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Thanks for the responses. To clarify, I do half batches due to limited space and (so far) limited boil capacity, so my volume is a full boil. So sizing up isn't ideal since I'd have to size up fermenters, kegs and kettle as well. I intend to do so at some future time but not right now. Also...

Ok, so I think I understand a bit more here -- a PWM is used to tell an SSR when to switch on and off since a PWM is intended for modulating lower amperages (like activating a relay). So it is a timer in a way but the purpose is to vary the pulses only so much as they affect the overall output...

Ok, so I read through the PWM thread and lin and I'm not sure I need anything quite so high-powered since I'm only using 120V at this time. What about just using a kitchen range surface element controller? Those seem to be a sort of timer which would work, but what I really want is to reduce...

I built a 1500 watt 120v heatstick to help get my electric stove up to a more vigorous boil as well as make step mashing easier. I used it for my last batch and all was well until I really got into the boil stage. Problem was, with the heatstick in the kettle, the boil was too hard! It...

That sandpaper idea sounds like the ticket. Thanks!!

I've got the Danby 4.4 that I've been using as a kegerator for a while now using picnic taps in the fridge but it's time to put on some tap handles. I have a small apartment and the only place the fridge can fit is under a shelf, so a tower is right out. I want to put two tap handles on the...

Thanks for the replies. The taste was mouth-drying, like some cough drops can be, especially the zinc supplement kind. The astringency worried me since my local water is pretty alkaline and I didn't add any salts or buffers. I'll ride it out, at the very least the smell is nice and spicy. I...

I attempted a way-over-complicated step-mashed belgian-style strong golden ale last night and noticed a possible problem. I tasted the wort from the hydrometer test jar sample and it had a strong astringency to it -- my girlfriend commented that it tasted like a cough drop, very tannic. I...

So I've got a cider going right now using local unpasteurized, unfiltered cider with no added yeast -- wild yeasties only. It's really cooking along and I should have a healthy yeast cake when it's done and settled. A crazy thought occurred to me that I've got a real wild yeast here that...

I use BIAB so there's no vorlauf step. I drain the bag in a colander over the mash kettle, then soak in 168-170 degree water in the boil kettle, draining and resoaking twice to approximate a sparge. On this last batch, I poured the mash and sparge water into the boil kettle through the grain...

Thanks for the replies. Strangely, this is the third all-grain batch I've done but the first where I've seen any hull flecks. I've got one more in carboy I did after this and I'll monitor for the appearance of similar flecks. Any other downsides to having these in the wort/beer?

Images didn't post, trying again... Or just raw links: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39206202@N05/4363028251/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/39206202@N05/4363770440/

I could use some guidance on a strange sight I found in one of my batches. -It's a BIAB all-grain pale ale, just Maris Otter, crystal 40L and Cascade hops, brewed mainly to test out my system with something simple. -Around the end of primary fermentation at day 14 or so, I noticed some...