Recent content by bullfrog

Don't even need the sanitiser. I just make sure my chiller is clean (ie. no hop debris from the last use) and throw it in the urn for ten minutes before turning it on. And if it helps, I used 15m of 3/8" annealed copper then clamped garden hose onto it with some homemade washers that I made by...

Or if jumping to AG brewing is too much of a step for you, to begin with, maybe try just getting your hands on a decent kit (as this is the kits & extract brewing section of the forum, after all.) Most homebrew shops have their own brand kits, which are generally a cut above most other tins out...

I brew APA's a lot, because it's a style that i really like, and I use Super Alpha for bittering quite often. Just for the record, it's not doing it wrong. I'm sure that it could be done incorrectly to make a poor product (like every other aspect of brewing) but I've never once felt that using...

Just got turned on to this thread (why don't more people use the AHB IRC?) and it's looking like I'm in.

Yeah, I'd be pulling back the crystal to about 200g or below, myself. What you're doing with this grain is steeping it. Mashing is a bit different (similar but different) in which you have base malt (not spec malt, which Crystal is) held in water at a set temperature for at least an hour. That...

Occassionally, when I want a quick keg-filler, I'll put down a TCB Wal's Pale Ale, TCB Euro blend (some mix of dex, LDME and lactose,) 200g steeped crystal and about 15-20g Cascade or NS either steeped or dry-hopped. It's more or less the Country Brewer's K&B recipe for Fat Yak. Doesn't taste...

To answer the question of what your favourite beers have in common, it looks like you enjoy a range of styles. Beers like Fat Yak, Little Creatures Pale Ale and James Squire Golden Ale are all American Pale Ales (or at least close attempts at the style) which tend to be quite hop-driven beers...

I think most people have stories where they've done stupid things. I can remember sanitising my own hand to fetch a sieve that I had accidentally dropped into a brew the first time I ever tried steeping grain. That batch not only got my hand and the sieve in it, but about 150g of crystal that I...

I've found that Nottingham can subdue hop flavours a touch, which may not be too bad if you're dialling the recipe up to 35ibu; perhaps a touch closer to the original. I've done Tony's AG recipe a couple of times now without upping the hop quantities and I didn't think it needed more added...

If you're using the yeast to carbonate it then it is fermented and there is going to be some level of alcohol. Also, a dual-reg wouldn't be needed as you would only need serving pressure in the lines, as the yeast would already have carbonated the solution.

Is there even any formulae from which they could factor in no-chill hop isomerisation? I'm yet to have seen one. Unless you are all just saying "put in an option that makes your timer feature subtract ten minutes from each hop addition" I don't understand what you're asking for.

Couldn't agree more with this. My set-up has changed so many times that I've now got more equipment than a kitchen supplies shop. All of the bits have been given their own roles and duties but I really could make the same beer with half the gear. My advice would be to start out with the...

I've been using this software since you posted it on HB&B, Rob, and it's terrific. Feels like I'm updating it every time I open it, so you're obviously still working hard to constantly improve it. Love your work, mate.

I actually don't mind the use of dry enzyme, provided you've planned it as an ingredient from the outset. At this stage, you'd end up dropping the FG far too below what you're looking for, if you were to add it now so wouldn't be using that as the solution, if it were me. As for the aftertaste...

Bugger it! My internet has been to shit the past couple of weeks and I missed out on the bulk buy. It would be a lot less aggravating had I not known the buy was going on whilst I was unable to access AHB. Oh well, back to 4kg sacks from TCB...