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Right now I am using a bazooka screen. I am looking at getting a hop spider.

I have a March Pump. My only complaint is that it is not as powerful as I would like it to be. With hoppy beers, I get a lot of cavitation. I have nothing to compare it to, so maybe I would have the same problem with another brand.

I really like Maris Otter as a malt. I think it makes beers maltier and more robust. I like it with hoppy beers because it brings good balance (my IIPA is all MO). It is a great choice for stouts or any other malty beer. I used to brew with a lot of Munich and have mostly replaced Munich...

My experience has been similar.

Good point, I forgot to mention the gravity. You definitely want to dilute to the correct gravity. I write the gravity on the jars, so I know for later.

The real difference is that the yeast will ferment the simple sugar first and then maltose (and other complex sugars). This causes some self-selection of yeast since yeast have to prepare to eat the more complex sugars. By putting the sugar in later, they have already done their work to eat the...

I don't think you are using enough hops for a IIPA. Look for high alpha varieties for dry hopping rather than cascade. My IIPA that is on tap now had 8 ounces of hops just in the dry hop for a 10-gallon batch. It still doesn't have the aroma I would like. I would up your dry hop to at least...

Two things to consider: 1. Start harvesting your yeast and you will buy a lot less yeast. There are lots of threads about how to do it. 2. If you do all-grain (or even extract), add some extra two-row and water to your batch. Collect the wort in mason jars at boiling temps (for easy...

For beers that have sugar additions, I ferment fairly cool and then boil water with yeast nutrient + sugar. I add this about 3 days into the fermentation and then let it free rise. It does a good job of waking the yeast up just in time for the temp rise. I have used it on stuck fermentations...

#1 - which bazooka screen are you using? I am not sure about the exact size and I didn't have time to check it out after work. #2 - am presuming it is removable for easier cleaning? It is easily removable. #3 - regarding the size and how far off the bottom it sits - I understand...

This is strictly personal experience, but my water starts in the 7.8 to 7.5 PH range. It has a fair amount of bicarbonate which would buffer and raise PH. Overall though my brewing water is pretty good. Typically, my mash will sit in 6 to 5.7 range (read with a cheap borrowed PH meter). The...

I would like to see data from 5-star. Having said that, there is a presumption that most products work because they are being sold with certain claims. 5-star doesn't want to be sued and are under some government regulation. I don't know that Star San works either, but I still use it with the...

I agree, it should be based on what your taste. If it tastes good, who cares. :mug:

It is not my intent to start a flame war ;) If someone can show me data that 5.2 doesn't work, I will be the first to abandon it. By data I mean a large controlled testing of the product, not anecdotal evidence. Here is what I know for sure, i have tasted some really terrible beers where the...

It does work for most people. There is a minority of people for which it will not work. However, I don't think Homebrewers with bargain basement PH meters are making accurate adjustments all that often. More often than not, brewers that mess with their water mess it up. It is highly technical...

There will be a lot of disagreement, but I use 5.2 by 5-Star. I have really good results with it. I like the simplicity. I have many other things I prefer to work on than hitting my ph.

Here is a link to the perforated sheet: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H9VBRA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 It just happens to be nearly the right size for a Coleman Xtreme 70qt. I bent the sides with from pliers to keep the false bottom about an inch off of the bottom. It is very...

Here is what did in my Coleman Xtreme: I made the false bottom from perforated aluminum from Amazon. It cost about 17 dollars. I already had a bazooka screen, so I left it there. It does a pretty good job. I regularly get efficiency into the 80s.

Here is what I told my wife: I have to have a hobby. Home brewing is cheaper than a sports car and less trouble than a mistress.

I use the high temp plastic quick disconnects on all of my equipment. I have male QDs on my ball valves and the in/out on my plate chiller. On the waterside, I have male garden hose fittings. I get the PBW as hot as possible. Sometimes I add my bucket heater to my kettle and recirculate...