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What's brewing?

Nothing wrong with extract brewing. Mr Beer-Gadget-Wanker Beezil will admit that I brew some damn good beer from extract.

My other brewing buddy and I have lowered our costs by buying 33 lb jugs of LME, assorted uncrushed grains in modest quantities, and re-using yeast. And we got a killer deal on a bunch of hops from Farmhouse... http://www.farmhousebrewingsupply.com

Still not as cheap as AG, but always a few to several bucks cheaper than kits.
 
That's weird. I've brewed a bunch of the Northern Brewer kits, and all have been decent, most very good, and several outstanding.
 
Yeah, well.... NB is pretty well known for high quality kits. I'm pretty well spoiled being able to stop in on the way home.
 
lesslimited said:
That's weird. I've brewed a bunch of the Northern Brewer kits, and all have been decent, most very good, and several outstanding.
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Oh, by kit I mean 'can of hopped malt extract/just add to hot water and boil for a little while' kit. :D

I just go into Larry's with my LME jar, weigh the extract as it goes in, weigh the grains, run them through the grinder, grab my hops, yeast, and a hop boiling bag or two...and check out. Average 5gal recipe costs me about $28 and takes me 5-10 mins depending on how busy they are. :)
 
<chuckle> Pre-hopped extract. Oh, yum.
 
It was a hefeweizen can....and I still can't drink it. It's very 'can'-like and watery. I followed the directions and everything went the way it said. I can't bring myself to dump it, but I have about a case left on the shelf, aging to pop open someday just for the hell of it. :D
 
I have always wanted to learn to brew. Is it difficult? Is it expensive? Equipment wise? My Uncle use to make wine in wooden kegs with a burp hose and the ingredients. Well at least that is what he told us back then.
 
Ghost said:
I have always wanted to learn to brew. Is it difficult? Is it expensive? Equipment wise? My Uncle use to make wine in wooden kegs with a burp hose and the ingredients. Well at least that is what he told us back then.
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If you say you don't have a close family member that makes shine I won't believe you.
 
You get into homebrewing because you like to drink what you brew. Until you really get into all grain, it's not cheaper to brew. At an minimum, you'll need a stockpot for partial boils, something to ferment in (6 gallon glass carboy, or food safe plastic bucket, with a fermentation lock,) and a couple of cases of bottles. A siphon to transfer, along with a bottling wand, and a bottle capper.

Some additional equipment will allow you to make a better brew, like using a turkey fryer to do full boils. Partial boils only boil a couple of gallons of wort, and you add enough sterile water to make 5 gallons. Another fermenter for secondary may help (I've stopped doing secondary.)
 
I sampled some of this 'imperial' porter last night...wow. Very complex blend of oak, whiskey, chocolate, hops, and malt sweetness. It's ready to go to bottle. I'm for sure doing this one again. My substitutions and adjustments were spot on. :)
 
lol whar sunset? This stuff is thick. :clap:

i-jBQggzq-M.jpg
 
Did my first all-grain batch about a month ago. Brewed Charlie Papazian's "Hanging Possum Pilsner". It was my first AG *and* lager at the same time. It's been lagering about 3 weeks now and gets better every week. My temp controller is holding firm wherever I put it, which is nice.

Picked up ingredients today (felt lazy, so I went extract) for a dunkelweizen and a hefeweizen that will get about 6lbs of blackberries in it. :) Propagating yeast right now for brewing tomorrow.
 
i think a straw-colored belgian tripel is on order again....

or maybe a brown ale using gambrinus honey malt.

or maybe a czech pils......

brewing sat or sunday with a newbie.
 
ECKSJAY said:
Did my first all-grain batch about a month ago. Brewed Charlie Papazian's "Hanging Possum Pilsner". It was my first AG *and* lager at the same time. It's been lagering about 3 weeks now and gets better every week. My temp controller is holding firm wherever I put it, which is nice.

Picked up ingredients today (felt lazy, so I went extract) for a dunkelweizen and a hefeweizen that will get about 6lbs of blackberries in it. :) Propagating yeast right now for brewing tomorrow.
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if you are doing fruit....

might i suggest oregon's purees, add to secondary, no boil.

i've had not-so-good luck with adding fruit to boils leading to cloud haze from protein and an off-flavor from pectin.

the ONLY time I ever add fruit to a boil is when I'm doing pumpkin ale, which i do every year, and I begin with a pumkin i roast and add to the boil.
 
How would I find someone local to see how its done? Is there a brew forum?
 
Ghost said:
How would I find someone local to see how its done? Is there a brew forum?
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Check out your local brewing supply shop they probably have classes or know of a club that can show you how it's done. I live about 5min from mine and they have classes every Sunday. I learned by reading books try to get as much information as you can then do it your own way. One of the best books for a first time home brewer is The Complete Joy of Home Brewing by Charlie Papazian.
 
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