BeerTools Discussion Forum

now that I am making good beer I am also making more friends! So now the 5 gallon batches I make are barely lasting over a week. This is a problem since I cant start a new batch every week. Basically assuming I can boil 10 gallons in my pot I would then split it up into 2 carboys to ferment? I use a...

I had no Idea it would take that long. Oh well, at least I have 2 batches on tap right now... Thank God!! I see those air bubbles on the top(I am using a glass carboy) so it looks like were on our way. I'm gonna be changing ice twice a day though, just to get it to stay under 55. I also used saflage...

Ok, sounds good. I am glad it is cold here, otherwise I dont think I would be able to get my chiller down to 55. I used dry yeast pitched at 65 deg, so I would expect fermentation to start within 24 hours or so? The secondary may be a bit lower than 40, now that I checked my fridge temp(probably in ...

I just fired up a pilsner kit and I noticed the yeast is a lager yeast. I always thought pilsners fermented at ale temps. I set the chiller to 55 deg F. Is that a good setting? Also, should I expect fermentation to start as quickly as an ale? I have some room in my keg fridge so I am planning on put...

I use Listerman.com
I believe he is out of Ohio. My shipments are always fast(I live in CT), packed nice and prices seem good. free shipping if you spend over 40 bucks or so.

I have a good thing going here, so I'm not gonna rush it. If you guys think that not controlling the temp all the way through the full fermentation is not a good idea then I will just wait. Maybe I will make another chiller in the future.

Now that I am actually making drinkable beer(thank god), I want to fill all my kegs up. I use a fermentation chiller, but I only have one. Now that winter is approaching my basement usually stays below 70deg F but might get a little over during the day. Would it be OK to just use the chiller for the...

I force caronate. Its super easy, takes less time then getting the suger ready and makes sediment free beer. I just get the keg nice and cool then bump the pressure up to 30 or 40 #(depending on how carbonated you like it) and rock the keg until you dont hear the gas flowing anymore. usually takes a...

I'll do that. I plan on racking to the secondary in a few days and then leave in there for a week, so ill put the hops(pellet) in when I rack. thanks for the info guys
joe

I have an american pale ale in primary right now. The kit came with extra hops to dry hop. The directions say to put it in after 4 days or so of fermentation. I have never done this before so, my question is, seeing as I use a secondary fermentor shouldnt it go in towards the end of the secondary?

i would love to share it with youy guys.

Heres another question. I tasted this batch(porter) and it tastes a lot like Guinness which is a stout. Are porters and stouts similar? I though porters were not as heavy

I've got my chiller running @64deg. Its not hot anymore so I dont have to change the ice very often which is really nice.

It was bubbling when I got home yesterday.
I use a dry yeast.
Thanks for the info guys. Looking forward to my smoked porter! yummy

as far as cleaning, i use PBW. That stuff is great. I had an old keg that i cut and used as a kettle. It was all nasty with surface corrosion and all. I just soaked it in that stuff overnight and it rinsed nice and shiny with no scrubbing at all. I am sure if you opened a sanke keg and filled it wit...

For those interested in how i'm making out... I got my kettle and burner all set and on a stand with my counterflow chiller all set up. I made a batch last night(portor) and everything went extremely well. I did a full 5 gal boil and my chiller brought it down to 68deg. Nice! The only problem I had ...