Recent content by jusware

I've been using a BCS Controlled 2 vessel 240V RIMs system (MLT and BK) for the last year. RIMs let me hit my strike temp dead on every time. Efficiency is much greater. Step mashes are a piece of cake.

I'd recommend treating agave wine like mead with staggered nutrient additions. Also, 8lbs/gallon is not correct. Water is 8lbs/gallon .. and Honey is 12lbs/gallon. I would suspect that agave is atleast 12lbs/gallon if not even more due to the higher sugar content mentioned above. I used wine...

I can't believe your LHBS won't crush grains. Who cares the amount as long as you buy them from them. I'd talk to the owner. If I lived by I'd gladly loan you my crusher.

The only way you could pull more current without shorting would be a change of resistance in the circuit. I've heard of heating elements pulling an amp or 2 of additional current as they get older and give up the ghost. That's the only example I could think of, even then it's not that big of a...

I have a Kal-on-roids system I built last summer. As far as the control panel goes, I'd recommend going 50 amps. I'd also recommend using DIN rails and DIN mounted parts. My terminal block are all modular DIN blocks and 50amp rated. Using DIN contactors will save quite a bit of space as...

The top pics look like the start of a lacto pellicle. The two pictures on the bottom with the "ropiness" definitely looks like pedio .. not lacto. Seems odd that you'd have one infected with lacto and the other pedio. As far as moving the carboys, I wouldn't worry to much about the...

To be quite frank, if you pitch them into a starter it'll probably take them atleast a week or longer just to show any fermentation. 3-4 weeks should work out well in my opinion. I wouldn't even worry about it.

Homebrewtastic: Was there any funk at all in that beer? Its really hard for me to believe there would be any contribution from the Lacto or the Brett. Lacto usually takes over a month and a half just to start souring and then goes through a sick phase. Even giving it a 24 hr head start I...

I've got a raging mash paddle just thinking about it.

Sorry, I have to disagree with this. I have a Little Giant pump with a 4500 Watt rims tube. I keep it wide open with a measured 10 gpm flow rate. I get fantastic efficiency and I can do fast step mashes at approx 2 degrees a minute. If I slowed down the flow my tube starts vaporizing and...

I use twist locks on all my elements [2 vessel RIMs]. When you sparge I think you'd be better off putting all the water in the MLT and then recirculating it for atleast 15 mins before dumping it into the BK with the 1st runnings [ie: Mash #2]. I think you're efficiency will be pretty low if...

The 60%/40% turned out great. The wheat didn't have much of an effect on mouthfeel. Since my last post above nearly 2 years ago I've brewed a few cream ales. Any basic cream ale recipe would make a good kolsch in my opinion. To really make it shine, increase the wheat%. If you decide to use...

I thought Berryweiss, Honeyweiss and Summer Shandy are all the same base beer with flavoring additives added in the secondary fermentation. I don't remember who I heard it from, but it was a credible source. I think it may have been one of the leine brewers.

Time heals all wounds when it comes to beer. I've done a few beers and a mead with Orange/Lemon and it takes quite a while for citrus to mellow out. You may want to consider brewing another batch and blend.

I'm glad this sub-group was added!