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When is it appropriate to shake your primary? What is the purpose (logic) behind doing this? Is more better? Is there a critical window? Point after which you never shake? If you adopt the primary only method, will shaking it replace the movement of the beer that same claim is the main...

What is the best way to carbonate your beer for a competition? Carbonate in a keg, then transfer to a few bottles. Or, bottle condition the ones you will be sending to competition? Do you risk deductions if the judge pours out yeast into the tasting glass?

I've read a lot of methods for dry hopping, but not real explanation of why its done when its done. When is the best time to dry hop? What are the merits and flaws of the following times? 1) right when you pitch the yeast? 2) right after high krausen? 3) right after primary fermentation...

I cannot seem to get my beers to ferment low in gravity. I read articles about people who get their 8 and 9% big-bodied beer to ferment low. Triples that ferment down to 1.010 (or lower). I've seen some 10% stouts that go down to 1.018. What is the trick? I always pitch a starter. It...

I have brewpal on my iPhone, and one of the features I like very much is the 'compare to BJCP style' to tell me exactly what style my recipe falls under. This way, I can dial in a recipe to fit a category for a BJCP style, as well as tell me why a particular beer recipe does not fit into a...

It seems pretty easy to calculate total IBU's as well as malt to hop balance. But how do you calculate the appropriate ratio of bittering to flavor to aroma hop usage (for a specific style)? For example, if I am targeting 70 IBU in an IPA, how to I decide on how much to use on the long boil...

Anyone use this method? Do you really notice a difference?

Anyone use this method? Do you really notice a difference?

I just purchased a flask through my work for yeast and bacteria culture. It is a 1L flask that has glass baffles in the bottom, designed for increasing aeration while stirring. Anyone tried this for making yeast starters? Anyone know of any research comparing cell counts of regular flasks vs...

I am making an IPA and I am wondering how to add the hops. I have 3 oz Columbus, 2 oz Cascade, 1 oz Simco and 3 oz Amarillo. I am adding this against 9 lbs amber DME and 1 lb sugar plus Nottingham yeast. How would you add the hops for best flavor and aroma, but not make it too bitter...

How do I put a permanent marking, stamping or indentation preferably, in a stainless steel brewpot so that I can know how much liquid is in the pot?

Here is the recipe for a chocolate porter I just made: 2 oz Williamette (4.8%) 1/4 lb Black Malt 1/4 lb Roasted Barley 1/2 lb Chocolate Malt 2 lbs Crystal 20 10 lbs American 2-row 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips 4 oz bittersweet 100% cocoa chocolate American ale and East Coast Ale...

I made a saison last saturday and purchased the WLP565 for the yeast. The yeast was literally one day away from its 'best before' day, but the HBS owner said it would be ok. I made a starter for 24 hours, then pitched into wort that I aerated with a 0.5 micron stone for one hour. The beer...

I've seen some recipes that specifically call for steeping adjuncts instead of including them in the mash. What is the reason for this? How does steeping versus mashing, say CaraPils or Crystal malts, affect the malt flavors in the final beer? Is it really that noticeable a difference?

How much liquid do you have to drain off your mash before it starts running clear? 1-2 gallons? more? Does the weight of the grain have to be pressing down in the false bottom before it will begin filtering the wort and running clear, i.e., the grain cannot be completely submerged, but...

My false bottom holds two gallons of water under it. So, if I stick to 1-1.25 quarts per pound of grain, then the top of my mash will not be submerged in water. 1) How much will my efficiency be hurt if I use too much mash water? 2) Is it really a big problem if I just boil longer to...

Theoretically, is it possible to get your yeast to go dormant just after growth phase, but prior to switching over to fermenting? In practice, if I aerated or swirled a yeast starter continuously until the yeast consumed all the nutrients in the media (wort), would they go dormant in their...

I am getting into washing and storing my yeast cakes. I have had success in simply decanting the yeast cake into a sterile growler with sterile water, then waiting 20 minutes for the trub to settle. At this point I decant the middle and top portions of the yeast into a new sterile growler and...

I just switched to a corny keg system and life is good. Well, sorta. My basement stays around 68-70 F year round, which is good for fermentation but bad for serving temperature. Alas, I do not have a beer fridge. So, to have the adequate amounts of CO2 at this temperature, I calculated...

I have a beer at about 1.090 OG that is stuck at 1.022; I'd like to get it down to 1.015-1.017 if I can. It is in secondary now, and I have rinsed and stored the yeast cake. Can I use this yeast to re-pitch and get the gravity down? What is the best procedure for this? Can I simply add...