Search found 1291 matches

by OldSpeckledBadger
Mon Jun 10, 2013 10:39 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: Still getting slightly harsh taste in my homebrew
Replies: 17
Views: 2711

Re: Still getting slightly harsh taste in my homebrew

85C might be a bit too hot for sparging. I heat my sparge water to at about 80C which gives a final temperature of about 76-77C when added to the mash. The other thing is to do a pH test of your mash about 10 minutes in to check that your alkalinity is appropriate for the beer you're making. I use a...
by OldSpeckledBadger
Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:30 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: Water treatment for a mild
Replies: 12
Views: 1930

Re: Water treatment for a mild

I've got quite hard water here. For a mild I knock the alkalinity down slightly to around 130, add some Calcium Sulphate to the mash and Calcium Chloride to the boil. Works for me.
by OldSpeckledBadger
Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:43 am
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: first brew strength
Replies: 13
Views: 2036

Re: first brew strength

As others have rightly said you want to mash at 66C or maybe a few degrees higher for more body (but slightly less alcohol). I'd advise standardising on 66C for a good few brews so that you can get some consistency into the process. Also if you're going to experiment with mash temperatures in any me...
by OldSpeckledBadger
Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:09 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: My beer tastes like melons
Replies: 24
Views: 3756

Re: My beer tastes like melons

Oxygenation is possible. I was using my stockpot fermenter for the first time, and the lid doesn't actually seal. It was in there for nine days and I suppose air could have entered. No you won't get oxygenation there. The lid doesn't need to seal. CO2 is heavier than air and will form a protective ...
by OldSpeckledBadger
Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:16 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: My beer tastes like melons
Replies: 24
Views: 3756

Re: My beer tastes like melons

Fermented malt tastes slightly malty. It's definitely not under-hopping (mild doesn't taste of melons). Perhaps it's just some weird result of using quite a lot of crystal malt with first gold?
by OldSpeckledBadger
Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:10 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: Batch sparging - 3 batches!
Replies: 11
Views: 1735

Re: Batch sparging - 3 batches!

gnutz2 wrote:Problem with 3 sparges is you don't get the grain bed up to mash out temps (76-78c) because the first batch isn't large enough volume of water to bring the temp up.
So just raise the initial sparge water temperature to compensate.
by OldSpeckledBadger
Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:54 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: AG#1 help I think I stuffed up
Replies: 7
Views: 1366

Re: AG#1 help I think I stuffed up

far9410 wrote:Not forgetting the amount of liquor absorbed by the grains.
Which is generally about 1 litre per KG of grain.
by OldSpeckledBadger
Sun Jan 13, 2013 11:13 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: Cloudy wort in fv
Replies: 7
Views: 1583

Re: Cloudy wort in fv

It'll sort itself out. Break material in the FV is nothing to worry about.
by OldSpeckledBadger
Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:45 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: Low efficiency
Replies: 13
Views: 2134

Re: Low efficiency

Are you sure when you did the temperature adjustment calculation that you didn't make a mistake there?

Personally I gave up taking OG measurement and all that after about the second brew. As long as it tastes good (which it always does) I'm not bothered how weak or strong it is.
by OldSpeckledBadger
Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:15 am
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: DME or Brewing Sugar
Replies: 3
Views: 1088

Re: DME or Brewing Sugar

For the amount you're using the taste difference will be imperceptible. DME has a lower fermentability than sugar so gram-for-gram you'll get a bit less carbonation. Some mistakenly interpret this lower carbonation as some magical "smoothness" when in fact you could get exactly the same result with ...
by OldSpeckledBadger
Fri Nov 09, 2012 7:26 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: Fermentation hasn't started
Replies: 21
Views: 3295

Re: Fermentation hasn't started

No idea why your yeast has failed but if were me I'd get that S04 in there quick.
by OldSpeckledBadger
Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:42 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: Added unboiled wort to fermenter!
Replies: 25
Views: 3953

Re: Added unboiled wort to fermenter!

You'll probably be OK. Wort is a hostile environment, lethal to virtually everything apart from yeast.
by OldSpeckledBadger
Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:15 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: Hot and cold breaks
Replies: 18
Views: 3665

Re: Hot and cold breaks

It's the same protein material involved in both the hot and cold breaks. Definitely not something to lose sleep over...
by OldSpeckledBadger
Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:10 pm
Forum: Grain Brewing
Topic: No prime keg
Replies: 10
Views: 1709

Re: No prime keg

You might want to read this thread

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=42151

and inwardly digest what Graham Wheeler says about venting off the volatiles in casked beers. You won't be able to do that with a keg.