Recent content by Ballard

While looking for ways to add elderflower to my beer I came across this recipe http://recipewise.co.uk/ellen-ealu-elder-ale It uses Bog Myrtle instead of hops, so should keep the mosquitoes away too!

Thanks for the input guys! Ron, thanks for those recipes. I'm going to do some digging if I ever get some time.

Has anyone got experience in hunting down old recipes? My great grandmother was a Combe (of Watney Combe and Reid Combes) and I'm interested in hunting down a recipe one of their 19th century London double stouts. Where do I start? Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

How'd your clone work out for you? looking to brew some beers for the summer and i like a Brooklyn Lager in the sunshine (if any is forthcoming this year!) Did you overcome your yeast trouble? Did it taste anything like BL?

Did you get an easykeg system i the end?

I've just started using Tap-a-draft and bottles. I've heard the metal mini kegs are prone to rust. I'd do some research before investing in the kit

As long as there is some C02 in there it should sit on top of the beer and keep it fresh (its heavier than oxygen so should be ok). I put the first co2 capsule in after I'd let the whole thing get very cold (about 8 degrees) for around 24 hours (cold liquid absorbs co2 better), I then made sure...

i pop the aquarium heaters right into the fv, soaked in a tub with a milton tablet before use and then rinsed and its absolutely fine. but, if floor space isn't at a premium, I can see the value in heating water and putting the fv into it (like a bain marie)

I use these (ebay item number coming up) 321247157794 thermostatically controlled and fully submersible. Adjustable too so you can find the temp right for your yeast. Cheap too!

Well. That was delicious! primed the keg with sugar and LME. It didn't get a chance to mature in the keg for long, christmas was drunken and at 2 am we raided it as the nearest source of beer. I'd bottled about a gallon of it so I'll let those condition to see how it could have been! Thanks for...

Hi Smurfy, about to bottle an IPA kit from the range (on sunday in fact) can you recommend priming with malt and sugar to adjust the flavour or is it good just with sugar? I used LME and dark agave nectar and also added a little more bittering hops. Been tasting from the trail jar (it settled...

Hello! i'm new too but thought I'd chime in with some advice on the 'keeping the brew warm' situation. Check out this ebay item 321247157794 I bought one for my first brew and must say, couldn't be happier with the results and a fraction of the cost of a home brew immersion heater. Happy brewing!

Thanks guys, really helpful stuff. I will let you know the results when its drinking time. It's a very cheap kit but it smells fantastic, 14.99 for the kit seemed pretty good

Yeah, read that too. very informative but not specific too my question of when to add polyclar (if at all) or second fermenting into another bucket before the keg or just to the keg. I have been looking!

Hi, New to the group, looking forward to my first brew (currently a week into its first fermentation) of an IPA from a kit bought at 'The Range' I've been looking around and found some contradicting advice on what I should do next and so thought I would ask some experts! The kit said to...