Search results

I’m expanding my system to accommodate a second keg to force carb while in storage. I picked up some QDs from Amazon and can’t stop them from leaking at the MFL connection. I have tried every combination of the following: A) cranked down like hell on it—I think I may have even busted one as the...

Truth time: I only clean my fermenter about every 8 brews (or when something goes wrong) reusing the same yeast over and over. I’m no flavor expert but I very much enjoy the beer I make. I don’t usually detect any off flavors. I brew the same lager about every two weeks and just pitch the wort...

Hi All, I haven't made too many of my own recipes so I'd love some feedback before brewing. I've been doing a nice Munich/Mt. Hood SMaSH with SafLager 23 as a very drinkable ~5.7%-6% ABV "house beer"--I really enjoy it. I'd like to do a version that's "similar but different" so I'm thinking...

My perlick faucet was dripping so I gave it a good cleaning. The drip is gone but now my head retention is awful! Same beer, same psi, same everything else. I disassembled everything, gave it all a light scrub with dish soap, rinsed very well, sanitized in StarSan, put some food-safe silicone...

I would love some equipment design help to improve my mash temp control. Here’s a little about where I’m starting: I have a Spike 10 gallon kettle with two welded ports (outlet and whirlpool) on an Avantco IC3500 induction plate where I BIAB. I have a pump to recirculate at mash (really most of...

I brew 5gal batches on an Avantco IC3500 via BIAB and it’s great for a boil but now I’m looking for a way to maintain mash temps better. I’m thinking about adding a small (120v*) heat element controlled by an Inkbird ITC-1000. If I can avoid drilling a new hole in my kettle, that’d be nice. So...

I’ve got a Hull Wrecker from Northern Brewer and last I used it, the grains failed to catch consistently. I eventually got through it but decided to take it apart for lube and inspection. The bearings definitely needed a lot of TLC. A little food-safe grease and they’re a little rough but...

I picked up a small (1L) Erlenmeyer flask at a brew shop a few years ago and the place has since closed down. I never used it much (wife thought it looked cool) until recently when I started doing proper starters. I just poured about 100mL of near boiling water into it before suddenly realizing...

I recently reconfigured some of my fittings with PTFE+NPT threads and found an unsettling amount of gunk in the crevices. I’m not terribly concerned since it’s all hot-side and gets boiling wort run through it for at least 30 minutes each brew. So at least it’s sanitized gunk… I run hot PBW...

I’m looking at introducing a whirlpool into my routine and maybe picking up one of these (or similar): https://www.ssbrewtech.com/products/copy-of-bulkhead-1-2-fpt-for-kettle-thermometer-or-whirlpool-fitting I’m curious how it would compare to a simple elbow fitting. Anyone out there do any...

Random idea as I sit ideally watching my wort cool on a 90°F day: As I understand, the wort itself (sans hops) only needs 15 minutes of boiling to be sanitary enough for yeast. Shorter boil times for hops and no-chill techniques aside for now and assuming a 60m and 15m hop boil, couldn’t you...

I forgot to actually turn off the induction burner as I doughed in (is that how you’d say it?) and accidentally mashed at 170°F. It took 25 minutes to cool down to my actual target of 151. Is this brew dead on arrival? I’m tempted to just keep going and “have another home brew” just to learn...

Hi all, I’m planning a brew shed (uninsulated) for my induction BIAB set up and curious what everyone’s thoughts are on walls. Aside from holding the roof up, I’d want them to be easy to clean. I was thinking of adding some sort of smooth paneling. I plan to leave a screened over gap at the top...

I recently got a new regulator off Amazon. It immediately had problems with the PSI creeping up so I disconnected it from the tank, depressurized, and took a look at the diaphragm. I cleaned out a bunch of crud (little specs of metal, dust, etc.) which is something I’ve done for my old regulator...

Hi all, I’ve posted a few times but haven’t gotten around to introducing myself here. COVID’s got me down lately and my attempts to get someone in my germ pod into brewing have been pretty unsuccessful. I’m therefore extremely grateful I’ve found this vibrant online home brewing community...

I did my first forced CO2 transfer today from my glass carboy to my keg. It was a success (beer ended up in the right place and I didn’t blow up the carboy) but I can definitely improve. Most of all, it was a lot slower than I expected. I didn’t dare turn the pressure up too high and my orange...

I was about to repurpose a gas post from a busted keg to use on a carboy for transfers. Just before I was about to use it, I found that it actually came apart one more step than I expected and (to no one’s surprise here, I’d bet) there was more gunk. With no PBW on hand, would it be okay to boil...

I might need a reality check. I do eBIAB with an Avantco IC3500 induction plate and recirculation. At the 500 watt setting, the temp slowly climbs about 1degF every 5 minutes or so with the lid off. Currently, I have to monitor the temp and shut it off for a few minutes and turn it back on to...

Okay, so I’m currently mashing and my first hop addition is in about 45 minutes. My friend just dropped off 1.5oz of mystery hops that his friend harvested a couple months ago. They appear dry, still whole, stored in a Tupperware (like Chinese food soup comes in) and I’m told lived in the...

Hi folks, I brewed a stout last Friday and filled the fermenter pretty high. I set up a blow over jar anticipating heavy fermentation activity because I racked right on top of a recently used yeast cake. I checked on it this weekend to find some sort of waxy substance on my blow over tube/jar...