Adding a Home brewing section

[SuperChuck]

I've always had an interest in home brewing but never tried it... Seems like a big investment in time and like cigars, I change brands a lot.... But light, Coors light, Moosehead, Old English Ale, Yuengling, Folgers (not wait, that's coffee).

I'd like to read up and follow the forum, but can't promise to try brewing..

How long does it take, what is the investment etc?

Thanks

Hehe, those ain't beers. My water as more flavor than that!

Expense, in both time and dollars, can vary greatly.

For a basic extract brew, you'd be looking at probably 2-3 hours of brew time, about a week of fermentation, then an hour of two of bottling, then another week or two of conditioning.

When I started out, I think I spent $80 or $90 and got everything but a kettle. Glancing at MoreBeer.com, they have an equipment kit for $70 that would do fine. All you'd need to add would be an extract kit ($20) and about 50 bottles (maybe some caps, too). For bottles, you can use any brown, crown-capped bottles (Sam Adams bottles have crown caps).

Or you could drop almost $500 on a complete brewing and kegging syste.

But whatever you do, never ever ever get into homebrewing to save money.

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[thepyrofish]

My Dad got into homebrewing to save money...it = crappy kit brewed beer. I have looked at some forums online and am slowly swaying him towards more involved brewing now that we have a little more money to play with.

[Kenyth]

The problem is that in order to save money on ingredients, you have to do all grain brewing and keg. In order to save enough to make it worthwhile, you have to brew large quantities at once. Some people do just this, but generally speaking, most people don't have the kind of time, space, or initial investment money it takes to make that kind of beer.

Your average hobby brewer uses malt extracts. The grain mashing has been done for you, and the results are concentrated into a handy syrup or powdered form. All you have to do is boil up the wort, ferment, and bottle. As a matter of fact, malt extract is commonly packaged along with the hops and other ingredients into easy to use "kit's". Unfortunately, all that processing and packaging costs money that probably far surpasses the cost of macro-brewed beer, bottle for bottle. If you are a shrewd buyer and are willing to buy in a little bulk, you can still get a decent price. Also, most goumet micro-brewed beer is quite pricey, and you may yet save money over those prices for the same type of product.


As a last thought. In the beginning, you will brew a lot of marginal tasting stuff out of ignorance and small errors. It's much like cooking. Brewing beer is easy. Brewing GOOD beer takes experience.

[Cabaiguan Juan]

I've been interested in brewing my own beer but from lack of space and money, i haven't gotten into it. However, I would really like to learn about it, so I'm all for food/beer/drink sub forum.

[Kenyth]

Also, if Coor's or Bud clones are what you seek, home brewing isn't for you. In the beginning at least, you will brew ale, which is fermented at basement temperatures (60F-70F) and tastes fairly strong. "Lagering" is fermenting beers at lower temperatures (40F-50F). Lagers and Pilsners are the beer styles most people are familiar with. They take much longer to ferment, and require a temperature controlled cold environment, but the finished product is very smooth and light in comparison to ale.

Cider used to be very easy and fun to make, but newer laws require the addition of yeast inhibiting preservatives in all juices. Finding unadulterated cider is a back alley trade these days. I can't find anyone willing to sell me any in less than wholesaler quantities.