Recent content by hopshead

SporkD2 >> Wow, I brewed today and I wanted to thank you for the idea of heating the strike water a few degrees hotter than needed to warm the cooler/mashtun. It was much simpler than what I previously did, and worked like a charm. I nailed the mash temperature.

I have not got into kegging yet (3.5 years of homebrewing). I plan on it once I have the room for a kegerator. Anyway, I read in a Byo that you could get some extra hop flavor in your bottled beer by adding a little hops the priming sugar/water solution. Has anyone tried this?

I have preheated my 9qt Xtreme cooler using a method similar to bendavanza. I think I will try SporkD2's idea though.

I order most all ingredients from any of the big online retailers, but yeast, I order from the most "local" online retailer. I try to find the closest one (one day ups delivery) close to minimize the amount of time yeast is in transit. Always, buy one or two ice packs for liquid yeast. This...

Crap, you guys have me scared. So I take it that you all think by me uncapping them and recapping (to relieve head pressure) won't work?

So, I was bottling a pale ale on Saturday and about half through filling the bottles I realized I totally forgot the priming sugar, what an idiot. I wasn't sure what to do, I didn't want to try pouring the beer out the bottles to bulk prime, surely they would be cardboard when ready to drink due...

I want to ferment in a pseudo burton union. I want to harvest yeast from the union - why because I think it will be cool. I have a bucket fermenters. I will use a secondary vessel with plastic bulk heads to attach to regular siphon hoses - I think I can make that easy. Problem is I can't...

I don't really see a krausen in my starters. That said, WLP001 is my most favorite yeast. I just did a top cropping experiment (see my blog Homebrewed Beer) and the california ale yeast plowed through a ferment almost complete at 48 hours. It is a very clean yeast. Lag times will vary...

I would say you mashed long enough to get a full starch conversion. The 62% efficiency makes me think your mill is not set close enough, or you are using water that is making the mash ph way out of range thereby making the efficiency low. Where are you milling your grains the LHBS or on your...

Wade E >> that is the exact procedure I use for all grain brewing. Works well and saves on money by not having a seperate burner with HLT.

My local homebrew store is a rip off. I don't think they are too worried about customer loyalty either. Here are their prices and a link to their online webspace: Base Malts by the pound $2.50 - $2.95 DME by the pound $4.95 LME by the can $14.95 hops by the oz $2.95 and $3.95 for...

This is the only way I have done all grain brewing - using a a straining bag. I got into all grain brewing by adapting the countertop partial mashing method chris colby wrote about in byo. My local shop sold "jumbo" straining bags that were 18" x 32" and I was able to up to 16 lbs of grain...

We are in the same boat. Definitely a "non-itemized expense."

Just remember that the judges are lookin' to see if something is "to style." I say the hell with style - I brew what I like and tastes good to me. If the bjcp doesn't have a 'style' that fits my beer so what. I don't like competitions either.

I read that and lmao. Good point also, I am employing this strategy now.