BeerTools Discussion Forum

Another option is to boil it in two "Batches" and blend them in the plastic fermentor. siphon them into the carboys, and then top off. You may get better hop utilization, and less chance of a boil over. There will be a little lag time, but if the wort hasn't reached fermentable temps, you ...

I like hoppy beers, but If you want to compare your brew with the Maredsous you stated you liked, I think you may be over hopping this a bit. One thing is that Belgians tend not to have a great deal in hop aroma, they let the alc and the blend of malt do the talking for them. Also, this beer will al...

Good point Jayhawn. What no one else figures is that one it costs Pepsi and Coke a bunch of money to clean the kegs and to collect them. Both companies are trying to phase out the Corny use and to begin using Bag in box distribution. Many places that have P and C say it is rediculous to try and get ...

Candy sugar is a hard rock cany made with beet sugar. It comes in clear, light, and dark. Many belgian style recipes call for it. If you are having trouble with formulating a recipe for this small of a batch, try a pound of light DME, a pound of amber DME 3/4 Oz of Fuggle for 60 minutes, and 1/4 oz ...

Try the recipe archive and put 2.5 gal in the volume. You can try the same recipes we use here, scaled back for your size. Since most extract cans are 3.3 lbs, this brings you to a good starting point. add some steeping grains 1/4 pound instead of 1/2 ect. The recipe calculator will do the conversio...

I have been called a Rienboltist myself. The only thing with the freezing approach, make sure you don't let it get to fermenting temps after it is bottled. What a mess, or sparkling cider.

The recipe I used to formulate the belgian triple was basically a pilsner on steroids. I slacked off the hops, but made the malt turn out to be 10%

You can kill off the yeast, and keep it from fermenting with a one two punch of Camden tablets and a potasium sorbate. Most store bought wines contain both of these although they say to use them with caution. Some people are alergic.

As I stated, depending on the alc% you want to achieve, all yeasts are not equal. I used Champagne yeast on a pear/Concord wine last year that didn't stop fermenting until it had a very substantial alc% If you want to taste the fruit, some sweetner will have to be added if the terminal gravity isn't...

depending on the % of alc desired, you should pick your yeast. Champagne Yeast will make a clean taste, but a high % of alc. With cider, you will want to sweeten it back at least slightly, or you'll lose the flavor of the apple. Danstar ecs 1118 is a good yeast to use that won't give you a 20+ % alc...

If you take a quart mason jar, and drill a hole in the lid large enought to accep an O ring for the airlock, this works quite well. Also, the malt you are using, may have a higher percentage of non fermentables. Try to get some amylase enzyme, and add it at yeast pitching time, or just before it. Th...

These kegs are easier to clean than the cola kegs. Your source was wrong on that one. Rootbeer on the other hand is nasty. Avoid them. Without being able to turn the whole keg inside out to get every nook, there will be off flavors left. Another bit of info. do a darker beer in the kegs first. If th...

I have a 4 pack of the Maredsous in my fridge right now. It is a good Belgian. If you want to brew one like that, stay away from the high alpha hops. Belgians are normally high on alc. but low on bitter. I would use noble German hops, and keep the bitter on the low end. Definitely use a starter, and...

yeasts produce their own heat with the activity of fermentation. It is better to pitch the yeast when it is at the lower end of the temp range such as pitch an ale at 62 to 65 degrees. when the yeast activity raises the temp, it will still stay in the optimal levels. You will still make beer at high...

My Dunkel is in the recipes under "My Uncles Dunkel" I have used slightly darker versions also, just by adding more 80L crystal. I also do both an all grain and extract batches on occasion, and have substituted the Hallertau with fuggles, and the Saaz with willamette, but it is a good base...