Recent content by WestEnder

I really should get a thermometer for the job. I've bean using a meat thermometer so far and while it seem to work I'm a bit worried about it measuring core temperature given it's designed to measure things no thicker than a pork chop as opposed to six kilo of doughy malt. :) Digital...

Interesting - and I never knew the name for those sciency looking glass beakers you see when people make starters. :) The best thing is that you've answered the question about time. I sounds like I can spend a few weeks seeing if it works before I commit to buying the rest of the ingredients.

Cheers. Having read a bit more it seems a lot of folk use dregs for secondary fermentation. This seems like a gentler way in, although I do wonder what the yeast would feed on there?

For me although I'd done some VERY basic kits about five years back I went all grain from start (although I'm still new) and have been happy so far with my decision. I did spend about six months buying kit and reading books before I made the first batch. I was considering doing extract but a...

Hi, So I'm planning on brewing a few more batches before I even attempt this but I scored a bottle of this at the weekend and was looking at the yeast at the bottom and wondering about it given what I've read about Orval and the use of the dregs at the bottom of the bottle. Before I even...

Thanks for the advice. Am planning on brewing some Belgian ales later in the year so will proceed with caution.:smile:

Hi, So having got my first all grain brew done I'm looking at trying this double IPA clone this Thursday. (link opens PDF to Pliny the Elder reciple). This will be the first time I'll have brewed a recipe that involves adding a sugar to the boil. My question is, how does the affect the...

Thanks everyone. As a final contribution here's a pic of the amber monster :)

Thanks for that. I've seen that book before but clearly didn't pay attention to that chapter :lol:

Having been a keen cook for 20 years or so I'm putting this year's brews down to a learning experience. Next up is a Double IPA (a Pliney The Elder clone) and then I'm planning a Kolsch and a Brooklyn Summer Ale clone. I guess that's a mix of simple and advanced? Longer term I want to brew...

Sort of. I think the hoppiness of it offsets a lot of that - although yeah pretty malty but not unpleasant. If I'm flattering myself it remind me a little of some of Kernel's offerings. Next grain bill is mainly pale malt :)

I see what you mean. Just looked up amber malt in this. I just assumed it made the beer amber coloured. :-? I guess the learning is half the fun. TBH I was pretty happy with it for a first attempt. So much to learn - thanks for the feedback.

Hi, Finally joined this forum after lurking for a while using your expertise to inform quite a lot of my first batch. Having read a lot of recipes to get the basic principles I ended up going to the store and getting a load of stuff on a whim. Suffice to say it didn't turn out as expected...