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Two things I always do is (in addition to everything you've already done), if you can, spray all the areas where the gas may leak with a Starsan solution or anything that will bubble up. That will show if there is a leak. The other thing I do is to seat the lid but don't latch it shut. Then...

I’m in!

I’ve always been interested in these too. Do you have to switch out the lid after it’s carb’d?

I have KAB4 and it is quiet. I used to use my dad's turkey fryer kit one and it was a jet engine. I also find that the propane usage isn't all that outrageous. I don't think its too much output for a 5-6 gallon batch. I had a brew session this past Sunday where I started with maybe a quarter...

In!

I’ve found that “priming” the cooler with some boiling water seems to help flatten out the temps both before and after doughing in. I don’t do anything else to insulate (other than put the cover on of course)! Even in the middle of winter when it’s like 10 degrees out I’ve only lost like 2-3...

I tried this method about a week ago on an overcarbed keg and it worked like a charm! This could really be a life-changer for me. It always seems that I waste almost a half-gallon or so just trying to get the keg to settle down.

My first couple of co2 containers’ worth emptied within a week. When I went to get it refilled, the guy gave me another flat o-ring that goes between the tank and the regulator connector. Also when I bought my kegs (torpedoes) MoreBeer recommended leaving the keg lid unlatched and letting the...

The Brewjacket immersion rod is designed for maintaining fermentation temps so it needs to be sanitized. However it has a finish on it that will get damaged from Starsan (and voids the warranty). I add the rod to the boil but it’s sort of clunky to handle on brewday. I’d be interested to see if...

I'm another Hydra fan. I used to have a stainless steel IC and it would take about 25-30 minutes to get to pitch temps. The Hydra gets it down in under 10 minutes. I also like to whirlpool/hopstand around 170 and it actually gets it from boiling to 170 in about 50 seconds. In fact it does it...

I like to harvest yeast from my starters and I've had some of my harvests lie dormant for a while (I think the longest was up to 6 months) and I have rousted them up in a starter with no off-flavors or issues that I am aware of. While I've never used WLP060 I've done it with US05, US04, and...

I’ve had the KAB4 for a few years and after the paint burned off it’s been great. I also took a metal-bristled brush and scrubbed off the flaked paint. I’m not particularly fussy about my equipment so it never bothered me that there are some marks on the bottoms of my kettle. As for noise, it...

I go with the metric version since I have a scale. 1L/100 grams of DME is about 1.040 gravity. Its easily scale-able up and down (I usually make a 1.5L/150g version and decant the finished 0.5 for later use, like vitality starter). I used to add 1/4 tsp of nutrient but honestly I never...

With the caveat that I am using a round "Gatorade" style cooler for MLT, I recently got a custom-made basket from Utah Biodiesel. Yeah, its expensive, but I was really impressed with how much easier my brew day was this past Saturday. I used to affix a bag with bungee cords and would squeeze...

You could get a drilled stopper and attach an airlock. I just spray some Starsan on a piece of aluminum foil and loosely cover the flask. The guy from my LHBS says he doesn't even spray Starsan and has never had any problems. I used to use a foam stopper but had a pretty active starter once...

I’ve added a percentage’s worth of crystal 10L or 20L in the past in my NEIPAs (mainly takeoffs of Trillium) and it does add some good orange color. I remember reading somewhere that all malted grains are on a spectrum of orange so higher the SRM the more saturated the orange color will be...

I do this and the bag I used for my 10g kettle fit perfectly in a Rubbermaid/round cooler. I also mash full volume so I don’t bother with lautering and sparging. It has really simplified my brew day. I started doing it this way to try to keep my mash temps from fluctuating so wildly when...

As a longtime M@sshole I’ve never realized that NEIPAs were brewed out of necessity. Now that I think about it, in the old days I do remember seeing St. Bernards traversing the treacherous and snowy Arlington Heights with barrels of Trillium to warm freezing residents. The turbidity provides...

This is the HBT version of Godwin’s Law. Every discussion eventually is about true beer.

The 1L/100g ratio is what I use and it’s been fine. I wouldn’t use a blender though; you’ll have to keep it running the entire time. That just seems like it would burn out the blender’s motor and/or be a hassle. If you want to underpitch, you probably don’t even need to make a starter. 1.060...