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As WilserBrewer mentioned, if you know your pre-strike temps and volumes the temperature doesn't need to be checked at all. I can't recall the last time I checked my mash temp after striking. That said, I do calibrate/ check my BK, HLT, and chiller thermometers frequently. Why do people build...

Dough-in, paint while mashing. Transfer while paint dries. Boil while painting, chill & transfer while paint dries... Like brewing with a newborn- just hold it away from the kettle and it's all good!

My DAY 20', 1/2" chiller cools 5.5 gallons from boiling to 70°Friday in about 15 to 20 minutes. That's with a Chugger recirculating full bore through a whirlpool arm. I also use upwards of 35 gallons to do it, throttling the chiller based on its output temp. A plate chiller is in the works for...

Less water, specifically a thin sheet of water as on a refractometer, has a a lower thermal inertia and in this case higher ratio of surface area to volume, so evaporation has a more dramatic effect than a larger volume. I use a syringe, minus the needle, to capture and store my samples prior to...

There should still be plenty of yeast for bottling. I don't know empirical data off the top.of my head to confirm this, but you should be fine. Kyle

If you can lift the weight, just using the stand your burner came on, if you have a turkey fryer burner, works great. Heat your strike water, siphon or drain via ball valve to the mash tun on the ground. Set that on a table or something sturdy- I used a 3' long step stool for years- and drain to...

Since the day it was installed my cooler's output ball valve has spun. As in your case there's no leaks- unless I tilt the valve up or down, then I'll get a drop. It's something I've learned to live with. The spinning did decrease when I changed from a toilet braid to a copper manifold. Kyle

That's true, but the trick is in knowing how to operate your system and deal with problems when they arise...like how to manage a crusher that's not feeding, or a pump that won't prime, or a suddenly leaking chiller/ valve/ hose, adjusting boil strength for weather conditions, managing water...

DMS is really a concern with Pilsner malts, though some researchers have shown that on a homebrew scale even a 30 minute boil will remove DMS in detectable amounts in a triangle test. (http://brulosophy.com/exbeeriments/) It's easier to keep your boil to 60 minutes for all batches, especially...

As 5-Star Chemicals says, (paraphrased) sanitizer can't sanitize what isn't clean. I wouldn't fret over it too much at this point. Soak the tube in some PBW and flush the film out if possible. Then rinse with clean water, and lastly buy a separate tube for your blow-off. One thing to keep note...

What was your starting volume into the kettle? You can estimate about 10-15% boil off per hour depending on your system, boil style, and weather conditions. It sounds like either your pre-boil or S.G. readings were incorrect. Did you also take gravity readings at the start, middle, and end of...

If you can't get it to compact, either continue with the batch as long as you're flowing liquid or do a batch sparge. Don't be too paranoid about some grain getting through to the boil. What are you using for a false bottom? Kyle

As long as the valves on the knobs allow enough gas to flow to fuel the burners I would imagine that'd work. Keep in mind people often run up to 1/2" supply lines to the burner itself. I don't know if that's overkill or not but if the BBQ valves are too restrictive you won't be getting the full...

Hitting all my numbers and being efficient makes me for feel like the guy launching jets in the opening to Top Gun. Kyle

I'll cast another vote for the tea bags. They worked great for me in the past. Kyle

Haven't heard of it, but if it'll pull grain through consistently and doesn't shred husks I can't see why it wouldn't work. Try it out and post some pics of the crush. Kyle

Boil it in a saucepan with plain water and/ or use a pipe cleaner. PBW is fantastic and available at your local homebrew shop. I'll typically soak my airlocks/ hoses in sanitizer for ~15 minutes before putting them in use and have never had a problem. The best way to prevent it is using a...

I planned to store my kettles and cooler-tun in the stand and was successful...before I installed the burners. Now everything lives on top, and the brewstand is at a good height for me during brewday. To me making the brewing as convenient as possible is more important than storage. Kyle

Whenever I brew a batch and have reached pre-boil volume from the mash tun I'll let the tun drain into a growler or gallon pot until I finish the brewday. The wort is stored in 1qt Zip-Lock bags and frozen, then added a water in soups or any dish that needs water. It adds a little something...

I'm a geologist and typically work 45 hrs. per week while doing local jobs. We travel about 60% of the year (currently out of town on week 1 of 3) and try to work 12 hrs/ day for at least 6 days/ week. Per diem is good, but not great. Holidays are 10/ year (better than the 6 I had at my last...