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  1. DmentD

    Tried my first homebrew last night! Awesome!

    You should be fine using the full amount. Here are a few sites that can be useful for future priming calculations (if you want to be accurate to the style of beer your brewing, etc.): TastyBrew's Bottle Priming Calculator John Palmer's "How To Brew" Calculation Chart Frankly, I'm...
  2. DmentD

    Brew Day in photos

    Ok, the gadget-geek in me wants to know what make/model of probe thermometer this is, where you got it, and what you paid for it. Is the probe coated, or naked braid? Would you consider it a good buy?
  3. DmentD

    Nicer looking way of storing bottles? for inside and the garage

    I had posted about the banker boxes over in another thread, but I didn't send along any pics... I have a few now. :D HERE's the link to the ones from OfficeMax Here they are nicely stacked: The inside with standard longnecks: The inside with custom cut dividers for "shorty" bottles:
  4. DmentD

    Hello from Austin

    Hey Tony, good to see another AusTX brewer here. I'm an AHS shopper, so I've had the joy of walking around looking a little dazed and confused in the store. Typically I wander in after doing WAY too much homework, and present a list of stuff so I don't have to walk around like a lost child in...
  5. DmentD

    does 5 gal carboy mean 5 gal to the very tip?

    I do the simple-man's version of that. I have an engraving tool (about $8 from Harbor Freight, but that's not the actual one I have) that I use on it's lowest setting. Just pour water in a gallon at a time, mark the level with a Sharpie, empty the carboy and engrave a line and a number next to it.
  6. DmentD

    Best way to get old beer labels off

    Oxiclean Free (no fragrance, no dyes, no chlorine) works a treat, and is what I've seen recommended by the vast majority as it leaves little or no residue that can affect head retention in bottles.
  7. DmentD

    Wort chillers rock!

    THIS PUMP from Harbor Freight is only $13, and it works wonders. All you'll need is the pump, an ice chest (and ice, of course), a ⅜" ID hose clamp, a male hose end with a ½" barb, and a short length of ½" ID vinyl tubing -- the latter three items to adapt the hose fitting on your...
  8. DmentD

    Yet another Austinite...

    ...there does seem to be an awful lot of us around here. Yeah, I'm in Austin too, with a few batches under my belt... and about 800 hours of research. :D Moved here from New Orleans where I was born and raised (I was chased out of town by a hurricane), so I have a good background in...
  9. DmentD

    Best methods for cleaning bottles?

    I tend to be a little... well, to be honest I'm a self-inflicted selective OC personality after having pretty much been a slob half my life. I like things "just so" now, and that includes not having mismatched bins of bottles hanging around the house (or mismatched bottles within those bins...
  10. DmentD

    Best methods for cleaning bottles?

    Stage 1: I gather enough bottles to make it worth my while (rinsing each thoroughly after they've been emptied of their contents), then I fill a 5-gal bucket with very hot water and about 1-2 ounces of OxyFree and soak. A few points of interest I've picked up about using OxyFree, courtesy of...
  11. DmentD

    Where do you keep your primary fermenter (bucket style)

    Mine are in my bar, which is an extension of my dining room. Primary carboys live in an igloo "Cube" ice-chest with water to regulate the temperature, and secondaries are just on the floor. All carboys are covered with a cardboard box "hut" to keep the light out, and in the case of the...
  12. DmentD

    What size pump would I need for my wort chiller?

    I use this nifty (and cheap!) pump from Harbor Freight (image is linky): 190 GPH, 59" lift. With 30-40 pounds of ice and 1½ gallons of water, and recirculating the hot water back into the ice-chest to re-cool, I can bring 4 gallons of boiling wort to 70°F in under 10 mins and still have...
  13. DmentD

    Flying Dog Brewery

    Just tried Flying Dog's Dogtoberfest this week, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I've no experience with the others, though.
  14. DmentD

    Wort Chiller DIY

    I clean the chiller with white vinegar and a rinse of clean water to remove any oxidation -- a spray bottle for the vinegar works fine, and I don't bother scrubbing... it always ends up looking like a new penny. As for sanitation, I've taken the advice that I've found here (likely somewhere in...
  15. DmentD

    Wort Chiller DIY

    I'm pumping recirculated ice water through the chiller, which is submerged in the wort. The pump is in the bottom of the ice chest, which is filled with ice and enough water to just cover the pump. The pump and the return hose are on opposite sides of the ice chest from each other so that the...
  16. DmentD

    Wort Chiller DIY

    The only problems I had with the bends were in the dramatic angle changes required to bring the tubing up, then out of the pot. They ended up fairly clean, and with minimal to no crimping. Silly me, I discovered a $4 tubing bender at Harbor Freight the next day. I went ahead and bought it for...
  17. DmentD

    Recommend a thermometer?

    Yes indeedy. I'd say that likely any of the inexpensive detachable probe thermometers would do the trick (both of mine are) -- although I'd say do a quick calibration check in boiling water, then in ice water to see if they're off, and if so, hopefully by a predictable amount and just make...
  18. DmentD

    Wort Chiller DIY

    <facepalm> Gah! Just noticed this was a double-post. Thought I lost it when I posted from work, got home and recreated the message... mostly. Lo and behold, the original message appears. I edited this one to spare everyone the feeling of deja vu. Nothing to see here folks. Move along...
  19. DmentD

    Recommend a thermometer?

    The Thermapen is the best and most accurate thermometer I've ever owned -- pricey, but worth every penny. Beyond that I have 2 detachable probe thermometers that have proven to be invaluable.
  20. DmentD

    Wort Chiller DIY

    I just built a chiller myself, and opted to go the same route with the pump from Harbor Freight ($12 for a 196 GPH pump with 59" of lift). I used 20' of ½" OD copper tubing, and was concerned that it wasn't going to be enough -- but I was comforted by the fact that most of the commercially-made...
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