Homebrew

[Irish79]

You are correct that the beginner class is extract brewing. They do offer an additional free class on all-grain brewing, as well as a winemakers workshop. The initial cost is not that great, but that's not what would hold me back. First, the water is hard. Currently we have a Brita filter pitcher, but that would be a pain to pour gallon after gallon through. Second, the apartment gets so hot anyway (it is well insulated with a store underneath and they must keep the heat up high) that we never need to really turn the heat on in the winter, but the summer it is so hot inside anyway, that using the stove would make it that much more unbearable. Besides, I like the idea of cooking outside and having a smoke while I patiently wait for the brew

At 2.9%, your breakfast stout can really be a morning drink to start your day off right

[FactoredReality]

I have crappy city water as well. I've found its simpler to just hit up the grocery store for 1$ gallon jugs, Lowe's now carries 5gal water cooler style containers for 6 and change. I can respect the heat issue, nicer to brew inside in the winter. Being stuck outside with a rainy brew day can be a downer too though. I'd like to have a brew shed one day with a fermenter / storage cellar in the back yard.

[chefchris]

We're having a big brew at my place tomorrow. I'll be brewing up an IPA with first wort hop additions as well as employing the "No Chill" method the Australians have been raving about. Got a new ball valve, temp probe and sight glass installed yesterday on my kettle.

Also got two free kegs from work.

It's been a good week.

[FactoredReality]

Nice, a few guys out here are going to try the brew in a bag deal, seems interesting. I landed a refractometer for 22$ and a Bayou Classic burner for 30$. Now if it would only be sunny long enough to dry out my yard.

[chefchris]

Just wanted to share some tap handle labels I threw together.










That's our dog, Oliver, with the Blue Tooth on. And the Elk Sh!t one, well that's a clone of a beer called Moose Drool. I brewed that Irish Red last night, name came to me while I was brewing ... and drinking.

Still brewing like crazy. I start working at our homebrew shop this month. Get great discounts!

[Bama]

well i didnt feel like reading 13 pages. although what i read i probly could and will when i get the time. im in kuwait and from what i read i want to start doing this when i get home. but my question is how long does it take from time you start to the time you enjoy a fresh home brew?

[chefchris]

well i didnt feel like reading 13 pages. although what i read i probly could and will when i get the time. im in kuwait and from what i read i want to start doing this when i get home. but my question is how long does it take from time you start to the time you enjoy a fresh home brew?

All depends on style. You can drink an English Mild in 2 weeks grain to glass. But other styles like Barley Wine or Russian Imperial Stout need at least a year. I'm in the middle. I usually brew around 5% or so beers. I usually try to leave it in the primary for 3 weeks, then straight to a keg where it waits about another week. Most people don't start off kegging, though in my opinion they should. I think bottling turns people off real quick to the hobby. I know I would put it off for weeks. You can carb a beer in a keg the same day you put it in there where bottles take 3 weeks to carb up.

Some styles are perferred fresh; Pale Ales and IPAs (hops lose their bitterness over time), while others might take a couple weeks to come together. For instance, I've had Elk Sh!t kegged for a week, it's carbonated just right but it's not quite ready to drink. The keg will be gone by next month though.

Beer is a living, breathing thing. It will change on you on a day to day basis.

So the simple answer is with an average alcohol, nothing over the top beer you're looking at 6-7 weeks start to finish.

[Smoked!]

Hey, Chris! Nice labels. Beer really is a living thing. I've had brews that came together in as little as four weeks and some that took much, much longer. Do you think a complete noob may benefit from starting out with a kit?

I still think your Japanese Monster labels are the best. Can I get you to put your graphic design experience to good use and make couple non-monster labels for me?


...too malty....

[chefchris]

Hey, Chris! Nice labels. Beer really is a living thing. I've had brews that came together in as little as four weeks and some that took much, much longer. Do you think a complete noob may benefit from starting out with a kit?

I still think your Japanese Monster labels are the best. Can I get you to put your graphic design experience to good use and make couple non-monster labels for me?


...too malty....

Sure, I could whoop something up.

I think kits are the way to go for noobs. You have no idea what you're doing when you first start out, you just know that you gotta keep everything clean and follow what the directions say.

1 year later and you're debating at whether or not to mash at that temperature because you would primarily be working with your beta amalyse enzymes which could hurt attenuation though giving you more body.

[FactoredReality]

1 year later and you're debating at whether or not to mash at that temperature because you would primarily be working with your beta amalyse enzymes which could hurt attenuation though giving you more body.

Next thing you know your doing double decoctions and stressing over if you had enough of a protein rest or not.

Congratulations on the homebrew shop gig, don't spend too much abusing your discount.

[nhcigarfan]

10 years from now you will have realized that you can still make great beer from extracts and will go the easy route more often.

[chefchris]

10 years from now you will have realized that you can still make great beer from extracts and will go the easy route more often.

You know, I thought about trying another extract. It's been a long time since I've done one. Now that I have my yeast pitching rate right (I wash my yeast and use a stir plate) and my fermentation temperature controlled, I bet I could turn out a pretty good extract beer.

Though it's not as much fun as all grain. To be honest, I never felt like I was brewing untill I went all grain.

[FactoredReality]

Bottled my Bavarian Heffeweisen last night. Sampled a bit of it and it had a nice clove and banana taste but missing the citrus note I was hoping for, came in at 5.4 ABV. Might need to try a different hop from Sterling next time. Will see once its done bottle conditioning.

[UPinSmoke16]

hey guys does anyone still homebrew here? I picked this hobby up about 6 months ago when we passed a random local homebrew store... The guy there is really knowledgable and we pretty much just tell him what kind of beer we are trying to make and he throws it together... The last brew i made was a blue moon clone... didnt really get the results I was looking for but its getting much better with age...

Is homebrew still a topic up for discussion here?

[UPinSmoke16]

btw for my next brew i was thinking a hoegarden clone... its one of my favorite brews... any insights on brewing a hoeegarden?

[nhcigarfan]

Got a tart cherry stout in the keg, about 1/2 gone. I have a double Alt and a Maibock that need to be kegged, probably today, and a Ginger Mead that needs to be bottled. I'm going to make it sparkling. Next to be brewed will be a double IPA but not over hopped. Getting the grains for that Tuesday.

[UPinSmoke16]

Preping for my next brew... Im going to try a new stout recipe...

Looking into the future im thinking of doing a Sam Adams Utopias Clone... Ive read a couple of reviews and it would take about a year to a year and a half to brew... defintily a tough one...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/1..._n_374997.html

[wild]

I just brewed 5 gallons of my Irish Red Rye and 10 gallons of a Chipotle Smoked Porter.
Also in primary is a mead.

btw for my next brew i was thinking a hoegarden clone... its one of my favorite brews... any insights on brewing a hoeegarden?

Here ya go:

Hoegaarden White Ale

Heat 1 gallon of water to 155°F. Add:
8 oz. Flaked Wheat
8 oz. Belgium Aromatic Malt
4 oz. Flaked Oats
4 oz. Rice Hulls or Oat Hulls
Remove the pot from the heat and steep at 155°F for 30 minutes. Strain the grain water into the brew pot. Sparge the grains with 1 gallon of 150°F water. Bring water to a boil, remove from the heat and add:
5.5 lbs. Wheat DME
1 oz. East Kent Goldings @ 4.3 % AA (4.3 HBU)
Add water until the total volume in the pot is 2.5 gallons. Boil for 45 minutes then add:
½ oz. Kent Goldings (flavor hop)
¼ oz. Belgian Bitter Orange Peel
¾ tsp. Crushed Coriander Seeds
⅛ tsp. Crushed Cumin Seeds
Boil for 13 minutes then add:
½ oz. Czech Saaz
½ oz. Belgian Bitter Orange Peel
½ tsp. Crushed Coriander Seeds
⅛ tsp. Crushed Cumin Seeds
Boil for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and chill the wort for 20 minutes. Strain the cooled wort into the primary fermenter and add water to obtain 5⅛ gallons. When wort temperature is below 80°F, pitch yeast.
First choice: Wyeast 3463 Forbidden Fruit
Second choice: Wyeast 3944 Belgian Witbier
Ferment in primary fermenter for 7 days or until fermentation slows, then siphon into the secondary fermenter. Bottle when fermentation is complete, target gravity is reached and beer has cleared with:
1¼ cup Extra Light DME
That has been boiled for 10 minutes in 2 cups of water. Let prime at 70°F for approximately 3 weeks until carbonated, then store at cellar temperature.
Yield: 5 gallons
OG: 1.050
FG: 1.010-1.011
SRM: 5
IBU: 19
ABV: 4.9%
Good luck,
Wild

[nhcigarfan]

Nice, I'll brew that soon. I kegged the double alt and maibock sunday and made a light lager about 3 hours ago. My next is a double IPA then I'll do this white.

[FactoredReality]

Recently bottled my Coffee Dopplebock, clocked in at 8.5% and a nice flavor. Not as clear as I would have liked but I did opt for bottle conditioning so you'll have that.

Have a beer I'm calling Dr. Stout that is a hybrid stout made with Dr. Pepper. Time will tell on this experiment. 20 gal. of Pub bitter is on deck for my next free weekend.