Recent content by ckirtley

You can add the points (2x90 dextrose + 40 honey + 100 light dry malt) = 320. Divide by gallons (5?) = 1.064 SG. Assuming it finishes at 1.10, that's 54 difference. Divide by 7.5 to get ABV = 7.3%

Thanks. It's a bit more complicated because I ferment in a keg with spunding (for natural carbonation). I was planning on leaving it open for a couple of days before closing up with spunding. I realise the keg lid is quite small, so do you you think that would collect anything worthwhile?

Thanks... but what's the point of open fermentation if you cover it with cling wrap? I thought we want wild yeast to get in?

I would like to try a Farmhouse ale, and read they are often open fermented. Has anybody tried this, and how do you go about it - just leave the lid off?

Linking this to the Bia Hoi thread, I think Bia Hoi is ready as soon as fermentation is finished - that's why they call it "fresh beer", I think. I basically do the same thing - brew in the keg with spunding, and serve from there (no racking to another vessel). I usually wait a bit longer but I...

I stayed in one backpackers in Hanoi where they gave free Bia Hoi every night night at 6pm. The hardened drinkers like me used to circle round reception waiting for the keg to arrive!

Actually, you rarely seem to get it in Saigon. It is more of a Northern thing.

I recall my first Bia Hoi in 1993. An old lady with no teeth was selling it on the street. She grabbed a pipe and sucked on the end, siphoning the beer into my glass. It took a bit of courage to drink it!

The theoretical risk is that the glass might touch the tap and contaminate it. We used to always reuse our glass in England, and the habit has never left me - even in Oz I always bring my glass back to the bar 😂

1.046 OG (though never quite sure how well mixed the extract was) and 6 uncorrected. I am just trying to understand what the equivalent of, say, 1.01-1.02 is for Brix.

I use a refractometer, adjusting the FG reading with the Brewers friend calculator. I'm wondering what I should be expecting the FG to be in Brix? My current brew finished at 6 - is that about right?

I put about 60g each of Amarillo and Galaxy in a hop cylinder in a jug of hot water for half an hour or so. Will report back with results!

I brew in the keg with natural carbonation (so no CO2 for blanketing). I tried dry hopping a couple of times and it seemed to cause oxidation from the trapped air in the pellets. I'm wondering about trying a hop tea instead. I plan on steeping some Galaxy in water at about 70C. Any body tried...

G'day all. I brew in a keg with spunding, so I naturally carbonate & don't need secondary fermentation. This is good because the keg remains sealed after pitching, but I'm wondering how to dry hop. I am currently fermenting an IPA with 60g Victoria's Secret in a hop cylinder. My question is...

I think this makes sense. The enhancers contain a proportion of maltodextrin, which is not fermentable. So it will keep the gravity high.