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1

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Most and Least

« on: May 17, 2013, 06:36:25 am »

Most:
Fermentation temp control
Fermentation temp control
Fermentation temp control
Fermentation temp control
Stir Plate(s) for starters
4L and 6L flasks for starters
O2 stone & little red tanks
Martin's Bru'n Water spreadsheet
RIMS mash (note: This does not make better beer, it does help with consistency)
Least:
Sooo many things
Lagering in those 6L Tap-a-Draft bottles
Chilling to pitch temps in the kettle (Now I just chill to ground water temps and stick 'em in the temp control freezer 'til they get to pitch temps)

2

Equipment and Software / Re: Those little red cans of Oxygen

« on: May 16, 2013, 04:44:59 pm »

Whatever bubbles up to the surface is essentially wasted. Bubbles should barely disturb the surface. I give most beers 2 minutes and get 15-20 beers (10gal) per bottle.

3

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: 1968 in No-Crystal AIPA (Mash Temp Help)

« on: May 16, 2013, 12:36:30 pm »

If you want it THAT dry, mash at 146 for 90 min, then pitch it like a lager. Ferment at 62-64 for 4 days then let it rise to 68-70 for 7 days. The trick is to get it to finish before it flocks out. Crash to 34 for 7 days and it will drop bright!

4

Equipment and Software / Re: Cleaning Beerstone

« on: May 16, 2013, 08:24:30 am »

I save my spent Starsan to use for beerstone mitigation.

5

Equipment and Software / Re: Questions you may have about March Pumps? post them here

« on: May 15, 2013, 10:27:10 am »

Quote from: harbicide on May 15, 2013, 09:58:51 am

I have an 809 that I bought from someone retiring. It has always run well for me. This past weekend I had some issues with air locks causing free wheeling. Whenever this occurred I would immediately shut the pump off. I then would find it would not restart and I would notice the fan would pulse when the switch was turned on, but it would not turn. The fan was magnetically held in place. After a few minutes (potentially as the motor cooled) it would run.

Is there a potential dead spot in the motor windings or could it be overheating?

I had a similar issue with mine. I took the head off and found that the impeller body had expanded and was binding inside the head. Maybe time for the 815 impeller upgrade?

6

Equipment and Software / Re: 10 gallon stainless... thing?

« on: May 10, 2013, 09:07:36 am »

+1 on fermenter. HLT if it's insulated.

7

All Grain Brewing / Re: a first - my hefe dropped clear!

« on: May 10, 2013, 08:14:34 am »

When I do a (rarely) wheat beer I put 1/2 tsp cornstarch in at the END of the boil. Adds permanent starch haze!

8

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Looking for experience

« on: May 10, 2013, 08:11:20 am »

I have seen those, but there is no way to turn off the gas short of unscrewing the paintball tank. I built two myself using a paintball fill adapter and some brass fittings to connect to my STD regulator.

9

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Extending the life of chest freezers question

« on: May 07, 2013, 10:48:04 am »

DO NOT GET THE RANCO PROBE WET! Ask me how I know. I use a ranco dual stage with a thermowell that goes inside the fermenter. That also handles the short cycling problem. In my keezer, the probe is in a thermowell - in a 20oz plastic bottle filled with water.

10

Equipment and Software / Re: SOURCES FOR BREWING ELECTRONIC

« on: April 24, 2013, 06:53:31 pm »

www.auberins.com

11

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Honey - add in boil or at flame out?

« on: April 10, 2013, 01:19:00 pm »

What really blows off the honey aroma is fermentation. I make a honey blonde ale (very popular) and add pasteurized honey after the krausen drops.

12

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Why do YOU keg?

« on: April 04, 2013, 08:06:33 am »

When I graduated to all grain, I made my own chiller out of 40' of 3/8 copper. That lead to carpal tunnel. Even with a bottle brush on an electric drill, cleaning bottles was sheer agony. My wonderful wife said,"Wouldn't kegging be easier?"

End of story