Recent content by STEVESKI

I'm not trying to boost the alcohol content, I was just referring to the fact that adding sugar to beer boosts the alcohol content. Thanks again for all your help.

Thanks! You cap the bottles during secondary fermentation with the fruit, correct? She had me pick up some frozen fruit so I think she wants to try some with and some without when it's ready. What is the sucanat for? Is it used to feed the bacteria to continue the fermentation or is it...

Thanks for the detailed response. The things we've been seeing make a lot more sense now. I think we're in good shape and we'll just let it sit for longer. It's been fermenting for about 6 days and in a room that is probably between 70-75 and no sunlight. How long do you usually let yours...

Hey everyone, I'm a homebrewer but my wife has recently started to try to get into making kombucha. I know nothing about it and she just knows a little bit about it from her friend that told her how to do it and gave her the scoby(sp?) She was looking online for a place to ask some questions...

Thanks everybody!

So you guys think I should go through with the boil? I have to work tomorrow so the earliest I could add yeast would be around 4 or 5pm. I'm just hesitant to go through with the boil and add the extract.

I was brewing a chocolate stout extract kit and started steeping my grains when I went into the refrigerator to take out my yeast to work on rehydrating it. It wasn't there. Looks like SWMBO might have mistaken it for flower food or something and threw it all away. All my homebrew shops...

Yes, I did. I'd have to check my notes but I think it was about 10 days or so.

I let it sit in the primary for about a week and it's been in the secondary for almost 3 weeks. I'm fine with adding it directly to the secondary and waiting another week or so, but it will be more difficult to do it that way if I don't know exactly how much I want to add. It's not as easy to...

I've done lots of searches and come up with differing opinions on adding pumpkin pie spice at bottling. Most people say to make a "spiced tea" in boiling water and then add the water a little at a time to the bottling bucket to achieve the desired taste. I plan on going this route, but my...

Will probably have better luck in the Beginners Brewing Forum, but here's one that is prewired. If you are even slightly remotely handy, you can build one for under $30 though. http://morebeer.com/products/ranco-digital-twostage-temperature-controller-wired.html

Champagne or wine yeast won't cause any issues or off flavors? I thought I read somewhere to only use yeast which is very neutral to not cause any strange flavors?

A big beer is just one with higher fermentable sugars and therefore a higher alcohol content. In general, they are the same as a "normal" beer as far as process goes, but it just needs longer to condition. It requires patience and time which a lot of people don't have so they choose not to do...

Just curious since I'm about to do a bourbon barrel ale this weekend. I plan on soaking 2oz of oak in 10oz of bourbon and throwing it all in there. I've read a lot of people that did this kit have been adding over 1 cup of bourbon as well. I'm surprised you recommend so little rum. Any...

Are there any general guidelines regarding when it is necessary to re-pitch yeast at bottling time? I know the longer it sits in the secondary and the higher ABV the beer it is plays a factor. Is there any harm in pitching in half a packet of some neutral type yeast like S-05 mixed in with...