Recent content by ListerH

Has anyone has success whirlpooling on the Pico Z? I have done a couple of batches now and I suspect that the hops in the various compartments continue to isomerize while the water temperature drops to whirlpool temp. I think the way the Z works is to drain the hop compartments and then...

So with PicoBrew going into receivership... is anyone else worried about the online platform continuing to be supported? I think I am right in saying that if you don't have an internet connection on the machine, you literally cant do anything. So if (in the worst case) the Pico site were to...

I'd always heard that RO filling stations were not completely reliable for always getting a blank water canvas. Is that true? I actually use grocery store distilled water and make mineral additions... seems to be a decent approach without having to invest in an RO system. In the long run, I...

+1 on this... the only way I have found to effectively minimize O2 in my keg headspace is to liquid purge and then rack to the keg through the liquid "out" post with the PRV open to allow release of gas. I ferment in a corny keg so connecting the 2 out posts and using a CO2 tank to push through...

So when I look up splitting the mash on the forums, I tend to read posts about splitting up the overall mash in order to be able to brew big beers (where mash tun capacity is an issue)… but I was actually trying to find a different kind of info. Here is what I am considering: I am thinking...

I've used Nottingham twice and hit 77% both times. I rehydrated rather than building a starter and made sure not to underpitch (I only make 2.5GL batches but used a whole pack). For both beers I had fairly high percentages of specialty malts so 77% was a pretty good result. For me, it took off...

When Starsan is both a noun and a verb

I haven't yet brewed with coffee but my plan was to use my little stovetop espresso maker to make a shots of espresso and drop them at flameout. That way I shouldn't boil off the coffee aromatics and I wont have any grounds in my boil kettle. Are there any reasons why this wouldn't be a good...

I may go with this thanks! Because the wood character isn't so pronounced, I don't need to put it in 33 like i had initially thought.

I am wanting to enter my beer into a competition but really struggling with categorization. The base style really hits the Baltic Porter Category at an ABV of 8.6% and estimated IBUs of 39 (OG 1.086, FG 1.020) But here's where it gets complicated. I stewed bananas in coconut water and added...

Do you brew with the keg seal on the corny? My first couple of batches, I did and was not getting enough evaporation and ending up with about half a gallon too much wort. Since then, I have removed it and been just about right. In terms of efficiencies, I'm hitting around 60% when I do a single...

Thanks! Yes, I tend to base my brewing on BJCP styles as I find it is good to work with a set of defined parameters up front to test my processes in terms of theoretical vs actual. Partly I guess because I am a fairly new brewer. The competitions are fairly few and far between so I suppose I...

I am looking to get some constructive feedback on my beers and entering them into competitions seems to be a good way to do that. But the only list of competitions I can find are the ones on the AHA website. Is it possible that these are the only ones out there because they are the only ones...

Thanks! Yeah I thought about making some moonshine! I pick the keg up on Friday so I’ll see what I’m dealing with! Thanks all!

Yesterday, I was sat in a tap room chatting to the brewer and he mentioned that they had been barrel aging various beers but had made the mistake of just aging them in the warmer area of the on site restaurant. So he said they had developed some acetone (I interpret as ethyl acetate) off...