account for trub loss... and loss when cold crashing. Since I put my end product in kegs, I just can't stand to see a partially full keg! :-)

I have a question... what causes a hot break and, other that just lowering the heat input and stirring like crazy, is there a way to control it? Since I've gone to all grain, the foaming prior to the hot break is noticeably wilder and crazier than it was with extracts. It lasts a lot longer...

If you are sure that you had exactly 5 gallons in your fermentor (big assumption), I'd surmise that your loss was caused by the trub at the bottom of your fermentor. The trub takes up significant volume and generally, you try to avoid bottling it.

Well, I used my 10 gallon aluminum brew pot to do a low country boil (shrimp, potatoes, etc.) for my wife's 50th b-day. To get all the shrimp "smell" out of the pot, I soaked it overnight in Oxyclean. Yep, now it is grey as a ghost (forgot about that). Is there a way to remove this oxidation...

I took a try at this recipe, so far it is a big disappointment. Tastes like grapefruit beer. I was so excited when it was in secondary... it looked dark red... but, it is coming out of the keg in a pink color. I'm wondering what I did wrong... or, if it just needs more time to age.

Sounds to me like your fermentation isn't completed (eg: there is either not enough yeast or not enough time for it to convert all of the sugars in the wort). Are you taking SG readings to confirm you are finished?

Thanks! I'll give it a shot! PS: should I do a starter with the hefe? I've never used it.

Greetings. I just returned from Denver. While there, I had a couple of "sweaty Betty's", made by a local microbrewery. It was unusual and good... a "German Wheat with a hint of banana and clove". To get the banana flavor, I'm thinking about slicing up some fresh bananas... ziplocking &...

Well, she's bubbling in the fermentor. Got 85.6% efficiency as per Beersmith. (1.055 OG vs. an estimated 1.048 at 75%). I did cheat a little, I poured my top off water through the grain bed at 130 deg. Not sure if that was smart or not... but, that's what I did because, having never done it...

If you give that cold keg a few aggressive shakes with 30 psi on it, you'll have carbed beer in 5 minutes. Shake / vent / test... and repeat until you are happy. In my opinion, this not only saves you time... it reduces the chances of overcarbing.

Ditto what all above said. I put tees in my gas lines... and, being the cheapskate that I am, I have picnic taps on all kegs that say inside the fridge. For force carbing, I first refrigerate the keg to be carbed. Disconnect the kegs not to be carbed.. and attach the uncarbed one. I then...

If the beer is cold, you can really speed up the process by cranking it up to 30 psi and shaking the heck out of your keg (with the gas still hooked up). You'll hear that gas sailing into the keg (and into the beer). After you've done it a couple of times, drop the pressure and vent the keg...

I'm going to rig a clamp on it to hold the button. I have no idea how long it will take to drain but, I'm pretty sure it will be a lot longer than I want to hold that button. :-)

After reading Palmer's fundamentals, here's how I built mine out of CPVC. Cost about 5 bucks. Of special note: 1). The slots are cut into the bottom side of all four "legs". 2). I routed the outlet to the center of the collection manifold to get as uniform collection as possible (eg...

That's what I'd do. If you want it to happen faster, I'll bet allowing the keg to warm a bit would help also... as the CO2 is less soluable in the beer at warmer temps.

Update... Last night that keg was finally cold. I pulled a pint and it was flat. I think my initial assessment (with the warm sample) wasn't representative. Therefore, I jacked the pressure up to 30 psi... shook that sucker good a couple of times... bled it down, tested.... not quite there...

Thanks. That's what I'm guessing also. I'm pushing this batch through the system way too fast... like I said, I've got 15 gallons but I'm out.

It was pure coincidence. Rising temps make pressures rise, not decrease. I would check for leaks though before putting a new bottle on... if you have a small leak that caused your demise, it will continue...

Well, I had this 5 gallon batch of a Belgian White conditioning in a corny for about a week. When I filled it, I put about 30 psi of CO2 on top to get a good seal; disconnected the CO2 and leak tested with star san. Anyway, it's been sitting there are 70 degrees for a week... I thought I'd...

Gosh, I made a funny and didn't even mean to! Thanks for the advice, I'm off to work that hole dry! :D:D:D