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FAQ-20 Minute Boil Kits

Question: Quick directions for brewing 5 gallons of beer with malt extract, specialty grains, hops, yeast, and priming sugar.
Answer:

Activate yeast/ warm up yeast to room temperature Steep the grains at 152 °F Add malt Bring to boil and add hops Cool wort to below 80 °F Pitch yeast Ferment Bottle...Click to Read full Answer

Question: What is gyle, and how do I prime my beer with it?
Answer:

Gyle is a portion of unfermented beer wort that is reserved for or added to finished beer for condition (carbonation). What you can do is save a measured amount of your fresh unfermented sterile wort and store it in a sterilized, sealed container in your refrigerator. The gyle should be taken from the wort before yeast has been added to it. Then when the beer has fully fermented and it is time to bottle, you can use the stored gyle by adding it to the finished beer....Click to Read full Answer

Question: What are my liquid yeast size options?
Answer:

Midwest Homebrewing Supplies has various yeast options for our homebrew kits. -1.75 oz. (000W) Wyeast Propagator packs are pure strains of liquid beer yeast in self contained foil packs. Upgrading to this yeast costs an additional $3.00. They require activation 24-48 hours before brewing. This is easily done by holding the yeast pack in your hand and hitting it with your other hand. This ruptures the yeast culture inside the pack. The pack will expand and will then be ready to be added to a yeast starter. Wait 24 hours after creating the yeast starter to add the slurry to the wort. -150 mls (approx. 6 oz) (000ACT) Wyeast Activator packs are pure yeast in a UV light protected tube. Upgrading to this yeast costs an additional $4.00. These Activators are ready to use right out of the refrigerator. Wyeast Activators (000ACT) are available for an additional $4.00. -White Labs Yeast vials (000WL) are ready to use right out of the refrigerator. No more waiting for incubation. White Lab vials (000WL) are available for an additional $5.00. Each vial is equivalent in cell count to a pint starter, or 75-150 billion cells, containing 8 times as much yeast as a small Wyeast pack....Click to Read full Answer

Question: I’m noticing these white blotches with what looks like a spider web on the top of my beer, is something wrong?
Answer:

We want to start by saying that white blotches do not always mean you have a problem. There are two main types of blotches that brewers have to worry about. As for the explanations, we have good news for some and bad news for others. If you just have some white things floating around on top of your fermenting beer, 95% of the time you have nothing to worry about. Usually this is just some krausen/ foam, yeast coming together, or proteins. All of which are perfectly fine and normal. They will go into solution as you move on in the process. However, if you have white blotches and they are starting to form what look like spider webs, you have a major issue. Molds are non-chlorophyll plants that range in size from single spore to large aggregates. Molds are normally aerobic organisms that can grow over a wide range of pH ranges, but they do tend to like the more acidic pH range. Hopefully, it was just a scare, but if not, we’re sorry. Just make sure to really follow a good sanitizing protocol, and make sure the wort, or beer, isn’t open to air for long periods of time. If you remain consistent with what you do, you should have many years of brewing success....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How do I determine the alcohol content of my beer?
Answer:

Simple subtraction. Take a hydrometer reading right before you pitch the yeast into your wort (see “How do I take a hydrometer reading?” in FAQs). Make a note of this reading, which should be in the range between 1.040 and 1.080, depending on the recipe and style you are brewing. After the fermentation is complete, take another hydrometer reading right before you bottle. Be sure you take your reading BEFORE you add the priming sugar, as this will skew the reading. This reading will usually fall between 1.010 and 1.030, again depending on the recipe and style. Then you simply subtract the second reading from the first, and consult a conversion chart (such as the one found in “The Brewmaster’s Bible”, or many other homebrewing books) to determine the alcohol content. Let’s say that your starting gravity was 1.042, and your terminal gravity was 1.010. This makes a difference of 0.32. Looking this up in the conversion chart will tell you that your brew is 4.1% A.B.V. (alcohol by volume)....Click to Read full Answer

Question: What is diacetyl?
Answer:

Diacetyl. This is a word a lot of people don’t even know how to pronounce, but most of us know the flavor of the chemical it represents. Two common pronunciations are die-ASS-a-teel and DIE-a-see-till. This chemical gives butter its characteristic flavor, and it also can be found in beer. Most people are familiar with beers that have a buttery flavor, as it is common in beers such as Bass Ale, but don’t worry if you are uncertain of diacetyl’s nature. It is easy to learn how to discern its aroma and flavor in beer. There are three ways that lead to the creation of diacetyl: 1. The first is through normal yeast metabolism. Brewer’s yeast form a precursor called alpha acetolactate (AAL), which is tasteless. This compound is converted to diacetyl as the beer ages. The reaction that changes AAL to diacetyl is accelerated by high temperature. At cool temperatures it will still occur, but more slowly. 2. Diacetyl is also formed by mutant yeast. Brewer’s yeast that has lost its ability to properly utilize oxygen is called respiratory mutants, or petite mutants (because they form abnormally small colonies on laboratory plates). These yeast are also unable to properly metabolize diacetyl, thus leaving it in the beer. 3. Bacteria called pediococcus can also form high levels of diacetyl in beer. While this bug cannot hurt humans, it can make beer sour as well as buttery. Tartness is desirable in Lambic beers, but it is most unwelcome in most other beer styles. The vast majority of brewers do their best to avoid pediococcus!...Click to Read full Answer

Question: What kinds of recipe kits does Midwest sell?
Answer:

Midwest Homebrewing Supplies offers a large selection of recipe kits. Our kits cover ale, lager, wheat and specialty hybrid styles. Extract Recipe Kits: Our largest selection of recipe kits, kits come with all ingredients needed to make a 5 gallon batch of beer with liquid malt extract (LME). 20 Minute Boil Kits: Our 20 Minute Boil Kits are popular with many of our in store customers. These kits have no grains and require only 20 minutes of boiling. With the use of a wort chiller, you can have your beer in the fermenter and be cleaned up in less than an hour. These kits deliver consistent results. Clone Kits: Clone kits are replicas of commercial beers available throughout the country. Midwest Supplies offers several different types of clone kits that are designed to taste just like their commercial brothers. They are a good way to make a beer that you are familiar with so you feel comfortable with what you are making. Or, make one to see how you compare with the large commercial brewers out there. Partial Mash Kits: Partial mash is a recipe utilizing half extract and half all-grain brewing techniques. All homebrewing recipe kits from Midwest include: Briess malt extract (unless otherwise noted), specialty grains, imported and domestic hops, fresh yeast, sugar, priming sugar, grain bag and complete easy to follow instructions. They are designed to brew 5 gallon batches. Call our new toll free number to order your kit today. 1 (888) 449-BREW or 1 (952) 925-9854. Midwest accepts all major credit cards....Click to Read full Answer

Question: What is the Late Extract Addition brewing method?
Answer:

The Late Extract Addition process is very simple – the bulk of the fermentable sugars, generally malt extract, are added near the end of the boil, rather than at the beginning. Add 15-25% of your malt and/or fermentable sugars at the beginning of the boil. This will create a wort that has malt sugars and enzymes necessary for the boiling process, but creates an thinner wort for the majority of the boiling time. Add the remaining 75-85% of the malt extract during the last 15 minutes of the boil – enough time for the malt to be fully dissolved and sterilized by the boil. There are several reasons to use the late extract brewing method. Several benefits come from reducing over-caramelization. One of these benefits is that the beer will turn out lighter, which can be difficult to do otherwise with extract beers. It can also reduce scorched malt flavors that can result from brewing high-gravity beers, or boiling the wort in a small brewpot, where the wort is more concentrated and susceptible to scorching. Another result out of the late extract method is increased hop utilization. Using the late extract method, you will get a more bitter beer than you would if you were added 100% of the malt at the beginning of the boil. This may be a good or bad thing. The upside is that you get better efficiency in terms of bitterness extraction from your hops. The possible drawback is that you may create a beer that is more bitter than you’d like. Many brewers choose to use about 20% less bittering hops to compensate for the increased hop utilization. This saves you hops! Give it a try on your next light beer and see if you like the results!...Click to Read full Answer

Question: What kind of yeast should I use?
Answer:

The first choice to make is whether you want to use dried or liquid yeast. (Please see FAQ entitled "What's the difference between dried and liquid yeast?") If you choose to use a liquid strain, you will be able to get much closer to the specific style of beer you are brewing. We have placed detailed descriptions of all of the yeast Midwest carries, and the styles that they are best suited for, here on our website....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How do I create my own recipe?
Answer:

Creating recipes of your own is not too difficult. Many brewers start with making kits, then move on to brewing recipes from any of the many brewing books that we stock. From here, making the jump to formulating recipes of your own is not far. Really, it's just grains and/or malt extract, hops and yeast. As long as you combine those things, you'll get beer. Whether or not it adheres to a particular style guideline is up to you. Many books even have a section that tells you which ingredients are preferred for each individual style. Get creative!...Click to Read full Answer

Question: Why do some kits call for corn or table sugar?
Answer:

Corn sugar and table sugar (sucrose) are cheap fermentable sugars that produce alcohol without rendering the cloying residual sweetness of malt extract. Their use in quantities of 30-40% will produce a beer with a considerably lighter body than one brewed strictly with malt sugars. Any canned kits, and the body of the beer they produce, can be improved greatly by substituting the corn sugar with malt extract, either dried or liquid....Click to Read full Answer

Question: What is the ideal storing temperature for my ales and lagers?
Answer:

Your main concerns here are heat and sunlight—both bad for your brew. Heat can cause oxidation, which results in a stale, cardboard-like taste. If your house does not have air conditioning, we suggest storing your beer on the floor of your basement during the summer months, or in the refrigerator. Most people keep their house at around 68 °F, which is fine for storing your beer. Just keep it out of direct sunlight. You may also store your brew in the refrigerator, if you have the space, ideally between 34 and 40 °F. Lagers, on the other hand, should always be refrigerated if possible. For the first two weeks after bottling, they should be kept at the same temperature you had it at for primary fermentation, so that the carbonation can take place. After that, the colder the better, so long as its above freezing. It's a good idea to keep your beer at constant storage temperature, so as not to take your beer through a roller coaster ride of extreme temperatures. As a happy medium, 50-55 °F is a good long-term storage temperature range for your ales....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How should I store my yeast?
Answer:

Yeast will normally be stored in a refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Dry yeast does not require being stored in a refrigerator as it is freeze dried, but if you want to be on the safe side, feel free to store it in the fridge. Liquid yeast always needs to be kept in a refrigerator. White Labs remains viable in the fridge for 3-4 months after production. Wyeast will tend to store a little longer at 6 months. Keep in mind that for every month the yeast is kept in the fridge, you want to pull it out a day earlier. If it has been in the fridge for 3 months, then pull it out 3 days before use. 5 days before hand would be the earliest that you would need to pull yeast out....Click to Read full Answer

Question: I've pitched my yeast and nothing is happening.
Answer:

More often than not you are experiencing a bout of delusional paranoia. Just teasing! But seriously 99% of the time you're just worrying. You may also be experiencing an extended lag time due to under-pitching yeast or insufficient aeration of the wort. If you really believe that nothing has happened, we urge you to take a hydrometer reading before taking it to the next panic level. If for some reason you were born under a bad sign and nothing actually did happen you can re-pitch a sufficient quantity of yeast. For this reason it is ALWAYS a good idea to have a few packets of dried ale and/or lager yeast on hand in the extremely rare event that you should need it....Click to Read full Answer

Question: My beer turns out too hoppy, or not hoppy enough, what can I do to change this?
Answer:

It isn’t a bad idea to make the same style of beer each time, but change the hops to discover what flavor you like best. A good beer style to practice on is pale ale. This is a type of beer known for its hoppiness, and provides a good base beer for your experimentation. If you are finding that your beers are turning out too hoppy for your enjoyment, start by looking at what the alpha acids are for that type of hops. Our hops come labeled with the variety, and then a percentage AA. For Example, Cascade Hops, 5.3% AA. The 5.3% AA is what is going to tell you the hoppiness of that variety. The higher the percentage, the more bitterness you can expect from the hops. Mild hops are usually around the 3.5% AA range, where a very bitter hops is around 12% AA. If the style of beer you are using has hops of 12% AA, it might be too bitter of a hops for you. Try one that is around 7% AA on your next batch. Each variety of hops will have a different flavor profile, so sometimes the answer isn’t trying a different hops, but adjusting how much you use, or how long it boils for. You’ve got this great pale ale, but you just feel it is a little too much for your American Light Lager drinking friends. No problem, you can still make the same beer, but we can tame it up a little bit with a simple adjustment. You can do a couple things to fix this problem:...Click to Read full Answer

Question: Information on Yeast Upgrades: What's the difference between dry and liquid yeast?
Answer:

The advantages of dried beer yeast are that it is simple to use, usually very active and foolproof. One can significantly improve the performance of dried yeasts (and consequently the flavor of your beer) by properly re-hydrating it. Do this by adding the dried yeast to a sanitized glass jar filled with 1-1.5 cups of 90-100 °F tap water. Cover with clean foil and let rehydrate for 15-30 minutes, then bring the temperature of the re-hydrated yeast close to that of the wort and pitch. One of the premier advantages of liquid yeast is the selection one encounters. Nowadays and especially to the novice, there is an overwhelming selection to choose from. Many of the liquid strains of yeast have been obtained from breweries in brewing centers from around the world and therefore afford the home brewer the greatest possible chance to replicate the beers styles, which made these cities famous. Yeast is arguably the most important ingredient in beer and indeed certain styles of beer cannot even be approximated without the use of the correct yeast strain....Click to Read full Answer

Question: Midwest Yeast Shipping Info:
Answer:

Over the summer months we ship yeast all over the country to varying climates and receive few problems reported. That being said the most common issues with shipping yeast is a loss in viability which translates into increased lag periods before fermentation begins....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How do I prime 5 gallons of beer with corn sugar or dried malt extract?
Answer:

For bottling/priming 5 gallons of fully fermented beer using dextrose (corn sugar), add three quarters (¾) of a cup to achieve an appropriate carbonation level. You may wish to add slightly less or more depending on the style of beer or your own individual preference. For kegging (mini or Cornelius)-priming 5 gallons of fully fermented beer using dextrose (corn sugar), add one third (1/3) of a cup to achieve an appropriate carbonation level. You may wish to add slightly less or more depending on the style of beer or your own individual preference. For bottling/priming 5 gallons of fully fermented beer using dried malt extract, add one and one quarter (1¼) cups to achieve an appropriate carbonation level. You may wish to add slightly less or more depending on the style of beer or your own individual preference. For kegging (mini or Cornelius)- priming 5 gallons of fully fermented beer using dried malt extract, add one half (½) of a cup to achieve an appropriate carbonation level. You may wish to add slightly less or more depending on the style of beer or your own individual preference. Malt extract will take slightly longer to condition the brew than dextrose will. Be patient and all will turn out well....Click to Read full Answer

Question: Where do your recipes come from?
Answer:

Midwest Supplies has developed our recipes over years of our employees' input. Even today, we have employees making their own beers that they bring in for us to try. If we feel the beer is good, and different from our other kits, then we make them available to the public. This allows us to keep expanding our already large amount of kits available, but also allows us to keep up with modern styles of beer. Here at Midwest, we are continuously experimenting with new ingredients to make the best kits available....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How long will it take for my ale to ferment?
Answer:

There are several variables that will impact rate of fermentation, such as quantity and health of yeast pitched, temperature, the specific gravity, and proper oxygenation/aeration of cooled wort. However, you can expect most ale fermentations to be complete within two weeks. But there can be a lot of variance. It's quite possible that fermentation could go for only 3 days and be complete or take as long as 3 weeks!...Click to Read full Answer

Question: What are the ideal fermentation temperatures for ales and lagers?
Answer:

The general guidelines for ales and lagers are as such. Ale yeasts generally enjoy fermentation temperatures between 65-75 °F. Some ale strains produce better results toward the cooler end of this spectrum and a few prefer to ferment even cooler than 65 degrees. Likewise some ale yeast strains produce better results when fermented toward the warmer end of the spectrum. Consult Midwest's yeast section on the website or printed material from the yeast purveyor regarding the optimum fermentation temperature for a particular ale yeast strain. Lager yeasts generally enjoy fermentation temperatures between 45-55 °F. Some lager strains produce better results toward the cooler end of this spectrum and several prefer to ferment even cooler than 45 degrees. Likewise some lager yeast strains produce better results when fermented toward the warmer end of the spectrum. One lager yeast in particular will produce good results as warm as 68 degrees but generally lager yeasts do not produce optimum results this warm. Consult Midwest's yeast section on the website or printed material from the yeast purveyor regarding the optimum fermentation temperature for a particular lager yeast strain....Click to Read full Answer

Question: My beer abruptly stopped fermenting
Answer:

Stuck fermentation you say? More often than not, the most turbulent stage of fermentation has passed and while it appears to have stopped, in reality it is probably still quietly, inconspicuously going about its business and finishing up. Wait a few days from when you think it had "stopped" and take a hydrometer reading before panicking....Click to Read full Answer

Question: Why do you have so many kits?
Answer:

So that you can brew and drink the beer that you love best!!! Each beer drinker has their own favorite flavors, so we carry 100+ beer kits covering light, amber, and dark ales and lagers. We have wheat beers, mead's and melomel's, Belgian ales, and clone kits for when you want to brew your favorite commercial beer. Also, for those who have increased the complexity of their brewing system, we carry a selection of partial-mash and all-grain kits. Each 5-gallon kit comes with all of the ingredients and extra brewing supplies you will need to get that batch going on brew day. This includes the malt, specialty grains, hops, priming sugar, grain bag, any extra sugars or additives required, and instructions to guide you through. Maybe we don’t have a kit to satisfy your taste buds, or you have come up with a kit that wows all of your friends. Browse our ingredients section to order the supplies you need!...Click to Read full Answer

Question: What are the differences between Ale vs. Lager beers?
Answer:

All beers can be broken down into two major categories- ale or lager beer. There are some major differences between the two when it comes to how the beer is fermented, and the flavor is different between the two types as well. Lagers typically have a cleaner, smoother finish on your palate, meaning the flavor does not last on your tongue as long as an ale will. Most large commercial beers in America are lagers. Lagers can also include sub categories such as Bock, Pilsner, etc. because these styles of beer will use, and ferment, yeast just like lagers will. Ales tend to leave a taste on your palate for a long period of time, and to have a fruitier, more complex taste. Wheat and Stout beers are also ales due to the fact that they ferment at room temperature and use top fermenting yeast. Most home brewers are going to make ales because of the temperature that they ferment at....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How do I prime my beer using other sugars?
Answer:

Using honey-1 cup for bottling and <½ cup for kegging. Using maple syrup-1¼ cup for bottling and 5/8 cup for kegging. Using molasses-1 cup for bottling and <½ cup for kegging. Using brown sugar-2/3 cup for bottling and <1/3 cup for kegging. Using cane sugar-2/3 cup for bottling and <1/3 cup for kegging....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How much honey should I add to the boil? At what point do I add the honey?
Answer:

Adding 1 to 2 pounds of honey to your brew will add alcohol and flavor. As for when to add the honey, boil 30 minutes for a hint of sweetness, or for 5 to 10 minutes for more residual sweetness. It just depends on how noticeable you want to make the honey....Click to Read full Answer

Question: When do I add hops?
Answer:

Generally speaking, the hops are added once the wort has been collected in the kettle and a rolling boil has been achieved. The first addition of hops is called the bittering hops. These are generally boiled for at least 60 minutes. The second addition, if desired, is called the flavoring hops and is generally added in the final 15-5 minutes of the boil. The third addition, if desired, is called the aroma hops and is generally added in the final 2-0 minutes of the boil. The aroma is much better protected if this addition is added at knockout. The hops used at each of these additions may be different varieties or they may be the same variety throughout. The designations of bittering, flavoring, and aroma merely indicate at what stage the particular quantity is added in the process....Click to Read full Answer

Question: Where do your ingredients come from?
Answer:

We strive to find the freshest, most consistent ingredients available to the homebrewer. We try to purchase ingredients as close to our location, so that you end up with the freshest ingredients possible. Our volume of business also makes the turn over of these ingredients incredibly quick. We want you to make the best beer possible, and to do that you need the freshest ingredients possible. Our malt extract is made by Briess Malting Company from Chilton, Wisconsin. Peterson Honey of Minnesota fills the 3.3 and 6 pound jugs and delivers them to our store every 1-2 weeks. Peterson Honey already has the sanitary food repacking facilities to provide this service to Midwest. What does this all mean? It means our malt extract is as fresh as it comes. We have complete turn over of all of our malt extract every 2-3 weeks. The result is better fermentations and better tasting beer....Click to Read full Answer

Question: My beers taste the same even though they are different styles?
Answer:

So, you’ve got a few beers under your belt, but you are noticing a similar flavor between all of them. This is a good thing if you’ve been making the same beer every time. But, if you have made 6 different beers and there is a similar flavor in all of them, then take a look at the yeast you are using. If you are in the habit of using dry yeast in all of your beers, then that is your problem. In the more recent years, dry yeast has started to come out with some different strains, but for the most part, the yeast has been the same type. An ale yeast strain is the same, sometimes even between different companies. Dry yeast is great for the fact that it shows the start of fermentation faster than liquid. Liquid yeast comes in many different varieties, and every strain of yeast will produce a different flavor profile. Some will make the beer dry, some malty, some buttery, and so on. Yeast plays a huge role in how your beer turns out. We like to say that a 1/3 of your flavor comes from the grains/malt, 1/3 comes from hops, and the final 1/3 comes from the yeast. Sure, there are some other things that can influence flavor, but these are your big three. Don’t take yeast for granted as a major flavor enhancer to your beer. You can make the same beer with 3 different yeasts, and get 3 totally different beers. If you are having problems with a consistent flavor in all of your beers, switch to liquid yeast. Let’s face it, commercial breweries rarely, if at all, use dry yeast because it is not as versatile as liquid yeast. Plus, good luck finding a dry, true Trappist ale yeast. Liquid yeast can get so specific to a style of beer that it actually comes from the town a beer is made in. We have strains available that are as specific as the beer itself. Pilsner Urquell liquid yeast is available, for example. If you are not using dry yeast, then take a look at what strain of liquid yeast you are using. Maybe the kits you are making are all calling for American/ Californian Ale yeast. If you are using the same strain every time, then you are going to get the same results as using dry yeast all the time. Try switching it up a little. Instead of using American Ale, try American Ale II. There will be a major flavor difference between the two. Have fun, and experiment with the different strains of yeast available to the home brewer today. It wasn’t long ago that the only yeasts available to home brewers were dry or American Ale liquid. By the way, don’t use bread yeast for your beers. They aren’t designed for beer, and can leave you with a less then pleasurable drinking experience....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How long will specialty grains keep?
Answer:

When cracked grains are exposed to open-air oxidation will occur. This will diminish the original aromatic and flavor character of the grains over time. Cracked grains are best used within two weeks of cracking and are better stored in a tightly sealed container to minimize oxidation. If the grains is still solid and has not been cracked they can store in a dry, cool, airtight container for up to a year....Click to Read full Answer

Question: When should I add the flavoring extract?
Answer:

You may add the prescribed dosage of extract at bottling time in your bottling bucket....Click to Read full Answer

Question: I had my yeast shipped to my house, will it be ok?
Answer:

Over the summer months we ship yeast all over the country to varying climates, and more than 95% of these are shipped successfully. That being said the most common issues with shipping yeast is a loss in viability which translates into extended lag periods before activity is noted. It isn't a bad idea to have a dry yeast on hand just in case something does go wrong with your liquid yeast. It takes a lot to kill yeast, so it is unlikely the yeast is dead, but it may take more time than usual for the yeast to repair itself and then start fermenting. If in doubt, create a yeast starter....Click to Read full Answer

Question: The yeast feel warm, are they dead?
Answer:

Yeast are surprisingly tough and it takes quite spike in temperatures to really effectively kill them. You may experience a lag time longer than expected due to cellular damage, but likely everything will be fine as they are still able to propagate and spawn fresh and viable cells. Preparing a yeast starter is an excellent way to ensure yeast health and viability....Click to Read full Answer

Question: 3 days and no activity in my beer?
Answer:

There are several reasons for lag time in your beer. If you are ever concerned about it dust off your hydrometer and compare a reading to the estimated original gravity, if it is fermenting or has finished fermenting then the hydrometer will cue you in to where things are at. Remember that wort is most vulnerable prior to fermentation so take a sample with utmost sanitary concern. Also trust your senses, if it has fermented it will smell like beer and there will be a foam ring indicating a krausen. Ferment times can easily vary from 24 hours to 10 days depending on the conditions and yeast strain employed. Activity will vary from batch to batch since there are so many variables affecting performance. Damaged yeast from shipping or improper storage conditions at home, may take time to propagate and “heal” and lag times up to 3 days are not uncommon. Any doubt about the viability of the yeast, make a yeast starter, to give the healthy cells an opportunity to propagate. E.G.: extreme hot or cold temperatures, expired yeast....Click to Read full Answer

Question: I'm out of priming sugar, what else can I use?
Answer:

If you can’t wait until your next shipment from Midwest, or you don’t have a brew shop near you there are many options for carbonating you beer with something else than priming sugar. Just about anything that has sugar in it could be used, but here are a few examples and the amounts that you need: Using honey- 1 cup for bottling and <½ cup for kegging. Using maple syrup- 1¼ cup for bottling and 5/8 cup for kegging. Using molasses- 1 cup for bottling and <½ cup for kegging. Using brown sugar 2/3 cup for bottling and <1/3 cup for kegging. Using cane sugar (table sugar)- 1 cup for bottling and <1/3 cup for kegging. It is a good idea to mix these with a little water and boil before adding to your bottling bucket. That way everything breaks down and the yeast has an easier time using the sugars. Keep in mind that these different sugars will also leave a different flavor in your beer. The sugar that you use can be just one more thing to make your beer different then anything else out there. Maybe try brown sugar with a brown or a stout? That little extra sweetness can make a good beer even better. ...Click to Read full Answer

Question: Tips for better yeast performance in your beer
Answer:

Take advantage of our shipping options, we keep the insulated and cooling materials at cost to ensure you receive your yeast in the best possible condition. We offer insulated shipping bags in conjunction with the industry standard ice gel packs. These will help retain cool shipping temps and provide you with healthier yeast. Yeast starters and wort aeration both promote great yeast performance and consistent healthy results. Taking time to address these two issues will greatly improve the quality and consistency of your batch of beer. Keep a backup packet or two of dry yeast on hand in your fridge. It is freeze dried and will last easily for two years. In an emergency you can use it to ensure that the batch is spared rather then waiting for a new shipment to arrive. Don’t worry, have a homebrew!...Click to Read full Answer