Homebrew

**nhcigarfan** · 08-01-2008, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by chefchris

Oh don't you worry about that.

I haven't read How To Brew, yet. I joined a homebrew board and picked up The Complete Joy of Homebrewing.

Do I need a Carboy now? I'd rather just go ahead and buy it if I'll need it down the road. I understand it leaves the sediment in the first container instead of bottling it. Keeps you from having to leave a little in the bottle when you pour.

I love Rogue Chocolate Stout, and I saw a clone kit of Rogue's Shakespeare Stout which is yummy as well. But I don't want it to be like an Easy 'Beer' Oven like Mr. Beer. Plus the packet was like $44, seems steep.

You don't need a carboy because the sediment will form a thick mud at the bottom of the bucket and you won't bottle it anyway.

But if you're going to age your beer you need a carboy to get the beer off the sediment to keep the flavor clean. I have 5 carboys.

Either way, you will have a little yeast at the bottom of you bottle and will have to leave a little in the bottle.

Unless you're making wheat beer, then you should roll the bottle before opening it to get the yeast up and mixed before you pour.

**ashauler** · 08-01-2008, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by WOXOF

Fo' Sho'

If the idea of some "chef's choke-alot" stout doesn't entice him out of Jackson, I don't know what will.

Now that's funny shit right there.

I'm with Dennis.......like I need another hobby, but I do kinda like my beer, I'm a hops guy though IPA/Ambers etc.... what brewing board did you guys join?

The equipment investment looks to be pretty moderate to start with.

**Kenyth** · 08-01-2008, 12:27 PM

All grain brewing takes a lot of equipment and a lot of time. It's best done on a large scale. At least 10 gallons at a time to make it worthwhile.

Extract brewing is much simpler. You basically brew using malt syrup or malt powder. The stuff you would spend all day extracting from all-grain. So your work is half done.

You also want to stay away from Lagers. They take fermenting in temperature controlled environments of lower than 70F. This means you'll need old refrigerators/freezers and external thermostats. Most people don't have the space or money for this.

You'll be making 4-5 gallon batches of warm fermented ale at a time, so the cheapest way to go is with industrial PVC plastic buckets and airtight lids with airlocks and a basic turkey fryer setup. You boil the wort in the turkey fryer. You'll need one six gallon bucket, which can be bought from most brew stores, and two five gallon buckets, which can be bought for cheap at any Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

After boiling the wort according to recipe, you need to cool it off quickly before pitching the yeast. Some folks prefer a cold water/ice bath, but most use a length of coiled copper tubing hooked to your garden hose called a wort "chiller" that you stick in the pot with the end hanging out over the edge. You siphon the wort off the sediment into your primary fermentation container and pitch the yeast when it gets down to 90F. The six gallon bucket is used for the one week primary ferment. You need the extra headspace to contain the foam during this very active ferment timeframe. You then siphon the beer off the yeast sediment into a five gallon bucket for a two week secondary ferment to finish off the sugars and clarify the brew. I find it prudent during this time to boil up another batch for the second five gallon bucket. This way, you don't have to sanitize the primary bucket again and you can use some of the sediment to start your second ferment (if your recipe calls for the same yeast).

Once the beer has set for at least two weeks (you can let it sit longer), you prime it, and siphon off the sediment into bottles, where it should set for two weeks to carbonate.

If you keg, you have a lot more options like secondary fermenting in the keg and force carbonating it, but kegging systems cost a significant amount, wheras saving the bottle from your micro brew purchases is free. I prefer the 22 oz bottles.

Oh, one more thing. EVERYTHING that touches or contains the wort or beer after boiling MUST be VERY clean and sanitized with bleach or Idophor immediately before use. Idophor has the advantage of being a safe, rinse free sanitizer, so thats what I use.

**chefchris** · 08-01-2008, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by ashauler

Now that's funny shit right there.

I'm with Dennis.......like I need another hobby, but I do kinda like my beer, I'm a hops guy though IPA/Ambers etc.... what brewing board did you guys join?

The equipment investment looks to be pretty moderate to start with.

Oh yeah, real cheap. Just got mine for $100 shipped. I'm so excited!

The forum is homebrewtalk.com

**ashauler** · 08-01-2008, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by chefchris

Oh yeah, real cheap. Just got mine for $100 shipped. I'm so excited!

The forum is homebrewtalk.com

Dang, that is pretty inexpensive......is it only equipment or a package with ingredients?

I'll check out the board, thanks.

**chefchris** · 08-01-2008, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by ashauler

Dang, that is pretty inexpensive......is it only equipment or a package with ingredients?

I'll check out the board, thanks.

It's just the equipment + you have to buy a brew pot seperately. Then you got spoons and what not. The equipment kits run around $30-40. I just ordered the Nut Brown Ale from AustinHomeBrew.com. Makes 5gl - or 2 cases.

**mrtr33** · 08-01-2008, 01:52 PM

Despite my previous posts indicating otherwise, I truly enjoy microbrews. I would love to start into this hobby.

Hmmm....haven't heard of the Stone Oatmeal Stout. Need to find that one.

That starter kit looks rather enticing as well....

Let us know how it goes, Chris.

**bigwhiteash** · 08-01-2008, 02:04 PM

nut-brown ale sounds just WRONG

**chefchris** · 08-03-2008, 12:17 AM

Shopping for my first brew pot. Knowing that I have a tendancy to jump head first into hobbies, I would rather get what I needed the first time and not have to upgrade later when I become obsessed.

Example: Get a trunk instead of a humidor.

Having said that ... what size brew pot should I purchase? I'm starting out with extracts but can definately see myself going more advanced in the future.

Something like this??? Link

**BigMacFU** · 08-03-2008, 01:49 AM

Couldn't you just check out a restaurant supply store for an 8-Gal. stainless steel pot? What does the "brewpot" part add other than price?

**nhcigarfan** · 08-03-2008, 08:58 AM

You would be better off with a superbrew pot over the economy. If you scorch your wort you're done. So the thicker bottom is a good idea.

Also, I wouldn't worry about sight glass or thermometers but a ball valve is a must.

Also their wort chillers are dam cheap. You are going to want one of those also.

**chefchris** · 08-03-2008, 10:58 AM

Ended up getting this one

Link

Can't beat that price.

**wild** · 08-05-2008, 05:56 AM

Those are nice with a spigot.

**chefchris** · 08-05-2008, 05:12 PM

Got my brew kit in today! Now I just gotta wait for my extract kits to come in ... then my brew pot.

**nhcigarfan** · 08-05-2008, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by chefchris

Got my brew kit in today! Now I just gotta wait for my extract kits to come in ... then my brew pot.

even though the pot will hold a full boil, only boil what the kit recommends and maybe a quart more, put the rest of the water in the fridge the day before so it is really cold and then pour your wort into the bucket with the cold water in it. The quicker the beer cools down the better it will be for you.

**chefchris** · 08-08-2008, 02:09 PM

First brew day begins tomorrow morning.

I'm very nervous.

But I know I should Relax, Don't Worry Have a Homebrew (in a couple of weeks).

**chefchris** · 08-08-2008, 08:26 PM

Well, I got all the stuff in today and decided to go ahead and brew. Everything went fairly smooth. I love the aromas that you get at all the different stages. Finally got to smell hops, was definately not what I thought they would smell like. They had a very citrus-y smell. So everything's good and the first brew, a Nut Brown Ale, is sitting in the primary. Wish I had another primary, I would go ahead and do a second brew tomorrow. Sigh.

**chefchris** · 08-11-2008, 08:00 PM

IT'S ALIVE! 3 days after my first brew day and everything is looking good. Ordered a second fermenter today along with two (more) cases of 22oz bottles and an Oatmeal Stout extract kit. Trying to drink the beer in my fridge to empty up bottles. Brewing a Double Chocolate Stout this Saturday.

All the info is going to the left (ABV, Date, etc.) Flickr made it a little blurry.