Search results

The Homebrew Forum

Help Support The Homebrew Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
  1. whinton

    How To Use Salifert Alkalinity and Calcium Test Kits

    Plan B - Living in Australia I happen to have a pool testing kit around so have tried that. ( Aussie Gold Pool Water Test Kit 4 in 1 / Chlorine, pH, Acid, Alkalinity ) By filling a tube to a certain level then adding one drop of this and another couple of that, I shake the tube and add drops of...
  2. whinton

    How To Use Salifert Alkalinity and Calcium Test Kits

    Hmmm. I'm not sure. Will try it again over the next couple of days and see what happens. Might look for another test kit to compare results too.
  3. whinton

    How To Use Salifert Alkalinity and Calcium Test Kits

    Yes. In the instructions it also suggests halving the amounts and double the result to save on solution. This would normally mean only using 0.5ml in the syringe. I used a full 1ml and still didn't change from clear to pink. When you test does it go straight from Blue to Pink? No clear? If...
  4. whinton

    How To Use Salifert Alkalinity and Calcium Test Kits

    Firstly a big thanks to Steve for the photo's and explanations. I moved from Birmingham to Perth, Australia some years ago and my beer has never been as good as it was back in Brum. Water has been a total science to me and something I have avoided tinkering with up until now. I managed to...
  5. whinton

    Always experimenting

    I’m always experimenting with my brews. A little tweak here a little tweak there. A new bit of equipment. A new recipe. Sometimes it works but sometimes it doesn’t. I think it’s all about learning and as long as you take something away from it then it’s all positive too. Moving from the UK...
  6. whinton

    G'day

    G'day mate. Welcome to the forum. Notice my fluent Australian now that I've moved here too? Typically I would say .. Awwright mate? Ow ya doin? In my native tongue (-: Nice to see we are getting more traditional brewers over here :cheers7:
  7. whinton

    Conditioning time?

    I think you will just have to experiment and I guess it will depend on what beer you are brewing. For me I ferment for a week in a fridge at 20 degrees. Never need any longer (Mangrove Jacks Liberty Bell yeast usually). I brew around 48 ltrs each brew day. One half is casked in a Pin, the...
  8. whinton

    What's the 1 bit of advice you wish someone had given you, which you'd pass on to a new brewer?

    Learn from your mistakes (there will be many) and don't give up.
  9. whinton

    Bathams Best with Wheat

    I use GW book as my bible but now I have a good few under my belt I'm starting to adjust them slightly. Bathams has some post boil hops. I've not tried dry hopping. I have judged at competitions and most seem to go with good condition, clarity and a hoppy taste these days. I wouldn't say GW...
  10. whinton

    Bathams Best with Wheat

    Tomorrow I'll be brewing another Bathams Best ready for Christmas. This recipe has worked well each time I've brewed it and this time I'm going to tinker with adding some Torrefied Wheat to see if helps keep the head all the way down. Pale Malt 5700 grams Torrefied Wheat 400 grams FuggleWhole...
  11. whinton

    Lightning struck and I was in the Dog House

    Just thought I would quickly share a recent experience. I brew and cask in 4.5gal Pins. Recently I thought of making a slightly stronger Ale and have a go at bottling. I looked through recipes and decided on Hop Back Summer Lightening. Despite the name this is a nice year round beer. As...
  12. whinton

    Sugar in Recipe?

    Thanks very much for all your help and advice. I think I might try the Belgium Candi Rocks and see how it goes. Maybe when I get more time I will try making my own! Much appreciated. Cheers :drink:
  13. whinton

    Sugar in Recipe?

    Hi, I'm looking through GW British Real Ale book for an AG recipe for a beer around 5% that I can bottle. Most of the ones I am favouring say to add White Sugar. I've not used sugar in a brew before and take it that it is added during the boil? I would appreciate some advice on when to add it...
  14. whinton

    Trying Landlord with Mangrove Jacks

    Well, after the last couple of failed brews I'm going back to what worked well. Tomorrow I'm brewing the Timothy Taylor landlord recipe from GW's book. This was my first AG attempt in March this year. The result that time was very good although it wasn't as clear as I would have liked. With a...
  15. whinton

    Hydrometer Accuracy?

    It has been good so far. No problems. One thing to mention though. After purchasing I received an email looking like it was from the refractometer shop asking to confirm my credit card details. I had already received the item and concerned that it was someone up to no good, I got in touch...
  16. whinton

    Hydrometer Accuracy?

    I use a Hydrometer and a Refractometer. I usually use both for the OG and just the Refractometer for the FG. Reason for this is that I get a good comparison at OG stage and by using the Refractometer at the end of fermentation, I'm not wasting 200ml at a time in a trail jar! If anyone wants to...
  17. whinton

    I must now be doing something wrong !!

    Thanks for the initial replies. Some answers: My grain is at room temp. When the temp in the mash tun is stable at 72 degrees, I add the grain. I use a Refractometer and make sure it's calibrated before use. I also compare the OG to this with a hydrometer. Regarding what I do with the yeast "...
  18. whinton

    I must now be doing something wrong !!

    Having had successful beers when I started AG brewing in March, I recently decided to up the ratios and brew 27Ltr instead of 23Ltr which will result in me being able to completely fill my 4.5 Gal PIN after allowing for evaporation, sediment waste etc. Since moving to 27Ltr I am having problems...
  19. whinton

    More confused than a baby racoon...

    I haven't really had that problem although I do use the beer engine from his web site. I adjust the values according to what and where I am buying from and work with the engine to get the result I am aiming for. I usually aim for 25 to 27 litres and after boiling I end up with around 23 litres...
  20. whinton

    Fermentation stuck?

    Sad to say, this does seem to be a common problem. I added more yeast after aerating but 3 days have passed and still no change. That brew has been fed to the drain and good health to all that drink her! This month I only had two weeks between brews so with the second one I was particularly...
Back
Top