All Questions
13
votes
4answers
910 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 ...
13
votes
9answers
4k views
How to add coffee/chicory to beer?
We have made a few coffee beers. Once we used a cheap coffee by brewing a strong pot and adding to the boil. It turned out very acidic. The next beer we brewer we went with a little higher OG 1.070 ...
13
votes
4answers
2k views
How to Properly Oxygenate Wort
How much oxygen do I need to put into my wort?
I've heard that homebrewers need to aerate with an oxygen stone and either aquarium pumps or oxygen. Is this true, or is shaking my carboy enough to ...
13
votes
3answers
3k views
What is the difference between Clean, Sanitized and Sterilized?
What is the difference between
Clean,
Sanitized and
Sterilized?
13
votes
1answer
754 views
How long can a yeast starter survive in the fridge?
I've made a 2L yeast starter (Wyeast 2633 Octoberfest) and placed in the fridge this morning. My original goal was to brew tonight but I may not be able to. Will the yeast colony still be good for a ...
13
votes
5answers
5k views
What are the benefits of using brewing sugar over types of sugar?
In many kits I've used, the instructions recommend using brewing sugar. Of course it's okay to use other sources of sugar, but I was wondering whether there are any benefits of using brewing sugar ...
13
votes
1answer
608 views
Original Gravity: Calculate or measure
I've been told that for extract brewing it's best to simply calculate the original gravity instead of measuring it. Is this correct? What are the pros/cons either way? What about with ...
13
votes
2answers
746 views
Using trub directly vs. yeast rinsing.
Sometimes referred to as "yeast washing," the process of yeast rinsing separates the yeast from the hops and break material in the trub. Most brewers who reuse yeast — and store it for long ...
12
votes
9answers
311 views
Book for beginners
What book would you recommend for a beginner hoping to start with extract recipes or from an extract kit?
12
votes
12answers
1k views
What is the best book for beginning home brewers?
What is the best book for beginning home brewers?
** Please post 1 book per post, then the resulting votes will show what most people consider to be the best book.
12
votes
6answers
2k views
What is the secondary fermentation debate?
This question mentions a debate about secondary fermentation. Sort of like the existence of dark matter, everything I have read about homebrewing points to there being some disagreement about ...
12
votes
4answers
5k views
Can OxiClean be used as a sanitizer?
Many batches ago I abandoned the sanitizing solutions sold (at ridiculous markups) from standard homebrew stores in favor of OxiClean Free. My logic at the time (being out of sanitizer, and at a ...
12
votes
6answers
1k views
Expect the Unexpected: How can I prepare for bottle-bombs?
Just had my first explosion last night. Very disheartening to discover a 22oz bottle spread all over the basement floor with little tiny shards of glass splattered everywhere. I remember overfilling ...
12
votes
10answers
1k views
Uses for spent grains
What are some uses for spent grains - either a few pounds from a partial mash or the 10+ from an all-grain batch - that don't include just throwing the grains away?
If your answer is to include some ...
12
votes
4answers
825 views
How to add adjuncts (hops, fruit, spices, etc) to the fermenter without contaminating the beer?
What is the best way to sterilize things like dry hops, spices or fruit before putting them in the fermenter?
Some stuff you can obviously boil. But boiling hops, say, would defeat the purpose of ...
12
votes
3answers
3k views
Using honey in beer
This thread is not actually one single question, but a number of different ones.
When calculating sugars used in the wort, how much sugar does honey contain? Is it closer to dry malt extracts, raw ...
12
votes
3answers
1k views
No-rinse acid sanitizer - is there a risk?
My homebrewer friends recommend the StarSan acid sanitizer, hands-down. I tried it once and it foamed everywhere and left a bunch of rings in the carboy and the bottles. It made me paranoid that it ...
12
votes
4answers
2k views
Are beer kits any good?
I started my first homebrew a few days ago. I used a John Bull India Pale Ale beer kit made by Young's (West Midlands, UK). The airlock is bubbling away merrily and I've taken the lid off the ...
12
votes
5answers
5k views
What's the difference between primary & secondary fermentation?
Over here PJ asked "How do you differentiate primary to secondary if you keep it in the same bucket?"
12
votes
8answers
1k views
How would one go about growing their own hops?
Ignoring the downsides (Hops: buy vs. grow), how would one grow hops in their backyard?
I know that it grows 30 feet tall and that you cut it to the ground in the winter, but how do you get started ...
12
votes
2answers
929 views
Sanitation & Dry Hopping
Is there any risk of wort infection by not sanitizing hops before dry hopping?
12
votes
2answers
1k views
5 or 6 Gallon Glass Carboy
I'm looking to pick up a glass carboy, but I'm not sure which size. I brew in 5 gallon batches (just starting out) and I'm wondering if I should go with the 5 gallon or 6 gallon carboy.
Thoughts? ...
12
votes
5answers
631 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
...
12
votes
3answers
3k views
How to brew less than 5 gallons at a time?
I recently moved into a smaller apartment and no longer have the space for my 6.5 and 5 gallon carboys. Do people sell smaller carboys than this? I know Mr. Beer would be small enough, but I'd ...
12
votes
3answers
3k views
12
votes
2answers
7k views
What is cold crashing?
What is cold crashing?
When is it done?
How long does it take?
Best temperature to make it happen?
12
votes
2answers
845 views
Fruit beer: should I allow it to ferment out completely?
I have a wheat beer in secondary that has been on 5 lbs of strawberries for 6 days. The flavor is phenomenal right now, just perfect. The strawberries continue to ferment actively, and I want to ...
12
votes
2answers
404 views
Is a taste-test at bottling time indicative of the end result?
If I were to do a taste-test of the beer at racking/bottling time, how indicative of the end result would it be?
12
votes
1answer
3k views
What is a hopback?
How do you use it?
What does it do?
Do you pass finished wort through it hot or cold?
12
votes
1answer
727 views
Do Oxygen Absorbing Caps Make Any Difference
So, I was looking to refill my supply of bottle caps and ran across "Oxygen Absorbing" bottle caps. The implication is that their absorbency will reduce oxidation in the bottled beer. If you're ...
11
votes
8answers
1k views
Is it important to weigh down a hop bag for dry-hopping?
If so, what kind of weight should I use? Should it be enough to sink the bag to the bottom of the carboy?
11
votes
11answers
1k views
What are my options for brewing software?
I'm looking for brewing software that helps with record-keeping, calculations, inventory, and/or recipes. Across any platform (Windows/Mac OS X/Linux), what brewing software is available, and what ...
11
votes
8answers
16k views
Too long in Primary Fermentation?
What's the maximum amount of time for primary fermentation, assuming the beer is going straight to bottles next?
Will it over ferment and then fail to carbonate, if left too long in a carboy?
11
votes
5answers
2k views
Can Infected beer cause death or major illness?
Basic question. Can you get sick and die from drinking infected brew? I know that it must taste terrible, was just wondering. Can't seem to find any references where people have died from infected ...
11
votes
3answers
744 views
What is the best way to sanitize vanilla pods?
I Am planning on adding a vanilla pod to secondary in my next brew. What is the best way to sanitize it before it goes in?
11
votes
5answers
2k views
How Do You Sanitize Your Carboys?
When sanitizing your carboys, do you fill them all the way up (6+ gallons) with sanitizer or do you put in less and swirl it around?
This may depend on what type of sanitizer is being used. I'm using ...
11
votes
5answers
815 views
How do I keep yeast from a strain that I've bought?
I'd like to stop buying yeast all the time, especially when I use the same strain repeatedly.
This is especially a problem when it comes to seasonal strains. I'd like to brew with WLP351 Bavarian ...
11
votes
4answers
1k views
Cork in red wine starting to push itself out. Is it still safe to drink?
A friend gave us a bottle of homemade red wine a year ago. (They're Italian and they make wine every year). It's been sitting in our dining room, stored on its side. We started to notice that the ...
11
votes
4answers
189 views
Methods for cleaning and drying tubing
Brewing 5 gallon batches at home.
During the transfer from my primary fermenter to the secondary, and when filling bottles from my bottling bucket I constantly need to use plastic tubing to transfer ...
11
votes
5answers
539 views
How do I improve my palate?
I've read descriptions of wines (and lately more beers) where the tasting notes say things like "cherries, floral", etc. I've never tasted any of this when I drink/taste the corresponding beer/wine.
...
11
votes
8answers
413 views
What are some good online sources for recipes?
What are some good online sources for recipes? Please specify the type of recipes the site has (extract, all-grain, mead, cider, etc.).
11
votes
1answer
183 views
Always making a starter vs. following package description
I have noticed that the smackpacks say on the package that the package is meant for a 5 gal. batch and that you should pour the pack directly into the wort.
On the otherhand - nearly everyone tells ...
11
votes
6answers
3k views
Glass Carboy vs. Better Bottle
I recently broke my 6.1 gallon glass carboy that I used for primary fermentation. I need to buy a new one, and I'm considering a "Better Bottle" carboy.
Its claims include:
**Unbreakable and ...
11
votes
4answers
6k views
What does 'Imperial' mean with regards to beer style?
I've seen the adjective "Imperial" tacked on at the beginning of a number of beer styles recently: Imperial Stout, Imperial Brown Ale, Imperial Red Ale, etc.
What does it mean exactly, is it just ...
11
votes
3answers
376 views
How long do I need to maintain my fermentation temperature?
Do I need to maintain my desired temperature until bottling or take it out of the "ferm chamber" after initial fermentation is done?
What about with long term brews such as sours?
11
votes
4answers
1k views
Is a long boil with extract necessary?
I'm making a late hopped extract beer later tonight. (Jamil's Evil Twin as posted http://www.mrmalty.com/late_hopping.htm) He suggests at 90 minute boil with the first hop addition coming 20 minutes ...
11
votes
6answers
3k views
Dry yeast vs wet yeast
I've always thought it to be common knowledge that wet yeast is better than dry yeast for home-brewing. This was confirmed by Sam Calagione at his Authors at Google talk where he suggested that using ...
11
votes
2answers
353 views
What is attentuation?
What is attentuation?
How does it effect beer flavor and quality?
How is is calculated and why do I need to know it?
11
votes
5answers
3k views
Early vs Late secondary fermentation
When do you start your secondary fermentation? Some people wait until the bubbles of the wort stop completely, others leave the wort in the fist fermenter for 3-4 days and then move on to secondary ...
11
votes
4answers
660 views
How many degrees will my carboy heat up as a result of fermentation activity?
Recipe calls for fermentation at 70 degrees, basement is 65. I know that fermentation produces some heat, so I was wondering if just letting yeast do its thing will be enough.
Otherwise, do I need ...
