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I've done this a few times; pitched a little warm (usually 75-80, haven't gone to 85) then cool rapidly (usually by leaving it outside) to 65F or so. It hasn't seemed to turn my stouts or blondes banana-y or ester-y.

Just heard the results from the Hangar 24 competition. Blue Skies Brewing entered seven beers; results: Diamond Dubbel - Belgian Ale - gold Bigway Brown - English Brown Ale - silver Swooper Stout - American Stout - silver I'm really happy about the results, but also found it a little...

If that's your goal, perhaps use a Liquid Bread Carbonator and a Pepsi bottle and carb it manually. (You also need some kind of CO2 system.) It's much faster than bottle conditioning. It's what I use for quick tests.

I had my first case of truly dead yeast last weekend. I was making a raspberry lambic using Wyeast 3278 lambic blend. I activated it about two hours before pitching. There was some swelling but I wasn't sure whether that was from fermentation or the packet just warming up. I've been...

I bottle condition but I often force-carb a bottle or two just to do a taste test. To do that I use a Carbonator top on a Pepsi bottle and a regulator set to about 30psi. Then I shake the hell out of it. (Actually it's worked at 60psi but that's probably not a good idea; that's likely pushing...

It's blue light as well. Even if you protect it from UV 100%, blue can skunk beer.

+5 simple SMaSH +5 Maris Otter SMaSH +2 Skydiver Blonde #2 +5 Skydiver Blonde #3 +5 Mishmash (no specific style) +5 Speedstar Chocolate Stout +5 Swooper Stout +5 Rubick Raspberry Rye +5 Blackberry Wheat +5 Raspberry Framboise +5 Apricot Ale +2 Mishmash (second runnings of three...

Well, not quite; that is selling beer by any definition. If they brought you the ingredients it might be a bit more legal. Perhaps even just deposited money in a "general brewer" account at the local homebrew store?

A plastic carboy (Better Bottle) will also suck in water, but not a biggie I think. I usually take the airlock out of my BetterBottles before I move them. (Not the stopper, just the airlock.)

Hey, what do you know? I'll be in Gainesville this week. Anyone have any suggestions around there?

I made a SMaSH that tasted amazingly like regular Miller. (All 2-row with German Tradition hops.) Now I just have to find some people who want some free beer.

Nothing. I do that to keep track of carbonation levels. Squeeze them once in a while to see if they are carbed yet.

I can't speak to blueberry but I've done a few raspberry and apricot beers. I think in terms of fruit beers in general: 1) The earlier the fruit goes in the less it tastes like fruit at the end, and the drier it is. If you put it in during the boil you lose a lot of the flavor (although...

I have the opposite problem. When I go to the bigger HBS around here, I can't get the time of day unless I'm with Amy. Then for some reason all the guys who work there want to talk to us . . .

Short answer - yes. Slightly longer answer - there's no "second fermentation." Even if you transfer it, the only additional yeast activity you'll get is due to shaking it up a bit and adding some oxygen. Not a big deal, but also no real benefit unless you want to do something unusual (like...

Or just up the water you will use during bottling. You're going to have to boil it anyway.

Eh, it will probably be fine. Some fruit beers (i.e. McMenamins Ruby) boil the fruit. This reduces the flavor (boils off some aromatics) and introduces some pectin haze, which is what they wanted. You can compensate by using more fruit if you go this way. Most others use it during...

Sounds interesting! Only recommendation I would have would be to reverse some of the Fuggles and Cascade, so you can get more of the Fuggles aroma/flavor. (i.e. put at least some of the Fuggles in at 10/5 min)

Just talked to Tomme and Gina, and it was news to them. Tomme thought it a most excellent rumor, though.

Beermaking requires skill in chemistry, biology and dishwashing. But if you only have one of those three skills, dishwashing is by far the most important.