Search results

I have a crazy idea: would it be possible to add a base such as calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) to a sour beer to restore it to a neutral-tasting pH? I see three uses for this: 1) Get the funky properties of lambic-type bacteria without the sourness. 2) Fix an accidentally infected beer or...

I'm looking at getting some isomerized extract for post-brew bittering adjustment, as well as for some experimentation, but the stuff is pretty expensive and it will take me many batches to use a full container. Do any of you know if this stuff will keep well once opened? Seems like it might...

I have a lager (Helles) with excess diacetyl after fermentation and a couple weeks of conditioning. I performed a diacetyl rest at 68 degrees for 3 days but due to travel the beer was already at its final FG when I raised the temperature. I know you can add some yeast at high krausen to speed up...

I built a hop carousel to use with my BrewTroller microcontroller for automated hop dispensing, and thought some of you might want the plans: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=ECAFCC72A9F90FA2!248188&authkey=!ADiRYtEXiU2mHa0&ithint=file%2czip It has 6 slots, each of which can hold about 3...

Hi all, I've been trying to get a fully automated BrewTroller system working for 2 years now, and just keep having one problem after another. I'm looking for off-the-shelf options, and not finding as much as I expected. It looks like the only turnkey option aimed at homebrewers is the...

I have only 120v service, but a 20A circuit and 2 15A circuits, and I am converting my 5G system to all electric. HLT and RIMS work fine, but I'm not sure about the kettle (a keggle). Currently I have a 2000 watt element in the kettle, which doesn't seem capable of reaching or holding a boil...

I'm using a water solenoid to control my immersion chiller, and it works fine when attached to a faucet, but when I attach it to a utility pump to recirculate ice water, the solenoid doesn't open. I've tested this by disconnecting the downstream hose - no flow - and upstream - strong flow. The...

I have a large chilled beer cellar, currently set to 53 degrees F. I can ferment lagers at that temperature nicely, but I don't have a good place to condition them that is close to freezing. All I have is one slot in my keezer, but I'd like to be able to condition multiple lagers at once (I like...

Hi all, I have a number of plastic Better Bottles and Big Mouth Bubblers. I would like to use these to age beers including sours and clean beers. Per the manufacturer the O2 permeability of the plastic used is negligible and should not present an oxidation risk. However I'm concerned...

In my keezer, I have 5 corny kegs and 2 of the aluminum minikegs, 7 total taps, which is mostly awesome. The minikegs sit on top of the cornies and let me have more varieties of beer on tap at once. However I've found that the minikegs are cesspools of infection, with >50% of batches getting...

I accidentally made a beer that is really good, that I've never heard of, so I figured I'd share: my German hefeweizen, fermented out with weizen yeast, got infected in one of my minikegs with some kind of Brett. It has a definite barnyard funk to it. And it is amazing. The barnyard goes great...

For some reason I can't understand, my RIMS element keeps blowing out. I make sure that liquid is flowing through the system back into the mash tun before I plug it in. I have a float valve on the RIMS tube, near the outlet end, and have tested that it successfully interrupts current when...

I make a Berliner Weiss using the White Labs blend every year. I'd like to repitch the yeast and bugs into something else to keep them active over the winter, because White Labs releases the blend later in the year than I want to start my BW. Any ideas on what would be good as an interim beer?

What are some tips to take your beer from consistently very good to amazing? I follow all the best practices I know of: Pitch lots of healthy yeast, pitch cold, temperature control, use a RIMS to maintain mash temps, adjust water for pH and minerals, use fresh and high quality malt. Almost all...

Hi all, I am trying to replace a motorized ball valve with a solenoid on my HLT, but the solenoid doesn't open properly: it only lets a tiny dribble of water through. Does anyone know what could cause this? I verified: That the marked arrow points in the direction of flow That the...

I've been thinking that instead of making 2L starters on my stir plate that will be thrown out, I'd make 1 gal beers that will be drank. I haven't been able to find a good way to list beers that are in style with a gravity of 1.040. Anyone have such a list or know an easy way to make one, or...

Is there a good way to attach a bunch of regulators (6) together? I'm having trouble getting them all tight and lined up - there's no good place to wrench on them, and when I do get them tight they aren't lined up. Am I missing some obvious trick here, or is this just a huge PITA?

I have a Berliner Weiss carbonated in a keg at 25 psi (roughly), 40 degrees. It pours as all foam. I have 15' of 3/8" line and a Perlick flow control faucet. It pours very slowly but is still all foam. All the line is in the fridge. Any ideas? The carbonation level and serving pressure are...

I have a mostly automated RIMS system and could cut even more manual intervention out of my brew day if I dough in prior to heating the strike water, then use the RIMS to bring it to temperature (1500 watt element). I think this would be like a step mash with only a couple minutes at each step...

I wash my yeast after most batches. I would like to keep a few strains on hand in pitchable quantities, though I would always make a small starter on a stir plate on brew day to wake the yeast. Based on how often I brew, it might be a few months before I use a given strain again, sometimes more...