Category Archives: Beer-making

First brew in the beer shack

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

The conversion of my stainless pots to brewing vessels still awaited, so with the beer shack at the point of usability (by some definition — there’s still no water supply) and my old boiler repaired I had to go for … Continue reading →

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Life in the old boiler yet…

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

I’d given up on the old boiler I used to use for brewing when the thermostat died. When I initially checked, to replace it was going to cost almost as much as a new boiler. Some time after it failed … Continue reading →

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Fermentation cabinet and brewing vessel stand

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

With the paint dry it was time to build a stand for the brewing vessels and an insulated (and heated) fermentation cabinet. The fermentation cabinet is really nothing more than a double-skin cupboard insulated with 50mm of cellulose board insulation. … Continue reading →

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Beer shack progress

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

Once the walls were insulated and lined they needed painting. I used an exterior grade white paint including a fungicide for the walls and ceiling as there will certainly be some condensation once I start using it. The floor has … Continue reading →

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New brewing pots arrive

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

As part of my move to a dedicated brewing space I decided to build a new brewing setup with dedicated vessels for different stages of the process. Rather than use the plastic “buckets” that I’ve made do with so far … Continue reading →

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The Beer Shack is born

Posted on January 20, 2017 by james

I’ve been brewing my own beer for years, but doing a ninety-minute rolling boil of five gallons of wort in the kitchen has never made me the most popular person in the house so when the thermostat on the boiler … Continue reading →

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Strike Temperature

Posted on February 23, 2012 by james

During my last batch of brewing I came across a formula for calculating the water temperature for a mash given the grain temperature and desired mash temperature. Unfortunately I can no longer remember where it came from. However, it is: … Continue reading →

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Trouble Brewing

Posted on February 23, 2012 by james

I’ve not made much beer in the last year, so having ordered 25kg of pale malt and various other bits and pieces, last week I decided to crack on with a few brews. Protz and Wheeler’s “Brew Your Own British … Continue reading →

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