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I stopped using an airlock. Extra trouble, really. Especially cleaning it. As the post above says, you can simply leave 2 weeks, that usually works, test with a hydrometer to be certain.

Once, as an experiment, I didn't sanitise the bottles at all. Every bottle was absolutely fine. Now I use a very weak thin bleach solution, just needs a quick rinse and shake. I don't sanitise caps ever.

When I make this I usually add dry malt plus sugar. (500g plus 1Kg) But sometimes throw in another can (or two) (from other kits, not another stout!).

I just break up the "sheet" by hand.

Suspending in the brew results in the greatest temperature variation. But really it doesn't matter. Free air, side of FV, in the brew - all will be good. I just have mine in free air inside the fridge.

Personally I would go for 18C rather than 21C too. And ferment for much longer than the instructions state - 2 weeks is good. Then a week in the cool to settle before you keg/bottle.

Most of the time it probably won't make any difference. The easiest way to aerate (I find) is simply to pour the water into the FV from a great height. If fermentation fails to start (as occasionally happens) you just need to sprinkle another yeast sachet on top. I can't see that whisking it up...

It seems some people never think of looking at how much similar items have sold for previously. Actually I though eBay even did this automatically for you nowadays and suggested a price. People must ignore it because I see items for sale at £20 or more that only ever fetch 99p on eBay. And...

Personally after having tried both boiling schedules and simply dry hopping, I now only ever dry hop premium kits (and use 100g a time - you can get wonderfully hoppy beers this way). Of course your tastes may vary so it's worth experimenting rather than take my word for it.

That's pretty good... no Aldi Lidl Home Bargains or anything like that near here though.

Title says it all.. it may not be all Co-ops, because they operate independently on a regional basis. or something. You'd have though I'd know which Co-op region my local branch is part of, wouldn't you? Actually I'm in Marston (Oxford) tonight, and have two local Co-ops (literally just around...

That link posted above is as cheap as I've seen.

I still wanna see a taste test... I do follow a lot of advice on here and yes the end result is significantly better tasting but haven't seen much scientific evidence for the difference that all these tweaks and improvements make. I'm sure some are more important than others, etc. As Rivvo says...

Well... it's up to you. If the STC-1000 is rated at 10 Amps, no harm's going to come to it at 10.4 Amps - nothing's going to blow up. However, these things are made down to a price, and cheaper devices - even when running at or just below the rated current - will often get uncomfortably hot, or...

Yes thanks - I don't scare easily. Has anyone done a proper test? That is, either measured any/all of the above scientifically, or better still (because none of the above is relevant unless in the opinion of the drinker it tastes worse) done a taste test (on two identical kits, made identically...

Yes to tubular heater as suggested above, and yes it does fit under the shelf (I simply screwed mine to the bottom of the fridge) that the FV sits on. Usually people replace the original glass/plastic shelf with a wooden one (because it's stronger).

Pitching dry is fine - I always do this - kit instructions say pitch dry, so it follows that they must provide the right quantity of yeast. (At least, that's my theory.) But if you added your own yeast, it probably actually came in a much larger quantity than the size of pack they supply with...

Yes. Give it a try. As for the fan, it would increase the rate of evaporation and hence the rate of energy loss.

CAMRA has an online good pub guide at http://whatpub.com/ Once in a good pub just ask advice from the bar staff and they should be happy to give you tasters before you commit to a full pint.

Yes, what slid says above. 2 weeks in the warm, not 3 days. I do give mine a shake but it really isn't necessary.