Recent content by Yukmay

Some variables to keep an eye on when temps are off: Preheat the mash tun with boiling water prior to doughing in. Include the grain temp in your calculations! Most programs use 68 degrees so if the grain comes out of the garage/basement at 50 degrees the mash temps will be off. Wrapping the...

Edit: Misposted

Foxglove! ....just kidding, don't do that!

Grape juice, apple cider, AND honey!

Agreed, I dry hop all the time! And we want to oxygenate wort from kettle to primary! I never said that was bad. My argument is that if hops from the kettle are getting in the way of transferring the beer later there are ways to minimize their volume in the fermenter. My advice is that...

There's no fog in my comprehension! The reason I ask about the wort transfer is because unless dry hopping there is no need for lots of trub/hop material to be making it into the fermenter. Sure it's not required to use hop bags, drain w/false bottom, or strain but if the trub is hindering...

Just to add a bit about honey. Due to honey's high osmolarity and acidity spoilage organisms cannot work to decompose it. However, this does not mean honey is sterile, it is actually full of wild yeast which are in 'suspended animation.' As soon as the honey is diluted to a lower...

+1 Belgian yeast leave a certain signature flavor. Having brewed consecutive batches of the same beer with different temperature (WL500) I'd say that the Belgian taste is always there, but at higher temps it becomes a bit wilder/prominent. At least you have a style that will still turn out...

Moutain Crest Classic Lager. A fellow home brewer couldn't resist buying me a $8.00 case of beer he saw. Yum. If you blindfolded me I would guess it is bad apple cider.

+1 on trying to wait 3 months. My stouts usually have an early roasted bitterness that really smooths out at 3+ months.

What's your post chill technique? I usually stir vigorously to get a whirlpool, wait 5 minutes, and then siphon from the side. It works pretty well to avoid trub material. Restarting a siphon at this point isn't so bad, as you'll be oxygenating anyways. Subsequent transfers shouldn't have any...

On second thought, you could try willamette rather than saaz. I think budweiser uses willamette. The yeast is expensive up front. But then again a simple wash and reuse ad infintum.

This recipe is a favorite among friends who love miller light, and also by those with more 'refined' beer taste. It's so popular I actually keep it on tap at all times. 9 lbs pils 1oz mt hood at 60min (or whatever really....) 0.5oz saaz at 10 min Wlp500 (Abbey ale) Mash at 152 Select your...

These herbs are intended for use in teas. Thanks for the references revy; I'll be looking into them!

I recently discovered an import store near me which has a huge selection of aromatics. Having never made a beer with one of these unusual ingredients I thought it wise to ask what you guys thought first. Some of the items which caught my eye (all are dried): Hibiscus - Smelled sour, sweet...