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The first week in August, I brewed an AHS Special Holiday Ale (mini mash) & an AHS Pumpkin Ale (mini mash). The Holiday Ale (brewed 8/2); 3/4 lb. Crystal 60L 2 1/2 lb. 2-row malt 2 oz. Chocolate malt 5 lb. Extra Pale Extract 1 oz. Mt. Hood (60 minutes) 1/2 oz. Saaz (15 minutes) 1/2 oz...

It sounds like you didn't put enough fluid in the beaker where the hydrometer was. Put the hydrometer in the beaker/tube/whatever you've got, then fill with the liquid so it reaches the very top of the tube. You'll get a reading. I bet when you put water in, it raised the fluid level...

Here's the carnage. It actually doesn't look that bad in the picture but I can assure you it's deformed :( http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee148/noobercorn/ShrunkenBetterBottle.jpg

I've found copper chillers around $75, can they be found cheaper than that? I feel like that's a bit steep.

I posted the same idea a week or so ago. My buddy was helping his father in law clean out the basement. He found some old buckets, bottles and an old extract kit. He gave it to me and I figured I'd ask here prior to brewing an age unknown brew. I was instructed it'll be pretty foul so I kept...

Well I went to the LHBS and grabbed a new bucket/lid, also picked up a new packet of yeast to try with Edworts Apfelvein so as long as I can clean the Better Bottle, I'll use it for cider only. Oh and it shrunk from a 5gal BB to a 4gal BB.

I got a glass thief from AHS and it's so thin that I'd have to take 2 or 3 pulls to get a reading. Is it the norm to fill the tube the hydrometer comes in to take a reading?

After my debacle yesterday I'll advise you wait until the wort significantly cools before transferring. If you're using HDPE buckets, then it's no problem but if you're using glass carboys or Better Bottles, cool the wort!!!!!

If that stock pot was a 30qt, I'd probably buy the kit for the extra buckets & pot. Oh well.

WenValley good point on using the weight, I'll see what I come up with. As long as I can still fit 5 gallons of liquid in there, I'll use the BB strictly for Edworts Apfelwein as that was a recent hit this past weekend with company. Thanks for the responses guys

I always try doing the sink bath with ice and ice packs from AHS but it never seems to cool quickly. I'm going to shoot out first thing in the AM, grab a new primary/AL and pitch as soon as I sanitize. Just hope I'm not tempted to buy more ingredients as I'll have 5 batches already brewing.

Looking back on it I realize that was a dumb move but after about 5 or 6 brews, putting them all directly into brew 'buckets' and never having a problem, the thought never even crossed my mind.

If I head out first thing tomorrow to grab a new primary, mix to the appropriate level and pitch yeast I'd assume I'd be in good shape no? I don't have an chiller so sometimes I have to wait overnight as the wort cools anyway.

So this is the second time I've used my BB, the first was for Edworts Apfelwein and I just put in an American Wheat. Well I let the wort cool for a bit after the boil, poured it in the BB and it melted a bit & shrunk significantly! Am I the first newb to ruin a BB??? I always use...

Hey guys, I'm brewing a AHS Pumpkin ale and I've got my 4lb's of pumpkin baking at the moment. I just realized, I'm using 1 quart of sparge water for every 2lb of grain in my grain bag. If I'm adding 4lb's of pumpkin, does that increase the amount of sparge water needed? I am thinking not and...

Makes perfect sense! I thought maybe it was a built in wort chiller inside the brew pot you could hook up a line to run cool water through or something.

Pardon the newbness and somewhat thread hijack but what is the reasoning behind the spigot?

I've been finding turkey fryers used on Craigslist for super cheap (just a heads up)

I'd say leave it in the primary for at least two weeks. I don't use a secondary, I primary for 4 weeks and then bottle waiting at least 3 weeks before drinking. I'll sample one or two before than to see how it's coming along but that's about it. I just drank an Irish Stout that has been in...

Very interesting. I didn't know the mix would be reusable. I've got a few gallons of distilled in the garage I use when mixing coolant for my car. I'll have to pick some more up for brewing.