Making a mash tun with a false bottom is copying what pro brewers use. So it was the first design homebrewers used. Someone eventually came up with just using a bag. At a homebrew size it works, but commercial size batches would be very hard to do in a bag.

If you cut a small piece (probably .5-1 inch) off the bottom of the dip tube, you will pull only clear beer, and leave any yeast, hop matter, etc in the bottom of the keg. If I was going to do that I would cut a very small amount and see if it worked, if not cut a little more. If you cut too...

The tahoma might be interesting as well.if you are looking to contrast with the piney dank flavors. I would be tempted to do the dry hop as azacca and tahoma.

I agree he probably got an infection but if the equipment is in good shape he should be able to sanitize it. Longer contact time with the sani than usual should work.

It's just due to the high heat. No problem.

Dry yeast can have a fast ferment. And windsor doesn't ferment it too low.

Maybe you need to crush finer. Or mash longer. Or your set up is just setup for 65%. Not the end of the world if the beer tastes good. Unless you are trying to make money off your brewing efficiency isn't too important. Consistent brewing is more important than high efficiency.

If your putting it in a barrel, you don't need to leave it in the fermenter after it reaches terminal gravity. It will have time to age and condition in the barrel

Pitch and ferment at around the same temp. Preferably pitch at a slightly lower temp than you ferment at. Once the yeast start going they create heat and it can be hard to lower the temp of the wort while they are active. The lower ferment temps can add a few days compared with ales, but 10...

Gelatin just clears the beer. I've never heard of it inhibiting fermentation. Maybe you just under pitched? Or the yeast are alive but not healthy?

Does unintentionally count? Just kidding. Never had an unintentional sour that tasted even ok. Kills me when people get an infected batch and just call it a "Belgian"

Rice hulls are your wheat beer friends.

Make sure you use good bourbon. Cheap booze will result in a cheap tasting beer. Soak the chips for a couple days. You only need to use enough to cover the chips, unless you want to use more and dump it all in. That comes down to how boozy do you want the beer to taste.

It might come out with a thinner mouthfeel than you were planning, but taste wise I think you'd be fine.

Maybe add some oats for mouthfeel. Should help bring out the creamyness

I've seen homebrew kits that were pre made wort. Just add yeast. And someone did sell pre made starter cans, it was either Midwest or Northern Brewer. So if they can sell it, I don't see how you couldn't. Of course they have big operations and would have better cost effectiveness, but that's...

I agree with losing some of the crystal. I'd probably cut it in half. And replace with more 2 row. And make sure to use plenty of rice hulls, rye can stick your mash which is no fun.

Looks like a good beer, if not ruby colored. Should taste good though.

I guess that would be like making your own home made hop extract. Not sure how well it would work out but you could try.

Different set ups will have different results. How big is a normal brew for you? Also batch sparge vs fly. Fly sparge should have better efficiency in most cases. Sometimes the sugars just get hung up in all the grain mass and it's hard to get them out. Fly sparge helps with the constant...