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  1. auburntsts

    Spike Conical- observations and best practices

    Mostly concur with the above. I have the carb stone and use it to oxygenate my wort prior to pitching yeast but I don’t carb in my conical. I also have the CIP but don’t use it anymore. I can clean my CF-5 out by hand way faster than using the CIP. I guess it depends on where you’re going to...
  2. auburntsts

    Your experience with electric brewing systems?

    I recently upgraded to a 10 gal, 220v (5500W) Spike Solo single vessel e-biab system and love it. I used to do small batch stove top biab and the two things I like the most are the speed of 5500W and the temp control for both mash and boil the PID gives me.
  3. auburntsts

    Spike Solo Owner's Thread

    Just kegged a 5 gal batch of a Dos Equis clone that I brewed on my 220v, NPT 10 gal Solo and fermented in a CF-5. This was my first time using both the Solo and the CF-5 so I thought I'd do a write-up on the experience. So I got my Solo out of Spike's bargain cave so I had to add my own pump and...
  4. auburntsts

    Drill for grain mill question

    I’m not. I have a 2-roller Cereal Killer set to .035.
  5. auburntsts

    Drill for grain mill question

    I use my Ryobi cordless drill and it runs through a 10lbs grain bill like a champ. I buy plenty of Harbor Freight ”items” but power tools aren’t among them. Ya pays ya money and takes ya chances. At some point I might splurge and buy a dedicated motor for my mill but I really don’t brew...
  6. auburntsts

    Spike Solo Owner's Thread

    Thank! I’m gonna rewire my garage 50 amp circuit and replace the 8/2 wire with 8/3 and replace the 6-50 receptacle with a 14-50. I’ll still have to use an adapter but that shouldn’t be an issue.
  7. auburntsts

    Spike Solo Owner's Thread

    So I’ve been brewing for a few years: small batch, all-grain stovetop BIAB. Bought a used CF-5 but never used it as my 1 to 1.5 gal batches didn’t make the effort worth it. Fast forward to the 2021 holidays and I decided to spring for a 220v, 10 gal, NPT Spike Solo system out of Spike’s...
  8. auburntsts

    Water softener system with RO

    We just moved into a new house near Tampa, FL and we have hard water. We’re planning to get a water softener but I was thinking I’d like to add an RO capability as well. Any suggestions on systems?
  9. auburntsts

    Electric Homebrew System?

    Ditto! I currently do small batch BIAB on the stovetop but have been on hiatus as we moved from VA to FL a few months ago. In the interim I wanted to ramp up to 5 gal batches and had designed a DIY single vessel eBIAB systems based upon the Auber Instruments "Cube". However there's lots of off...
  10. auburntsts

    1 gallon experiments - low efficiency

    Yep. I brew a lot of stovetop full volume BIAB small batches (1.25 gal packaged) and my grain bills are in the 3.5 lbs range.
  11. auburntsts

    1 gallon experiments - low efficiency

    My guess is that the mash temp fell from 153 to 140 too quickly so you didn't get good conversion. Unless you multi-rest/decoction mash raising the temp to various "steps" for a given period of time, you want to keep the mash temp as constant as possible for the whole hour, say 152ish for your...
  12. auburntsts

    Does pH need to be measured?

    IMO the only big difference between buying distilled (or RO for that matter) at the store and buying an RO system is convenience. From what I gather, and I’m no expert by any means, is the water chemistry difference between the two is negligible, albeit not exactly the same. So you have ask...
  13. auburntsts

    The decline of the LHBS?

    I tend to buy grains, hops, and yeast locally, and chemicals & gear online, but I have done it vice versa--it just depends. One exception -- I have yet to buy liquid yeast online. Up to now it's always been dry online and I've reserved liquid yeast for LHBS purchase only, mainly because they...
  14. auburntsts

    The decline of the LHBS?

    I voted "other" simply because I do both: shop at my LHBS and order online.
  15. auburntsts

    Does pH need to be measured?

    What did brewers do before the invention of pH meters? It's like anything in this hobby, you can dive in as much or as little you want but it's really brewer preference. Great beer can be brewed without a meter just as crappy beer can be brewed with it. If the software is getting you the...
  16. auburntsts

    [Version 2 Release] RaspberryPints - Digital Taplist Solution

    Perfect! Thanks much!!! I think I can take it from here.
  17. auburntsts

    [Version 2 Release] RaspberryPints - Digital Taplist Solution

    OK much appreciated, but I think I need a step or two in the process prior to this. As in buy "this" hardware list, hook everything up, then use the command from the terminal...... The original RaspberryPints website has a tutorial that steps you through the whole process (purchase, setup...
  18. auburntsts

    [Version 2 Release] RaspberryPints - Digital Taplist Solution

    So hopefully it won’t come to a popcorn session. I’ve been to the Raspberrypints website and I’m prepared to buy the hardware recommended (or at least 2019 versions) and download the software from the site. However I gather that a couple of you have coded updated/improved “branches” that uses...
  19. auburntsts

    Florida Where to buy/exchange beer gas in Tampa Bay Area?

    That’s a bit far for me— I live in Ruskin and work at MacDill. I’m going to Bootleggers in Brandon today to check out their store. I’ll ask what their sources are. Barring that, I pass within a couple of blocks of Crumptons to and from work everyday so they would be the most convenient...
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