Recent content by blackstrat5

I do plan on reducing the speed with pulleys. To bring down the 1725 RPM from the motor to 150 or 200 RPM for the rollers, I'm going to have to reduce the speed. I was concerned given they're the 2" rollers wit a 1/2" drive, that they 1/4 horse might lock up when it initially starts chewing...

I'm thinking about motorizing the mill. I have a1/4 horse motor sitting around. Could I get away with a 1/4 horse motor or do I really need to step it up to a full horse?

I've heard that expirement and it might be true. I guess I have my doubts and a paranoid suspicion and if I do my own expirement I may find that taping the probe to the side is accurately measuring the temp through fermentation. But, it would be cool to see a compiled graph of temp data...

I could get a thermowell for measuring the beer fermentation temp, but I was concerned if I'm using the controller probe in the thermo well, the freezer would overshoot the temp due to the thermal mass of the volume of beer.

Currently, the fermentation temps that I see are just from the probe for the Johnson Controller on my chest freezer. The probe is taped to the side of my better bottles/carboys under a towel for insulation. This is so the freezer doesn't cycle too long and overshoot lowering the temp of...

Thanks. I'm doing a holiday ale with some spices. The base was going to be an old ale, but I'm not sure that's the best base or if I should go for a scotch ale base. Any opinions?

Any advice to adding smoked malt to an old ale and how much? I've never used smoked malt in anything before and I'm just not sure how much to add to give it a touch of smoke in the background. Thanks in advance.

I used a starter calculated from Mr Maltys site. I was expecting fruitiness, but not in your face peaches. I guess the only solution is brew this again :)

Last two saisons I had with 3711 wound up being about that low...had to go back and make sure the hydrometer wasnt broken. I'd say with the low mash temp and that strain your FG is about right.

So you think that this is a primary derived flavor that wasn't detectable at racking. But with carbonation it's perceivable?

I did the primary fermentation around 62 degrees for two weeks with the Wyeast Kolsch yeast 2565. Like I said it really tasted awesome when I racked it to a keg. After it sat in the keg warm (68-74 Room Temp) and was put back in the kegerator for carbonating and serving it got that weird...

I produced a Kolsch back in the end of May. Pilsner and Wheat Malt. It lagered at 40 degrees for 5 weeks. I racked it to a keg, where it sat at room temp until there was room in the kegerator for it about two weeks later. When I racked it, the beer was spot on for a Kolsch. It was...

I am putting together a Spiced Winter Warmer recipe to brew in the future. I was thinking of using Munich and crystal Malt (as the specialty malts). I want that nutty, roast flavor from the munich (or other specialty malt if you have an opinion I may be able to achieve a flavor closer to...

I had Pumpkin set for 1.005 potential extract. I guess I'll need to brew this again soon and see with a thicker mash and a higher sparge volume, the gravity can be corrected.

Bill: 13.6 lbs 6-Row 1 lb Crystal 20 1 lb Victory 0.25 lb Crystal 90 3 lbs of Pumpkin Now that I've put that down I'm wondering since BeerSmith calculated the 3 lbs of Pumpkin as Grain as part of the 1.75 qt/lb grist ratio. But I would think with a thinner mash like that (still wouldnt...