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Just wanted to second or maybe third the idea of overbuilding the starter. Check out this page if you don't already have software to help you figure out the amount of dme and starter size. http://www.brewunited.com/yeast_calculator.php

Have you had any flavor transfer with the Fermonsters? I considered those the better bottles and the speidels but decided I'll be purchasing the 7 gal Anvil bucket fermenter soon and hopefully never need to replace it. You're right though, they're aren't many different options for 2 gallon...

@CascadesBrewer, have you seen the 3 gallon stainless mini bucket fermenter from SS Brewrech? The biggest complaint I've seen about it is that the base isn't attached. Anvil also has a similar 4 gallon option where the base is built-in. Both seem like decent options for fermenting smaller batches.

@CascadesBrewer makes great points. I started out with 1 gallon batches, which allowed me to determine whether I liked what I was making and the hobby in general. Since then I've scaled up my brew kettle three times (3 gallon, 5.5 gallon, and now 10 gallon). In hind site if I had it to do all...

Another benefit of smaller BIAB batches is the ability to use your oven to help maintain mash temps. The lowest setting on mine is 175 so I stick a meat thermometer in to determine when to kill the heat. I can't take credit for this idea but it works well in my experience. Also I've posted it...

I know it's not technically a deal so feel free to remove it but if you visit either the Blichman Engineering or Anvil Brewing websites they have a 12 days of Christmas giveaway going on. I just found out about but it started on the 4th. You have to enter everyday, Mon-Fri, and can only win once...

First time drinking this one and I'm sold

Ok so I decided to sample a bit of my Oktoberfest as it lagers, I bottle conditioned first, and even though it hadn't been lagering very long it's already pretty good. Which is a huge relief because it was pretty green based on the sample I tried after two weeks of bottle conditioning. How long...

I realize this thread is old but I am about to do this as well. I would counter the scratch issue with the fact that you could and should be passivating your kettle if it gets scratched. I added pbw and filled my kettle with water. Instead of scrubbing the inside of my bottles, never actually...

I used the brulosophy fast lager method and am going to give bottling prior cold crashing & lagering and will report back. I got the idea from the How to Brew book. I'll report back after and let you guys know how it goes. I'll also be running a second batch of the same recipe next weekend with...

I have this same question. I'm bottling my first lager, a märzen, this week. It seems me that after the diacetyl rest it makes sense to bottle condition then versus after we put the yeast through another temp adjustment to get it down to lager temp and then back up to a point where they will...

That's a really nice build. I wish I had known about your project before I set mine up. I have the same tramontina and drilled out the drain line in the back for running the probe and it was a huge PITA. Thinking about a second one for cellaring or having dedicated lager & ale chambers so maybe...

That's who I normally use but they were out of the yeast I wanted to use at the time of my order. Next time I'll just wait until they are back in stock. I grew up a starter as well but rather than being able to overbuild my 2L starter was just enough for my current batch.

Ah gotcha. I'm in the southeast U.S. and about 2.5hrs one way from a homebrew store

Where do you typically order from?

For those who don't have a LHBS what is the typical age of liquid yeast by the time it arrives at your doorstep? For my recent purchase the yeast was 66 days old. Meaning, depending on the source you trust, it lost 50-60% of its viability. I made a starter and provided yeast nutrient and oxygen...

I'm guessing this is why the current model of controllers are now 50% off on their site.

Finally got a brew in with the new wilser bag. The fit was excellent and since I purchased the grandslam package I got hop socks and a pulley as well. You can see the bag suspended using the pulley below. The only issue I had was not drawing the back closed at first when I attached it to the...

According to the analysis I found: Alkalinity: 45-57 pH: 7.2-7.3 Calcium: 6.3-6.4 Magnesium: 2.8-5.5 Sulfate: 1.2 Sodium: 10-12 Chloride: not detected Total Hardness: 26-38 All measurements are based on mg/L which I believe would be equivalent to ppm values but correct me if I'm wrong. I...

I'll be brewing my first one marzen this weekend and foolishly forgot to check my stock of gypsum, baking soda etc. What issues/if any do you guys forsee with straight spring water (geyser)? Keep in mind I don't have a LHBS within a 2hr drive so a reorder isn't an option.