Recent content by cedar_lake

Tap water here. I do use a Campden tablet after having a batch I suspected had an off flavor from Chloramine. What are people who do that doing for time? I put a whole tablet (overkill I know) in 8 gallons of water overnight.

The LHBS didn't have WLP 530 for my batch so I ended up with Wyeast Belgian Abbey II. I started mine at 69 degrees based on the experience of the OP, and rigged a blowoff. Glad I did, but it still blew off almost a half gallon through the tube and into my ferm chamber. With that all cleaned...

I just did this recipe this weekend. I'm not set up for all-grain, so I did a mini-mash substituting extract for the pale malt. Thinking about secondary on some roasted cocoa nibs. I'll check back in in a bit when I move it to secondary and taste.

That keg's going to have to be cold for the C02 produced by fermentation carbonation to dissolve into the liquid. When I do a keg this way I let it sit at room temperature for a couple of weeks, then chill it down for a day or two, then tap it and drink. Little to no foam, nice carbonation.

Check your tap. I had a moldy cobra tap I didn't know about and I got a horrible off flavor from it. There was a sizable green chunk inside the tap body.

A local company in Vermont sells their Kombucha in bulk out of kegerators. I've never opened one up to look but I'm pretty sure they are distributing from sixtels or sankes. If you click on "wholesale" on their website, a picture pops up that at least makes it look like they are using cornys...

I'd just let it sit. I've been following what appears to be conventional HBT wisdom and doing 4-6 week primaries and have been very happy with the results.

We used to buy Utica Club (Same brewery as Saranac) for the bottles.

I ferment my cider all the way dry and keg it with a half cup sugar for natural carbonation in the keg and two pounds of lactose to add a little sweetness and body. It's still a pretty far cry from woodchuck, but closer in sweetness to dessert wine than plain dry white wine.

I have had a blog since 2005, homebrewing entries started in spring 2010 when i started brewing. I keep a separate Google Doc brewing journal and re-post interesting entries to the blog. There's lots of other non-brewing stuff on there as well. re-turn

If you like pizza and making it at home, buy a mixer. I bought mine when I was a year out of college and have had it for 11 years now and I don't regret such a big outlay ever. 4 cups of flour (more or less, I just scoop and guesstimate) 1.5 cups lukewarm water 2tsp salt 2tsp sugar 2 tsp...

Every glass carboy I have lives in a milk crate. I only take them out of the crates for cleaning, and I'm very careful about it- pretty much try to handle them in a way that if they broke right that moment, I wouldn't get hurt too bad. I have a Better Bottle as well, and I do use it regularly...

Time and money are both tight for my wife and I. We went from "first married, no jobs, lots of debt" five years ago to "no bad debt, good jobs, and a house and a kid" last year. Money still has to be carefully budgeted, which is why I'm still only brewing extract and doing partial boils, and why...

I have the Lowes Holiday. I cannot get 4 kegs all on the floor. The 4th one will go in far enough to shut the lid if pushed, but I can't get it within four inches of the floor. A little work with a hammer in the right places would probably change that. It is ever so close. I haven't started my...

Welcome from Vermont! /But I used to live in Hyannis and Brewster and my inlaws are in Yarmouth!