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So if I decide not to mash out, should the full volume of wort be held in the tun for a certain length of time (if so how long?) or can I recirculate as soon as it's added?

I'm not clear about the following - say I get the mash sitting at 67C. When it comes time to add the remaining water should I aim to keep everything at 67C or should I raise the temp (to say, 76C) in an attermpt to mash out?

Hi Folks, After a bit of a layoff from AG brewing (I've tried a few of G&G's wort kits which are great!) I thought I'd have another crack at making an AG English-style Pale Ale. I've done about ten of these in the past and they've never come out quite right. In a nutshell, drinkable but not...

Thanks, I think I'll try giving it a prune. Cheers!

I never actually got around to weighing the harvest but the first year it filled a large mixing bowl ( I have a photo somewhere). I actually got more flowers in the first year. The second year was probably 10% down on the first. When you say "excess" what do you mean exactly?

Hi Folks, My third-season Goldings hop has recently poked its head out of the ground. In its first year it produced about five shoots and in its second year about thirty. Each year I've let it grow and haven't pruned it or tried to control it in any way. This year it looks like it's going to...

Thanks for the replies - yes, I think it's done! Cheers, Chris

Hi, I'm a fan of malty ales. I've just made an ESB-style ale using Windsor yeast. I fermented at 17 degrees. Prior to fermentation the SG was 1.050. Fermentation has stopped at 1.020. I realise that Windsor is known as a low-attenuator (that's why I chose it) however I'm a bit concerned that...

Hi, I do AG brewing and use an esky for mashing. I use a single SS braided hose to get the wort out of the tun. Although I'm generally happy with my mash losses (for a 20L batch I usually get 26L -> 20L so I lose about 6L) I've noticed that the spent grain is still pretty wet. I was thinking...

Some interesting reading here: http://www.cider.org.uk/bottles.htm

Hi, I'm interested in making some traditional French-style cider. I realise that it's a bit late in the season but I'd like to get some cider apples in Melbourne (or nearby areas). I'm looking for enough apples to make around 10 litres of cider (from what I've read this is about 20 kg of...

Hi Guys, Here's a picture of my 2012 Goldings crop in the dryer that I put together. Thanks for the help in getting to this stage.

Hi, I'm a first-time hop grower. I've managed to produce a reasonable crop of Goldings. I've made a basic dryer using some flywire and a wooden frame. I have two questions: Firstly, how long should the hops be dried for? Secondly, once the hops are dry what are my options for storing them? Do...

Hi Guys, I'm a first-time hop grower. I'm a bit unsure about whether my Goldings flowers are ready to pick. I've picked a few and they seem ok although they're not as aromatic as I thought they'd be. Here are a few pictures. Are these ready or should I leave them a bit longer? I've also...

Hi Guys, Thought I'd post a couple of pics of my first attempt at growing hops (Goldings). The plant has produced a pretty good crop. The flowers are starting to become really aromatic so I think they're close to being ready although they're still a bit too green to pick (I think!).

Hi, I've finally got round to setting up a brewing fridge with a thermostat. I realise that I can't set temperatures exactly however I notice that most yeasts have a recommended range. For example, for my latest brew I'm using Wyeast 1318 which has a recommended range of 18 - 23 degrees. For...

Hi, I finally got around to setting up temperature control (STC-1000 and a brew fridge). I'd like to have a go at brewing a lager. Any suggestions as to a basic "foolproof" lager recipe for a first attempt? Also, I'm a bit unclear as to whether I should pitch the yeast and then cool to...

Hi Guys, I'm having my first attempt at growing hops (Goldings). After a bit of a false start where I thought that the rhizome had rotted, I've now got six runners. The plant appears to be doing well however I've noticed that some of the leaves have brown patches. Any idea what this is? Also...

Hi Folks, Thought I'd share a couple of pics of my little hop trellis that I put up last weekend. It's probably a bit on the small side but it's really just and experiment. Cheers, Chris

Thanks for the feedback! At first I thought it was a weed and nearly pulled it out. The drug squad called and said they'd be around when it was producing flowers... Cheers, Chris