Recent content by drtomc

Thanks guys! T.

Most beer had some level of wild yeast/bacterial infection and wasn't stored the way we do (well, some of us drink it faster than others, I guess). The variability (and you can just imagine some inns or households having persistent nasty infections, with no chemicals or understandings to help...

Hi All, Brewed a Dusseldorf Alt yesterday, currently fermenting, in my newly acquired fermentation fridge. 20L batch 4kg German Munich malt 0.5kg Australian Wheat malt 0.5kg German Pilsner malt Mashed 50C/65C for 5/90 mins, with washout at 78. German Northern Brewer to 29 IBU @ 90min German...

I generally rack to a secondary vessel for space reasons: I have a bigger primary vessel (to accommodate enthusiastic krausen), and rack in to more compact jerry cans for secondary. 2c.

+1 to dark candi. I make back to back saisons - a light one (pils malt with a bit of wheat, and a bit of [table] sugar), then a dark one (same malt, but dark candi instead of the sugar) on top of the yeast cake or with harvested yeast. A perfect summer occupation for my fermenter.

I'd keep it for my wit, and leave it out of the saison. IMHO saison is all about letting that yeast sing. She's a diva, but with the right encouragement, you'll be rewarded and left with a smile on your face.

4.5 yo 9% Baltic Porter - one or two left. Had one just the other day. Still rich, luscious, but some of the coffee aroma has gone. 4 yo 12% Belgian Strong Dark - in champagne punts. Still developing. Again, rich, smooth, velvety.

The yeast included with a kit is likely to be the smallest amount they thought would work, not the amount to produce the best beer. In addition, you don't know how it was stored. If you go to your LHBS, you'll find yeast that has been looked after. The ones you buy separately are larger so that...

Ill see how this batch goes. If it's not good, I'll turf the rest of the grain.

I've never cold crashed a beer (I don't have a brewing fridge). Just letting it stand for a week or two achieves a lot of the same effect. It does require patience though. ;-) T.

An beer is an ale if it uses an ale yeast, and a lager if it uses a lager yeast. T.

Just knocked out a Munich/Citra smash. Hit all the numbers. Tasted great in to the cube. Yay!

I leave the lid of my fermenter just partially screwed so that excess pressure can pass either way. I haven't had any infection problems ever that I can reasonably attribute to airlock type issues. Cleaning fails, yes. Children doing child antics, yes. Evil spoilage bugs floating in on the air...

Looks like I am settling for (3) then - relax, don't worry, have a home-brew. :)

Indeed, but time is my most precious ingredient. ;)