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For a fuller, richer hop profile, I prefer to use low alpha hops in higher amounts. So maybe instead of centennial and Amarillo for aroma, you use spalt or tettnang but double the amount.

It looks like its just a cream colored krausen mixed in with your hops. There isn't a lot of headspace in that carboy so I'm guessing it just forced it's way up that high. Does it smell funny?

Yeah the oak beers that I have made, I sampled a few times along the way. I have a 3 gallon barrel so I used a sanitized turkey baster, but a wine thief works on the big ones. Just sample it once a week or so until you get it where you want it. I'd go a little bit more oakey than you actually...

**Are there any advantages to aging in an oak barrel rather than using chips?** It just gives you different flavors. Barrels aren't completely airtight so that allows for just the slightest bit of oxidation, which in turn produces flavor profiles that you can't get in carboys. This is...

I got a 3 gallon barrel from these guys once. It was bad-ass, it had aged a Rye Whisky and made a fantastic oak stout. Their customer service was also good. The trick is that if you get a barrel and you don't want it to go south, you've always got to keep beer in it. When my beer was done, i...

Per John Palmer; "A head of foamy krausen will form on top of the beer. The foam consists of yeast and wort proteins and is a light creamy color, with islands of green-brown gunk that collect and tend to adhere to the sides of the fermentor. The gunk is composed of extraneous wort protein, hop...

I agree about the quick carbonating too, that's a definite plus.

As far as time goes I meant the actual brewing process rather than grain to glass. E.g. you still have to mash for an hour, boil for an hour, chill your grains and ferment. I don't have trouble finding an extra two weeks for my beer to sit and me not touch it, its the 4-5 hours for brew day...

I generally drink about the same since switching to a kegerator. With a kegerator I can have as much or as little as I want. E.g. in 12 or 22 ounce bottles i have to have 12 or 22 ounces. Some times I want a beer and a half, I still have to open two. With a kegerator I can have a 6 ounce...

Interesting. So there is no concern for off flavors or a cloudier beer? I don't mean to hijack the thread but would you mind linking me to threads or info on not using a secondary?

Are you saying that in the latter case you'll go straight to bottles from the primary? If you have time it's always good to do a secondary fermentation. It isn't absolutely necessary of course, but it will give you a clearer beer, and of course letting it age a bit more almost always provides...

Almost any fridge can be converted into a kegerator. You need to make sure you can actually fit a keg in it. That'd be my only concern here, that shelf thing on the bottom looks like it'll cause trouble. I'd recommend getting on craigslist and buying a used fridge for cheap. I got an old...

Good deal, I've had similar experience with the Weihenstephan yeast as well. The Belgian yeasts are vigorous fermenters too. Best of luck and I hope it turns out great!

Howdy! You are correct, that is krausen. It sounds like you're having a great fermentation. That is more common than you'd think. I know a fair amount of brewers that stick with blow-off tubes only, just so they never have to find the situation you did. Provided that you sanitized your...

Hey there, 1. Racking wort onto just used yeast is actually a really good way to do it provided you haven't had the old beer off the trub for too long(e.g. make the switch same day and leave the lid on the fermenter). You have an instant and huge starter. Something to keep in mind for...

Be patient it needs more time. If you were diligent with your sanitation it'll be just fine. Try to limit tastings to when you're moving the beer from one container to another. E.g. secondary fermenter, bottling bucket and so on. You don't want to open the fermenter and risk your beer...

If you're not using priming sugar you have to force carbonate(keg if you're a homebrewer) and then bottle.

I'd up the amount of grain you're using and make a yeast starter. I've under pitched yeast on hefe's and had a similar result like you did. I think you'll get better results with an adequately sized starter but starting on the cooler end of the fermentation temps and letting it gradually warm...

Howdy! Blackberry wheats are good beers. Concerns I have: How much honey will properly balance out the blackberries? - My concern here would be more with the amount of blackberries going in. This may come out more like a blackberry wheat wine. That's fine if that's what you're going...

Why do you prefer them over the 525ss?