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To summarize the above: Only carbon dioxide (CO2) can carbonate beer. Nitrogen (N2) is used for increasing pressure inside a keg without introducing any extra gas into solution. This is useful for: serving wine on tap (100% N2) pushing beer through long/elevated lines (N2/CO2 blend)...

True, brettanomyces is rarely used alone, so it would make sense to use a blend. Good point. The lambic blend is 3278, btw. Brett by itself results in more of a 'funk' flavor, though it can sometimes produce a bit of tartness under certain circumstances.

The sour yeast most often used is brettanomyces. Wyeast has two variations: 5112 and 5526. There are also souring bacteria that can be used the more popular is lactobacillus (5335) with a less popular pediococcus (5733) also available.

It sounds like you're not concerned with taking it apart. If that's the case, just solder it... It's pretty easy and inexpensive.

Kind of... You still lauter out the wort. The difference is in how you add the water. When you're fly sparging, you add it constantly while you're lautering. When you batch sparge, you lauter the first runnings. Add sparge water. Lauter second runnings. Possibly add more sparge water and...

Really not that funky an idea. A little bit of tang can be desirable for a stout/porter (think Guinness). Brett used to be used for this fairly often but now a days it's usually achieved with acid malt.

Campden tablets are regularly used this way in wine making. In addition to their usefulness as a water treatment, campden tablets are good at eliminating wild yeasts and bacteria in unfermented juice/wort. That said, I agree, pitching the yeast right away and then leaving it alone until it's...

For batch sparging it doesn't really matter. It's possible to get too thin and not get enough of a filter bed going as you drain, but it's no where near as critical as when you fly sparge...

Are you batch sparging or fly sparging?

I don't think it's really fair to ask the question "what's going to yield better results" It's possible to get great results with absolute crap equipment. It's also possible to get crap beer with great equipment. The question to answer is what is going to fit your brewing style better. There...

I've heard a lot of mixed things about barrel/oak aging. For a long time I read that, especially with new oak, it's very easy to overdo it and in a matter of days it's possible to over oak a beer. Then, when reading the latest issue of Zymurgy, they mention that the biggest mistake brewers make...

Well, since high temp vinyl is only rated up to 212 degrees, I don't think it would taste very good. That said, sure you can go with silicone if you're really worried about it. It's easy to find on amazon (try aquarium products if you're not having luck elsewhere)

Exposure to vodka for an extended period is going to denature and kill most organisms. It's not effective as a quick sanitizer though. Also, spores might hitch a ride on sugar, but for our purposes it can be considered sanitary (if not sterile). Living bacteria will not be present in sugar...

Yeah, I figured. Simple terminology like that'll get ya! Anyway, it's not a big deal so you could get by without in the short term but I always recommend a fan or some method of cooling your tower and lines. Insulation is good and necessary either way, but the warmer air is naturally going to...

Yes. It's pretty normal for dry hopped beers to develop some haze.

Sure, What's the ABV of the bourbon?A How much are you adding?B What's the ABV of your beer?X How much is there?Y New ABV = (A*B + X*Y)/(B+Y) (someone correct me if I'm wrong/there's an easier way) Ultimately unless you have a reliable means to measure the alcohol content of your beer, this...

The only reason we make a syrup out of our bottling sugar is to ensure it dissolves evenly throughout a large batch. It doesn't need to be sterilized as there's almost nothing that can grow in sugar (as long as it stays dry). For a single bottle, do as Yooper suggests and add it right to the...

True... I was thinking of the single column towers that generally max out at 3 faucets.

Try searching for "keezer tower" because there are plenty of examples. Anyway, yes it works. Most people will tell you that the lid needs extra support, so put a piece of plywood/MDF/acrylic on the inside and mount to that through the lid. I'd say as long as you're not constantly pushing and...

I generally try to get the level of water equal to the level of wort in my bucket.