Home Brew Discussion

[Heidenlarm]

Here's the recipe if you're interested: http://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/12444/alum-creek-monster-lake-erie-monster-clone

http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/uploads/Beer/WEB Profile Lake Erie Monster 2012.pdf

Going to use a full ounce for the half ounce additions to get it up closer to the 80 IBUs the beer is supposed to be. It's too bad I won't have this ready by April. My friend is coming back to Chicago from Colorado for a few days at the beginning of the month. I could give him a few to pass along.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Bumping this thread, because it's great. I'm nearing the point of my first homebrew. Hoping to do this within a month or so. Just wanted a quick sanity check on my approach, from the people here who know what the **** they are doing:

1) Read How to Brew (John Palmer). Doing that before I do anything else.

2) Buy a starter kit – thinking about one of these? What do you think?

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...arter-kits/essential-brewing-starter-kit.html
or
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...-starter-kits/deluxe-brewing-starter-kit.html

Is there a good reason to need a secondary fermentor out of the gate? Any advantage to glass vs. plastic? I'm normally an "all in" type guy. I know if I start doing this, I will continue to do it until I get good at it...so spending more money isn't an issue if it makes sense from a long term investment perspective. In other words, I want to make sure whatever I buy can "grow" with my progress and I don't end up throwing out purchases for future upgrades.

3) It looks like after I do #2 I still need a brew kettle? Is there anything special I need to think about here, or will something like this do the trick?
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...t/brew-kettles/5-gallon-stainless-kettle.html

4) It looks like those kits come with an extract kit. Would probably go with one of those for the first round?

5) Slowly move into other areas (partial mash, all grain, my own recipes etc) as I gain some experience and confidence?

Basically I am just looking what to ideally know, purchase and try making for the first round....and what the logical progression is after that. Apologies for the noob questions, I just don't want to spend money on stupid stuff or make shitty beer the first time around.

 

[AuCN]

Bumping this thread, because it's great. I'm nearing the point of my first homebrew. Hoping to do this within a month or so. Just wanted a quick sanity check on my approach, from the people here who know what the **** they are doing:

1) Read How to Brew (John Palmer). Doing that before I do anything else.

2) Buy a starter kit – thinking about one of these? What do you think?

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...arter-kits/essential-brewing-starter-kit.html
or
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...-starter-kits/deluxe-brewing-starter-kit.html

Is there a good reason to need a secondary fermentor out of the gate? Any advantage to glass vs. plastic? I'm normally an "all in" type guy. I know if I start doing this, I will continue to do it until I get good at it...so spending more money isn't an issue if it makes sense from a long term investment perspective. In other words, I want to make sure whatever I buy can "grow" with my progress and I don't end up throwing out purchases for future upgrades.

3) It looks like after I do #2 I still need a brew kettle? Is there anything special I need to think about here, or will something like this do the trick?
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...t/brew-kettles/5-gallon-stainless-kettle.html

4) It looks like those kits come with an extract kit. Would probably go with one of those for the first round?

5) Slowly move into other areas (partial mash, all grain, my own recipes etc) as I gain some experience and confidence?

Basically I am just looking what to ideally know, purchase and try making for the first round....and what the logical progression is after that. Apologies for the noob questions, I just don't want to spend money on stupid stuff or make shitty beer the first time around.

Hey vanprooyen. Ill hit you up tomorrow in this thread. We can definitely get you going. I have way overpurchased (although you can still use all of it). But I will let you know my layout. Do you have any sort of homebrew place around you? It will make it that much more gratifying than making a kit, even for your first beer, if you can go to a shop and buy the ingredients yourself.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Thanks! Yep, there are a bunch actually. Like 10 within 30 mins, this place is probably the closest to me though / looks like they have a pretty good selection - http://www.southernhomebrew.com/

Edit> Based on some reviews, I think I'm going to go here instead. Closer and sounds more noob friendly:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/sanford-homebrew-shop-inc-sanford

 

[Heidenlarm]

Bumping this thread, because it's great. I'm nearing the point of my first homebrew. Hoping to do this within a month or so. Just wanted a quick sanity check on my approach, from the people here who know what the **** they are doing:

1) Read How to Brew (John Palmer). Doing that before I do anything else.

2) Buy a starter kit – thinking about one of these? What do you think?

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...arter-kits/essential-brewing-starter-kit.html
or
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...-starter-kits/deluxe-brewing-starter-kit.html

Is there a good reason to need a secondary fermentor out of the gate? Any advantage to glass vs. plastic? I'm normally an "all in" type guy. I know if I start doing this, I will continue to do it until I get good at it...so spending more money isn't an issue if it makes sense from a long term investment perspective. In other words, I want to make sure whatever I buy can "grow" with my progress and I don't end up throwing out purchases for future upgrades.

3) It looks like after I do #2 I still need a brew kettle? Is there anything special I need to think about here, or will something like this do the trick?
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...t/brew-kettles/5-gallon-stainless-kettle.html

4) It looks like those kits come with an extract kit. Would probably go with one of those for the first round?

5) Slowly move into other areas (partial mash, all grain, my own recipes etc) as I gain some experience and confidence?

Basically I am just looking what to ideally know, purchase and try making for the first round....and what the logical progression is after that. Apologies for the noob questions, I just don't want to spend money on stupid stuff or make shitty beer the first time around.

Don't worry about sanity, just worry about being sanitary. It's simple really.

This is the kit I got: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-starter-kit-w-plastic-carboy.html you might want to check it out. Mine came with a Better Bottle though. Advantages of plastic carboys are that they weigh a lot less so they're easier to move and if they fall or tip over they're not going to break. I'd imagine they might be easier to grip as well when moving.

Yeah you'll need a kettle. If you have a smaller one already that will do for now if you're going to do extract brewing. Since extract is condensed it'll all fit into a smaller one, like 3.5 gallons and then you just top up the remaining 1.5 in the primary before adding the yeast. You'll need to get a thermometer too if you don't have one to monitor the temperature of the wort.

I did extract the first time around and then immediately jumped into doing all grain. You'll need more equipment for that, but it's not too hard. I posted a link on how to make your own cheap mash tun on here. It's tons cheaper to make it yourself. There's also a link somewhere in this thread on how to make your own wort chiller, I'd recommend looking into that.

 

[Heidenlarm]

Tried that oatmeal stout the other day now that it's been sitting for several months - still not very pleasant. It's been upgraded from being poured straight down the drain to being able to be choked down.

 

[nvanprooyen]

What about the advantage of glass over plastic? Or aren't there any?

 

[Heidenlarm]

Glass won't scratch like plastic carboys, but I've never had a problem cleaning mine, because I rinse well after using them so nothing gets stuck.

You can check this out: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Glass_Carboy_vs_Better_Bottle

"Tendency to flex if you pick up a full one, possibly allowing airlock water into your wort." That has happened to me numerous times, but so far hasn't been a problem. My better bottle is also a little cloudy after using sanitizer on it.

 

[Heidenlarm]

Also can read numerous opinions on it here: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/glass-vs-plastic-carboy-55204/

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/plastic-glass-carboy-289723/

 

[nvanprooyen]

Thanks!

 

[nvanprooyen]

In regards to some of the kegging comments made earlier, that sounds like a way I'd be interested in going. Less fucking around bottling, capping, cleaning etc it sounds like.Is there anything more to it than constructing a kegerator and putting the finished product in a clean / sanitized keg with some sugar for carbonation? Basically just "bottling" it in a keg. Or is there more to it than that?

 

[nvanprooyen]

I read something earlier today thought it was pretty funny...."I used to have a drinking problem, now I have a hobby".

 

[AuCN]

In regards to some of the kegging comments made earlier, that sounds like a way I'd be interested in going. Less fucking around bottling, capping, cleaning etc it sounds like.Is there anything more to it than constructing a kegerator and putting the finished product in a clean / sanitized keg with some sugar for carbonation? Basically just "bottling" it in a keg. Or is there more to it than that?

You use CO2 to carbonate. Force carbonating. Put the psi in the keg up to 20, detach the co2, and shake like crazy. Do it again. Then put it in a fridge or kegerator at 10-12psi. That's it. Ready to drink. Make sure you chill your primary or secondary before kegging to get the beer to serving temp. It gets better carbonation over a few days but it is ready to drink immediately. Go to kegconnection.com. That is where I got my 5 kegs, co2, and a dual regulator. A dual regulator is very nice to have if you want to start off with expandable equipment. ( I also got a 2 keg setup for my bro in law there). Also, you can put sani in a keg, turn it upside down for a few mins, the use the co2 to push the sani through your picnic tap tube and it is sanitized ready for your beer. Release the excess pressure, remove the top of the keg and you won't have to worry about oxidation of your beer splashing in the keg when you siphon from your primary because the keg is full of co2 (heavier than air so it sits in the keg). It is usually good to bottle the first time so you can realize how much it sucks and appreciate the kegging that much more.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Ahh, right. That makes sense. Wasn't thinking about the CO2 providing carbonation, just maintaining it. Thanks for the advice! I probably will bottle every once in awhile anyways. Want to be able to easily share it with people....plus I have a background in design and there is something appealing about creating / slapping my own labels on stuff (provided the beer is worth the label). I'm gonna go check out that LHBS I linked above earlier. I checked out their Facebook page and they seem like good dudes.

 

[AuCN]

You can always bottle from a keg too, be it from a picnic tap or a kegerator. I take growlers to friends and family all the time. I also do standard bottles. They are fairly easy from a picnic tap. Google homemade counter pressure filler. It should be there. Costs about 10 to make I think. I hear you on the labels. I make my own geology related labels for my bottles. Granted they are on the lame mailing address labels by Avery. But they work and they come off easy in sani.

 

[AuCN]

I recommend you don't make a kit. You are a smart guy. I made a kit for my first beer and it is very unsatisfying. Find a beer you want to make and there are plenty of forums to give you a recipe. Eventually you will be able to read several recipes and take things you like from each and sort of develop your own. I'm sure we will all help you come up with a good extract recipe to get you started as well.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Thanks again dude. I'm a huge IPA fan...so if that isn't particularly challenging for a first round, I may start there.

PS> This whole little adventure, even just reading shit...has made me go out and explore / try new stuff etc etc. I just discovered Cigar City, which is apparently right in my backyard. Holy shit, their stuff is good...I've tried like 3 so far. I feel like I have been wasting my time on shit beer that I thought was good my whole life now. Never too late I suppose....

 

[Rustysurf83]

I love Rogue Dead Guy and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale so much....I mean I seriously love it and it makes me horny because we have a solid relationship and I am sensitive enough to appreciate that. Now I have to spend the next 3 hours of my life partaking in its deliciousness, and, surfing xvideos; but that's beside the point.

 

[Rustysurf83]

I thought that this was a regular beer thread not just homebrew, but I am brewing a little something something that could be considered homebrew if you get my drift.

 

[Heidenlarm]

Thanks again dude. I'm a huge IPA fan...so if that isn't particularly challenging for a first round, I may start there.

PS> This whole little adventure, even just reading shit...has made me go out and explore / try new stuff etc etc. I just discovered Cigar City, which is apparently right in my backyard. Holy shit, their stuff is good...I've tried like 3 so far. I feel like I have been wasting my time on shit beer that I thought was good my whole life now. Never too late I suppose....

My first beer was an IPA. It's a good place to start.