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Well, I never stated that I have off-flavors or that I wanted to improve the flavor of my beer. What I was questioning was if the hard water (and I LIKE the taste of my hard water!) messed up efficiency, etc. The last two brews I have done have been off on the SG and I wasn't sure if the hard...

So you are saying to steep grains in one pot and in another pot do the extract boil? Do I then add them together for fermentation? Why would I just not use the same spring water (after steeping) for the extract? The quote you mentioned above seems to be for all grain brewing (and steeping)...

The water is the same after I steep and then add the extract. Why would I use two different types of water here? And I don't see how hard water would affect extract at all. Does it hold back hot break, cold break or hops utilization? I don't use software (yet) as I am making kits right now...

Well I love my tap water. When I want a glass of water, my family thinks I am nuts for going outside to get some water from the hose as the whole house is on the softening system! Thanks for the info. This is something I will definitely be looking into and testing with a few future brews...

Would R/O water work? We have a softener system, but when I drink that water, I hate the taste so I don't really want to use it for my brews. I will find out that hardness soon. I wonder what the efficiency lost is for hard water.

I have some very hard water. I don't know the exact hardness, but it is on the high side. This past weekend, I brewed up the Shakespeare Stout clone from AHS and it required some steep time. I start out with tap water without any filtering and bring it to the correct temp for steeping. I...

Today I bottled my oatmeal stout. When I took a sample to check the gravity, it foamed up pretty good (in the hydrometer jar) and I saw lots of tiny bubbles coming out of solution. Anyway, the hydrometer reading was 1.019 which was close enough for me to bottle. It had been sitting in...

Is it possible to lower the temps of your fermentor by wrapping a wet towel around it (perhaps re-wetting the towel every day or so?) I have room temps right around 68, but would like to get it to 65 without having to lower the heat in the rest of the house. It probably doesn't matter too...

Oops, I guess I should have re-read my original post. That was supposed to be 15 minutes, not 12. My apologies.

Hmm, I just thought of something. Maybe I don't have to steep as long because the malt extract I am going to be using is Amber Extract? Again, what would happen if I steeped it longer?

Yeah, the MrBeer kits aren't really made for tapping/transferring. Mine too foamed when I transferred to a secondary tank, but I let up on the flow and it worked ok. It just took a REALLY long time. Maybe next time, just skip the secondary and go straight to the bottles. You should do...

To continue this thread: what happens if you steep longer than the "instructions" say? I am going to be steeping the following grains for a stout this weekend: 1/2# Crystal 120 1/2# Chocolate Malt 1/2# Black Roasted Barley 1/2# Flaked Oats The instructions say to steep for 12 min in 155...

I do have temp control, but due to cost, I keep the house between 75-78 in the summer months (May to Sep). Would that work?

What temps are required for wine to ferment and for sitting in secondary? What happens if the temps get too high (say +2 to +5 over the above level?) like they might in the summer? I am questioning this because I won't be brewing beer in the summer, and it seems like a sin to leave the...

In reading the thread on thin beer, a question came to mind. If you have a beer that after transferring it to secondary you take a taste and it is good, but a little thin, would it be possible to add some malto dextrine or corn sugar or maybe a little DME (all sanitized/boiled, of course) and...

Got my answer in another forum! Here is the link: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=18909

Ah, that's a pretty good idea. Thanks!

how would your first method hold the tube snuggly with the pressure of the CO2 coming out? Do you use duct tape for a little reinforcement?!?

I am considering getting a Rouge kit from AHS and use their pacman yeast. Consider all the tales on this site about using blowoff tubes, I have been thinking how I can set that up for myself. I have a 6 gallon plastic fermenter with a 1" drilled hold in the lid. How can I install a 1" blowoff...

I tried a scottish ale chilled to 40 degrees. It is amazing just how much malt flavor is lost. I think it actually tolerable now. I wouldn't mind drinking it at this temp or just a wee bit higher. I am just not used to 55 degree ales yet! I also mixed it with a hoppy commercial beer, called...