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I have always used Campden tablets to treat my brewing water (half a tablet for a 21 litre brew). I have now got powdered sodium metabilsuphite instead. Does anyone know how much should I use to replace the half Campden tablet? Thanks.

Only a very small dilution. I usually use 5ml per 500ml bottle containing about 2g sugar per 5ml. If you make up the solution stronger you could reduce the volume needed per bottle.

I just make up a fining/priming solution of gelatine and caster sugar and use a 20ml syringe to dispense 5ml shots into each bottle once filled. It takes less than 5 mins to prime/fine 40 bottles and I know that each one has the same amount. Obviously, if you don't like fining then just leave...

As someone said before, it is the running cost which concerns me. We have had a quote to install a heat pump and with the grant could probably do it for about £3500. We rebuilt our house 4 years ago and so it has plenty of insulation and as a result our oil consumption has dropped by about...

Yes, not bad. I think amarillo give quite a nice fruity flavour.

Hoppiness not happiness!

Probably a bit hotter than that. I put them in pretty much as soon as the boil is finished. You may find 80 degrees works well though if you like a little less happiness. The 30 mins is about right. Good luck. Let me know how you get on.

I mash in an insulated water cooler (very similar to the picnic cooler). I have added some silver insulation to the outside and the temp only drops by about 1.5 degrees over an hour. I still check the temp after madhing in because I brew in my outside shed and the grain temperature varies with...

For many years I have checked my mash temperature with a glass thermometer and using this method have consistently got a brewhouse efficiency of about 68 -70% (usually nearer 68). So not great but quite acceptable. A few weeks ago I dropped and broke the thermometer and so replaced it with a...

Happy to share the recipe. Based on 22L OG -1052 Maris otter pale - 5Kg Amarillo (usually about 7.5% aa) 54g - start of boil 25g - 25 mins 25g - 5 mins 80g - flame out Yeast - Nottingham Mash - 60 mins (66 - 67c) Boil - 60 mins I did post the recipe once before and someone came back and...

Some time ago I thought I would try and brew a smash and chose amarillo (because I always liked Crouch Vale Amarillo). I just used maris otter and amarillo and notty yeast. It came out really nicely, so much so that it has become one of the beers I brew regularly.

I agree with much of what you say about science in the public domain. However, in most of your examples it is not the science that is at fault but how governments etc interpret and use that science. I also agree that there is much more bad (weak?) science around than people realise. You are...

Agreed that the UK can do all it can and it will not affect the outcome on its own. However, by doing what we can, we act as a leader to show other nations what can be achieved and in doing so increase the pressure on them to follow suit. In addition, as the impacts of climate change increase...

I think there are small things that we can do but their impact will be limited. The main thing we can do is to expect and pressure our Government into making decisions which prioritise limiting climate change and where those decisions are sensible to accept them even if they may have a personal...

Science is theoretical in that you start with a theory and then test it, and based on your findings modify the theory to accept the knowledge that comes with the new data. As a result the theory should slowly move closer to the actual reality as the amount of knowledge and understanding...

I accept the point that this is not necessarily verified and so should be viewed with caution. However, I am a scientist and over the years have learned that scientists with expertise in a particular field usually speak something that approximates to the reality. The overwhelming consensus...

Returning to the original question about climate change. I think governments do know it is real and important. The problem is that in order to address the problem some unpopular decisions will need to be made. As a result they duck these questions because they are more interested in their...

I agree with Sadfield and Caramel Ox. Putting the numbers into a brewhouse efficiency calculator they have based it on an 80% efficiency (which is difficult to achieve in home brewing) and you have achieved 65% (which is on the low side but not unheard of. I generally get 70% efficiency but...

I have one of these in dark green that I inherited from my Mother. We still use regularly.

And I resent every last ml of it!