Recent content by Brewer Gerard

I looked into this using an arduino and an ultrasonic hc-sr04 distance module. I got a prototype working where the width of the pulses being returned by the module was inversely proportional to the volume of fluid in the kettle. the arduino could be configured to take in a specified volume from...

Well I've gotten to the bottom of it after changing, as i said, one thing one brew at a time. I started, only in the last few months, steeping my fermenters in disinfectant for at least a week prior to a brew and the difference is staggering. I don't have any medals and I'm not saying I'm now...

I've been up to my eyes for the last few years but i'm back on this project now and am going to give a proper go. It's been a while since you posted JKoravos. did you have any sucess?

woops never saw the reply, no, no light in that room really

From a plant health point of view, is there any benefit from stopping rhizome spread?

I recently accidentally froze a bottle of APA cooling it down before drinking it. I left the bottle in the sink to thaw out and it subsequently sat there for a few weeks. I opened it up last night and was surprised to find that the beer had completely cleared (which I understand), lost its fizz...

Performed this at the weekend on some amarillo @ 10.9%. I used double concentrations of hops and couldn't get a colour change from the phenolpthalein. I'm not sure this is an entirely credible process for determining AA% of a variety.

Anybody try this? I've got indicators and stuff and am going to give it a go. I'll post results on the experiment one way or the other.

Has anybody tried the titration test on their homegrown hops detailed here . I have the chemicals needed, and was just going to use my tap water instead of distilled stuff. Any experience of how the accuracy rates

never used wyeast, what yer sayin makes sense though. Took off in the end bout 12 am last night. Lower viability => longer lag phase. Great that the product can be stored for that long!

Cheers for responses. I had a vial of wlp833 that was sitting in the fridge about 8 months beyond expiry. It's been on the stir plate for over 24 hours now and not a budge thus far. I made a 1.040 starter. I'd be amazed if i got nothing at all:(

Whats the oldest vial you've used to make a starter? I've built starters off out of date ones before but, i have a particularly old one in the fridge at the mo and am wondering what are the chances of reviving it?

Not exactly in line with what OP is inquiring about but i'm just wondering how you would rate your hops in terms of quality compared to commercially bought ones. For example how would you rate the aroma of the cascades. My climate is cold but nowhere near as cold as some of the regions spoken...

I wanted some maris otter to grow at home so i planted some malted grains and guess what. Was quite skeptical but i got 10 plants from a few hundred seeds (very approx). Who would've thought:p

I was in that space for the first few beers. I think if you start to appreciate the quality craft brews out there it's impossible not to see the flaws in your own.