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Great to know. Thanks for the info. For now, I'll probably have to stick to my dual controller with the probe insulated on the fermenter because I won't have quick access to monitor and change it throughout the day. I've been able to keep it between a 3 degree range, so I feel it's sufficient...

Valid point, makes sense to me. Would have definitely solved my issue of overcooling with the Johnson II controller. Have you found if there is a common air temp that works for all wort? Or do you usually figure out your set point batch by batch? Do you have a simple process of figuring out a...

Just a simple like 12 inch by 12 inch heating pad people use on their back or body. Cvs has them, grocery stores probably have them.

You can use a simple heating pad an just hang it in your freezer, works great for me. When summertime rolls around, you may still have the same issue. I have the Johnson II as well. And I think bc my freezer isn't very efficient, it was over cooling. Had the set point at 70 with a diff of 1...

Truly a helpful resource. Much appreciated for the lesson. I'm still in the learning process and have recently been building my own recipes. Have a few reads I need to do and will hopefully learn those tidbits. As of now, building based off taste not the actual science...so it's a lot of trial...

Gotcha, so possibly sub a lb of sugar for a lb of a base malt in recipe.... On a 5gal batch? Or is that too much? Too little? Sorry to pick your brain just interested in the topic

Is there a flavor change? Or just dries out the mouth feel and allows for the extra fermentability of a high gravity wort?

Ouch my apologies. She she she.

I've never used sugar in a beer before. When's a good time that I may use it? What are some of the pros and cons of it and what can it change? Definitely not opposed to it but it sounds like people posting here have experience with it and I've just always read no, it'll make the beer more dry...

Yummy

He's right, it could very well be a magical phenomena that happens with just my IPAs, for whatever reason. But give it a try and see what happens, your issue sounds very similar to what I experienced. And I don't think the hop flavor ever left the beer but was masked by the greenness of the...

I second this. If you can wait 3-4 weeks once kegged (if bottling give the bottles about 3 weeks to carbonate, then another 3 in the fridge) the greenness of the beer will mellow and the malt and hop flavors will come back in full force. I found this out on my last IPA. Was disappointed with my...

I use my spigot to take samples from my primary and to transfer the beer. Never had an issue with contamination, I just make sure I take apart the spigot, clean it, sanitize it before using the fermenter each time. The liquid doesn't go back into the fermenter once its out and by the time you...

This sounds like a great set up and if the controller is sound enough to keep the probe in a 3 degree range, I'd say its a much better investment than the ranco. Wish I had heard about this earlier... Ya win some ya lose some... But ya live, live to brew another day

I had the same set up as you and had the same questions. My climate in the garage is not stable enough for just one cooling/heating element. In the summer it's too hot and my freezer isn't very efficient so it kicks the freezer on but even with a small differential set, it over cools the...

I didn't do much research but I heard a couple things from my LHBS and decided to make my first all grain stout. Built the recipe around an oatmeal stout so it would have the body and feel from the flaked oats, mashed at 155, but I added chocolate and coconut to try and mimic my girlfriends...

So I just weighed them out, I've got 4.25oz of 4.3% willamette. Looking at the bag it looks to be a 2007 crop. They smell fine, maybe a little more earthy than normal but not bad by any means (been in a freezer since 2007, an oz and half taken out but bag not vacuumed sealed). Any drop hop...

Good to know. I was thinking about buying in bulk next season. I'm fine w pellets most of the time but like to toss some leaf in a batch every now and then but my shops been running out. Ill just give them a smell on brewday and if no funky smells, I'll dry hop with these willamettes in the freezer.

Good advice. Thanks

... If they'd been in a non-vacuumed sealed bag for a year or so.