I know a guy who ferments using a water bath and controls the water temp. He finds it much easier to work with and more consistent than trying to control air.

Bootleg or others would be best to pose the pH question to, but if I was going to try it from the hip, I'd at least mimic the pH of beer in a fermenter. There's lots of data out there on that question. I usually shoot for about 5.0 at the beginning of fermentation. The yeast take it another...

I've made French Toast for decades and never used Maple Syrup or Cinnamon. (just bread, burnt Sugar, Eggs & Milk, sometimes Vanilla) Smores are: toasted Marshmallow, Chocolate & Graham Cracker. All of that is obtainable from the listed grain bill. Unless I'm missing something, I don't even see...

My buddies and I tested a double-decoction vs. a single infusion on a Dunkelweisse. It was no contest. We picked out the odd beer in a blind triangle test easily. (the decoction was head and shoulders better) Both beers were the exact same recipe brewed side by side and fermented in the same...

After reading over https://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Decoction_Mashing, along with some of Kai's other articles on mash temps, I started doing 'ramp mashing' on my propane system. Note, I have a standoff false bottom in my kettle so my bag doesn't touch the bottom...

I posted my reply too early! I think that is exactly what happened to my two infected batches. I had a white film (pellicle?) on top and they both tasted like strong young pineapple. So I'm guessing ethyl butyrate is the compound I was looking for, and the cause was a wild Brett infection.

I've had beers look like those two pictures of white films when fermentation didn't kick off within 24 hours. I never figured out the chemical in question, but those are likely infections. For the two beers that happened, they both tasted and smelled like young (not ripe) pineapple and tasted...

As for the first recipe, the French Toast & S'mores are coming from the malts, nothing needs to be added to get these flavors. Read up on each of those malts individually from their suppliers and take note of the percentages used. (some malts express differently at varying percentages) I read...

I just did a batch with Lutra and it hit target FG in 24 hours at 90℉. (It kept going down to 1.005 at 38℉! for the next week) Depending on the size of the batch, I wouldn't worry too much about ambient fluctuation up to about 20-30℉. Mass doesn't want to change temp. (mine was a 5gal batch) On...

And back to the original post... I just used Omega's dried Lutra for the first time and it is a beast. It ate up a 1.048 single-malt wheat brew down to 1.012 in 24 hours at 90℉, and kept going after chilling down to at least 1.005 at 38℉! It might have gone drier, but I needed to rack the beer...

First, I wouldn't bother banking dry yeast as the other replies note. If you have a supply problem, I'd just crop or save yeast from a batch in the fridge. With starters and with saving cakes, I crash until the beer on top clears as much as possible. This will compact and drop out most of the...

No need for an entire gallon. Look up 'Congress Mash' and go that route. You don't have to go through the trouble of a full Congress Mash process, but you can certainly use the same amounts/proportions. Of course, you'll need a refractometer to check the resulting gravity and then do math to...

I think this is more likely the case and the key. I soak & brush every bottle and rinse with a jet bottle washer. Then I hold up to light/sun and check for cracks and stubborn debris spots. I've tossed several at the stage I set them in the drying rack, long before sanitizing and bottling...

I wouldn't put much stock in that result. I'm subscribed to their site and I didn't know the survey existed until they reported on it. (I don't visit it regularly on my own) I'd suspect it was an outreach problem more than a testament to the level of interest in the hobby. To be sure, economic...

Who cares what fermenter you use? Only you should care. Use what you like. I've used glass carboys, plastic buckets, and Big Mouth Bubblers. My friends have used Fermonsters, Speidels, Stainless BrewBuckets, Spike Conicals, etc. There are pros and cons to all types. Trub? My personal experience...

Ditto on saving yeast. And no, you don't have to 'bank' it and *don't* wash it! (just top crop into a 4oz. mason jar during high Krausen) Yeast like acidic environments. If you wash the previous beer out with distilled, they won't be happy. If I can't top crop (say for Lagers, or if I'm busy) I...

BrewHardware sells stand-off grids to use as false bottoms for BIAB. I have a 10gal Bayou Classic as a Kettle and the 14.75-inch model works perfectly. I installed my own pickup elbow and Spincycle whirlpool ports as low as I could so the 2-¼-inch legs work perfectly. They sell various sizes to...

I'm a big fan of SMaSH brews, especially for dialing in a system, and for learning hops. They serve as easy 'maintenance beers' to keep me hydrated during dry spells between my more fancy recipes. I've found the following SMaSH brewing process is the ticket: 1. Aim for a 4% beer. (that's 8#...

Rain? I've brewed during a hurricane and 2 tropical storms. (the weather was milder than it sounds to be fair) You've got nothing to worry about. Just be sure to cover the kettle *after* the boil for sure if it is still raining.

It sounds like you found a sweet spot between homebrew and micro and you get paid for it too! With respect to the undercarbed kegs. Don't overlook Blichmann's QuickCarb. I know it is a homebrew-level tool, but I've used it to carb a 15gal keg for a festival in a few of hours. (Corneys take...