A fermented beverage where the majority of the fermentable sugars are derived from malted grains via mashing.
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2answers
2k views
What happens if a beer gets oxidized?
Everywhere I read it is very cautious about oxidizing your beer. What is the worst case if your beer gets oxidized? It tastes funny?
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4answers
652 views
How to transport homebrew
I'm in the process of brewing several carboys of beer to serve at my wedding in a few months. The catch is that the wedding is on the other side of the country. I'm planning on taking a few days to ...
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3answers
570 views
How can I make sure my bottle cap is sealed tightly?
I have concerns over why our beers are not carbonating properly. One suggestion was to check and make sure the bottles are sealed properly. What might be a good way to do this?
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2answers
127 views
Not Red but Orange: How to correct the color of an Irish Red after brewing?
Probably we used not enough of the carared, but what we can do? Is it possible to use a dark fruit extract(sour, not sweet) to correct the color in the end? And what will be the effect on taste?
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2answers
386 views
Bubbling suddenly stopped - is this a problem?
This is my second home brew. I chose "Coopers Mexican Cerveza" with "Muntons Beer Enhancer".
It's only day 4 out of 7 weeks but on the second day, the whole bin warmed slightly and there was a lot ...
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3answers
770 views
How do you insulate a cooler based mash tun?
I have a Coleman 70 Quart Xtreme cooler that I've modified for my mash tun. I seem to be losing a lot of heat out the top. Are there any good ways to insulate it to help prevent heat loss?
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3answers
972 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 ...
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votes
2answers
130 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 ...
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2answers
511 views
Will beer keep in a cask if used gradually?
I've read that beer should keep in a cask for months, but does that only apply if left full? How long do I have to finish once I start drinking from it?
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2answers
259 views
Hydrometer reading
I am getting ready to dry hop and transfer a Double IPA to a secondary Better Bottle. If I want to take a hydrometer reading at this time is it better to use a thief or just put the hydrometer in the ...
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4answers
857 views
Can an infection be identified by sight?
I brew ten-gallon batches of beer split into two fermentors. The last batch that I kegged had one infected fermentor, while one remained uninfected. One bucket showed a white powdery substance ...
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3answers
452 views
Does flaked rye need conversion?
I'm looking to make a rye pale ale. Do I need to provide enough base grains to convert the starches in flaked rye or is it capable of self conversion? If it needs conversion, would 6 lbs of 6-row work ...
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2answers
881 views
Diacetyl Rest for Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager
The Wyeast website seems to strongly suggest a diacetyl as fermentation completes with their Bavarian Lager strain, 2206. I prefer to chill my wort to below fermentation temps prior to pitching the ...
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2answers
259 views
Yeast, CO2 Toxicity with mead and beer
Degassing CO2 during early fermentation is important for wine and mead. But why not for beer?
I'm getting back into mead making and see plenty of references to degassing the must during early ...
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2answers
278 views
Thick head on Double IPA
My double IPA when poured into a glass has a thick foamy head that remains there the entire time I drink it. Is this good or bad? The beer tastes great!
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votes
5answers
231 views
Profesionally Printed Labels?
A friend has offered to design labels for a few of my favourite beers. I just got the first one, and I love it. The only problem is some of the design elements don't show up very well when printed on ...
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4answers
549 views
Reusing Yeast From previous Fermentation
When I finish fermentation I am left with a large amount of extra yeast in the bottom of the carboy.
Can I reuse this yeast in any way?
Hopefully to avoid buying yeast again every single batch?
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votes
1answer
353 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 ...
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3answers
227 views
Autosiphon not sealing
While racking beer to kegs today, my autosiphon started leaking air. Bubbles started at the bottom, and went throughout the tube. I assume that this is due to a poor seal between the pump portion ...
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2answers
485 views
Advice on Fruit Extract for Wheat beers?
Thinking about picking up one of those little bottles of fruit flavorings to add to a batch of wiezenbier... looking for suggestions on
1. If they are any good and if they are easy to use
2/ ...
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votes
4answers
841 views
What is this white stuff on the surface of my beer?
I've just gone to rack & bottle a witbier that has been in primary for about 5 weeks and noticed this white gunk floating on top of the beer.
It doesn't look too healthy, what is it? Is it safe? ...
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votes
1answer
877 views
How can I bottle using corks?
After downing a bottle of Saison Dupont last night and wishing to re-use the bottle, I wondered if any home brewers have "capped" their brews using corks?
The bottle looks like it might be re-usable ...
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votes
2answers
273 views
What are the steps in recapping overcarbonated beer?
What are the steps involved in recapping a bottle of beer for any reason (e.g. if too much priming sugar is added, if a cap appears to be defective or failing, etc)?
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3answers
368 views
What's your favorite type of beer to brew… and why?
Many people have drastically different taste in beers. I can only imagine that carries over to the types of beer people love to brew. What's your favorite beer to brew yourself, and why?
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3answers
183 views
Where did the hops go?
A few weeks ago, I pulled some of an IPA I was making and force carbonated it so my friend and I could try some. While it was not the bitterest I have tasted, it was definitely an IPA. I bottled the ...
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2answers
286 views
Addition of hops to double IPA
When brewing a double IPA do I have to put the hops in steeping bag or do I just toss toss them in. This question applies to both the boiling phase and when I have to dry hop later!
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1answer
210 views
Ramping temperatures during fermentation
What is the appropriate way to ramp temper when say brewing a Belgian beer?
Would I expect to have off flavors from the higher temps?
What's the best range for ramping?
Do I actively manage the temp ...
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votes
2answers
2k views
How to make the best beer with arduino?
I would like to use the arduino to monitor and create the best beer. I've look up some info and the best way to look for quality is to measure the beer density. I could not find any digital Hydrometer ...
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1answer
148 views
Berliner Weisse not souring
About 6 weeks ago, I made a simple Berliner Weisse. When I put it into primary, I pitched both yeast and the lactobacillus. It's been sitting in the primary ever since.
Yesterday, I took a taste ...
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votes
3answers
314 views
What is the distinctive flavor in Warsteiner Premium Verum?
To me, there's a really distinctive flavor in Warsteiner Premium Verum. I get a ton of it in Warsteiner, a fair bit in Beck's, and a bit in Pilsner Urquell. I'm quite sure the thing I'm tasting is ...
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0answers
190 views
Bottle-priming post secondary fining? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Cold Crash and Finings
As mentioned in this question, I'm anticipating some trouble with a low-flocculating yeast, and one of the suggestions was to use gelatin for ...
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4answers
1k views
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5answers
497 views
Is there anything special needed to try brewing a Belgian Ale?
I am a beginner looking to get started with homebrewing. Belgian Ale is my favorite style, so I was wondering if there are any specific problems with trying to do a Belgian-style Ale as my first ...
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votes
4answers
212 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 ...
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votes
3answers
491 views
How to avoid a boozy flavor in high-gravity beers
Many of the high-gravity commercial beers I taste end up coming off as boozy. What kinds of ingredients or processes will limit this flavor? I want to brew a big beer, perhaps in the 1.100 ...
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votes
3answers
281 views
Why add a tee next to the pump?
I've seen it recommended in several places to add a tee in the pipe next to the pump used for transferring hot wort. What is the point of this / what benefits do you get? Does the tee go on the input ...
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votes
5answers
1k views
Is there a technique which prevents the deposit of sediment at the bottom of bottles?
Every beer I've brewed and have seen done by others has had a sediment form at the bottom of the bottles.
Is there some common mistake that I and others are making which is causing this to happen?
...
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3answers
2k views
sediment at the bottom of brew
I have just bought a Coopers DIY beer kit and have started my first ever brew. Ive notticed at the bottom of the fermenter there is a lot of sediment is this normal or have I done something wrong? Any ...
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2answers
412 views
Dry hopping a double IPA
So if I do a secondary fermentation for a double IPA and transfer it to a carboy(better bottle) should I use a steeping bag?, or is it better to keep it in the primary fermenter and add the dry hops ...
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3answers
260 views
Post-Secondary Fermentation
I've heard mentions of people using tertiary, quaternary, quinary, etc fermentations. Does this really provide any significant benefit beyond secondary?
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4answers
389 views
What type of beers stand up to temperature variation during fermentation?
I've just moved from a Condo into a house, where I am now paying for heat.
In the area that my Domestic Sergeant Major has permitted me to brew in, the temperature varies from 16° to 21° C throughout ...
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2answers
379 views
Undershooting OG in all-grain brewing
My last few all-grain batches have been under the expected OG at least as far as the recipe is concerned. The beers still taste good and all, but I'd like to get my efficiency up.
For example, my ...
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3answers
3k views
Can I use wine yeast to ferment beer?
Can I use wine yeast to ferment a beer? What sort of problems might I encounter that are unique to wine yeast trying to ferment malt sugars? What sort of flavor differences might I encounter?
4
votes
2answers
206 views
Looking for a relatively low attenuating yeast with distinct Belgian flavors.
I'm working on a recipe for a Baltic porter but would like to ferment it with a stran that produces distinct belgian flavors. The problem is that most of your belgian strains are too high attenuating. ...
4
votes
2answers
82 views
What is a good resource for flavor contributions of different ingredients?
For those of us who are still brewing from kits and recipes and want to branch out and try building our own flavors, what resources are there that describe the various flavors contributed by ...
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2answers
255 views
Increasing Malt Aroma
How does one get more malt aroma out of a recipe?
If I want more roasty aroma I know I can add more roasted malt. But eventually, there is appoint where I can't have too much or the recipe itself ...
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2answers
2k views
Can I use a Growler at bottling time and how long will the beer last in this.
I had a growler from a local brewery and filled it at bottling time. I made sure I sanatized the bottle and top. I did this to take a sample test before the three weeks of bottle time. Is this OK and ...
4
votes
2answers
281 views
Is RTD beer susceptible to any damage from temperature fluctuations?
I've got a fridge set up in my garage loaded full of delicious home brew, all ready to drink. To save on power, I'd like to only turn it on when I need it, say once a week or once a fortnight.
Could ...
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2answers
603 views
How can I prime for bottle conditioning without oxidizing the beer?
I'm probably being too paranoid here, but what's the best way to make sure the priming sugar (I tend to use corn sugar boiled in a few cups of water for 5 minutes and then cooled) is thoroughly mixed ...
4
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1answer
700 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.
