Midwest Supplies

Beer and Wine Making Supplies since 1995
5825 Excelsior Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
952-925-9854 - 888-449-2739
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FAQ-Equipment

Question:
How do you achieve higher than 8 ppm O2 levels in your wort?
  Answer: Inject pure oxygen into your wort through a stone (1 min for 12 ppm). Or, by flowing pure oxygen into the carboy's head space and shaking for 20 seconds, twice....Click to Read full Answer


Question:
How do I prepare a yeast starter? What are the benefits?
  Answer: A yeast starter is very easy to make and provides many benefits if used every time you brew. Generally, the more yeast you can pitch into your wort, the better. The more cells you throw at all that fermentable sugar, the shorter your lag time (time before fermentation begins) will be. It will also be much more likely that your beer will ferment to dryness (99% of the fermentable sugar is consumed) with a yeast starter. Beers made with a yeast starter rarely, if ever, get stuck or start slow. Preparing a yeast starter is easy with our yeast starter kit (#YS7842). You should prepare your yeast starter about 24 hours before you are going to pitching it....Click to Read full Answer


Question:
What is the importance of oxygenation?
  Answer:

In the fermentation vessel, oxygen energizes the yeast to quickly and efficiently consume the wort sugars, preventing a slow and sluggish fermentation. Most home brewers oxygenate their wort by shaking and letting the air (only 21% oxygen) in the head space absorb into solution.

The oxygen deprived yeast may start fine but may fail to develop the energy needed to complete a healthy ferment. The most notable result is a sweet and heavy taste to the beer due to slow, sluggish fermentation and a high finishing gravity. Instead of the 1.008 to 1.012 final gravity possible with the Oxygen Injection System (typical of lighter beers), a final gravity greater than 1.015 is not uncommon with air only.

...Click to Read full Answer


Question:
Why make a yeast stater?
  Answer: Oxygenation is one extremely important component of a good fermentation. Pitching the appropriate number of yeast cells is the other vital aspect. Building a yeast starter using our Yeast Starter Kit will help you achieve this. A yeast starter is essentially a "mini-beer." It is used as an intermediary step whereby one goes from having a small culture of yeast to ending up with a considerably larger culture. Your aim is to provide your brew with a sufficient colony of yeast, to reduce lag time, obtain optimum attenuation from the selected yeast strain, and to prevent "off" or unintended flavors from ending up in the finished product that can be caused by under-pitching yeast....Click to Read full Answer

Equipment

18 Item(s)

per page

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500 ML Flask

500 ML Flask

$8.95

Out of stock
ETA: September 10, 2010

2000 ML Flask

2000 ML Flask

$17.95
Yeast Starter Kit, 1L

Yeast Starter Kit, 1L

(2)
$17.95
1000 ML Flask

1000 ML Flask

$12.95
Sanitary Filter

Sanitary Filter

$4.95
Autoclavable Housing Sanitary Filter

Autoclavable Housing Sanitary Filter

$12.95

Out of stock
ETA: Discontinued

Magnetic Stir Plate

Magnetic Stir Plate

$94.95
5000 ML Flask

5000 ML Flask

$39.95

Out of stock
ETA:

Drilled Stopper for 500 ML Flask

Drilled Stopper for 500 ML Flask

$1.00
Drilled Stopper for 1000 ML Flask

Drilled Stopper for 1000 ML Flask

$1.50
Drilled Stopper for 2000 ML Flask

Drilled Stopper for 2000 ML Flask

$2.00
Drilled Stopper for 5000 ML Flask

Drilled Stopper for 5000 ML Flask

$1.75
Oxygen Injection System without Oxygen Tank

Oxygen Injection System without Oxygen Tank

$58.95
Magnetic Stir Bar, Small

Magnetic Stir Bar, Small

$6.95

Out of stock
ETA: September 10, 2010

Magnetic Stir Bar, Large

Magnetic Stir Bar, Large

$9.95
Flask Marker

Flask Marker

$1.50
Yeast Starter Kit, 2L

Yeast Starter Kit, 2L

$23.95
Yeast Starter Kit, 5L

Yeast Starter Kit, 5L

$52.95

Out of stock
ETA:

   

18 Item(s)

per page

Set Descending Direction