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I might suggest doing a diacetyl rest (bringing fermenter up to 68 for a couple of days). This should reduce any diacetyl (buttery) flavors and also would let you see if your fermentation is complete before you bottle. Of course you could take a gravity reading which is the authoritative...

I always primary and secondary (really age and clarify) in carboys. When I keg, I start the force carbonation. That beer is already 2 weeks old, and by the time it's carbed (at a constant target pressure) it is about 3 weeks old and drinks just fine. What's faster about kegging is less dishes...

whatever is convenient is fine. I loaded my entire kegerator and hauled it to a party just yesterday. I left everything live. Yes there was some jostling around, but I got the beer there an hour before the start and the beer was a big hit. I thought about disconnecting everything, but it was...

I use the Perlicks and have only 1 black washer joining the shank and tailpiece. Sounds like a spare.

I built a keezer from a 7.5 CF chest freezer. I built a standard fixed collar (2X6) and hinged the lid on that. Your design fixes problems I have with loading kegs past all the hoses...Good choice! I wish I had thought of it 2 years ago. I may have to think of a redesign to route the beer...

Great video. Looks easy!

I always clean and check the Oring. When it's no longer slippery I add keg lube. For those with pinhole leaks, you should have a sprayer with starsan in it so you can check for leaks every time you attach a keg to your CO2 lines. Even good lids need to be tweaked by leaving pressure up and...

Turtle, that's a cool portable setup. Yesterday I went to a party in my neighborhood with my full kegerator. I loaded into my John Deere trailer and pulled it there with my lawn tractor. I wish I had a picture, but it probably looked pretty funny. 3 beers on tap for the neighbors. Now I...

You could buy some paneling (either really thin interior stuff or exterior beaded wood sheets). It wouldn't take much wood working to wrap the sides. Of course I'd leave the cooling fins open in the back. That being said, I have a full wood shop and could have treated my kegerator any way I...

The higher mash temp may get you a less dry or maltier flavor. Lower temps tend toward dryer taste and mouthfeel. Nothing wrong with a high mash temp for a darker ale in my opinion. As far as the thin mash...I think you can get an astringency off-flavor because mash PH gets thrown off. See...

This comes fairly close to the Guinness Draught clone which uses Maris Otter 70% Flaked Barley 20% Roasted Barley 10% -add soured beer (5% of volume) in secondary Shoot for 45IBUs with East Kent Goldings

Remember also that maltiness or dryness is also a function of how you mash. Lower mash temps seem to get a higher alcohol yield and higher temps will get lower alcohol and higher maltiness. RO water has no calcium which is desirable during mashing (particularly if doing protein rests). I...

Read John Palmer's How To Brew. He has a very technical book (which I use for reference), but the online version is great for this level of question. http://www.howtobrew.com/sitemap.html In general, I think you'll find that a protein and a saccharafication rest are suggested rests (123 and...

You hit on the great mystery...volume vs hop utilization. Good eye. I didn't think about that until way after my first allgrain brews. I use a mash paddle that I made which has a stirring end and has markings up the handle so I know my volume at any point. I am in an arid climate, but use...

I shake the hell out of the fermenter while it is filling from the chiller. That and lots of yeast (via a starter) get me everything I need. I've tried using oxygen (with no difference) and found the vigorous, vigorous shaking which leaves a krausen on top works best for me.

More and more guys (and gals) are avoiding the whole question of secondary-ing. After years of the old 1-2-3 method (1 week primary, 2 wks secondary, 3 weeks in bottle or keg before serving) I have decided to stop secondarying unless I want to dry hop or add fruit/peppers. Having said...

Just a sidenote on the new thread...looks like the 1.048 og is at 1.015 now (in the range for Budvar finishing), so it may be very nearly done after all. There is no fervent airlock activity, but the yeast is swirling a bit in the carboy. Your input is still welcome, but I may still lager tonight.

Hey guys: Just brewed my first lager (Bohemian Pils) and fermented well at 54 degrees for 10 days. I thought 10 days would be plenty of time, but now not so sure. I took it out 48 hrs ago for a diacetyl rest and it's resting at 64. I say resting, but it's churning pretty good. I...

Thanks guys! I see different mash temps between the multiple responses, and Beersmith tends to use that 156 degree saccharification rest too. I think I'll try the lower one that PK suggests and get the book!

Careful with that much honey. I've made a honey wheat with 1lb of honey and it was too "cloyingly" sweet. I later did it with 1/2 lb and it was still sweet, but not as bad. Good luck.