Recent content by Half-baked

Hi John, given this is your first AG batch, there's a good chance the OG will be different to what the kit says. It'll take time and experience to work out how much grain to use for a particular OG. And FG is always a guide, how much sugar the yeast will eat depends on a lot of factors. So my...

I'd be keen to see values of different brewing data for popular examples of particular styles, and if there are correlations between beers that are more popular. E.g. the most popular APAs typically have a ABV of W, a FG of X, IBUs of Y and a pH of Z, or an OG:BU ratio of A, etc. Would be...

I didn’t really mean to sidetrack this thread into English pedantry, but I will anyway... We recommend you = we think you should We do not recommend you = we’re not saying you should We recommend you do not = we’re saying you shouldn’t As an example, the very next Q&A from the Fermentis website...

I've only seen advice that aerating is unnecessary for dry yeast... and that is consistent with what is on the Fermentis website. It'd be good to know of any reputable sources that say aerating is detrimental when pitching dry yeast.

Cool, just wanted to make sure OP didn't think they did something wrong, just something unnecessary...

Being a bit of a pedant here, but Fermentis don't recommend that people aerate the wort... which is not the same as recommending that people do not aerate. From the website: We don’t recommend aerating the wort in normal conditions. The dry yeast has been produced and dried with a specific...

What temp was the fz while you were carbonating? When I bottle from a keg (using a beer gun), I like to have the beer around 2oC at 15 PSI. Then vent it to around 3 PSI as you did. Bottles at 2oC too. You’ll lose some carbonation during the bottling, in fact you want to, to ensure you’re...

I keep a carb cap attached to the collection container. When time to dump, I close the butterfly valve then connect beer line (with a disconnect each end) from the cap on the collection container to the cap on the top of the unit. CO2 from fermentation pushes the beer from the container up the...

Yeah, that’s one of my locals. The markup (vs direct from manufacturer) varies from not much to quite a lot. They have GFs, but not sure if their prices are competitive. Have you looked at BrewTools? Have heard good things about that unit...

No, we’re pretty underdone for home brew shops in Sydney. Buy yeast, hops and specialty malts from my locals, but inevitably my major equipment purchases come from Vic (usually China via Vic).

Yet another for the heat pad. Looks like you’re onto a winner with that one

Hi chi-brew, yes I did this as per the diagram. It was checked by an electrician, and have been using it for six months now, but before starting my CBPi build I had zero electrical expertise (now I have slightly more than zero). So please don’t take my diagram to be safe - get anything you do...

On Facebook I’ve started to be bombarded by craft breweries offering free shipping. Hopefully just going for people avoiding shops, but makes you realise that a lot of businesses will be doing it tough over the next few months. Make sure you buy a few cases from your favourite breweries

This sounds like an efficiency question, not a volume one. Volume is reasonably easy: fermenter volume = mash water + sparge water - grain absorption - boil off - trub and line loss. If you are not getting enough water into your fermenter, adjust the assumptions above. Efficiency is a much...

I could use a fourth...