Search results

Thanks a lot AJ. That confirms my suspicion that, for the most part, that water just isn't worth the drive to collect it. :mug:

Yeah, I figured that even if I did dilute it with RO, I'd still want to add some other salts. I suspect that building up from RO would make more sense in this case.

The attached water analysis from Ward Labs is from an artesian well. I have used this water in the past mixed 50-50 with distilled, and made some OK beers. I now have an RO system, and I'm wondering if it makes sense to mix some artesian water with the RO for any of my beers. I brew mostly...

That is why I still enter competitions. It always helps to get an opinion of your beer from someone who doesn't know you.

Ideally, once the judges determine that the beer falls within the parameters of the category entered, they should judge the beer on its own merits. This isn't always the case, as you have found out. I once brewed a hoppy pale ale that was on the borderline between an American Pale Ale and an...

Whatever works, man. That's a darned sight better than disdainful tolerance!

I use a Bodine gearmotor (42R4BFSI-5L) on my two-roller PhilMill II, and it works fine. The label specs indicate it is 1/8 HP with a 20:1 gear ratio, and puts out 54 in-lb at 85 RPM. The mill has never shown the slightest hesitation when started full. I was initially hesitant to buy it, worried...

I have never tried S-04, but I used US-05 for several years for just about everything. Then, all of a sudden, it began tasting really funky to me. I can't describe it, but I could even smell it from across the room. It took awhile to figure out what was causing it since I had used it for so long...

I've been using the "Son of Fermentation Chiller" for years now. It's a chamber built from 2" foam board that is a more controllable way to use frozen water jugs. Here's the plans: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/images/chiller-plans.pdf If you're going to use an ice bath to chill your wort...

Biggmatt is right. W34/70 has become somewhat of a house yeast for me because it is so versatile. The Brulosopher did an xbeeriment which showed most people could not tell the difference between the same recipe fermented warm and cold...

I'm going back all the way to 1974, Escondido, CA with this one (yes, I'm old!). A buddy and I were low on funds when we happened upon a display of Van Lauter's German style beer made in Phoenix. At $0.98/ six pack we couldn't pass it up, but we certainly should have. I don't recall it...

My theory on why that gasket comes off so easily is due partially to the gasket having uneven tension around the circumference. I had been just pushing it on as I worked around the perimeter, then the last 5 or 6 inches would take some stretching to get it on. After I started VERY slightly...

I'm REALLY liking the UC Shade. I picked up a couple of the belicoso seconds from famous, and just had one tonight. May be the best milder cigar I've ever had.

I've been using a fermentation chamber called "Son of Fermentation Chiller" for about 9 years now and it works great. It's built from 2" foam board and uses jugs of ice and a thermostat for temp control. I built my control from an STC-1000. Plans are featured in other threads. Here's a Youtube...

Rice hulls help maintain a free flow through the grain-bed so you get an efficient mash and avoid an extra-slow or stuck sparge. A couple or three handfuls are usually enough. Especially helpful when using a high percentage of wheat, oats, or other grains that tend to gum things up. The first...

Sparging with less than 2 gallons with grain bills like that may not give you the efficiency you'd like to see, but I always considered there would be limitations with the Grainfather. I don't brew big beers, so it shouldn't become a concern for me, but you may be pushing the envelope. All in...

I plugged your grain numbers into Grainfather's on-line calculator and it specifies 6.18 gallons for the mash and for sparge water it calls for 1.43 gallons for a 60 minute boil and 1.70 gal. for a 90 minute boil. I've never done a batch with that much grain, but I have found the calculator to...

I had a similar thing happen with US-05. It was my go-to yeast for years and then, about two years ago, it seemed that it had suddenly changed. I was getting a bad taste and even a nasty smell that I couldn't stand. I blamed my water, my mash pH, my PET carboys, and even a switch from...

I think it's safe to say that, due to differences in construction, there isn't one gap that works for all mills. Probably the biggest difference is in the configuration and depth of the knurling on the rollers, but I think even the RPM that the mill turns at has an effect on the crush. I'm...

Did you find this recipe somewhere or did you come up with it yourself? Until you get a little more experience with all-grain, it's best to stick to tried and true recipes. If the Rahr barley is truly unmalted barley, you needed to do a cereal mash before your main mash to gelatinize the...