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Fermentation temperatures that are too cool may be at the heart of the matter, but we don't know what temperatures the OP pitched and fermented at. Furthermore, I disagree with the 80F fermentation temperature recommendation, except for certain yeast strains (like WY3724-Belgian Saison) that...

I'm in 100% agreement with you there. :mug:

Exactly. Before knowing if someone has had success or not with a bazooka screen, it is important to know if they batch or fly sparge. I batch sparge and have had no problems with a bazooka screen. For normal gravity beers, I achieve between 78-80% brewhouse efficiency.

No, turbinado is partially refined. Sucanat is completely unrefined cane sugar (pure, dried cane juice) that maintains all the original molasses content. Turbinado Sucanat

I'm interested in experimenting with unrefined cane sugar/Sucanat in some recipes. I'm curious if anyone knows (exact or approximate) values for the SRM and Potential that I can put into BeerSmith. Any ideas? Thanks!

Yea, I've used Fermcap with 3787, which lessened the violence of the blow-off, but did not eliminate it.

I regularly leave my 5 gallon batches in a 6.5 gallon ale pail for primary (3 weeks), so I have 1.5 gallons of headspace. When I take off the lid to rack to my bottling bucket, my nostrils will burn from the C02 if I stick my head near the top of the primary. I'm no chemist, and I may be...

So, how'd the rest go?

I would add some fermcap to the primary in order to minimize the potential for blowoff/amount of blowoff. But keep the blowoff tube in there just in case, because that yeast can be a beast even with fermcap.

I use 1/8 tsp in my starters and I add 1/8 again if I step it up.

Agreed. I recently brewed a barleywine with an OG of 1.102. I fermented with Wyeast 1332 NW Ale (used a large starter according to Mr Malty) and it finished at 1.025. That's right around 75% attenuation. I think champagne yeast would have been unnecessary and perhaps detracted from the...

I only use yeast nutrient to wake up a dormant, washed yeast. I find that they become active more quickly and I don't have to make my starters as far in advance.

I think you can do whatever suits your needs/desires. I tend to buy yeast, wash it and reuse it 4-5 times (I usually get two mason jars per wash, so I get 8-10 uses from one activator/vial). But, I don't see any reason why you couldn't just use yeast you've harvested from commercial bottles...

Awesome . sounds like you're on your way to some good beer! :mug:

Yea, I'm not scared of the chocolate - I was just under the impression that the Carafa malts were de-husked/de-bittered. I didn't realize that there was a Carafa Special series. Don't know where my original (mis)information came from.

So, you'd recommend just subbing in chocolate and foregoing the cold steep?

I'm a big fan of the Wyeast 3787, which is the Westmalle variety, according to Brew Like a Monk. It looks like Midwest sells 3787 with that kit, so I'd take that yeast and brew away! :mug:

Woops, forgot about that! It's the Father's Reward Enkel (slightly modified) from Zymurgy 32.3: 5 Gallons 5.25 lb Pale 2 Row 75% 0.50 lb Special B 7.14% 0.25 lb Carafa I 3.57% 1.00 lb Turbinado 14.29% 0.75 oz. Hallertauer 3% (60...

I am going to brew here in a few days and the recipe I have calls for .25lbs of Carafa I. The LHBS doesn't have any in stock and I don't have time to order online/wait for delivery. Would cold steeping chocolate malt achieve something that could approximate the character of Carafa I? I don't...

I wouldn't worry about it. For some reason, people are overly concerned with German wheat beers being hazy, when in fact commercial German wheats are clear until you rouse the yeast. So, just make sure to swirl up the yeast before you pour in the last third of the beer. :mug: