I added them in the last 5 minutes. I transferred it to the secondary and it tasted great. I could drink it right now and be content. The spices might be too much for some, but I love it. I am sure it will blend in/die out with conditioning. It will be ready to go Jan. 2. My goal of filling my capacity may not happen, I think I will def. get 2 batches though. I don't want to buy a overpriced ****ty kit locally (seems to be the way) and brew okay beer. It seems I am on a roll. I am sure it's got more to do with the kits than the brewer.
Beginner must: Large Thermometer (foot long), muslin bag (s) for hops, Funnel with screen. The therm. will keep you from losing your mind when you are waiting for it to boil.
attackcammel, I got restarted with a Mr Beer last Christmas. Brewed in June and moved onto a Coopers kit (5 Gal.). Much better than Mr. Beer. Comes with almost everything you'd need, for about $100.00. With the extract (only) kits you don't really need one.
Walt, I have a small digital thermometer. I also bought a dial therm. but haven't used it yet. Had a Holiday Ale last night. Mmmm, much better than my first. I guess you're talking about Sunflower Supplies? I saw their website, googled the address, but it doesn't seem (based on what little knowledge I have of that area) like they have a "physical" store. Their price for the immersion chiller is about $15 cheaper than Karp's, which is still cheaper than other places I've seen.
I've been experimenting with bottling in 20 oz. coke bottles. So far, so good. No off flavors or skunking.
Supposedly anything that was originally designed to hold pressure will work for bottleing, including coke bottles. Only problem is that supposedly very small amounts of air can seek through the plastic. I have a capper and also use grolsch style bottles, but I really want to get a belgian/champagne cage style corker. Now that's style!
Just bottled Holiday Ale (tasted Great), and Racked the Winter IPA tasted (tasted great)--I am psyched. Coke bottles are interesting--they can hold over 150 psi. We did it in chem. lab. I just started using a small fish tank therm. for temps on small things like priming sugar, and hydrating the yeast. Bottling def. sucks. I lost a screw to my party pig! So I had to clean more bottles 25.6 oz (12 for 32? at AustinBH). I don't want to spend any more money on bottling. You can buy a kegorator with 2 guages (imp't) for 139, and kegs go for 35 locally. This would of save atleast an hour tonight. I just need to buy a chest refrigerator. One guy on youtube had 3 "picknick" style taps and 2 kegs just sitting there (maybe even lagering). Either way, 1 keg is better than washing a crap load.
Off the syracuse, I will be back to brew my Red ale on Sun. Then monday my friends batch of IPA. I still have room for 1 more batch, but I'll manage. I GOT STOCK!
Hyroponic place is just before the van wycke on the service road in Queens. Get off at "Main Street--hell." Decent shop but the kits were only the true brew, which are LME for the with some grain--sometimes. I will have 2 brewing so we'll see how it goes.
Has anybody added the "cranberry" or any other flavor to the bottling bucket? The guy said 2oz was enough for him (the had a vortex ferm, which was cool to see in action), but it calls for 3-4oz. I may just do have wheat, and half cranberry wheat.
I have to bottle my greenbelt pale ale tomorrow. That means 2 empty fermenters. We can't have that! I've got a Winter Warmer, American Amber Ale, Boddington's Pub Ale, Smithwick's Ale kits from AHS, sitting in the basement. Winter Warmer will probably be Sunday. I have to wait a week or so, before I brew a second batch. I need to have an adequate supply of bottles available first. I got three corny kegs a few years ago and have never used them. I live in a small house and don't have much room left to store the kegs properly. Thanks for the info on the hydro store. Have a good time in Syracuse.
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