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Hey all! Last Sunday I brewed a SMaSH German pilsner (German Pils & Saaz) with two packets of Saflager 34/70. OG was 1.046 and it took off like a rocket, but now stuck for four days at 1.014 (Est. FG is 1.006). There are a couple things that may have caused this: Forgot to add yeast nutrient...

Hi all, I started fermenting a German pilsner on Sunday, only to learn yesterday that something isn't sealed right and my CF10 starts to release ~8psi. I'll be able to fix it for the next round, but I'm stuck that ~8 for my ceiling, for now. Is 8/8.5psi enough pressure to take my lager, using...

Hey all, This weekend I'm brewing 6gal (22.7L) of my SMaSH Czech-ish Pilsner, using Saflager 34/70. The packets I bought were created in May 2024, but BeerSmith3's Starter Calculator recommends 2.4 packs to do the job (spending 3 packs). Does this seems right? I know it's important not to under...

Hey all, Just tapped the 1st of 2 kegs of my chocolate stout and realized my external thermostat failed me. My freezer went to deepfreeze temps and the beer in the keg 2 is rock solid. Since it wasn't carbonated (only slight pressure to prevent implosion, would it be okay to do the following...

Hey all, Did a no-O2 pressure transfer from my fermenter to a keg through the liquid post, with no issues. Everything hooked up fine. But after putting it in my draft system, the same dang liquid line wouldn't connect. The keg's poppet depresses fine, as does the pokey-think in the...

Hi all, Brewing a SMaSH Bohemian Pilzner tomorrow (5/21/24) with W-34/70, using BeerSmith 3 as my guide. The yeast I bought from the local HBS' yeast expires 05/2025 and was packaged 4/2022. According to BeerSmith, 3(!) packets will get me 359.3 billion of the 379.1 billion cells needed. Should...

I brew a chocolate stout, using a few vanilla beans (split & scraped) soaked in vodka. Been thinking of changing things up, maybe using bourbon or rum. What are your favorite liquors for making vanilla tinctures? Do you use different processes depending on which liquor you’re using?

RO-water was heated Grist at the ready Went to pour in my obsessively-measured salts (spot on to the .00th of a gram), when I slipped, spilling most of them in the kettle... but some on the brew-room floor. With most of the salts already in the water, there was no way out but through. I wet my...

Hey all, About to dry-hop a NEIPA. I've read that dry hopping for 3-4days produces the wanted benefits while avoiding grassy off-flavors from dry hopping for too long. How does cold crashing factor into this? If I dry hop for 4days and then cold crash for 2days, do I risk unwanted flavors...

Curious if folks a particular brand to be superior or if they find yeast quality to be more style-specific.

Hey all, Brewing an NEIPA with an estimated 1.074 that came in at 1.068. Always wondered if there's a rule of thumb as to how low is too low? At what point to folks start intervening to raise their OG? Many thanks, and happy brewing!

Hey all, Today's brew-day SNAFU: forgot to take my 2-liter yeast starter out of the fridge for a NEIPA. Now I'm in the boil phase & hope to pitch after a 20min whirlpool and cool-down (90min from now?). Is it better to fill my fermenter and wait until my yeast gets to room temp to pitch...

Hey all, Looking at making my first Kölsch and caught sight of Omega's DKO (Diacetyl Knock Out) series. How are these being received? Any noticeable flavor or behavioral differences that a homebrewer should be aware of? Thanks!

Hey all, Thinking of setting my keg system up for nitro. I'm finding plenty of tanks & regulators online, but where does one go to to get the gas and is there a specific type needed (food save vs. industrial, or something like that)? Thanks!

Hi all, I'm using chocolate nibs for the 1st time in an 11gal batch of chocolate stout that I'm brewing for a charity auction, and I have a question about flavor consistency when bottling (I normally keg, which I'll do with the rest that isn't going to auction). I'm adding 1 pound (0.45kb) of...

I'm brewing a chocolate stout and having a heck of a time getting my water profile right. I'm using the Black Dry profile in Bru'n and it seems like I can either hit the calcium target of 50ppm (by adding CaCl2) and overshoot the chloride by 7ppm, or leave it as is in the attached image and...

Hey all, Made a 1.75 liter starter for a 10.75gal Chocolate Oatmeal Stout last night, which used 2 packs Omega-004 and 5.92oz DME. Done similar several times, but, unlike those times, I woke this morning to the foil top laying next to the my 2k ml flask, completely uncovered. My hopeful side...

Created a Pale Ale recipe to get to know El Dorado hops. Not quite a SMaSH, but want it to be all El Dorado and I'd love to get any insights on how I have it set up. I'll brew this on an eBIAB rig that Bobby at BrewHardware built for me. Aiming for 45.8 IBUs, and mostly aroma, as my wife has a...

Hi all, My BrewBuilt Max 2 & Spike CF10 combo never cool my beer below 43F when cold crashing. Thinking ice build-up might be the issue, I've already tried the following. Cooling the glycol to no less than 28F Cooling in stages to prevent ice build-up, 10°F at a time Being between brews, I...

Hey all, About to make a porter with OYL-006 (British Ale 1) that was produced four months ago. Do you think I'll be okay pitching the 1L starter at high krausen after 12-14hrs or should I plan to keep it on the stir plate for a few days? The porter is estimated to be 1.045 OG with a 4.6%...