Here is my lash-up for refilling cylinders. In use the stand in the photo sits in a laundry sink so it can’t fall and is kinda/sorta shielded. I bleed the 20# tank into a 5# or 10# tank sometimes I record the weight transferred but usually it doesn’t mater to me. When the 10# tank is empty I...
If freezer space is really tight you can limit the number of duplicates you have of each yeast. As in, do I really need 10 vials of EC-1118? As long as you have one vial you can always propagate more. I freeze ~ 10 at a time as that is what works for me. It would be easy to just keep ~30 mL...
You can put the vials in a fairly compact area. I use two different containers. The HF ammo box is not a good size for my 30ml tubes. I built the holder for a different box and there was a lot of wasted space. I found that an inexpensive (read free) styrofoam chest will hold ~ 60 of the tubes I...
In the past I used my slants more for long term storage. I would inoculate the agar on my Petri dish from the slant and grow my working cultures in the PD where I could easily see any infection. It worked fairly well but the frozen tube is better for me.
I haven’t used Geletin only agar for slants. The whole slant/Petrie dish process is (IMO) a PITA. For the last year or so I’ve been using frozen yeast in test tubes. After reading an excellent article (by Pete Geisen I believe) I started following his method and I’m not going back. Slants are...
My palate has never been very well developed and after radiation for throat cancer I lost most of the little taste I had. I am not the guy to talk with about the fine nuances of a particular brew. My sense of smell still works so I go mostly by aroma when cooking or brewing. As a guy even older...
My palate has never been very well developed and after radiation for throat cancer I lost most of the little taste I had. I am not the guy to talk with about the fine nuances a particular brew. My sense of smell still works so I go mostly by aroma when cooking or brewing. As a guy even older...
I’ve brewed a lot of extracts in the past. Lately I have gone to low ABV brews. All grain brewing lets me determine to a degree the percentage of fermentable sugars. It’s sometimes difficult for me to make a full flavored low ABV beer. Got a Saison and a Kolsch going into the keg(s) tomorrow...
Hoppy, I agree just trying not to brag. I think some of my brews today are much more than “drinkable”. Technology has improved. Temperature control is better and “Tilts” rock. Hard for me to tell though, as you age your palate becomes less discriminating.
Welcome from Ohio. Brewing space can be problematic. Fortunately there are several work arounds. Several years ago after retirement my wife and I decided to downsize. I sacrificed my brewery space. Eventually I returned to brewing. First using BIAB system then went to e-brewing. You can put...
I’ve gone through a couple hundred pounds. I have used both two row and Pilsner. Seems to work just fine. Makes a very drinkable beer. I like buying from Montana. I like Montana unless I’m riding my motorcycle across it. It is just too damn wide on a bike.
My second closest LHBS is about a 30 min drive. they have fairly frequent grain sales for less than <$1.00 per pound. I’m retired and the drive is not troublesome. As I recall their shipping is not inexpensive. So for me the drive is worth it. I generally stock-up when it is on sale. Just got a...