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I'm going to have another go at a wheat beer. My last effort had far too much phenolic and not enough banana. Any suggestions for pitching and fermentation temperatures?

This has been bugging me for a while now. If you over shoot your gravity and liquor back to achieve desired OG, does it affect the finished beer. In effect, it should be the same amount of sugar but does adding liquor produce a thinner beer?

I was just putting the finishing touches to my mild recipe. I was planning on mashing at 68 degrees for 90 minutes to ensure I ended up with plenty of body. When I chose the full body mash profile in Beersmith, it says I should only mash for 45 minutes. Is this good practice or should I...

Just had a peek at my bottled porter. It's been bottled for a week and I've kept indoors to carb up. I noticed what I imagine are small yeast clumps at the bottom of the bottles. Normally my yeast settles to a fluffy layer. Is this normal? Maybe it's because I'm looking at a clear bottle...

I am looking to brew a Belgian pale ale using all grain. I have never brewed one before. Are there any specific mash or fermentation profiles I need to worry about or is it the same process as any other British ale style? Also, does anyone have a good recipe?

Does anyone have a good mild recipe? The best milds I have had tend to be from the Birmingham area. Any recipe and / or yeast ideas gratefully received.

Does anyone on the forum bottle without priming? I'm thinking about trying it this time. I'm thinking I might get a more natural carbonation like a cask ale? Are there any cons other than the risk of flat beer?

I racked my porter from primary on Wednesday after ten days with the intention of moving to the cool to clear then bottle. When I checked the gravity it was way above expected final. Was 1022 and was expecting 1011. I know I should have checked before racking! I was then worried that I had...

I have just transferred my porter from primary to secondary FV. I assumed that after 11 days fermentation would be finished. I took a gravity reading and it measures 1022! I was expecting something closer to 1010. Is it OK to let it finish off in the secondary even though I have taken it...

I'm brewing on Saturday and would like to make a starter. I read in GW to use a glass milk bottle and 300 ml water to 55 g DME. I've since read that I should be using 2 litres At OG 1040. I don't have a vessel big enough for 2 litres but would still like to make a starter to give my S 04 a...

Can anyone tell me what the optimum sparge rate should be? In GW it states that the sparge should be as long and slow as possible. Since I have had problems with unwanted phenols, I have read that too long a sparge can extract tannins.

I'm thinking about using bottled water for my next brew, a porter. Any suggestions for a suitable type? Also, would you still use a Campden tablet with bottled water?

I'm trying to create a step mash profile in Beersmith for a wheat beer. I can't seem to get it to calculate the volumes of water and temperature required to achieve a given mash step temperature. Am I missing something or is the programme not able to do this? Can anyone help?

I've just made a starter for a weekend brew day using a liquid yeast smack pack. When I opened the pack it smelled acidic. Will my starter be usable by the weekend or is the yeast off? Will the viable yeast left in the pack take hold and give me a decent starter?

Does anyone have a good porter recipe? I have some ESB yeast to use up so want to do something in the London porter style.

What do people use for cleaning. I've been using VWP but have consistent chlorine issues. I'm now using Starsan to sterilise and will use Campden tablets in my next brew. I need to find a chlorine free cleaner that does the business!

Does anyone use Campden tablets to treat their brewing water? What's the verdict? What was your beer like before and after you started using them?

My Dad was given some homebrew kit as a retirement present. Part of the set was a keg with some small CO2 bulbs. I've never used kegs before so have no idea how to fill, prime, carbonate and dispense the beer. He's just finished secondary and is ready to keg this afternoon. Any advice...

I am hoping to brew an all grain wheat beer next. I read somewhere that I need to do a decoction mash. Does anyone have any instructions on how to do it using an insulated cool box mash tun?

Does anyone have a good old fashioned London pale ale recipe? I'm thinking Youngs ordinary or Chiswick bitter... Pale, balanced and session strength.