Category Archives: Top Post Updates

Find the Best Deal on Sacks of Malt – Tips, Tricks & Sources + Two Malt DEALS at William’s Brewing End Soon

homebrew sack malt deals

Updated: July 25, 2024

Grains by the lb can generally be had for a reasonable price. They also generally qualify for free and flat rate shipping when a retailer offers that. The same is true for sacks of grain.  The real issue comes when you add on shipping.  50 or 55 lbs of grain is… heavy.  Shipping charges can add up.

Limited Time Deals on Malt from William’s Brewing

Rahr North Star Pils

From William’s Brewing:

Need a good deal on an excellent base malt? We made a special buy on North Star Pils from Rahr Malting. 10% on 10 pound bags, and 14% on 55 lb sacks, while supplies last.

  • 10 lbs are on sale for $17.99 and qualify for flat rate or free shipping
  • 55 lb sacks are on sale for $59.99 + actual shipping charges

Rahr North Star Pils Malt Deal!

10 Lbs Weyermann® Barke® Pilsner Malt

  • William’s Brewing has Weyermann Barke Pilsner Malt on Sale
  • 10 lb bags are $18.99 each (no limit) and qualify for free or flat rate shipping to addresses in the contiguous US.
  • 55 lb sacks are on sale for $54.99 + actual shipping charges

Weyermann Barke PIlsner Malt Deal!

Also, save on 10 lb bags:

  • Williams Brewing has select malt available in 10 lb bags. Save versus by individual lbs.
  • These also qualify for their free or flat shipping.
  • Shipping is free or reasonably priced flat rate to addresses in the contiguous US depending on your order size for most items.
  • Buy 5 x 10 lb bags and you have the equivalent of a sack of grain.

Malt 6 Packs at MoreBeer = BULK Malt Deal!

When you purchase 6+ 5lb bags of the same grain MoreBeer will apply a volume discount. You can see this discount on each product page. Here is an example:

Malt Deal at MoreBeer! – choose 6 more 5lb bags of grain to see volume discounts

Get Free Shipping: Shipping is free with a qualifying $59 order to many US addresses

Example… Briess 2 Row drops to $7.65 when you buy 6 or more 5 lbs packs. Buy 10 x 5 lb packs and you’ll have the equivalent of a 50 lb sack of grain. With the discount this will figure to $76.50 AND that will include shipping to many US addresses.

Yes, free shipping works… FREE Shipping DOES Work. I periodically get questions/concerns when I post this workaround, please read… Although bags of grain do not ship under MoreBeer’s free shipping program… this is a loophole of sorts. 5 and 10 lb bags do ship for free. If you use this technique you will receive 5 x 10 lb bags of grain, not a single 50 lb sack.

An Illustration of the Problem:

An unnamed online homebrew shop ran a grain sale. Discounting sacks of grain.

  • A bag of a certain brand of two row malt was marked down to $48.44… Great, that’s a good price!
  • To slowest/cheapest available shipping option was…. $71.22 to my address and… I’m in the same region as this shop.
  • That’s a total of $119.66. That’s not good, in fact it’s bad.

Another Illustration of the Problem (4/2024):

An unnamed online homebrew shop ran a grain sale. Discounting sacks of grain.

  • A bag of a certain brand of two row malt was marked down to $74.99 for a 55 lb bag. That’s an okay price is shipping is good.
  • To slowest/cheapest available shipping option was…. $58.95
  • That’s a total of $133.94. That’s not good, in fact it’s bad.

Another Illustration of the Problem (5/2024):

This is a current “sale” from a prominent online homebrew shop. 50 lbs of grain is $80. Shipping (to me, will vary based on location) is a whopping $88.62. That’s a total of $168.62!

We can do a lot better! This article offerings tips, tricks and sources to help you source bulk malt at the best price.

Bulk Malt Deal Tips and Tricks

Continue reading →

Using a Flow Meter for Oxygenating Wort

Oxygen Flow Meter w/ Duotight Fittings FE401Pictured: Oxygen Flow Meter w/ Duotight Fittings FE401 via MoreBeer

Most oxygen regulators that homebrewers use for oxygenating wort are simple setups – Example.  They attach to disposable oxygen tanks (typically sourced from a local hardware store) and are little more than on and off valves.  No gauges, no pressure control (other than the degree to which you open and close the valve) and no flow control.

Time and rate give you an idea of how much oxygen you’re really adding to your wort.  Time is easy to track.  Rate, not so much, at least with typical homebrew O2 regulators.  If you want more or less oxygen for your next batch, it’s mostly a guessing game.

Knowing flow rate gives you the missing piece to the puzzle. This allows you to know what rate of oxygen is going into your wort.

Continue reading →

BrewZilla Gen 4 Temperature Control and Programming Tips and Tricks!

July 24, 2024

This write up is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert.  Brad is an engineer, expert homebrewer and experienced reviewer.  Grab a link to Brad’s website at the end of this review.

BrewZilla Gen4 Temperature Control and Programming Tips and Tricks

The BrewZilla Gen4 has a list of features that make it unique from other All-In-One brew units. Those are covered here: https://www.homebrewfinds.com/hands-on-review-brewzilla/. But there are some significant functions and features that need a deeper look to fully understand them. In this write-up, I will focus on temperature control as well as programming tips to automate your brew day.

Temperature

When I first got the BrewZilla Gen 4 with the Bluetooth temperature probe, I didn’t understand it. I thought it just gave me the option to use either the temperature sensor in the base of the unit (like most other AIO units), or the Bluetooth as a wireless probe sitting in the grain bed. But that’s not it. It uses both sensors SIMULTANEOUSLY. No mass market controller does that- AIO or otherwise. To get that kind of functionality you’re talking a custom-built controller running some of the advanced brew control software.

Learn More: Hands on Review: BrewZilla All Grain Brewing System!

Kegland’s implementation of dual-probe control is very simple and straightforward in the BrewZilla. To best understand how this works, you need to think of your system in its recirculation loop. The wort drains down from the grain bed to the bottom, gets heated by the elements in the base, then gets sucked into the pump to get dumped on top of the grain again. The Bluetooth probe sits in the middle of the grain bed, and base sensor sits in the small volume of wort getting heated by the elements. When you’re at a steady target temperature, both of these probes should read about the same, as you ideally have uniform temperature throughout your system.

Compare BrewZilla Prices, How-To Continues Below:

Continue reading →

What’s The Difference? Comparing AEB and AMCYL Ball Lock Kegs!

AEB and AMCYL manufacturer ball lock kegs, also called soda pre-mix tanks. Homebrewers use these for beer, cider and seltzer. Coffee shops use them for cold brew, Kombucha makers use them for kombucha and on and on.

A common question I see, or directly hear, is… what’s the difference between AMCYL and AEB?  It’s a great question. Both make new ball lock kegs, both go by abbreviated company names and both start with…. A.  Maybe they’re the same? This write up aims to answer the question and will give you a complete run down of what’s the same and what’s different.

Hands on Reviews of Both:

This post will give an overview of each keg with comparisons. If you want a deep dive into either one, I have in depth hands on reviews of both kegs.

AEB vs AMCYL Kegs, Compared…

Important Note: In this comparison, when two kegs are pictured, AEB kegs will always be on the left an AMCYL kegs will be on the right.

Continue reading →

Stainless Steel CIP Spray Balls for Sparging and Cleaning

8c3c93a1-b53a-4be0-b96b-30f2ecf67a80Thanks to HBF Reader Sam for this photo! Let’s be friends!  8 Ways to Connect with HBF

Updated: 7/23/2024

CIP (Clean in Place) Spray Balls are generally used for vessels that are too large to move.  Since they’re too large to move you… clean them in place.  If you have a larger setup, you could incorporate these into your system or routine to help clean your vessels more easily.

There are a couple of main styles of CIP spray balls stationary and rotary.  Note that if you’re going to try and use this for sparging, you may want to use the fixed spray version as Sam did.  You’re probably not going to get enough pressure with gravity alone to turn the rotary version.

Note that these are affiliate links. Multiple variations of these products may be available, as such a different version may appear at the link

HBF Reader Sam uses this spray ball as part of his sparging setup.  See photo above.

QiiMii Fixed Spray...image
QiiMii Fixed Spray Ball Stainless Steel 304 Tank Cleaning Ball 1/2" NPT Threaded (1/2" INCH)
$16.99
QiiMii Stainless Rotary...image
QiiMii Stainless Rotary Spray Ball Female CIP Tank Cleaning Ball 1/2"(1/2 INCH)
$16.99
Tank Cleaning Ball,...image
Tank Cleaning Ball, 2.36 x 1.57" Stainless Steel Fixed Spray Ball Tank Cleaning Head 1/2"BSP Thread Female Sanitary Fix Spray Ball Tank Cleaning Ball for Car Care Home Industrial (Silver)
$12.24
Tank Spray Cleaning...image
Tank Spray Cleaning Ball Sanitary Stainless Steel 304 Fixed/Rotary 360 degree CIP Cleaning 15L/min 1/2" Threaded Female Connection with Cleaning Diameter 1m-6m(Fixed)
$13.61
JOWIN Rotating 360...image
JOWIN Rotating 360 Degree CIP Spray Ball Female NPT 1/2" SS304 Stainless Steel Rotary Cleaning Nozzle (1/2")
$17.99
DERNORD Fixed Spray...image
DERNORD Fixed Spray Ball Stainless Steel 304 Tank Cleaning Ball 1/2" NPT Threaded
$13.99

Continue reading →

3D Printed Pub Style Tap Handle

75per_img_7266

Updated: July 22, 2024

3D Printed Tap Handles!

A while back I got an XYZprinting Da Vinci 3D Printer.  I think 3D Printing has a bunch of possible applications for homebrewing.  From tap handles to stir plates and on and on.

Got a great homebrew-related 3D printer project?  Let us know so we can spread the word!

Note that the 3D printer featured in this post out of production.

Related: Make an E-Paper Tap Handle!

Continue reading →

Why Won’t My Homebrew Carbonate? Fixing Beer Carbonation Problems

It’s a tale as old as time, or maybe not quite as old as time, but still old… your beer has finished fermenting, you excitedly transfer it to a keg and wait patiently.  Well, maybe not so patiently.  Every day or two you draw some beer to see where it’s at… it tastes amazing but it’s not carbonating.  You think you’re just being impatient, but then the days continue to pile up.  You’re getting a little carbonation, but not much.  Is this beer broken?  Or, have the basic principles of fluid dynamics just failed?

First Things First…

You’ve probably already done this, but you need to make sure your system is balanced and that both the temperature and pressure levels are set to correctly

See: Step by Step: Balancing Your Kegerator Draft System

Continue reading →

DIY Dog – BrewDog’s Massive Catalog of Homebrew Recipes!

Old Lineup_Barrel

Updated: July 19, 2024

The fine brewers at BrewDog have released a massive back catalog of HUNDREDS of BrewDog Beer Recipes.   Not only does the catalog contain homebrew recipes, it contains a cool how-to on the homebrew process.  Kudos to BrewDog for releasing these!  This is a clear sign of their connection with the craft beer and homebrewing community.

Get the Recipes!

Getting a Deal on Bottles for Your Homebrew

New Or Used Bottles?

Using new bottles saves time cleaning bottle labels and insures you have a completely clean and ready to sanitize bottle. I know of some homebrewers that use new bottles for every batch while some use new bottles for competitions and others buy new bottles and re-use time and time again.

Used bottles have the advantage of being cheap or free. De-label, clean and sanitize.

Getting a Deal on New Bottles

Tip: Shop Around

Prices and availability can vary wildly. If you want cases of new bottles, shop around to get the best deal.

Continue reading →

Kegerator Beer Line Temperatures & Reducing Foam with a Recirculating Fan

Back in 2014, I had what I would call a reasonably well put together and balanced kegerator.  In spite of that, for years, I had dealt with the dreaded first foamy pint of beer.  After that pint of beer, beer would pour great.  That is until a significant delay between pours – overnight or a few hours.

Related Resources – Foam Control & Kegerator Balancing

Diagnose Other Issues

A Closer Look at Kegerator Beer Line Temps

cln_img_5476The setup.  I have two temperature probes in my kegerator.  One is zip-tied to the top of a beverage line.  The other is zip-tied to a can of beer.  That’s how I have kept the probe in my kegerator for a long time with the thinking that the mass of the can of beer will help to stabilize temperature readings and give overall stable and accurate readings.  That can is sitting on the compressor hump of my Kenmore Deep Freeze (8.8 Cu ft Model 16932, out of production).  That puts it about mid keg.

Beer Line Temps – No Recirculation Fan

The cause of the problem is pretty clear.  Heat rises.  That means the top of your kegerator is going to be warmer than the bottom of your kegerator.  That warmer beer foams when it comes out.  The faucet and shank are also warmer.  That warmth adds to the problem.

How much is the temperature variance?  Of course, this will vary from setup to setup and climate to climate.  I was relatively shocked by the temperature difference in my own kegerator.

img_temps

The top reading about mid keg and the bottom reading is the top the top of my beer lines.  These are about 22″ apart.  This graph shows a point in time variance between the two of 14.9 degrees F.   My beer is about the temperature I want it, but the top of my serving line is much warmer.  That difference in temperature causes the first pint to have too much foam.  Pours that happen soon after the first are fine.  The tubing, shank and beer are relatively cool.

Adding a Recirculating Fan to Reduce Beer Foam

Continue reading →

How to Build a Mash Tun from the AHA

How to Build a Mash Tun

A how-to from the American Homebrewer’s Association

Get a Deal on AHA Membership!

The benefits of AHA membership are numerous and valuable. If you’re not a member of the American Homebrewer’s Association, I think you should consider joining.

Get $5 off AHA memberships when you use coupon code HBF. Applies to new and renewed memberships and print or digital.

$5 Off AHA Membership! – remember promo code HBF

This walks you through putting together a Cooler Mash Tun Build based on this 48 Quart Coleman Cooler.

This setup is based on Denny Conn’s great design.  Denny is a legendary homebrewer. Among other things, he is the co-author of Experimental Homebrewing and the keeper of Wyeast 1450 Denny’s Favorite 50.  Check out Denny’s Author Page on Amazon see more of his books.

Related:

  • Making a Mash Tun MLT – Start All Grain Brewing! – our comprehensive resource on the topic
  • Loads of All Grain Brewing Info!  All Grain Tips & Gear Resource Page
  • Coleman 48 Quart Cooler affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link, featured in the AHA’s build
  • Search Amazon for “Coleman 48 quart cooler” to shop for other options – additional colors may be available, make sure it’s the same style as the original build features.
  • Rubber Mini Keg Bung – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link
Coleman Blue 48...image
Coleman Blue 48 Qt Chest Cooler w/Thermozone Insulation
$88.24
Coleman Chiller Series...image
Coleman Chiller Series 48qt Insulated Portable Cooler, Hard Cooler with Ice Retention & Heavy-Duty Handles, Great for Camping, Tailgating, Beach, Picnic, Groceries, Boating & More
$37.79 -$7.94 $29.85

How to Build a Mash Tun – via the American Homebrewer’s Association

Unless you’re using the brew in a bag technique, a mash tun is an essential piece of equipment when advancing to all-grain brewing. Mash tuns come in all shapes, sizes and materials, and the ideal vessel for you will depend on your current procedures and future goals as a homebrewer. Mash tuns can be purchased from a homebrew shop, or easily made at home with limited skill and tools.

Continue reading →

Find the Best Deal on Sacks of Malt – Tips, Tricks & Sources

homebrew sack malt deals

Updated: July 22, 2024

Grains by the lb can generally be had for a reasonable price. They also generally qualify for free and flat rate shipping when a retailer offers that. The same is true for sacks of grain.  The real issue comes when you add on shipping.  50 or 55 lbs of grain is… heavy.  Shipping charges can add up.

Malt 6 Packs at MoreBeer = BULK Malt Deal!

When you purchase 6+ 5lb bags of the same grain MoreBeer will apply a volume discount. You can see this discount on each product page. Here is an example:

Malt Deal at MoreBeer! – choose 6 more 5lb bags of grain to see volume discounts

Get Free Shipping: Shipping is free with a qualifying $59 order to many US addresses

Example… Briess 2 Row drops to $7.65 when you buy 6 or more 5 lbs packs. Buy 10 x 5 lb packs and you’ll have the equivalent of a 50 lb sack of grain. With the discount this will figure to $76.50 AND that will include shipping to many US addresses.

Yes, free shipping works… FREE Shipping DOES Work. I periodically get questions/concerns when I post this workaround, please read… Although bags of grain do not ship under MoreBeer’s free shipping program… this is a loophole of sorts. 5 and 10 lb bags do ship for free. If you use this technique you will receive 5 x 10 lb bags of grain, not a single 50 lb sack.

An Illustration of the Problem:

An unnamed online homebrew shop ran a grain sale. Discounting sacks of grain.

  • A bag of a certain brand of two row malt was marked down to $48.44… Great, that’s a good price!
  • To slowest/cheapest available shipping option was…. $71.22 to my address and… I’m in the same region as this shop.
  • That’s a total of $119.66. That’s not good, in fact it’s bad.

Another Illustration of the Problem (4/2024):

An unnamed online homebrew shop ran a grain sale. Discounting sacks of grain.

  • A bag of a certain brand of two row malt was marked down to $74.99 for a 55 lb bag. That’s an okay price is shipping is good.
  • To slowest/cheapest available shipping option was…. $58.95
  • That’s a total of $133.94. That’s not good, in fact it’s bad.

Another Illustration of the Problem (5/2024):

This is a current “sale” from a prominent online homebrew shop. 50 lbs of grain is $80. Shipping (to me, will vary based on location) is a whopping $88.62. That’s a total of $168.62!

We can do a lot better! This article offerings tips, tricks and sources to help you source bulk malt at the best price.

Bulk Malt Deal Tips and Tricks

Continue reading →

New Updates… Make an E-Paper Tap Handle!

Pictured: Resin Tap Handle Build using waveshare e-paper display, more info below

July 10, 2024

Update: Finding the waveshare NFC display

Since this write up was pushed the waveshare NFC display that all builds are baseed on has disappeared.

This appears to be a very similar display…

2.7inch Passive NFC-Powered e-Paper Module, 264 × 176 Pixels Black and White Display Color, No Battery Needed, No Messy Wiring Wire-less Powering & Data Transfer Android APP Provided

2.7inch Passive NFC-Powered...image
2.7inch Passive NFC-Powered e-Paper Module, 264 × 176 Pixels Black and White Display Color, No Battery Needed, No Messy Wiring Wire-less Powering & Data Transfer Android APP Provided
$28.79

If you that that board, I’d love to hear how it works. Especially if you used the previous model

Original Display Board

What are Other’s Saying?   Search this product’s Amazon reviews for “tap handle” – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link

Note that this is out of stock as of this update. Check the product page to see if it’s available again.

waveshare 2.7inch Passive NFC-Powered E-Paper Module No Battery Wireless Powering & Data Transfer Provides Android APP Black and White Display – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link

Waveshare 2.7inch Passive-Powered...image
Waveshare 2.7inch Passive-Powered E-Paper Module, Novel Passive NFC Technology, No Battery Required, No More Battery Life Trouble, Black and White Display Colors
$29.99

Share your build!

If you put together a build… We’d love to share the details with your fellow homebrewers.  Email us the deets.

Continue reading →

Get Food Grade Buckets for Cheap – or FREE – use for fermenters and grain storage

Bucket photo courtesy of MoreBeer – Search MoreBeer for “Bucket”  – For illustrative purposes, I’m not suggesting that you buy this.  Read the tip below.

Why Buckets?

Buckets are super handy around your home brewery and beyond.  Potential Uses: Convert to a Fermenter, Convert to a Mash Tun, Grain Storage, lugging around stuff on brew day, general storage, use to help with cleaning and sanitation.

House Naturals 5...image
House Naturals 5 Gallon Plastic bucket pail Food grade BPA Free with Blue Air Tight screw on Lid(Pack of 3) Made in USA pails
ePackageSupply 5 Gallon...image
ePackageSupply 5 Gallon White Bucket & Lid, Made in The USA, Durable 90 Mil All Purpose Pail, Food Grade, Contains No BPA Plastic, Premium HPDE, 6 Pack
$32.99
ePackageSupply 5 Gallon...image
ePackageSupply 5 Gallon White Bucket & Lid - Durable 90 Mil All Purpose Pail - Food Grade - BPA Free Plastic - Made in The USA
$34.99 ($5.83 / Count)

Continue reading →

Rebuilding & Reconditioning Homebrew Kegs + Limited Time DEAL via 4th of July Sale!

rebuild homebrew kegs

July 3,2024

This post will walk you through rebuilding your homebrew keg, step by step.  From de-labeling to cleaning to replacing warn out parts.

Limited Time Deal – Save via 4th of July Sale:

valuebrew.com sale

For a short time, Valuebrew is discounting most of their gear including bulk food grade o-rings (i

Valuebrew offers a lineup of food grade keg replacement o-rings in bulk quantities.  Most offerings are silicone or EPDM with one Buna-N option.  Everything they carry is food grade, more info below.  They have some unique offerings like bulk pin lock size post o-rings, replacement universal poppet o-rings, bulk internal QD o-rings and color coded Blue and Green post o-rings

Some of these offerings are detailed in our Keg Rebuild How-To

Save  an EXTRA 14% when you spend $30 or more on select items at Valuebrew.  This stacks on top of existing discounts. Includes…

Use coupon code indday with an order of $30 or more to get the deal

The deal includes Valuebrew’s recently released yellow post o-rings

Valuebrew carries two color schemes to color keg posts. Doing this allows you to quickly identify keg posts. Gray and Black match standard keg QD colors. Blue and Green are meant to be remembered by “Blue for Beer” and “Green for Gas”. All options are made from FDA rated silicone. Since they work equally well on gas and liquid posts you can also mix and match to come up with your own color coding standard.


What Does Reconditioned/Rebuilt Mean?

The short answer is probably… nothing.  I think reconditioned/rebuilt/refurbished are basically synonyms and there is no standard definition for any of these terms.

Here are the different definitions I’ve seen from different retailers via their offerings:

The short answer is probably… nothing.  I think reconditioned/rebuilt/refurbished are basically synonyms and there is no standard definition for any of these terms.

Here are the different definitions I’ve seen from different retailers via their offerings:

  • The keg is untouched, but is in okay shape and holds pressure.  In this case, reconditioned means… the keg works.
  • The keg has had been tested and had faulty parts replaced.  In this case, reconditioned means, we did the minimum to get the keg working.
  • All o-rings have been replaced and any faulty parts have been replaced.  In this case, reconditioned means… reconditioned.
  • All o-rings have been replaced and any faulty parts have been replaced and the keg has been cleaned.  In this case reconditioned means reconditioned and cleaned.

Examples of Keg Conditions from MoreBeer

The takeaway is that it’s important to read descriptions when it comes to reconditioned/rebuilt/refurbished kegs.  The post walks through a complete rebuild process.

Limited Time Keg Deals!

keg deals
kegdeals

Continue reading →

Short On Time? 40 Time Saving Homebrew Tips!

time saving homebrew tips

Time can be a big factor when it comes to homebrewing.  Sure, it may be nice to spend sunrise until sunset carefully hand crafting a batch (or batches) of beer, but the practicalities of life can and do factor in when we’re deciding if we can brew a batch of beer.  For your stage of life, time may not be a factor.  If so, that’s awesome.  For others, time saving tips and techniques could help you brew more often.

With those thoughts in mind, I put the call out to the HBF community [8 Ways to Connect with HBF] to get some time saving tips and tricks.  A selection  of those along with some of my own thoughts follows.  Thanks to all who participated!  A full list of contributors is at the end of this post.

How do I save time home brewing? Continue reading →

What’s the difference between Primary and Secondary CO2 Regulators? Something You May Not Have Considered

VEVOR CO2 Regulator Gauge with 0-60PSI, Heavy Duty CO2 Gauge Gas System, Draft Beer Regulator with Check Valve, Adjustable Pressure Regulator for Draft Beer Homebrew (Triple Gauge Regulator)Pictured: VEVOR CO2 Regulator Gauge with 0-60PSI, Heavy Duty CO2 Gauge Gas System, Draft Beer Regulator with Check Valve, Adjustable Pressure Regulator for Draft Beer Homebrew (Triple Gauge Regulator) – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link

July 4, 2024

In the context of homebrewing or serving beer, a CO2 regulator hooks up to a compatible CO2 tank and steps down the pressure to carbonate and serve the beer properly. See: Balancing Your Kegerator Draft System  and Diagnosing and Fixing Kegerator Foam Problems

Single Body vs Multi Body Regulators

A typical CO2 regulator provides a single output pressure. It usually has two gauges, one for the high pressure side and one for the low pressure side, although it can have a single gauge. A multi-body regulator, provides multiple output pressures and typically has one high side gauge and one gauge for each serving pressure.

Get a Regulator!

Continue reading →

Summer Get-Togethers Are Here!… Our Portable Draft Beer Serving Options Roundup

portable serving

Looking for options to serve your draft beer home brew on the go?  Here’s a roundup of some of the available options for your next tailgate, party or get together.

Included in this Post:

  • Growlers
  • Carbonation Caps – used with PET Bottles
  • Small Draft Systems
  • Tips and Tools for Filling Growlers and Small Draft Containers
  • Techniques and equipment for dispensing full corny kegs of beer
  • Finding Smaller Homebrew Kegs
  • Coolers and Ice Packs
  • Chilling and Keeping Your Keg Cold
  • Cloudiness

Continue reading →

My Brewing Spreadsheet – FREE Brew Day Tracking!

homebrew spreadsheet

My Brew Day Spreadsheet!

The spreadsheet is setup from my perspective, as a batch sparger.  Having said that, almost everything applies equally to a fly sparger with the possible exceptions of the computed mash ratio (more below), planning on a set volume of sparge water and the step by step batch sparge directions.

img_brewday

 This is the main sheet where you will fill in information about your beer and your mash parameters.  Click to enlarge.

Need More?

My brew day spreadsheet helps you calculate water volumes and temps and helps you do simple tracking.

If you’re looking for a powerful, full featured solution for building recipes, brew day tracking and loads more, consider Brewfather.

Continue reading →

Diagnosing and Fixing Kegerator Foam Problems – All of Our Troubleshooting Resources in One Place

Thanks to u/Procrastinator548 on Reddit for this photo

Got Bubbles?

Bubbles in your beer line can point to a several potential problems. These problems can lead to small bubbles… foam or larger CO2 bubbles breaking out of solution. These issues can occur at different points in your kegerator. The point at which they occur and specific behaviors can help us to track down the problem.

Continue reading →