Search results

Ok, need advice: Ordered a heavy duty 8 gallon pot (I know, get the 10 gallon - but I got a great deal & 8 gal fits my need.) Pot arrived and instead of the plain pot they sent one with welded fittings: 1/2" mpt lower & 1/2" fpt upper. My first reaction was to send it back & get what I...

So Mrs. Santa is bringing a Johnson A419 next month & I get to claim one of our full-size upright fridges for brewing. Have read a lot of threads about Johnsons & Rancos but find very little about getting the probe inside the box. I don't want to just close the door on the probe wire so...

Have been researching web & reading on the forum but no LHBS where I can actually put my hands on one. I know I want a model that has temp correction. Not sure about the following: Price range? $39 on sale up to $100+. . .are the pricey ones worth the green? Accuracy? Quality? Scale...

First AG session today and it went great. . .well, almost. First runnings 1.074 - I thought that was pretty good. But I did a single batch sparge (prob w/too much water) and knocked myself back to 1.046 in the pot. Had to add DME to make my target 1.064. Hey, I'm ok with that as a first...

What can I do? SWMBO must be obeyed, right? This morning she said, "With the kids at college I think we can do without the fridge in the basement after the holidays. . .so if you want to do that fermentation thing you can." :mug: Looks like there's a Johnson controller headed for my...

Ok, newb question for you mashers: Thinking about moving up to partial mash and realized I don't really know what the impact might be to my beer. I'm currently brewing extract with steeped specialty grains and making IPAs. Typical is DME, Crystal/Victory in the steep, and various combos of...

Ok, this is a creative bunch and somebody's got to have a better handle on this. Just pouring out of a 50# bag to break it down into smaller storage buckets is obviously not a good plan. That powdery sticky cloud goes everywhere. The cat ends up stuck to the dog, the dog's tongue gets glued...

Only 10 days and I know I shouldn't have done it (2 more wks before I bottle.) But I was pretty sure the fermentation was done and I couldn't resist a reading. Stuck a sterilized tube through the airlock grommet & siphoned . . . 1.015 (target was 1.016 per beersmith) That made me happy...

My first batch was only 2.5 gallons & took about 40 minutes to cool in a sink full of ice. Not too bad, figured I'd live with it. Took the plunge today and made a chiller & pre-chiller. I used 20' of 3/8" utility coil ($12 @ home depot) for the main chiller. I figured ok, just won't be...

Ok, I was not going to post the inevitable "brewed my first batch" thread. But. . .just over 24 hr. in the fermenter and I just checked my "brewhause" (spare bedroom that I'm maintaining @ 61 deg.) I'm using reclaimed icing buckets that I drilled & installed grommets/airlocks. Flashlight...

40 bucks and in-stock at my local walmart (no shipping charges.) Pretty good price for a 5.5 gallon stainless pot. Brewed in it yesterday & very happy with the purchase. It's nice quality, tri-ply base, & seems well made. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5902722 Was...

Ok, be gentle on the newb! first brew day Sunday and I'm planning a 1/2 batch: 2 gallon boil 3 lb dme light .5 lb crystal 40 steep .5 lb amer victory steep 1 oz simcoe 60 min .5 oz fuggle 10 min .5 oz cascade 1 min Wyeast 1028 london ale top up to 2.5 gallon Will I make beer or...

Is it a bad idea to order smack packs mail order in freezing temps? I'd be ordering 2 states away. . .3-4 days fed ex. Daytime temps are mid 20's, nighttime going to mid-teens. Bottom line, does it harm Wyeast if it freezes? My other option is to drive 70+ miles round trip. Thanks!

I was feeling pretty smug when I picked up some free 5gal. plastic pickle buckets from the cafeteria at work today. Was planning to use as primaries to brew a bunch of 2 gallon test batches. Spent an hour washing one bucket, a half hour searching "pickles," and now I'm not feeling so smart...

Hey guys, total newb here. Read 4 library books this weekend on home brewing which makes me. . .total newb. (But I do at least understand all the concepts!) Planning to use fermenter buckets for both primary/secondary. (I've read the FAQs & going to start this route 'cause buckets are so...