Search results

If you see a yeast cake, you're good. Give them both a swirl to kick them up every once in awhile and keep them active. Let them sit for a couple hours before pitching, essentially let the yeast cake form again, then decant most of the liquid off and then pitch. If you cold crash, you need to...

It always looks darker in the carboy due to the length/width of liquid you're looking through. In a glass it will be noticeably lighter in color.

I'd go to either a secondary or bottle it now. Since it's one that you're gonna age anyway, might as well free up your vessel. Have you tasted it? Or taken gravity? May want to do that just to help your decision. If the gravity is above 1.030, definitely do a secondary to rouse the yeast and...

When I signed up last year, they were giving a copy of How to Brew with the membership along with Zymurgy. And the list of breweries/brewpubs/LHBS that give a discount is extensive. My local brewery, People's, gives a free flight and I've gotten the payback from that alone. Over the last year...

Hmmm... Well, replace all your hosing since it's cheap. If you can see any scratches in any plastic equipment, replace that too. Anything that's dishwasher safe, assuming you have a dishwasher, run through there with no soap or rinse agent. Also, be careful with bleach as your sanitizer...

1.150? Or 1.105? 1.150 down to 1.043 means about 14% ABV. Which is very high for beers. 1.105 to 1.043 is 8% ABV. The yeast you used and the mash temp are key to how much attenuation you'll get. What yeast and what mash temp/how much DME or LME? A yeast that conks out around 8% will...

I would lean towards the extract being the culprit. You can get differing amounts of fermentables from batch to batch, and thus end up with under or over attenuated beers. As far as the off-flavor... Describe as best you can. Is it prevalent, or there in the background? The watery could be due...

I don't recall which magazine I read it in, but there are some brewers who make concentrated worts and dilute with water or lighter/different wort to make different beers. This is because of fermenter/boil space, or some such. Now, if you're diluting with water, so long you dilute prior to...

Condensation or spills while transferring. So long it's not got an avenue into the carboy, you're good. As the previous poster said, just clean well and hit it with sanitizer after you transfer. You should be able to wash the carboy hauler in the washing machine or dishwasher. Any sanitizer...

Brewing Better Beer - Gordon Strong Brewing Classic Styles - Jamil and John And to answer the posted question, yes, I've read it and the two above. I think Brewing Better Beer is the best overall to improve your beers. But if you want guidelines for every style, then Brewing Classic...

Depends on your sparging method. If you batch sparge, yes, add them after draining the first wort and add your sparge water. I would recommend 10 to 15 minutes, maybe even 20, before draining your sparge water to ensure you get the color and sugars from the dark grains. If you fly sparge...

I've not heard of off flavors from tannins due to a poor crush, where did you hear that? Sparging with too hot of water will pull harshness from tannins out and you will get more harshness/roastiness from dark grains if you mash them for the full saccharification rest. I'm not understanding...

Gotta second this. Having worked with very hazardous materials, from radioactive to strong oxidizers to carcinogens to compressed gases, I wouldn't attempt this. I'm fully HAZWOPER, OSHA, HAZMAT, etc. trained. Not gonna do it. There's a couple things that can go wrong with this method...

Introducing AIR or CO2? If you're just hooking up an aquarium pump to blow it out...that's a big issue there. If it's CO2, then purge your keg prior to siphoning (or bottles), and/or take the siphon tube off and buy a tube that's 1/16" to 1/8" smaller ID. Attach to the racking cane by either...

It sure is. If you didn't know, Avery released HB recipes for a number of their brews recently. http://averybrewing.com/brewery/recipes-for-homebrewers/ I made a simple PA and used all Columbus hops and it came out nicely. IIRC, 5.5% ABV, 50 IBU, mashed at 152 or so with just some pale...

I have a JS Malt Mill and get a perfectly good crush and haven't had below 70% since I got it (normally 75-80%). My brother has the Barley Crusher and gets the same results. Both of these run almost $100 cheaper than the Monster Mill. Chances are, your LHBS is using the Malt Mill, at least...

Agreed. I've had low end IPAs kegged after only a week in primary and they didn't have that green apple flavor denoting needed aging. In kegs, IPAs hold well. In bottles, not so much.

I'd say it's dependent on the ABV and IBU if you'll still be green at the tasting. My standard IPAs and PAs are just fine with 2 weeks in primary and then carbing in the keg for a week at room temps. On the high end of IPA and getting into IIPA, you'd be pushing it and with high IBU probably...

Lowering the false bottom or manifold is where I'd start, if it's possible. If it's a manifold, you gotta get that down to the bottom. If it's a false bottom, a dip tube that goes to the bottom will take care of it. I'm thinking a batch that large, to compensate with more grain will be pricey...

How do you mash in? There are two schools of thought: Add the water to the cooler first and add the grain to the cooler first. I've gotten 75% or higher with both methods, but one is easier to not get dough balls. I've found it's much easier to get better mixing with water first and then using...