Recent content by lablover

I go with a much simpler count. I scoop a half a ziploc sandwich bag of yeast off the top of my nice healthy fermentations about day two. I repeat for about four generations then I use a new pack or two of dry yeast. But, I'm a simpleton for sure....

I've been using nothing but dry Nottingham and 34/70 for my two house beers for a few years. I make a Pale with the Notty and a simple lager with the 34/70. Both are extremely clean and I've received many compliments on them. Notty will go very fast if I let it get as hot as you let yours...

I've been kegging my beers for years and have not experienced that. Here's what I do. Ferment 10 to 14 days depending on beer style. Siphon into keg, carefully without splashing. Purge headspace with CO2 5 to 10 times with low pressure. Leave 15 psi or so on the keg and chill it down for a...

I use DME from Morebeer for all my extract beers and they are very similar to all grain, no extract twang and can be as dry as the yeast I choose will take it. In the case of LME and DME I'd choose a high volume seller so you get more fresh product. Nottingham yeast at 66 to 68 F fermentation...

Frozen is the way to go.

A small fridge with Inkbird controller is going to be your best option. If you can find a used fridge and have room for it, that's pretty standard. If you don't have room, like me, for a second fridge, you can try the option listed below. It works great and is very accurate, however, you have...

Vienna Lager with 34/70 at 58 F and Pale Ale with Nottingham at 66 to 68 for a clean profile.

I've been using the Ballandkeg siphon for years now and really love it. Stainless cane with silicone tubing which makes it feel pretty high quality. The option to aerate your wort while you siphon is very nice. The only thing that I've ever had issues with is the check valve. If you...

Be careful with that, you may not have a stainless nut. Some stainless is slightly magnetic, but most good SS like 304 and 316 is non-magnetic. You may have a nut that is nickel coated carbon steel and would corrode in beer. Beer is pretty corrosive over time and you would have nickel...

Actually came a week before Valentine's day, but I bought this bracelet for my girlfriend that brews with me and she loves it. She's been wearing out to the local craft breweries we like to go to a couple times a week and it's a hit with all our friends there. Bracelet

Wow, great idea, worked well.

I can concur that of the less expensive (non-CBDS) units in the $20 range, the Ballandkeg units work the best for the reasons mentioned above. Ballandkeg Their SS tubing in the end of the hose is quite a bit heavier than the SS tubing piece at the end of the other Torpedo Keg units so it stays...

I have one of the Torpedo Keg units like these and I added a stainless nut as in the picture. I bought Ballandkeg units for the rest of my kegs as they have a weighted tip included. The stainless tubing in the end is heavy enough to keep them submerged. You do have to trim them off to hang...

Try fermenting it at 58 F. That's a great temp for 34/70 and turns out wonderful beers.

I use nothing but dry. I've settled on Nottingham for all my clean Ales. Ferment it at 65 or 66 F and it is as clean and neutral as it gets. 34/70 for all my lagers, fermented at 58 to 62 F and it's also clean as can be. I've gone away from S-05 due to some peachy flavor I get from it. Many...