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thanks so much, @dmtaylor and @mac_1103 -- these are thorough answers that addressed every part of my question. Much appreciated!

Hi, all. Speaking of T-58, it's the yeast included with a Brewer's Best kit that I'm currently fermenting. The kit recipe is called "Belgian Saison" but from what I'm reading in this thread, that might be an overstatement? At least in terms of the yeast? Anyway, fermentation has gone smoothly...

I agree with the commenters who recommend skipping the transfer and the secondary fermentation. I have made only 2 batches of beer so far, both from kits, and both with instructions that "recommended" secondary. For the first batch I did the secondary, and for the second batch I skipped it. Much...

I've brewed 2 batches so far. Neither of them tasted like the craft beers I enjoy at brew pubs or even store-bought, but I will say the second tasted better than the first, so that's encouraging. And I'm also changing my expectations -- if I like the taste, who cares what it does or doesn't...

True enough. The willingness to defer gratification for weeks or months is increasingly rare these days.

COVID might have affected homebrewing in a couple of ways: -- local HB clubs stopped meeting in person and went online; less rewarding and no opportunity to swap beers -- in-person gatherings of family and friends were curtailed for a while, also providing less opportunity to share our brews...

Wow, so you set a metal pot full of the hot wort (post-boil) outside to chill overnight, with just a metal lid to protect it from contamination? I have read so many places where they recommend a chiller or ice bath to bring the temperature down as quickly as possible to reduce risk of...

This happened to me with a few of the bottles in my first batch of home brew, and I later realized it was because I had accidentally included some TWIST OFF bottles in the batch. I drink mostly craft beer, so I assumed that none of the bottles were twist off, but I was wrong. So check for this...

and by "greater" you mean less headspace, so less concern about stray air/oxygen, right?

This is all great advice and very helpful -- thanks. Here are my main takeaways: -- secondary fermentation is not needed for the type of beer I'm making, and poses an unnecessary risk of oxidation and/or infection. Don't know why Brewer's Best ingredient kits are still recommending it. Both of...

I'm getting ready, in a few days, to rack my wort from primary (white plastic bucket snap-on lid and airlock bubbler) to secondary (clear PET carboy with rubber stopper and the same airlock bubber). Both are sized for 5-gallon batches, but due to my inexperience on brew day (5 days ago) I only...

Hi, folks, I'm new to this forum, looking forward to picking up some tips, and eventually (?) sharing some of my own. I have a basic 5-gallon home brew kit. I did my first batch in summer 2022, a Dunkelweizen -- turned out okay, not great, but I learned a few things. Now doing my second, a New...