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A really quick rule of thumb is about two pounds of grain per gallon, with of course variations in efficiency and beer style. But if you're stranded on a deserted island that's what you can go by. The real question is whether you want to start all grain in 2010 given the lull in the sunspot...

Years ago I tried adding Polyclar before lautering, thinking it would clear things up faster. I pulled lots of gunk out of solution - and deposited as an impermeable layer in the grain bed. From that experience I learned what not to do, and later stuck lauters led me to conjecture that...

I'm interested to know the answer myself, as I encountered sticky clumps yesterday in a layer from about two inches to six inches off the bottom. Once I removed that section everything went okay. I shoud mention that I was running a strange experiment with a 30 inch grain bed in a 1-5/8"...

The imitation coconut has propylene glycol, but I think that's pretty benign. *goes and looks* It does have anti-fungal properties (and is used in some skin ointments to fight yeast infections) but to be effective in a solution takes a concentration of around 30 grams per liter. That...

Let's see. Going from this - http://www.mccormickgourmet.com/content.cfm?id=7030 McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract: Ingredients VANILLA BEAN EXTRACTIVES IN WATER, ALCOHOL (35%), AND CORN SYRUP. McCormick Pure Almond Extract: Ingredients WATER, ALCOHOL (32%), AND OIL OF BITTER ALMOND...

Hrmm... What if you lined the sides of the milk crate with cardboard, wrapped the bottom of the carboy in foil or plastic wrap (so you can pull it free), put it into the crate (with maybe an inch of space from the bottom), then sprayed the gaps with Great Stuff expanding foam insulation? It...

:( I hate to say this, but it looks like your brew had a gravity problem. ;) I always get nervous moving my carboys around. I think I might have to try the milk crate idea for my own piece of mind.

Or this shop in Montreal. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10303/?view=beerfly

Does anyone else here just throw in a calibrated lobster and time how long it takes him to stop twitching? :rolleyes:

Yeah, I'm up to mash temperature and it's looking a little gooey. It's too late for malt conditioning because I ground the grain at the store. :p However, with these little 1 pound batches you can make a lot of mistakes, experiments, and screw-ups and not worry about it! :D Oh, and I...

I'm doughing in a one-pound batch of pale ale malt and am trying to cope with a milling job from the brewstore that's leaving quite a few grains completely intact, plus lots of big huge grits. Two nights ago on a 3/4-lb mash I used my Corona mill to further grind the grains, trying to do so...

I've always used one of the regular mercury lab thermometers they sell at the home brew store, but a few days ago I saw a digital thermometer with remote probe (and alarms and such) at Lowe's for $20, so I grabbed it. It was in the turkey/outdoor grilling section. I haven't used it or...

Since you said it has been steadily declining, my guess is it's from wear or loosening on your crusher.

I had this happen a month ago, and I think the cause was a massive amount of floculating proteins and other trub that was still in solution. I kept getting 1.040 on repeating readings but after the hot break I let a sample cool down and watched all the sediment settle out like snow, after which...

Was it by any chance a honey lager?

It's really no stranger than finding a cat in your fish bowl. ;)

You said "shrubbery." :eek: :p

Couldn't you just take a hammer and smash a piece of driveway gravel into powder? At worst it's dolomite limestone (CaMg(CO3)2) but it's more likely to be pure CaCO3. You could also just crush up some egg shells, which are 95% CaCO3.

The last time I brewed outside, mashing took much of the day so I was boiling after dark. To provide some light on the brew pot I put a work light over it - so I kept having to scoop out moths. I wonder if that dust on their wings acts like hop resin? :p Hmm... Maybe next time I...

See if you can get a water report for cities within convenient driving distance. If one of them has good brewing water then drive there and fill every container you can get a hold of. It's not horribly convenient, but would keep you brewing till you figure out a more permanent solution. :)...