most recent 30 from http://brewadvice.com 2010-09-03T17:34:01Z http://brewadvice.com/feeds/user/13 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://brewadvice.com/questions/1693/how-much-strike-water-can-i-expect-to-lose-to-grain-hydration/1697#1697 Dean Brundage 2010-09-02T17:25:32Z 2010-09-03T14:10:45Z

<p>I always calculate a cup of water per pound of grain. (Sorry metric users.) Makes it easy to figure water loss - just divide the weight of your grain by 8 to get gallons lost.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1672/glucan-rest-necessary/1673#1673 Dean Brundage 2010-08-21T15:06:06Z 2010-08-21T15:06:06Z

<p>A beta glucan rest help convert starches made up of long strands of glucose molecules. These are typically found in oats, wheat and rye. If you have a low percentage of those malts you can skip the stage.</p> <h2>Try it out</h2> <p>See if you can detect a change in the beer.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1637/is-it-possible-to-make-a-lager-without-secondary-fermentation/1641#1641 Dean Brundage 2010-08-03T14:24:16Z 2010-08-03T14:24:16Z

<p>You can, and I do, ferment and lager in the same vessel. No racking necessary. My lagers come out crisp and tasty. Control the temperature as you would for fermentation then lagering, but do not bother transferring between vessels.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1592/what-are-the-effects-of-a-watery-mash/1593#1593 Dean Brundage 2010-07-18T19:17:16Z 2010-07-18T19:17:16Z

<p>The major effect is dilution of enzyme concentration. In a watery mash the enzymes take longer to convert starches.</p> <p>While it takes longer to convert, you will ultimately end up with a more fermentable wort because high concentrations of sugars hinder enzyme action.</p> <p>See <a href="http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14-6.html" rel="nofollow">Manipulating the Starch Conversion Rest</a></p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1584/cleaning-up-the-sweat-flux Dean Brundage 2010-07-14T14:54:50Z 2010-07-17T16:55:16Z

<p>What is a effective way to clean the inside of copper fittings after sweating them together?</p> <p>[Edit: eye candy]</p> <p><a href="http://blog.deanandadie.net/2010/07/hard-plumbing-the-stand/" rel="nofollow">See here for eye-candy</a>.</p> <p><img src="http://blog.deanandadie.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_3356-150x150.jpg" alt="Plumbing"> <img src="http://blog.deanandadie.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_3357-150x150.jpg" alt="Plumbing"></p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1571/misjudging-volumes-in-all-grain/1574#1574 Dean Brundage 2010-07-12T14:29:10Z 2010-07-12T14:29:10Z

<p>I've been brewing all grain for six years and I'm finally getting the right volume into the keg at the end of the brew. You can get close with calculations.</p> <h2>Mash</h2> <p>The grain absorbs about one pint per pound. Divide the weight of your grain by eight to get the number of gallons it will absorb. You won't lose any water during sparging because the grain has already absorbed as much water as it can hold.</p> <p>It is important, however, to figure out how much sweet wort you leave behind in the mash tun. My cooler with manifold tun couldn't suck up all the liquid in the bottom. I'd leave a quart or more in it.</p> <h2>Boil</h2> <p>Measure the pre-boil volume. It is an important aid in figuring the final gravity and hop utilization.</p> <p>Don't blast the wort. It's sufficient to maintain a 6-10% evaporation rate according to the pros I talk to. Listen to the <a href="http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/600" rel="nofollow">Brew Strong episode</a> on the boil for the whos and whyfores.</p> <p>Hops and trub will absorb a small amount of water, especially in an IPA.</p> <p>Measure the post-boil volume. Keep in mind that boiling water takes up 4% more volume than water at room temperature. In other words, if you have 5 gallons of wort at a boil, it will seem like 5.2 gallons. Adjust accordingly.</p> <p>Account for any wort left in the kettle when all is said and done. I was wasting almost a quart before changing my pick up tube.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1530/meta-how-do-i-get-this-site-to-e-mail-all-questions-to-me/1533#1533 Dean Brundage 2010-07-01T19:48:06Z 2010-07-01T19:48:06Z

<p>There's also a <a href="http://twitter.com/brewadvice" rel="nofollow">twitter feed</a> of questions. You can have tweets delivered to your mobile if you really want to rocket up the rep curve.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1507/how-do-you-sanitize-the-outside-of-your-racking-cane/1510#1510 Dean Brundage 2010-06-29T13:11:32Z 2010-06-29T13:11:32Z

<h2>My technique</h2> <p>Stick it in the carboy/bucket/keg that is full of sanitizer. You only have to get the part of the cane that will touch wort, but it doesn't hurt to splash or wipe sanitizer on the entire cane.</p> <h2>A better way</h2> <p>You can build a dirt cheap dedicated sanitizing vessel. Go to the hardware store and get a length of 2-4 inch diameter PVC pipe and a matching slip-fit plug or cap. Cut the pipe longer than your racking cane. Glue the plug in one end and, viola, you have a water-tight tube for sanitizing tall, narrow things.</p> <p>Your diagram is almost perfect. Picture it made of PVC pipe with a large enough diameter to allow the entire cane to fit.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1421/low-cost-conical-fermenter/1506#1506 Dean Brundage 2010-06-28T14:01:49Z 2010-06-28T14:01:49Z

<p>Check out <strong>shipping</strong> on those tanks. I looked into placing an order of five of their 35-gallon tanks and it would cost $450 to freight them to me.</p> <p>Don't forget (or "have you heard") about <a href="http://www.minibrew.com/index.php?main_page=index&amp;cPath=5" rel="nofollow">Mini-Brew plastic conicals</a>. They're a little more expensive, but you get a racking port and a side port for temperature probe. I found mine on eBay for about half the list price.</p> <p>Both the Tank-Depot and Mini-Brew conicals have threaded fittings, which may harbor bacteria. I got an infection in one of mine that ruined four batches in a row. I put it on the shelf and haven't touched it. (I'll sell it to ya cheap!)</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1444/using-a-induction-cooktop/1445#1445 Dean Brundage 2010-06-14T16:24:40Z 2010-06-14T16:24:40Z

<p>As long as you can get a good rolling boil with about 8-12% evaporation rate per hour then there is nothing wrong with an induction cooktop. Just my $0.02.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1432/can-extract-brewing-achieve-professional-results/1434#1434 Dean Brundage 2010-06-09T14:24:46Z 2010-06-09T14:24:46Z

<p>I know of one place in the entire San Francisco Bay Area, the <a href="http://www.pacificcoastbrewing.com/" rel="nofollow">Pacific Coast Brewing Co</a>, that brews extract beers. The brewhouse is tiny. They've been doing it that way for 20 years. Many of their beers were decorated with bronze &amp; silver medals from GABF in the mid-90s. While uncommon, you can make good beer.</p> <p>I visited Oakland in 2008 to judge the Sam Adams Longshot competition right across the street from Pacific Coast. I was not impressed with their beers and most of the other judges poo-pooed them for brewing extract. People who know beer may turn up their noses when they find out your brewpub "cheats".</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1406/club-meeting-ideas/1412#1412 Dean Brundage 2010-06-04T14:01:28Z 2010-06-04T14:01:28Z

<p>I am the informal president of the local brew club here. </p> <p>First, decide among your members <strong>what you all want to get out of the club</strong>. We started out as a group of people that got together and made beer, then became sort of a social club. Everyone would bring beer and we'd just party. A few months ago we had a club discussion and decided to be more educational. Open it up to the members.</p> <p>It is a little difficult to start. Like you I need fresh ideas for the club to do every month. Furthermore I need to find volunteers to participate. </p> <h2>Have something at every meeting</h2> <p>It does not matter how small they are (as long as most of them are engaging).</p> <h3>Style of the month</h3> <p>We feature a beer style every month. Encourage members to brew their own or bring commercial examples. That opens everyone up discuss the style. Last fall we had 7 or 8 Oktoberfests and did a very good tasting panel. It helps homebrewers to announce the style at least two months in advance.</p> <h3>Discussion Topics</h3> <p>Have something to talk about. This month we discuss aeration techniques. We had a <strong>water chemistry</strong> lesson, a <strong>brew-in-a-bag demo</strong>, and a how-to on <strong>making yeast starters in a ziploc bag</strong>. In the beginning it may be only things you are interested in, but other members will pick it up.</p> <h2>Do big things every once in a while</h2> <p>Every few months have a bigger club event. Brew-ins are usually successful - everyone brings their equipment somewhere and we make beer.</p> <p>Our club got a wine barrel from a local winery and we had a <a href="http://blog.deanandadie.net/tag/barrel/" rel="nofollow">club filling day</a> where we put 55 gallons of RIS.</p> <p>My previous had a yearly brewery tour by bus.</p> <p>I think once you get going the ideas will come on their own.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1396/my-keg-is-empty-now-what/1398#1398 Dean Brundage 2010-06-03T13:31:44Z 2010-06-03T13:36:50Z

<p><strong>First, shed a little tear for the empty keg. Then get excited about the next beer to fill it.</strong></p> <p>I'm not as methodical as brewchez. There are four dirty kegs sitting open in my garage right now. As you can imagine the leftover beer gets pretty dry and cakey. Never a problem.</p> <h2>Clean</h2> <p>PBW and it's ilk are my cleaner of choice. Put a few gallons of hot water &amp; PBW in your keg, swirl and let soak until the gunk comes off. I do not fill all the way up to the top ring of crud so I usually have to do a little light scrubbing.</p> <p>Disassemble and inspect the posts and tubes. Remove the lid and O-ring. I'll sometimes run a pipe cleaner through the dip tube. Soak everything in the cleaner for good measure.</p> <p>For picnic taps, disassemble and clean the beer line. Regular taps can be cleaned every second or third (or fourth) keg. Fill a keg with cleaner and push it through with CO₂.</p> <h2>Rinse</h2> <p>With cold water.</p> <p>If you cleaned your tap lines push some rinse water through them.</p> <h2>Sanitize</h2> <p>... with your favorite sanitizer. Soak the parts. Dump.</p> <p>(Many sanitizers will retain their power if saved in a keg. I am thinking of making the switch to caustics for this reason.)</p> <h2>Seal</h2> <p>Whether you save sanitizer or dispose of it, reassemble the keg and charge with CO₂ to seal.</p> <h2>Mark</h2> <p>Some people have a "clean tag" for kegs that have been through this process. I know a keg is clean if it is empty and charged.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1390/hop-schedule-for-single-hop-ale-brewing/1392#1392 Dean Brundage 2010-06-01T13:42:26Z 2010-06-01T13:42:26Z

<p>This is a great exercise. Months ago I brewed a single hop brown ale and now I can identify Northern Brewer hops. That beer was a single bittering addition at 90 minutes, but the idea is the same.</p> <p>I would keep the aroma addition where it is. Boiling and dry hopping work differently so you might miss out on something without the last kettle addition. The flavor addition is also fine.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1365/tips-for-my-first-english-ipa/1375#1375 Dean Brundage 2010-05-26T14:51:15Z 2010-05-26T14:51:15Z

<blockquote> <p>So, what you think? All opinions are welcome! I wanna make a great IPA!</p> </blockquote> <p>It looks like a good IPA, but not a good <em>English</em> IPA.</p> <p><a href="http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style14.php#1a" rel="nofollow">The BJCP says</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong> Pale ale malt (well-modified and suitable for single-temperature infusion mashing); English hops; English yeast that can give a fruity or sulfury/minerally profile. Refined sugar may be used in some versions. High sulfate and low carbonate water is essential to achieving a pleasant hop bitterness in authentic Burton versions, although not all examples will exhibit the strong sulfate character.</p> </blockquote> <p>The original gravity looks on target. You overshot the IBU range by 5-10 IBUs.</p> <p>I recommend using Maris Otter or Golden Promise malt instead of Pale for that authentic British character.</p> <p>Drop the wheat malt. It will cloud up a beer that is supposed to be bright. If you want soft malt character try some Vienna malt.</p> <p>Regarding the hops, I like the flavor of Fuggles, especially when paired with Centennial for bittering.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1285/determining-the-potential-gravity-of-non-grain-additions/1288#1288 Dean Brundage 2010-05-06T12:12:58Z 2010-05-06T12:12:58Z

<p>This question has <a href="http://brewadvice.com/questions/655/wiki-how-do-you-calculate-original-gravity" rel="nofollow">been answered here</a>.</p> <p>Combine one pound of your adjunct with enough water to make 1 gallon. Measure the potential gravity.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/435/meta-voting-etiquette Dean Brundage 2010-01-13T21:40:21Z 2010-05-03T19:11:57Z

<h2>Under what circumstances do you vote a <em>question</em> up or down?</h2> <p>Let's have a little discussion on voting and friendly behavior.</p> <p>Asking and answering questions is not the only way to participate on BrewAdvice. The thing that differentiates this site from a forum is the way good questions and answers sift their way to the top. Voting makes this possible.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1260/what-is-the-best-brewing-log-sheet-to-use/1263#1263 Dean Brundage 2010-05-03T02:00:16Z 2010-05-03T02:00:16Z

<p>I started off using ProMash until switching to a Mac. Then I kept handwritten records. Now I use <strong><a href="http://basicbrewingshop.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&amp;cPath=1&amp;products_id=1" rel="nofollow">the brewer's logbook</a></strong>.</p> <p><a href="http://hopville.com/" rel="nofollow">Hopville</a> is okay for recipes, but not adapted for brewing sessions.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1243/extract-late-with-a-full-boil/1247#1247 Dean Brundage 2010-04-29T19:16:03Z 2010-04-29T19:16:03Z

<p>Most recipes are formulated for full wort, full gravity boils. Reserving extract would increase your hop utilization and the beer would be slightly, but probably not noticeably, lighter. Make your own decision about the benefits.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1245/starter-and-smack-packs/1246#1246 Dean Brundage 2010-04-29T19:04:17Z 2010-04-29T19:04:17Z

<h1>Making a starter is generally a good idea</h1> <h2>It doesn't really matter when you add the contents</h2> <p>It's the same process going on in the pack as in the starter. The smack pack contains some sugars and a little yeast nutrient, making it essentially a starter on it's own. It will get you to about the half number of cells needed for a 5 gallon batch.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1202/re-racking-in-a-buffalo-trace-whiskey-barrel/1206#1206 Dean Brundage 2010-04-22T23:45:13Z 2010-04-22T23:45:13Z

<h2><a href="http://brewadvice.com/questions/232/keeping-a-barrel" rel="nofollow">See this question.</a></h2> <p>Our club put 55 gallons of Russian Imperial stout in a Merlot barrel a few weeks ago. We pumped 20 gallons of boiling water into it to sanitize.</p> <p>I sent an email to Russian River a few weeks ago. Here's what Guy, an assistant brewer, said:</p> <blockquote> <p>Hi Dean,</p> <p>We always try to get the wine barrels straight from the winery and fill them as soon as possible. Sometimes we hot rinse them and sometimes we don't. It depends on the winery, how soon they had been emptied, and what the barrels smell like. If they do sit or seem pretty dry, we use a pressure washer-type device with a jet-like attachment that goes up through the bunghole and we blast hot water into them for 3-5 min. With the Sudzers barrel we just heated a bunch of water to "sanitizing" temperature and filled it halfway or so, let it sit a bit, then plugged the hole and rolled it over to expose the rest of the barrel to the hot water. Rinse and repeat as necessary. Also use your nose to make sure there are no strong acetobacter/vinegar aromas. We don't use any barrels at RR that have that smell, but we rarely get any that do because they don't sit long. We also fill them with warm water to allow the wood to expand and look for any leaks before filling. Even if they do leak a little...or a lot...letting them soak for a day or two and keeping them topped up usually cures it. We don't use any chemicals.</p> <p>Good luck,</p> <p>Guy</p> </blockquote>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1185/can-i-add-finings-after-fermentation-has-begun/1187#1187 Dean Brundage 2010-04-21T15:15:45Z 2010-04-21T15:15:45Z

<h1>Probably not</h1> <p>Irish moss (half of Whirlfloc) is a kettle coagulant. In a roiling boil the seaweed is like a snowball, crashing into and sticking to proteins. It needs that rolling action to clump. If your fermentation is still vigorous then you may get some benefit, but I'm not sure what role temperature plays.</p> <h2>Let it sit longer</h2> <p>Leave it in your fermenter for two or three extra weeks and let gravity do it's thing.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1181/how-do-i-adjust-mash-temperature-and-thickness-to-add-body-to-a-beer/1182#1182 Dean Brundage 2010-04-21T13:24:19Z 2010-04-21T13:24:19Z

<p>There are easy two things you can do in the mash to manipulate the flavor profile (this also applies to steeping specialty grains).</p> <h2>Thick Mash</h2> <p>Use a water to grist ratio that is less than 1.25 quart per pound. </p> <blockquote> <p>[It] is better for protein breakdown, and results in a faster overall starch conversion, but the resultant sugars are less fermentable and will result in a sweeter, maltier beer. (<a href="http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14-6.html" rel="nofollow">How to Brew</a>)</p> </blockquote> <h2>Mash Warm</h2> <p>Alpha amylase <a href="http://homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Mash_temperatures" rel="nofollow">is responsible for unfermentable sugars</a>. Hit a temperature above 150ºF, like 164º. Get there quickly to denature beta amylase. </p> <p><img src="http://www.howtobrew.com/images/f79.gif" alt="Mash temperatures"></p> <p><a href="http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14-1.html" rel="nofollow">How To Brew</a></p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1175/would-you-trust-this-starter/1176#1176 Dean Brundage 2010-04-20T22:08:11Z 2010-04-20T22:08:11Z

<h2>You're probably fine</h2> <p>Decant off most of the liquid. Taste it.</p> <p>Swirl up the slurry. Taste it.</p> <h2>Be sanitary</h2>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1163/wiki-tips-for-recipe-scaling/1164#1164 Dean Brundage 2010-04-19T01:31:27Z 2010-04-19T01:31:27Z

<h1>Convert things to percentages</h1> <h2>By weight</h2> <ul> <li>70% Maris Otter</li> <li>20% Rye Malt</li> <li>5% Munich Malt</li> <li>3% Crystal 120L</li> <li><p>2% Special B</p></li> <li><p>80% Bittering Mt Hood</p></li> <li>18% Flavor Kent Goldings</li> <li>2% Aroma Saaz</li> </ul>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1154/what-is-a-hopback/1155#1155 Dean Brundage 2010-04-16T14:51:58Z 2010-04-16T14:51:58Z

<p><img src="http://bayareabrewing.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/hopback_full.jpg" alt="Hopback"> <a href="http://bayareabrewing.com/category/homebrew/10/" rel="nofollow">http://bayareabrewing.com/category/homebrew/10/</a></p> <h2>Theory</h2> <p>A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopback#Hopback" rel="nofollow">hopback</a> is a sealed chamber into which you put whole leaf hops. <strong>Hot wort</strong> exits the kettle, passing through the hopback before chilling.</p> <p>Like whirlpool additions, the hops contribute volatile aroma compounds that would normally evaporate in the boil. The leaf hops also filter hot break, helping to clear your beer.</p> <h2>Construction</h2> <p>Any sealed chamber large enough to hold a few ounces of whole leaf will do. Probably 10-20 grams per gallon of wort. Add an inlet and outlet and put some sort of screen on the outlet. The one pictured above is good for gravity flows, but might not work as well for force pumped wort.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1151/brass-vs-stainless-steel-for-fittings/1153#1153 Dean Brundage 2010-04-16T02:07:54Z 2010-04-16T02:07:54Z

<p>Stainless is great for any brewing applications except where heat-transfer is desirable.</p> <p>Brass is awesome for situations when you can't afford to buy stainless steel.</p> <p>Both alloys are fine for brewing. Stainless does not conduct heat as well as brass or copper. Some brass fittings should be <em><a href="http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixB.html" rel="nofollow">pickled</a></em> to eliminate lead.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1135/pro-mash-tun-design/1136#1136 Dean Brundage 2010-04-13T15:50:59Z 2010-04-13T15:50:59Z

<h2>For some brewing equipment porn have a look at the <a href="http://www.probrewer.com/classifieds/" rel="nofollow">ProBrewer Classifieds forum</a>.</h2> <p>All the professional mash tuns I've seen drain from the bottom, many into a grant. I don't think there is a good way to start a siphon at that scale.</p> <p>Most of the tuns I encounter are steam jacketed. Some smaller ones are direct-fire. Some examples:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Saint Arnold</strong> steam, 120 BBL</li> <li><strong>Southern Star</strong> steam, 15 BBL</li> <li><strong>Bootlegger's Brewery</strong> direct fire, 3 BBL</li> <li><strong>Anchor Steam</strong> steam</li> </ul>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1111/effects-of-different-boil-intensities/1114#1114 Dean Brundage 2010-04-09T04:08:35Z 2010-04-12T19:40:37Z

<p>I have half a blog post in my head about the six <em>-ations</em> of the boil. Here's a sample.</p> <p>Also listen to <a href="http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/600" rel="nofollow">this episode of Brew Strong</a> for a lot of good information.</p> <h1>In general, shoot for an 8 &mdash; 12% evaporation rate.</h1> <p><br/></p> <h1>Evaporation</h1> <p>The most obvious one. The more water you drive off, the more concentrated your wort will turn out. This has the effect of increasing sweetness, hop flavor and bitterness. If your recipe is formulated for a particular finish volume, you <em>may</em> miss flavor targets. It would have to be a pretty extreme difference.</p> <h1>Volatilization</h1> <p>A non-obvious, but important one. S-Methylmethionine (SMM) forms during the boil, which gives way to <a href="http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/DMS" rel="nofollow">DMS</a>, a cooked corn off-flavor. DMS has a low taste threshold, meaning just a little is perceptible in the finished product. Luckily for us, SMM easily volatilizes in the boil and is driven out. (This is why it's a bad idea to boil with the lid on.) A weak boil will not eliminate as much DMS precursor, possibly spoiling your beer.</p> <h2>Coagulation</h2> <p>This is a physical process - the act of particles bumping into each other in the boil makes them stick together. Good hot and cold break partly rely on turning over the volume of work. Only a good rolling boil can achieve good coagulation. The final product will be hazier and more prone to spoiling over long-term storage.</p> <h2>Caramelization</h2> <p>Responsible for many complex malty flavors, this <em>-ation</em> requires heat. Stronger heat needed to rapidly boil will increase the reactions. I doubt the difference between 5% and 20% evaporation rate (a easy measure of boil intensity) over a typical 60 minute boil will be very noticable.</p> <p>(Technically, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction" rel="nofollow">Maillard reaction</a>, but that doesn't rhyme. Caramelization involves oxygen, not present in the boil.)</p> <h2>The other two</h2> <p>Boil intensity won't affect <em>sterilization</em> or <em>isomerization</em> much.</p> <h2>One more: energy</h2> <p>More energy is required to heat the boil, duh. May be a factor if you use propane. No effect on the beer.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1124/converting-your-fermentation-bucket-into-a-mash-tun/1128#1128 Dean Brundage 2010-04-11T13:15:51Z 2010-04-11T13:15:51Z

<p>Look into <a href="http://google.com/search?q=brew+in+a+bag" rel="nofollow">brew in a bag</a>. You use your kettle for your mash tun. It sounds like you're nearly there since you already use a bag.</p>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1627/countering-excessive-maltodextrin/1628#1628 Dean Brundage 2010-07-28T14:08:28Z 2010-07-28T14:08:28Z

Blending is the answer. A little bit at a time until you get a good mix.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1604/checking-for-co2-leaks/1617#1617 Dean Brundage 2010-07-23T15:34:29Z 2010-07-23T15:34:29Z

Or use a spray bottle.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1602/using-force-carbing-how-long-does-5-lbs-co2-last-you Dean Brundage 2010-07-23T15:32:16Z 2010-07-23T15:32:16Z

Down-voted. This has been asked and answered here: <a href="http://brewadvice.com/questions/680/how-long-does-5lb-of-c02-last-you" rel="nofollow" title="how long does 5lb of c02 last you">brewadvice.com/questions/680/&hellip;</a>

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1124/converting-your-fermentation-bucket-into-a-mash-tun/1130#1130 Dean Brundage 2010-07-19T15:22:40Z 2010-07-19T15:22:40Z

Well done &#186;&#186;&#186;&#186;&#186;

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1592/what-are-the-effects-of-a-watery-mash/1594#1594 Dean Brundage 2010-07-19T15:21:48Z 2010-07-19T15:21:48Z

Right. I suspect you have to get up to ridiculous water to grist ratios before running into a problem. Even then, continuous stirring would probably solve that problem.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1592/what-are-the-effects-of-a-watery-mash/1593#1593 Dean Brundage 2010-07-19T00:10:15Z 2010-07-19T00:10:15Z

Nah, the grain settles pretty well. A good vorlauf will set up your filter.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1592/what-are-the-effects-of-a-watery-mash/1594#1594 Dean Brundage 2010-07-19T00:08:10Z 2010-07-19T00:08:10Z

I use 2qts/lb for all my brews

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1592/what-are-the-effects-of-a-watery-mash Dean Brundage 2010-07-18T18:46:59Z 2010-07-18T18:46:59Z

How much is &quot;too much&quot;? In qt/lb would be nice.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1584/cleaning-up-the-sweat-flux/1585#1585 Dean Brundage 2010-07-16T14:18:43Z 2010-07-16T14:18:43Z

I recirculated PBW for five minutes, then rinsed.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1568/fermenator-questions/1570#1570 Dean Brundage 2010-07-12T14:30:46Z 2010-07-12T14:30:46Z

+1 calling Blichmann.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1174/alternative-non-traditional-brewing-practices/1177#1177 Dean Brundage 2010-07-09T17:16:18Z 2010-07-09T17:16:18Z

Fullers brewery in London does sort of a batch sparge/partigyle brew. Look it up on recent episodes of the Brewing Network's Can You Brew It

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1174/alternative-non-traditional-brewing-practices/1188#1188 Dean Brundage 2010-07-09T17:14:00Z 2010-07-09T17:14:00Z

I'm pretty sure I heard Papazian mention still using bucket fermenters in one of the many interviews I've heard. That dude makes good beer, but I don't know if he's into the competition circuit.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1421/low-cost-conical-fermenter/1506#1506 Dean Brundage 2010-06-29T18:28:44Z 2010-06-29T18:28:44Z

Just pointing out a downside to the seemingly cheap price of the tanks. Ultimately, I would be happier with SS. I converted to using half-barrel kegs and a special fitting for my fermenters. They're not conical, but are stainless and work well.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1342/what-is-the-best-book-for-beginning-home-brewers/1345#1345 Dean Brundage 2010-06-23T14:18:41Z 2010-06-23T14:18:41Z

I'd classify this as an intermediate book. It's not advanced and a smart new brewer could get good use from it. I always recommend this to homebrewers that want to improve their beers.

http://brewadvice.com/questions/1425/keeping-a-bottle-of-no-rinse-sanitiser Dean Brundage 2010-06-18T14:34:12Z 2010-06-18T14:34:12Z

The OP doesn't mention it; Idophor can <i>not</i> be kept indefinitely.