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I read somewhere last year that many British ale recipes call for 5% - 10% of the grain bill to consist of torrified wheat to promote head retention. So about 3 months ago I adopted the same approach, and it wasn't long before the brewer at my LHBS picked up on what I was aiming for, and assured...

I and several HB friends in Queensland Australia no-chill into 10L or 20L cubes with rarely a problem. But there were a couple of infection occasions a while ago, and the culprit was identified as the cube's cap seal. The solution? Remove the seal from the cap and soak both cap and seal in...

Yeah, fitting spigots (taps, faucets) to fermenters and bottling bucket is the way to go. I do this, and fitted a home made pick-up tube in my bottling bucket to avoid tilting. To minimize oxidization, I transfer from tap to tap with a plastic tube, after pouring my priming solution into the...

Do away with the hoist and use two or three smaller bags. Works brilliantly!

I used Lallemand Kveik dry yeast during Australia's last typically scorching summer. Fermented at approximately 30degC (I have a cool cellar!), but the yeast is apparently good to 39degC. Sprinkled it on my wort and let it go. The results (pale ales) were excellent. No off flavours, as the yeast...

I also do not use a hoist as it is simply not feasible. Being somewhat elderly, it is also not feasible for me to lift and hold a 12lb+ bag of hot steaming grain, even for 10 seconds! Solution? I divide my grain between 3 or 4 zip fastener laundry bags. Extract them one at a time, squeeze...

I have intentionally restricted my brewing footprints to a minimum. I do not have a bench capper. Instead, I use a combination of swing-top (Grolsch etc) bottles and screw-cap bottles. With the latter, I save and re-use the screw caps. Screw cap on, invert bottle, and if there is no leak, it is...

I tighten by hand, using a tea towel to get a good grip, then turn the bottle upside down to see if it leaks. Out of a couple of hundred twist tops to date, I have only had one uncarbonated beer.

Blackdirt cowboy, you say:"... I also enjoy taking my beer with me, as I have an active lifestyle and probably drink 80% of my beer away from home." I reckon you have answered your own question. Transfer 100% of your fermented beer into a keg, and then transfer 80% into bottles! Doesn't sound...

Thanks for all the comments and responses. At the end of the day, it is up to each individual which processes they adopt. Most questions have been answered by readers, and I am very appreciative of these inputs. I hope I don't come across as arrogant or smart assed if I mention that questions...

Agree. Over 200 batches with dry yeast sprinkled on top of wort. Success rate 100%

Gypsum is, I understand, added to brewing water in an attempt to replicate the spring waters of Burton upon Trent, the brewing capital of 19th century Great Britain, and one of, if not, the major suppliers of IPA to Queen Victoria's troops stationed in India during that period. A highly hopped...

I remove airlock and place a sanitized plastic cap over the hole. I then use the spigot to pour a sample into the test tube, and replace airlock.

We used to Professor. Went metric many moons ago, and a good move too. Beats me why you guys haven't. After all, you have a metric currency system.

So how did it go boomguy? High alcohol and high malt? Like a barleywine? Cheers PC

So how did it go boomguy? High alcohol and high malt? Like a barleywine? Cheers PC

Hello Snowbeast Long time (8 Years?) since I did Coopers Real Ale, but from memory it was pre-hopped, and designed for a volume of 23 litres with the addition of 1 kilogram of dextrose. You have added 1.75kg of fermentables, and reduced the volume to 19 litres? I would anticipate a...

I like this idea and have been thinking of doing it myself. Have you had actual experience with this method?

I've had 2 swingtops go this way in the last 8 years. On both occasions the bases remained in one piece, and I suspect on both occasions these bases became weakened due to excessive trauma (e.g. dropped a little more heavily when being boxed, or when in transit at a later date. The fact that...

The Woodforde's range, canned by Muntons, is very good, although they seem to skimp on the amount of kit yeast supplied. The kits consist of two identical pre hopped cans, yeast, and a hops sachet with, I think, the Admiral's Reserve kit. Great English Ale styles IMHO, and also in the opinion of...