A fermented beverage where the majority of the fermentable sugars are derived from malted grains via mashing.
0
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1answer
115 views
Will using Winemaker's Acid Blend to adjust mash pH have a flavor impact on beer?
I got a pH meter for Christmas and today was my first chance to try it out. Unfortunately, I didn't think to get any lactic acid.
I found that my mash pH was at about 5.8 at 148F, so I put a ...
16
votes
1answer
958 views
Partial vs. Full Voume Wort Boil
The starting postion for most new extract brewers is to use a partial boil set up. Defined as using a pot smaller than the intended batch size, all the ingredients are boiled in a smaller volume. ...
5
votes
3answers
912 views
How can I restart fermentation on a stuck strong dark belgian ale?
What can we do to restart fermentation that got stuck over the winter?
Our club brewed about 7 gallons of this recipe in November. Primary went well, but then the weather got cold and the yeast went ...
15
votes
6answers
5k views
What happens when beer freezes?
After a bit of trouble with a thermostat on a 2nd hand fridge, I discovered that my latest batch of bottled, ready-to-drink brew had frozen.
What happens to beer when it freezes? Will the taste be ...
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vote
2answers
173 views
Start a little business of hemp beer
My father started a small cultivation of hemp (~ 2 ha) for business. I would like to start to make my beer from hemp. Unfortunately i am an absolute beginner on this subject.
Which are the most ...
0
votes
1answer
264 views
Slight fizz in beer after 6 days in the fermenter - game over?
I put a batch on last Sunday, started off with a crazy high reading on the hydrometer (around 1080 when I was expecting 1040ish according to the kit) - though I suspect that was because I drew a ...
7
votes
1answer
281 views
Can I make urwagwa?
Urwagwa is a popular beer in Rwanda made from bananas, and I'd like to brew some myself. The recipes and methods I've read online have some very traditional methods (e.g. Bury the bananas for a ...
2
votes
1answer
139 views
Suggestions for inline heating unit housing for wort circulator?
I built an inline heating element assembly using some 1" copper pipe, a 1" threaded female fitting and some 1/2" fittings. The idea is, wort comes in from the bottom 1/2" fitting, flows over the ...
3
votes
1answer
235 views
Re-using the yeast cake for another brew!
Just finishing up a American Ale and was told by another homebrewer that I could use the yeast cake in the fermentor to brew a hard apple cider when I transfered the beer to bottles for conditioning. ...
16
votes
2answers
6k views
What does gypsum do?
I'm brewing from an Austin Homebrew extract kit, and it came with some gypsum. I thought gypsum was only for modifying water chemistry, but there seems to be some other schools of thought around.
...
6
votes
6answers
2k views
Reusable Beer Label
So my Dad is an avid brewer, and has always re-used old beer bottles that we drank our way through to bottle his home-brew in. However, for Christmas I made a label on photoshop with our families ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
How to maximize the maple syrup flavor and minimize the cost?
Is it possible to add less maple syrup later in the boil or even after the boil and get a comparable flavor to adding more earlier in the boil?
It seems like we should be able to essentially "dry ...
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votes
3answers
225 views
Move to secondary?
I put my wort in the primary 9 days ago and dry hopped with 1 ounce of Cascade pellets and used a Wyeast 1272 American direct pitch activator pack. I have not taken any readings but noticed it was ...
5
votes
2answers
129 views
What effect will water with a high Zinc content have on my brew?
I'm about to brew some cider, followed by some pale lager from two kits. I've decided to use bottled spring water from a company just up the road from me. They claim on their website that their water ...
12
votes
5answers
625 views
What is a good definition of beer?
My wife asked me what the definition of beer was, and my best response was my understanding of Reinheitsgebot definition (which may or may not be correct).
Beer contains:
Malted Barley
Hops
Water
...
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votes
0answers
95 views
Naming Homebrews [closed]
I am still pretty new in the brewing process and use kits or recipes I find online. My question is more of a poll or survey, do you name your homebrews with your own creative names or call them by ...
10
votes
5answers
857 views
Is it necessary to aerate wort when pitching onto an existing yeast cake?
To my knowledge, aeration provides oxygen so that the yeast can reproduce before fermentation. If you're pitching onto an existing yeast cake, there should theoretically be enough yeast already to ...
2
votes
1answer
878 views
Sanitizer sucked back into beer, dangerous?
So I just fermented a 80 Shilling and thought I would try cold crashing for the first time. I dropped it from mid 60's to 38 or so in a 24 hour period and it sucked about 4 cups of sanitizer up the ...
9
votes
5answers
2k views
Is beer bad for dogs?
My dog, Lilly Von Shtupp, loves to drink beer. I only give her an ounce or so once in a blue moon, but I stopped recently because I heard that dogs are sensitive/allergic to hops. Can anyone either ...
1
vote
1answer
171 views
Looking for a specific fitting
I bought a blichmann therminator, and I want to hook up stainless camlock/ groove 1/2" nipples to all 4 "openings". Problem is, the coolant line in/ out are 3/4" GHT, which, while I understand why ...
1
vote
1answer
405 views
Day Three, still no apparent fermentation
During my most recent brew session I may have been a little too relaxed, and had a few too many homebrews during the process.
I feel like I did everything right and kept everything sanitary, but ...
3
votes
2answers
130 views
Strawberry Blond
This is my second attempt at home brewing, my first came out very well. I added a couple of pounds of strawberries to my primary. After one month a racked to my secondary. I was not expecting to ...
2
votes
1answer
101 views
Wort transformation [closed]
Just entered a contest at a local pub. We are given 5 gallons of finished wort and then we have to finish the brew and bring it back to be judged after fermentation and bottling . We have to pitch the ...
13
votes
4answers
905 views
How can I maximize dry hops aroma?
I recently made an IPA. I put an ounce of Cascade pellets in the secondary (for a 23-litre [6-U.S.-gallon] batch), but there is hardly any hops aroma in the finished product. By the end of the two ...
5
votes
4answers
235 views
Weighing Liquid Malt Extract
In Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil Zainasheff, many of the recipes call for LME. Often, the amount is 0.5 lbs or similar, particularly of things like Munich extract. I typically brew all-grain, but ...
3
votes
2answers
285 views
Lager krausen won't fall
I'm brewing my first true lager with White Labs WLP800 and the krausen won't fall. I'm being somewhat impatient because it's taking up primary space right now. I pitched at 44°f and let it rise to ...
7
votes
8answers
1k views
What's the best way to rack beer off of fruit?
I recently brewed a 5.5 gallon batch of witbier. After primary, I bottled 3 gallons of it and racked the other 2.5 gallons into a 3 gallon carboy atop 24 ounces of raspberries.
After the secondary ...
2
votes
5answers
803 views
The cheapest way to start brewing
I want to start brewing, but I also like to keep my spending in check. Are there any methods or ways to craft a quality brew while not breaking the bank?
Are some hops cheaper than others? Cheaper ...
4
votes
4answers
198 views
Repitching yeast on back to back brews, which one first?
I'm brewing two beers back to back so I can reuse some White Labs California Ale (WLP001). One is a basic APA 1.058 OG and the Other is a Scottish Export/80 1.051 OG.
Is there any reason I should ...
11
votes
3answers
940 views
What are the advantages and disadvantages of transferring to a secondary vs. a long primary?
The conventional wisdom in homebrewing has been challenged in recent years. This wisdom held that a beer should be transferred from the primary fermentation vessel to a secondary one after 7-10 days. ...
1
vote
1answer
186 views
Fruit Beer—Hard Time Finding the Correct Fruit
I'm trying my hand at making an apricot wheat beer (my first fruit beer). The recipe I'm using instructs me to add apricot puree after the wort has fermented for approximately 3 days and recommended ...
3
votes
2answers
431 views
Sparge volume for batch sparging a partial mash
First off:
I realize there are a few somewhat related questions but I think my question will be specific enough to justify it's own question. Specifically this question, but I'm not looking for an ...
6
votes
1answer
373 views
Nothing visible happening in fermenter after three and a half days - what should I do?
My first brew has been in the primary fermenter for three and a half days (brewed Saturday night, it's now Wednesday morning). It's in a plastic bucket fermenter with an airlock. There are no bubbles ...
8
votes
2answers
184 views
Fly Sparging: Can I start boiling straight away
I fly sparge directly into my boil kettle and in general I have the heat on while I'm doing this. When this was on my stove it wasn't powerful enough to get the water boiling before finishing the ...
5
votes
1answer
331 views
Substituting American Two-Row for British Pale Ale Malt
I would like to brew Jamil's Dry Stout from Brewing Classic Styles, which calls for "British pale ale malt," but I happen to have about 75 lbs of 2-row malt already, and I would like to use it.
Can I ...
6
votes
5answers
663 views
How do you characterize “Breakfast Beer”?
What makes a good breakfast beer?
Thinking of brewing something for an upcoming eggs and kegs event.
Any clones of Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout out there?
5
votes
8answers
1k views
Which commercial bottles are good for repurposing?
I bottle condition my beer, and in the past, I've always just reused commercial beer bottles (I never understood paying for empty beer bottles when I could buy them full of tasty beer!) Are there are ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
How long can homebrew stay in the primary fermenter?
I just put down my first brew and should have bottled it last week but had something come up. How long will it be good for?
If I bottle it this weekend will it still be good or is there something I ...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
If some of the yeast doesn't get into the fermenter does it matter?
I just made my first home brew. I have learned many lessons including that if I move the fermenter to its resting place after I add the yeast some of the yeast gets stuck to the glass, and I can't ...
1
vote
2answers
227 views
Mixing Wheat and IPA for WOW
So did a tour of Odells with a buddy and his son. During the tour his son asked, "Do you ever mix all the beers into one?" The guide said, "Like a suicide beer? Yes, we've been know to experiment. The ...
1
vote
5answers
3k views
How do you make a sweeter beer?
Since the yeast will burn sugar away generating alcohol & CO2 for as long as it can (until the % by volume makes the brew toxic, killing the yeast off), just adding more sugar doesn't seem to the ...
17
votes
10answers
9k views
What can I do with my spent grain after mashing?
After brewing a batch of beer, I always end up with ~14 lbs of spent grain that I usually just toss in a pile in the corner of the yard.
Are there better things to do with it (i.e. cooking, baking, ...
8
votes
4answers
3k views
Why is a carboy used for secondary fermentation?
It seems like you could a second bucket for the secondary fermentation. Is there any drawback to not using a carboy for this purpose?
4
votes
1answer
673 views
How long should I leave my wheat beer in bottles before opening
So far the beer has been in primary fermentation for 11 days, and in bottles now for 4 days.
When would you expect the beer would hit optimum flavor and when will it be drinkable/pleasant?
Thanks.
10
votes
5answers
6k views
Why do all my beers taste better after having aged for a couple months?
My impression is that ales are typically best drunk within a couple weeks of brew day. It's my experience that letting them age in the bottles for 2-3 months yields the best beer, both improving body, ...
5
votes
9answers
2k views
Types of bottles I can use for beer
Can I use my old water bottles to bottle my beer? Like Dasani or Aquafina type water bottles.
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votes
2answers
279 views
Waiting to pitch yeast?
I came across a couple similar questions, but not exactly what I was looking for.
I only have a short period where I have time to brew, but my starter isn't ready and some cooling equipment. Are ...
1
vote
1answer
361 views
Kolsch fermentation temps and schedule
I'm brewing a Kolsch beer for the first time with a pretty straight forward recipe using WLP029 yeast. I've only brewed basic ales so far and I'm confused about the fermentation temps and times for ...
0
votes
2answers
121 views
Eisbock chunk thawed
It seemed a waste not to bottle my previously frozen ice chunk left over from an Eisbock recipe. It had all the smell and flavor and was a bit darker. Has anyone ever bottled their ice from icebock? ...
13
votes
17answers
658 views
What is the best beer to make for a spouse who prefers sauvignon blanc?
I am trying to solve the "wife who loves wine instead of beer" problem. She would normally choose a Sauvignon blanc for herself but that's just no fun for the beer-drinking / making husband. My goal ...
