Random small questions

[CraftyZA Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CraftyZA]

Thanks! Will go hunt for some of those connectors.

Thanks for the input guys.

[getack Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close getack]

correct, but unless you are purist, you can get everything to dispense reasonably well at the same psi

Unless you want to do something like soda water. In my experience it's almost impossible to get a lekker carbonation in plain water with any pressure less than 3 bar (if I am remembering right).

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

I've only got 2x kegs and also do the JG split CO² ... but you have to be careful when dispensing one and carbing another ... I usually disconnect the one that's already carbed while pushing 30psi into the fresh keg. There is enough pressure in the already carbed keg to still give me beer for 1-2 nights while the fresh one is carbing.

A higer carbed keg can push beer up into the gas line when you connect a keg with no/lower pressure. (so hou mooi kop)

[jakeslouw Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jakeslouw]

I've only got 2x kegs and also do the JG split CO² ... but you have to be careful when dispensing one and carbing another ... I usually disconnect the one that's already carbed while pushing 30psi into the fresh keg. There is enough pressure in the already carbed keg to still give me beer for 1-2 nights while the fresh one is carbing.

A higer carbed keg can push beer up into the gas line when you connect a keg with no/lower pressure. (so hou mooi kop)

there are mini JG taps to isolate kegs at the coupler if you need to

but you should stabilise / neutralise a keg's pressure beforehand anyway, stops foaming

- - - Updated - - -

Unless you want to do something like soda water. In my experience it's almost impossible to get a lekker carbonation in plain water with any pressure less than 3 bar (if I am remembering right).

thanks for that, am indeed looking at a small keg of water for soda water

[CraftyZA Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CraftyZA]

How many of you uses stc controllers? I’m going to assume pretty much everyone.
I’m now on my second fridge that no longer has the ability to make cold. They worked perfect before, then once i make 2 batches of beer, they stop working. First was a fridge. After second batch of beer the fridge maxed out at 11 degrees. Its as cold as it can go.
I then bought a cheat freezer. Because its better right? Same thing.
The delay was set to 3 minutes. I’ve now bumbed it to 9 which is the max.
Any one else experienced this?
Or do i just have really crappy luck?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jakeslouw Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jakeslouw]

I have an upright fridge that I've been using as a fermentation chamber and cold crash fridge for about 2 years.

Standard STC controller, but yes, I set it to the max delay.

[camsaway Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close camsaway]

Just set both my controllers to 10 mins (they were at 7).

I've had two fridges go under very similar circumstances - but in both cases it was a refridgerant leak and I put it down to old fridges that had seen better days (or a very badly placed screw!) not the compressor, but hey.

[CraftyZA Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CraftyZA]

Can anyone help me with some calculations?
I have 95L liquid at 6 brix.

It needs to be 16 brix.

1.) do I add dextrose or sucrose?
2.) how much?

It was 5 degrees brix, then i added 2kg dextrose. That only lifted it with 1 brix.

If sucrose and dextrose have the same gravity then 20kg?
Dextrose will then be too expensive.

[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

Can anyone help me with some calculations?
I have 95L liquid at 6 brix.

It needs to be 16 brix.

1.) do I add dextrose or sucrose?
2.) how much?

It was 5 degrees brix, then i added 2kg dextrose. That only lifted it with 1 brix.

If sucrose and dextrose have the same gravity then 20kg?
Dextrose will then be too expensive.

http://gotmead.com/blog/the-mead-calculator/

It's a bit of a mess to work with, but the calculator works. Let me see...

OK, according to this calculator, you will have to add 10.375kg of sugar. It works like this:



1. Set it to Metric.
2. Check the Target Gravity box and enter the gravity (in BRIX) you want to reach. In your case, you want to get to 16 Brix points.
3. Check the Target Volume box and enter volume - 95l in your case.
4. Leave the Additional Sugars boxes empty, but select "Sugar" from the first dropdown box under "Additional Sugars #1". This is where it'll calculate for you how much sugar you need to add.
5. Leave the rest blank/empty/unchecked and, at the bottom, click "Calculate". It'll populate the Quantity box under "Sugar" for you with how much sugar you need to add to get to 16 Brix.

Now, on the sugars. I would add Dextrose. It's not that expensive, and Brewcraft in Centurion sells it for R20 per kg: http://brewcraft.co.za/dextrose-brew...html?cat=29527

I would not use Sucrose (table sugar), as while it works, it's a combined sugar with a higher complexity than dextrose (simpler sugar). Dextrose (C6H12O6) is easily digested and absorbed by yeast, but sucrose (C12H22O11) requires the assistance of the sucrase enzyme. As such, yeast tends to "eat" the simpler sugars in the beer (like fructose and glucose) first, before going to sucrose.

Apparently. That's what I've heard and read and was told when I wanted to add sugar to my current brew. I was told "dextrose, not sucrose". I used dextrose and, well, it's perfect. Dextrose also has a nicer flavour, it tastes like candy and not like plain sugar like sucrose does. Bleached table sugar also has a slight chlorine tinge to it, if I'm not mistaken.

Anyway, make of this what you will

[CraftyZA Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CraftyZA]

Random small questions

12 kg of Belgian candy sugar would be awesome right about now [emoji4]
It is sucrose, converted into a simpler form using acid if some kind.

And thanks for that link. Adding it to bookmarks now.

[Harhm Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Harhm]

One of my STC 1000 temp controllers are acting weird.

After moving to a new place I setup my controllers as per normal. It worked just fine for months at the old place but when I switch it on the whole display flashes (nope its not just the cooling light that is flashing) I have checked all the wiring and also tried a different temp probe after reading on the web that it might be a probe issue.

Any ideas?

[jakeslouw Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jakeslouw]

One of my STC 1000 temp controllers are acting weird.

After moving to a new place I setup my controllers as per normal. It worked just fine for months at the old place but when I switch it on the whole display flashes (nope its not just the cooling light that is flashing) I have checked all the wiring and also tried a different temp probe after reading on the web that it might be a probe issue.

Any ideas?

try a different external power source?

[CraftyZA Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CraftyZA]

Is there a calculator somewhere that will tell me me how much water 9.5 kg grain will soak up?
Recipe calls for 22L striking water, and after 60 min boil i should have 18L after boil?
This does not sound right?

[Guest Close AtronSeige]

Malt will usually soak up 1 kg:1 liter.

[jakeslouw Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jakeslouw]

the AHA commonly say

"1lb of grain absorbs 0.1 - 0.125 gallons of water."

so 450g absorbs 400-450ml or as Jaco says, 1:1 roughly, depending on the fineness of your mill

9.5kg will absorb 9.5L

You using Beersmith?