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Thanks, it's worth noting... more than one way to skin a pig, as they say! :lol:

From what I've read, the problem with airstones is that they are one-use only. You can't sterilise them because the wort will permeate into them and afterwards it's virtually impossible to clean them thoroughly, so you'd have to buy a new airstone every time. Also, you can't guarantee even the...

The final gravity flattened out at around 1007 and I've now bottled the ale. I calculate the abv to be around 4.5%, which is just about where I like a beer to be. I tasted a sample before bottling and the benefits of dry hopping were extremely evident, so I'll be doing it more often from now...

Thanks for mentioning that. There isn't one, but brewers might be able to adjust the rig to include a filter. I suppose I've been risking it a bit by not using one, but I've had no problems so far and have used this method about half a dozen times... running the gauntlet, you might say... I'll...

The next time I brew I'll take a photo, but for now the following (crude) diagram gives you the general idea... The end of the tube is tied around the stainless steel knife, the weight of which keeps the tube end anchored to the bottom of the fermenting vessel to prevent it from floating to...

Yes, good point, I forgot to mention that.

Nip down to your local aquarium supplies shop and buy the cheapest pump you can find (mine was under £10). Remember it's not going to be left switched on for days and days on end like it would be in a fish tank, so this small investment will last for years. At the same time buy a length of tube...

Gravity was 1010 this morning. I decided to dry hop with 50g Cascade Hops as I expect to bottle at the weekend.

The gravity wast at 1012 this morning. It's brewed out very quickly within 24hours. Going to dry hop the wort tomorrow and perhaps bottle at the weekend if the gravity is ok.

The airlock is bubbling away quite merrily every few seconds, which is a relief because I wasn't sure if introducing the chillies from the start was a wise idea. Chilli chocolate is lovely. Sometimes it catches the back of your throat and makes you cough though. Wasabi coated nuts and dried...

I have an "asbestos" throat and can tolerate quite a lot of heat, when it comes to eating chillies. Even so, with 60g of Bird Eye variety, from past experience chilli isn't too hot when it's in ale (might be me though). I got the chillies from a local supermarket and bought 2 packets to make...

This is an experimental partial mash recipe, which I've called "Chilli Cascade". As you might guess from the name, it is a recipe for a Chilli beer. Ingredients 2Kg Light Spray Malt 260g Crushed Crystal Malt 750g Brewing Sugar (Dextrose) 60g East Kent Goldings Hops (90 mins) 20g Cascade Hops...

Perservere! It will turn out ok in the end. This strain of yeast, from my experience, starts off extremely vigourously, then slows right down after 2-3 days. My first ale using this strain has turned out extremely well, with lots of flavour and body. It turned out at about 7.2% abv. Just keep...

It's a few weeks now since bottling the ale with the Mauribrew 514 yeast. I've opened one bottle and I am very impressed with the yeast. It cleared very quickly and the sediment in the bottle is very firm and doesn't disturb easily. Good yeast, no strange flavours or yeasty overtones. I...

Very interesting! Have you tasted the wort to see if there are any indications that something may be awry? Any off-flavours etc? Mine's just about ready for bottling. SG yesterday was about 1.010 and has more or less bottomed out. My hydrometer reads about 1.002 in plain water, so allowing for...

The specific gravity tonight reads 1015 and the yeast is carrying on happily (or should that be "hoppily"?), oblivious it would seem to the fact that the alcohol level is starting to get quite high... by my calculation already at around 6.5%! I'm definitely getting a hint of pepperiness on the...

Second day after pitching the Mauribrew 514 strain. Hydrometer reads 1024, 2 days ago it started at 1063! Still going strong, although gas release through air-lock as slowed to one release about every 3 seconds. Here is a YouTube video that I uploaded 24 hours after pitching. It shows how fast...

I started a 5 gallon brew at the weekend, using the Mauribrew 514. I chose it because it was classified as a yeast for producing "English" type ales and because the literature says it can tolerate high levels of alcohol. In addition it has a reputation for rapid attenuation of sugars, as well as...