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In the past I've always been in the "more is better" camp, but my thoughts are changing. The way I'm thinking now, if I just want to emphasize hops and/or malt, and don't care about any yeast-specific character (esters, phenolics, higher alcohols, etc), then I'll want to over-pitch a cheap...

I think whether or not carapils makes a significant contribution depends on the style. In something like a light lager or blonde ale, I think it's noticeable (though subtle). It might be noticeable in a saison. Whether it's really appropriate in a saison is another question entirely.

Carapils is a malt, specifically the lightest crystal/cara malt. Any crystal malt less than 10° L would be a suitable substitute. Maltodextrin is powderized dextrin (short, unfermentable sugar chains). It's used to increase body, primarily in extract brewing.

If the OP wants to do a 1 gallon test batch, then a kit designed for 5 gallons is going to be overkill. I strongly disagree with the general consensus of discouraging first-timers from recipe design. It in no way complicates the brew day, in than it will be (or should be) completed well before...

In your BeerSmith profile you have your grains set to "steep". You want them to be set to "mash". You have your style set to "American Amber Ale", but your parameters are all wrong: in the four red, yellow and green bars at the bottom of the profile, you are in the red for each one. If you care...

I sometimes wonder if they would find a significant difference between Bud Light and Russian Imperial Stout. It really all comes down to who is on their tasting panels. Let's posit 4 broad categories of differences in beer: 1. only detectable by precision instruments 2. only detectable by...

They are completely different. Actual honey ferments nearly completely, leaving no noticeable sweetness. All you get is some aroma, depending on the type of honey. Adding it late or in the fermenter should help preserve the aroma. Honey Malt is a strongly-flavored kilned malt, similar to...

Who is the manufacturer of your kegs? It's hard to tell for sure, but the poppet you show looks like it might be a Firestone/Spartenburg type, which is a different size from the Cornelius type. The universals are supposed to fit both, but they seem to fit a little better in the Cornelius posts.

I wouldn't worry about infection from just a few extra hours, particularly if you do a mash-out step at ~170° F. Frankly, I'd be more worried about oxidation from the additional transfer steps.

I've never done it, but adding roasted grains at sparging (or alternately cold-steeping them) is supposed to be a good way of reducing their bitterness. With a neutral yeast like Nottingham, I think it will be indistinguishable from a porter or stout, except maybe with a more full and lingering...

What yeast are you going to use? It sounds interesting, but I think it will be dominated by roast malt. Depending on the yeast and fermentation schedule, it could end up indistinguishable from a porter or stout or schwartzbier.

It's almost certainly hot break and cold break material, which is denatured protein. Kind of like the eggs in egg-drop soup. It might be throwing off your gravity readings, but you might also want to confirm that you're using the accurate post-boil volume when calculating your expected OG.

I might be reading too much into a small sample size, but from reading HBT threads it seems like people in the US have worse experiences with MJ yeast in general than people in Europe or the Southern Hemisphere. Maybe the US importer is not being as careful with the product as we'd like them to be?

That's really interesting. I was always under the impression that you had to go >68° to get banana. I guess the stress from the low pitch and low oxygenation make up for it?

You're demanding an objective answer to a completely subjective question. It's your hobby. The best way is your way. If you like a ton of crystal malt, then use a ton of crystal malt. Why should you care if someone who's never going to taste your beer doesn't like a ton of crystal malt? On the...

Fermintis no longer recommends rehydration for their yeast, but their results do not necessarily apply to other brands of dry yeast. It's possible that different brands were dehydrated under different conditions, and might be stressed by direct pitching. I think your best bet is to follow the...

Yes, because it more accurately represents actual Scottish ales. And if you really want to enter your peat-smoked beer in a competition, they've still got you covered: "Scottish ales with smoke character should be entered as a Classic Style Smoked Beer." In addition to the possibilities...

I haven't compared the BJCP guideline changes in detail, but the changes I've noticed have been in the right direction, more accurately describing what you'll find "in the wild". Beer styles are also a moving target, and if anything BJCP errs on the conservative side. NEIPAs, for example, are...

That link is to their site.

The 2015 guidelines (which I believe are the most recent) has Scottish Heavy as 14B, and contains the bit quoted by NB in the "Overall Impression" section: https://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Beer.pdf