BeerTools Discussion Forum

What kind of yeast have you used/would you recommend?

Hey gang, I want to brew a BIG beer soon.... Alcohol >10%, good complexity, but not too heavy or insanely bitter. Something that will age well too. I'd like some help/advice/recommendations on an extract or partial-mash recipe for a good, big beer. (I'll step-up my yeast population before pitching)....

I'm not the author you're hoping for, but I dry hop a lot. I typically add between 1-2 oz of pellet hops to my secondary and let things settle for 1-2 weeks before bottling. If I were you, I would use 1 oz at the end of the boil and add an additional 1-2 oz to dry hop. If you care about beer clarity...

Table sugar is just fine when it comes to priming. There's just not enough table sugar mass in 3/4 - 1 cup to make your beer taste like cider (I assume that's what you're worried about with table sugar vs dextrose).

I've added extra steeped grains in boiled water to a beer I thought was not sweet enough for style. Worked just fine. No problems. I'm very anal about sterile technique, however. I steeped my grains as usual, removed the grains, then boiled for at least 10 minutes, and finally cooled to room tempera...

I've had very good luck with using the yeast cake from the bottom of my primary. I siphon the "old" beer into the secondary, then pour the "new" wort directly onto the left over yeast cake. Fermentation starts very quickly and I've had no problems with infection. Just remember th...

Tom,

I appreciate the insight... and all those calculations. Thanks for your time and the advise.

Tim

Pectin makes your beverage cloudy. It just won't clarify... no matter what; but it should not affect the flavor.

Tim

I undershot on bitterness in an otherwise fine beer. Anyone ever use hop extract or hop oil to boost bitterness after the fact? Any recommendations on about how much to use in 5 gallons?

I like www.morebeer.com. Good prices, quick service, no charge shipping if you spend >$49.

Tim

That happens with high gravity beers sometimes. I'm brewing a Trappist-style ale right now that

You don't need to mash crystal malts... just steep them.

This month's (11/03) BYO magazine has a great article on refractometers. They discuss different types, costs/benefits, and why they recommend having one on hand. Next month, they may have that article available on-line for free @ www.byo.com.

I add my dry hops to the secondary. I have tried the primary addition before and was disappointed because a good deal of the aroma was bubbled out with the CO2. If you are using hop pellets, just add them directly to the secondary and they will settle to the bottom in <7 days.