Recent content by Simon_W

Thanks everyone, so many suggestions here. I have been pumping cleaner through the plate chiller in recent times, they are tricky to keep clean and I also wonder how I can be sure there is no cross contamination between the water and wort circuit. I think problems with your beer can turn you...

I use glass bottles these days but I did start out using plastic back in 2009 :D I agree, they get a bit dodgy, much like plastic fermenters if they get scratched.

No problem, it is a fair question! My suspicion of a biological contamination is the rapid deterioration of the flavour from point of bottling to 3 weeks in a bottle. For example a hoppy pale ale loses the hop flavours and the sour flavours develop. It produces a similar flavour to beers I made...

Hey everyone, I think this might be my first ever post, I've been lurking in the background for years :) I have been homebrewing for almost 10 years and have made many very nice brews but in recent times, despite knowing how important sanitisation is, I am managing to get infections. It is...

Hi Matt, A grainfather! Nice. My set up is a bit more diy and certainly less attractive. I work in St Albans and there is a chemist/ homebrew shop there for quick buy ingredients. I've only used it for gypsum but they have a reasonable selection of bits in there. Probably the drive to St...

Hi Larry, I live in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire so I'm not near Ally Pally. Maybe it gave the wrong location?

Afternoon all, I've poked my head in here a few times over the years looking for advice but felt it was time I joined up! I've been brewing since my wife got me a starter kit in 2010. Since then I have gradually progressed to all grain which started earlier this year. I've really enjoyed...