Author Archives: mikehoover

Notes from Doug Piper’s Crowdcast interview with Weihenstephaner’s Philippe Janssens

Posted on July 12, 2022 by mikehoover

Doug Piper, host of Gourmet Brewing on Crowdcast had Philippe Janssens as his guest on April 28, 2022. Philippe Janssens is Tech/Mgr at Fermentis and offered up a lot of great information on the subject of brewing lagers, particularly helles … Continue reading →

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My first encounter with beer stone

Posted on July 14, 2020 by mikehoover

I had my first encounter with beer stone recently. My fermenter chiller coils have been collecting a residue that does not come off easily. Normally, to clean them, I run a Scotch brite pads along the coils with some Barkeepers. … Continue reading →

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My Second 5000 BTU Window AC Glycol Chiller Build

Posted on November 28, 2019 by mikehoover

This is my second glycol chiller build. I used a new 5000 BTU window AC unit I had sitting around still in the box for several years. I decided to build out a second chiller to have as a backup … Continue reading →

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Notes on my first attempt at making crystal malt

Posted on August 24, 2019 by mikehoover

On Friday, August 23, 2019, I made my first attempt at making some crystal malt. I used Brewcabin.com’s post as a guide. 8:00 AM: Soaked 1 lb Thomas Fawcett Golden Promise malt in about 21 oz of bottled water in … Continue reading →

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Doom Bar Brewing Notes

Posted on June 25, 2019 by mikehoover

Doom Bar recipe notes: Links: BeerSmith forum HomebrewTalk Jim’s Beer Kit From Doom Bar page on Sharp’s website: Cask: 4.0 %ABV Bottle: 4.3 %ABV Please follow and like us:

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Making Soap To Use In The Brewery

Posted on March 30, 2019 by mikehoover

Not necessarily brew related, but for future reference. I made my second batch of hand soap that I use in the brewery. The last batch yielded 18 bars and lasted about two years. I could not find the same recipe … Continue reading →

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First Attempt at Malting Wheat

Posted on March 16, 2019 by mikehoover

I have been reading about malting grains for a good while and finally decided to give it a try after I spotted some raw wheat at Whole Foods the other day. I bought about 2.5 pounds of it to play … Continue reading →

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Boil-off Test On My Small Kettle

Posted on January 27, 2019 by mikehoover

On Sunday, January 27, 2019, I conducted a boil-off test on my small kettle. It is a 62-quart SS Bayou Classic that I have used for five-gallon batches for years. I have been experimenting with lid-on boiling with my 1/2 … Continue reading →

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Replacement Batteries For Brewing Equipment

Posted on November 27, 2018 by mikehoover

Not too many pieces of brewing equipment require batteries to be replaced from time to time. This is just for future reference when I need to replace batteries. 1. Milwaukee pH56 Pocket pH/Temp Tester: four LR44 batteries. 2. CDN thermometer: … Continue reading →

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First Brew Day On My 1/2 BBL HERMS System

Posted on October 15, 2018 by mikehoover

On Saturday, October 13, 2018, I finally put my 1/2 BBL HERMS brew rig to the test. I had been working to get my fermenter/chiller prepared for the last month. I tested it with water and determined that it was … Continue reading →

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