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I'm skeptical that a second pitch is ever necessary as long as you pitch a healthy initial starter into a well-oxygenated wort and properly control temperature/sanitation. I bet a lot of the underattenuation problems we see on here can be solved pre-emptively. Of course, that's poor...

I usually don't get more than 3 batches per tank. I always have a backup. Low outdoor temps seem to increase consumption. I've wondered if moving to a higher quality burner might improve efficiency. I currently use the bottom of the line Bayou Classic. The Home Depot guys look at me like...

I used WLP099 a few times on big beers (OG 1.100 and up). The results were not optimal - it performed as advertised with extremely good attenuation, but the beers had an overwhelming solventy character that did not diminish with age. They also caused rugged, screaming hangovers even when...

Wyeast occasionally offers Unibroue yeast in their private collection as 3864. Sounds like you'd like it. http://www.wyeastlab.com/PC2Q2010.cfm

It's the yeast that makes a Belgian. Nottingham won't come close. S33 is also British, but I've never used it either. I'm a big fan of Wyeast 3787 and WLP550. WLP500 for a dunkel? I've been looking for a good alternative to German weizen yeast for big wheat beers. Seems every time I've...

If you live in Cook County, you're probably getting your water from the City of Chicago. http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/water/WaterQltyResultsNRpts/ccReports/cca09.pdf We pull our water out of Lake Michigan and minimally process it. Ever see the round buildings...

Trappist yeast @ 85? Sounds like fusel oil hell. I pitch my belgians at 65 and let them naturally heat up and cool as the fermentation progresses. I have thermostatted chest freezers, so I put it in at 65 and shut down the stat at the first sign of fermentation. After a week or so, I set...

I always use the dehusked, only because that's what my LHBS carries. Weyermann states that dehusked Carafa lacks a burnt/bitter flavor that the husked variety has. http://www.weyermann.de/eng/faq.asp?umenue=yes&idmenue=62&sprache=2

I had problems with sweet Belgians for some time. Temperature control in my chest freezer was the key to solving the problem. My current best practice is to pitch @65F, then shut off the thermostat. No artificial cooling. Wort temperature usually rises to 72F, then falls gradually to 70F. I...

That doesn't look like a regular IPA kit either. Porter maybe? The signature malt for black IPAs is Carafa III. I use half a pound per 5 gallon batch, as well as one pound Caramel 60. The idea is to get the color and a slight bit of roastiness without overwhelming the hops. Some people...

Hah, I'm about to do my 4th iteration. Meandered from Magnum to Sorachi to Simcoe for bittering and eliminated the crystal malt. Low temps, pacman yeast, lots of oxygen. Served damn fresh - grain to glass in 4 weeks. This has become my go-to recipe for producing strong beer in a short timeframe.

I keep my belgians in the primary for a minimum of three weeks. Longer for tripels and quads. My experience with Belgian yeasts is that they take a while to fully attenuate. It took a week to wring the last 0.004 gravity points out of my Blonde Ale, even when I used a big starter and oxygen...

@no borders - Southern Tier is an upstate NY brewery that makes a decent black IPA. They call it an imperial black ale. Perhaps they distribute in your area? http://www.southerntierbrewing.com/ @mithion - my current iteration of BIPA is 35 SRM, with the grain bill consisting of 17 lb...

The term "Cascadia" is typically used by irredentist hippies from Eugene who want to secede and form some sort of vegan dictatorship. In my mind, the term conjures up odors of patchouli, soy products, and body odor. Call it black IPA, please. Besides, IMO the best example of the style is...

I made a fruit saison that fermented from 1.048 to 1.012 cleanly. After two weeks in the primary I secondaried with a puree of 4 pounds strawberries, 2 large stalks rhubarb, and 1.5 pounds raw mesquite honey. This fermented for another week, leaving a final gravity of 1.008. Currently it is...

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'll see if I can talk my landlord into retrofitting the hose faucet - god knows, the guy drinks enough of my beer to spring for it.

I have a problem. I live in the Midwest. (Har, har, har). Winters are brutal. At some point my garden hose feed will freeze and become unavailable for chilling, likely for the rest of the season. But, I still want to brew outdoors. Gotta keep the pipeline full. I can take the cold, but...

I've never gotten a 1007 beer to drop totally clear. I have one on tap that was kegged, cold-crashed @32F for two weeks, then force carbed in my ghettorator. After three weeks @40F it is just now starting to clear up, but it still has a moderate haze. I generally rely on whirlfloc and cold...

1007 is good for any ale where you want to minimize yeast flavors and showcase hops and/or malt flavors. I think of it as a european equivalent of pacman due to its neutral and minerally finish. I'd recommend lower fermentation temps, though. If you can control it just below 60F it will...

So, what about flying with corny kegs? I'm halfway serious - would save me having to drive 3 kegs cross-country prior to my wedding.