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Great advice from Calder. In your situation, I’d make the tripel and pitch the 2 packs and skip the starter. Then use the slurry to pitch into the quad. To aerate without a diffusion stone, just pour the cooled wort back and forth between 2 sanitized containers and/or shake/stir it in the...

Are all of the beers of equal abv? Higher alcohol beers take longer to carbonate. Are all the same age at time of carbonating? If the yeast is less viable, that could impact it too. Carbonation depends on amount of sugar added (or left unfermented at the time of bottling), yeast viability...

Sure. Buy a starter kit with a fermenting bucket, bottling bucket, autosiphon, bottle capper, hydrometer, and other little odds and ends. Buy an extract or partial mash kit of a beer style you like. Buy (or use one you own if you have one) a 5-10gallon pot. Make a batch or two with this and see...

I had to get new buckets after about 7 years. I had two batches in a row go bad and finally realized I had used my buckets to empty out my kids’ inflatable pool and fell out of my normal routine. Haven’t had trouble before or since with similar cleaning to the aforementioned processes.

I think you’re exactly right. Inconsequential with the large volume of your beer. Lazy on.

First one of the day: Cigar city jai alai.

as fnord said, just give it some more time. Bigger beers need more time to carbonate. As long as you carbed with enough priming sugar and the yeast is still good (i'm sure it is) it will carbonate. Give it at least 3 weeks. Also, cooling the bottles prior to opening helps dissolve a bit...

It depends on if you are trying to go quickly or not. If you are in a rush, check after 7 days and again a couple days later. If the readings are the same, it's at terminal gravity. If you aren't in a rush, I'd give it 2-3 weeks. My advice to achieve a better fermentation would be temp control...

I'm not a huge fan of belgian IPAs (pending the hops used) and the honey you suggest would likely just ferment out completely and not be very noticeable. I would add fruit - cherries or raspberry would be nice. maybe even a pomegranate if you can find one.

Refractometer conversions aren't always the most accurate. I'd suggest just carefully placing the hydrometer in the carboy and taking the reading as long as it is deep enough. I'd also be contrarian and say what's the purpose of the gravity reading? Yes, it will help you know the ABV more...

Definitely won't improve w time. With your high fermentation temp, it's your likely cause. I'd just mention to make sure there isn't chlorine or chloramine in your water. Chlorophenols can give an odor that some call hot/solventy that can be confused with fusels if you aren't familiar with the...

Sounds like an infection with acetobacter. I'd look to anything that touched the beer after the wort was cooled and make sure it was sanitized. The dry hop is very unlikely but rather something else that touched the beer (racking cane, bottles, etc)

Hey bolus14 - thanks for giving it a look. I just rebrewed this beer and changed a few things from the first version. I packaged it 2 days ago and initial samples were much more in line with the original Nimble Giant. I'll post an updated recipe to the blog in a few weeks once I can get it...

If it's not too much of a hassle, I'd get another pack and pitch more. Under leads to more problems usually than over pitching. Since you don't know exactly how much you lost, your guess is as good as mine. Would probably be safe w 1/2-1 new pack.

Although this isn't exactly what you asked for (specific recipe), in general, with appropriate pitch rates, temperature control and kegging, most recipes can be turned around in 4 weeks no problem. Fruited beers or wood additions would likely prolong the ferment, but anything else can likely be...

I recently posted a clone recipe for Nimble Giant here: http://www.thecasualbrewer.com/?p=61 I still have some work to get it right, but it'll get you close!

Agreed with jerbrew. Check the calibration of your thermometer, maybe you're mashing lower than you think. Are you using simple sugars that ferment out completely? Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer for gravity readings?

I wouldn't want to be the first to find out what kind of trouble you could get into. The first case would likely levy a pretty serious penalty to ensure no one else gets the same "clever" idea. Fun idea, but I wouldn't test the system. Continue to enjoy the fruits of your own labor.

I would definitely not go higher for the mash temp. The lactose is not fermentable which will leave you with a higher FG and more residual sweetness. Mashing higher puts you at risk for even more dextrins and less fermentable beer - potentially leaving you with a super sweet stout. Adding 1lb...

I'd say at 10 months at room temp you're likely looking at oxidation issues. Best way to know is to taste a pinch of each. If it tastes crisp and sweet, give it a go. On the other hand, if they are stale, papery, or flat tasting, toss it. Usually they will hold up crushed for a few months at...