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Sounds good - thanks! I'll post my process and results on here soon. Should be getting this together sometime tomorrow. After a bit of research through some of the other forums, I think I'm also going to add about 22 grams of maltodextrin with the lacto as well, and hold off on adding any yeast...

Thanks for the advice! Any recommendations for a sacch strain to pitch after the lacto?

I want to try to make a sour mead, and am hoping some of you can help me out with a few questions/concerns, or offer any advice. My plan is to make a 3-gallon hydromel and pitch sacch and lacto at the same time. I figure a hydromel, with a lower gravity than a traditional mead, would be best for...

Thanks for the input, everyone. I don't have the skins; it's an Alexander's juice concentrate as well. I think I'm actually going to give the Chateau Red a try and see what happens. I'll post its progress for anyone interested. Does anyone have any experience with this particular strain, though?

I am planning on making a pyment with 12 pounds of Tupelo honey and 8 pounds (96 fluid ounces) of Gamay juice concentrate (the kind of grape used to make Beaujolais wine). I have made a few braggots in the past, but this is my first pyment and I am unsure of which yeast strain to use, or which...

What types of beers were these? I'm assuming a dry yeast that came with the kit too? But by the way, dropping a pound or so of corn sugar (dextrose) into your boil will bump up the ABV too.

Well, I wouldn't say the bubbles don't mean jack chit... They certainly are an indication of how active the fermentation is. But yes, to be precise, a reading is needed to determine when it's finished.

Yeah, a tea strainer might help if it doesn't settle out. I once chipped the rim of a bottle while opening a beer and tried to pour it through a coffee filter, so any glass fragments would remain outside my glass. Bad idea.

You've got one of two easy options for monitoring the fermentation and figuring out when it's time to bottle: wait for the bubbles in the airlock to be about 2 or so minutes apart, or take a hydrometer reading when activity in the airlock really slows down (probably about at least a week and a...

Honestly, I just fill up one side of my sink with hot, soapy water and can submerge about 7 12oz. bottles (I have a shallow sink). A 24-hour soak softens up most labels. Anything that doesn't just peel off (the "white film" from the glue, for instance), scratches off very easily. Just something...

This has happened to me before as well, but with a beaker while doing a yeast starter. I don't use a stir plate - I just aerate it manually every so often. I underestimated the activity one time and had some creep up into the airlock. But yeah, you're fine. If you have vodka in the airlock...

Wow, I've been worried this whole time that 2 sticks (half sticks) weren't going to be enough, and that I may need to put a little bit of ground cinnamon in with the priming sugar at bottling. Sounds like that won't be necessary at all anymore. I used 100% store-bought apple juice; it...

By the way, I'll have a detailed account of my process available here when it's done: http://wuweibrewing.blogspot.com/

cyfan964: I actually just made an Apfelwein with cinnamon. I tossed two sticks of cinnamon into the primary right before I pitched the yeast. I used Montrachet and am about 2 1/2 weeks into the fermentation; going to wait until a total of 5 weeks in the primary, then bottle with 3/4 cup of...

I just tried a bottle a few days ago. I've actually got an interesting off-flavor ("off" as in, not characteristic of Oatmeal Stouts or Sweet Stouts): black licorice. It's kind of ester-y in the aroma too. I wonder if this has anything to do with the scenario surrounding the brew session...

Thanks, I'm glad to hear things should go as usual with this batch now. Fermentation was already very active by the following morning (basically about 24 hours from pitching), so things are looking great.

That's great to hear, thanks a bunch! I really appreciate the feedback; I've only been doing this for about a year and a half, and there is just so much to keep learning. Sounds like I should have purposely given my last batch (Blonde Ale) a nice "cold break" to clear things up too, hehe ;-)...

Wow, really? I was like freaking out, assuming that accidental low temperature caused some undesired chemical reaction (first time using 6-row in a partial mash, as opposed to just specialty grains, so I didn't know if anything was more susceptible to corruption or something), and then got...

I think this was the right spot to post my dilemma, but I apologize if I should have elsewhere. I just brewed an Oatmeal Stout last night (partial-mash/extract). I added 1/2 lactose to the last 15 min. of the boil, and used 1 oz. whole Fuggles hops for the entire boil (60 min.). No...

Thank you both for your advice and insight. I'll see what I can do about making a heatstick, and make sure to get at least a 9 gallon kettle.