Search results

I've brewed with rye when doing small batch brew in bag batches. It was harder to sparge because it produced some goopy, mucus-like stuff that gummed up the works. Wouldn't surprise me if it left goop in the fermenter too.

I used to live in Kalamazoo, home of Bell's. When I first got in to craft beers in the 90s, Bell's Amber Ale was my go-to. Ambers don't get as much attention these days. I bought a six pack of BAA a while ago and as I drank it, I came to remember why I liked it so much. Excellent beer I just...

Sorry for the late reply! Here is what I brought home: 5.5 lb - Barke Pilsner Malt (46.3%) 5 lb - Maris Otter Pale (42.1%) 10 oz - Vienna (5.3%) 6 oz - Carapils (3.2%) 4 oz - Acidulated Malt (2.1%) 2 oz - Chocolate (1.1%) Also 8 oz rice hulls were in there I did mix it up thoroughly and brew...

Fairly certain this is true. I ordered a beer recipe from them once and it came out great. A year or so ago I ordered the same kit and brewed it - seemed like a totally different recipe. Was supposed to be a Mexican Vienna Lager (Beerito Mexican Lager partial mash) - ended up super dark almost...

Well, there were no bags left back there to dump my crushed grains into, so I decided to just gather my second recipe and wait to get bags from the cashier before grinding that second recipe. Minutes later, I forgot about the bags and ground the second recipe into the bin, right on top of the...

Wow, what an idiot...how did you do that?

I went to buy grains for two recipes and ended up accidently combining most of the grains in the crusher bin. The two recipes were a Munich Helles (pilsner, vienna, carapils) and a Best Bitter (MO, pale choc). What I plan to do is try to mix the grains as best I can and split it into two batches...

I'm not having this issue with dry yeast. I think it depends more on how much you are pitching and it activity level rather than dry vs. liquid. I rehydrated and pitched two packs into my 3.5 gallon batch and it was up and bubbling in a few hours as well. Overpitch? Maybe, but I think...

Cheat: post-fermentation dose of banana liqueur. I won't tell anybody.

I use 2 packs with 5 gallon batches. Two packs in 5 gallons might get the job done quicker, spending less time in the growth phase.

Mine went crazy while I was away this weekend. Long distances between leaf nodes seem to be the way to judge the bulls from the cows(?). I'll have another look later and do some pruning.

I have two hop plants in pots that I started last spring. In the fall I cut them back and moved the pots into the garage for the winter. Earlier this spring while still in the garage and too early to bring outside, I found a few shoots on both plants so I cut them down. A little later I found...

Well, due to the way my temp controller works, I'll bump 2 degrees for the first day, then only 1 per day after. You will see differing recommendations here, but that's what I do. I wish I had firmer rules for "how high?". A fermentation that was already done on the warmer side - say upper 60's...

When most of the primary fermentation is done, the yeast character of the beer is pretty much set. Slowly raising the temp a couple degrees over the next few days encourages the yeast to more actively complete the job of attenuation and clean up any fermenatation byproducts that can contribute...

I've done a few Vienna lagers - just love a more flavorful lager and this fits the bill. My most recent was 90% vienna, 7.5% caramunich I and 2.5% acidulated. I don't have any pictures, but it was a golden color, not orange.

Be patient with this one...80 points will take a little longer to ferment out. I'd go 10 days to 2 weeks at your regular fermentation temp, then slowly raise it a couple degrees a day for an extra week at least.

I use a seedling heat mat. Plugs in, provides gentle heat, and can be bungied around my carboy. Examples here: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2386202.m570.l1313.TR5.TRC1.A0.H0.Xseedling+heat+mat.TRS0&_nkw=seedling+heat+mat&_sacat=0

Reading this made my liver ache! I can handle that for a couple days on a fishing trip or something, but not as a daily average. You sir, are a professional!

I have a keg fridge but only once used it for fermentation of a lager. I later built an Inkbird-controlled fermentation chamber - it heats and cools as needed. In your shoes this is what I would do because controlling fermentation temperatures has been one of the top quality improvements...

Sticking tap. Went with a perlick but the seal wasn't good so it leaked! Finally new o-ring seal fixe it and all good now. The perlick does also pour more smoothly, but not really sure if that matters any.