School me on home brewing [Archive]

Underdog

01-11-2008, 03:28 PM

You can start off by brewing with extract which only requires a large pot to boil and make the wort, a carboy w/ bubbler to ferment in, and bottles or a keg for the final fermentation and, obviously, delivery to your mouth.

If you were going to brew from scratch you would need much larger pots in order to steep the barley. However, this process gives you more control over the final result.

I would start with extract and if you enjoy it, step up to doing the full mash someday when you're ready.

Tocsin

01-11-2008, 04:03 PM

I've been wanting to brew some. I found a place that sells kits and everything, even brew there and have classes.

I'm going to pick me up a kit and give it a go. Like Underdog said, seems like starting off with the extract at first is the way to go.

starhm

01-11-2008, 04:05 PM

BigInALegacy

01-11-2008, 04:10 PM

That's not the one on the DW Highway next to Subway is it?

I've heard that's a pretty good time with a group of buddies.

ur a bus

01-11-2008, 04:46 PM

If you don't want to jump into this with both feet, you can brew your own at Brew It Up, near the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. If you decide that you like making your own, you can always buy the stuff to do it at home later.

-- Steve

rc0032

01-11-2008, 04:48 PM

Oh...might be a good idea when im visiting Sac.

ur a bus

01-11-2008, 05:08 PM

Oh...might be a good idea when im visiting Sac.

That's what I was thinking :) They used to be in Davis, but moved to Sac a few years ago.

A co-worker brews there a couple times per year.

-- Steve

rc0032

01-11-2008, 05:17 PM

That's what I was thinking :) They used to be in Davis, but moved to Sac a few years ago.

A co-worker brews there a couple times per year.

-- Steve
Ok I took a look and you make 132 12oz bottles...I cant drink that much in my short time. Want to go 50/50?

Tocsin

01-11-2008, 05:22 PM

Ok I took a look and you make 132 12oz bottles...I cant drink that much in my short time. Want to go 50/50?

Wuss! :p

rc0032

01-11-2008, 05:27 PM

I'm good for a case+ a week but 11 cases in 4 weeks :spin:

Tocsin

01-11-2008, 05:34 PM

I'm good for a case+ a week but 11 cases in 4 weeks :spin:

5 beers a day:lol:

rc0032

01-11-2008, 05:35 PM

7 days a week 24 beers a case... 3.4 a day ;)

BigInALegacy

01-11-2008, 06:11 PM

24 hours in a day.... 24 beers in a case... coincidence? I think not!

:D

rc0032

01-13-2008, 11:10 AM

Ok bump for good books or sites to read up on?

Also how much does it stink?

Inigo Montoya

01-13-2008, 12:36 PM

A friend of mine does his using one of the turkey fryer kits for the initial boiling part of the beer, then everything else is in his bathtub. I know he ferments in the bottle for carbonation, I actually have an amber of his in my fridge right now but I have never gone through the process. Usually your best bet is to see if you town has a homebrew supply store. Many of these places have meetings so you can get to know other people, I figure the best way to learn is to see it done yourself.

starhm

01-13-2008, 09:11 PM

i started here...

www.boomchugalug.com (http://www.boomchugalug.com)

they have pretty good write ups and a store in nashua, nh. they dont ship though, but will answer questions...they sell complete kits as well and beer mixes.

have fun!!!

some info on the website...also using 'the complete joy of home brewing, 3rd edition' by charlie papazian. good write ups with illustrations. i am getting my first batch going this week, so no info on the stinking yet.

SpecBee

01-13-2008, 09:30 PM

I used to brew beer then got into the wine kits then stopped about about 7 years back. You definitely need to have a brew supply store close by to get the kit, bottles and supplies. They would have recipes for certain brews like lagers & stouts or anything in between. It was fun to add molases or Oatmeal or lactose to stouts or all three or to dry hop an IPA. Once I got into the wine kits I stopped brewing beer. It's definitely fun and takes about two weeks for fermentation, chill then drink away...;)

ur a bus

01-14-2008, 09:51 AM

Ok I took a look and you make 132 12oz bottles...I cant drink that much in my short time. Want to go 50/50?

Sorry, I have had two very negative experiences in the restaurant. I vow to never spend another penny there so long as I live.

You could always UPS the extra beer back to your other place of residence?

-- Steve

rc0032

01-14-2008, 10:03 AM

Sorry, I have had two very negative experiences in the restaurant. I vow to never spend another penny there so long as I live.

You could always UPS the extra beer back to your other place of residence?

-- Steve
So I take it you are not coming to the meet :lol::lol:

It would be pricey to UPS that much. Im going to look for a similar place near me :)

JessterCPA

01-14-2008, 10:16 AM

I did this a number of years ago too. A good local supply shop is key while you get started. After a few batches, you can order stuff online to save $$$, but the advice in the beginning is priceless.

Clean & santize. You can't clean & sanitize your equipment enough. Bad bacteria will slaughter your beer.

Jesse

SneakyFast

02-02-2008, 04:45 PM

Ok bump for good books or sites to read up on?

Also how much does it stink?

Ok, I know the thread is a couple weeks old but I have a good book for you. "How to brew" by John Palmer is an excellent book. "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" (as previously mentioned) is excellent too but I think " How To Brew is a little more current.

homebrewtalk.com is an excellent online forum. Lot's of good info. Very noob friendly.

I keep my fermenting beer in a closet and it doesn't smell bad. Actually, if you open the closet door it smells awesome. Some of the more exotic yeasts give off sulfer smells, but that's stuff you won't get into for quite a while.

starhm

02-02-2008, 08:41 PM

sanitized with c-brite cleanser. made my first batch last week. got interesting because the yeast in the first kit i made was bad...24 hours, no fermenting...48 hours, no fermenting... had to add a second yeast pack then the fermenting started. a lot of bubbling the first 48 hours as expected, smell was not noticable. the boiling of the kit was more noticable smell wise then the fermenting. be carful of boiling over...it is very easy...watch the boiling. i used a 5 gal carboy for a 5 gal kit...the first vigorous fermenting left me finding this huge foamy head on the air trap the first day, had to add water to the air trap twice... 60 hours later the bubbling is very managable... using a true brew kit with a carboy. some kits require more than 5 gal...carboy wont work. maintaining temp in ne is rough...have the carboy next to the heat vent double wrapped in two towels for light protection. towels soaked up some of the bubbling in the first 48 hours.

have extra yeast on hand just in case... more to report later.

SneakyFast

02-03-2008, 02:07 PM

Congrats on your first brew. Now it's time for the hard part... waiting! Don't pitch any more yeast. Once you get the krausen (foamy top) you know your yeast is healthy and active. The krausen will drop and the bubbling will slow to a crawl in the next couple of days. Don't worry that's normal. The most active part of fermentation comes in the first 3-5 days.

It's a good idea to use a blow off tube instead of an airlock if you are fermenting 5 gallon batches in 5 gallon carboys. It will save you a lot of mess. You can use the same rubber stopper. Just put a tube (that will fit) in it and run it into some receptical with a little bit of water covering the end of the tube.

Here's a crappy phone pic of my closet right now. I have a 5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy (with a blow off tube) the krausen is just starting to rise. The two in the backround are an Irish Stout and Irish Bitter (black and tans for St. Pattys day baby!) where the krausen is starting to fall. You can switch to an airlock after the krausen falls.

Good Luck!
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n210/shearbiggity/ClosetBrewery.jpg

BigInALegacy

02-04-2008, 10:35 AM

That's pretty cool man!

:whore: to the black & tan's! :D

peterjmc

02-04-2008, 10:55 AM

Me and my boys have brewed over 100 gallons of beer in the past year. 2008 should be a lot of drunken fun.

Best thing to do when you are having troubles while brewing beer... relax sit back and have a home brew... then go back to brewing again.

starhm

02-04-2008, 03:51 PM

thanks for the advice on the blow-off tube, sneaky. that looks like a pretty slick rig. the air-loc is managing pretty easily now.

i do think the 6 inch high foamy head on the top of the air-loc was quite impressive the first time i got home, but the clean-up was a bit much. thanks again

rallysquirrel

02-12-2008, 12:24 PM

I've got Irish Red on tap right now. Kolsch is carbonating and the Pilsener is lagering in the garage.

I decided to not deal with the bottles and went right to the soda kegs. They're $35 each and well worth it compared to cleaning the bottles.

Next up I'm looking at making wine.

nomoreS4

02-12-2008, 01:24 PM

I used to brew at home -- have lots of equipment lying around (carboys, wort chiller, malt grinder, thermometer, lots of cornelius kegs for draft system, lots more).
If anyone in the Toronto area wants some equipment PM me, wife wants me to dump it all.

rallysquirrel

02-12-2008, 02:28 PM

nomoreS4 I wish you were closer. You can never have too much equipment.
Have you tried craigslist in your area?

starhm

02-12-2008, 07:45 PM

nomoreS4

02-12-2008, 07:57 PM

nomoreS4 I wish you were closer. You can never have too much equipment.
Have you tried craigslist in your area?
nah, a bit lazy, thought it would be easier to find a good home this way, perhaps a bit of Legacy barter too?

rallysquirrel

02-12-2008, 07:58 PM

kegging is sooo much easier. Corny keg is $35.
After secondary fermentation, just rack into corny (soda) keg, pressurize for 2 days and enjoy.

If you're planning on buying a kegerator Do NOT buy a tower kegerator unless it's commercial grade with the tower actually cooled, otherwise you'll end up with plenty of foam in almost every pour.

I originally bought a commercial kegerator, but decided I needed more room so I build my own using a newer $50 fridge I found on craigslist.

nomoreS4

02-12-2008, 08:03 PM

is kegging pretty easy? i know you need the co2 rig and a place to keep it cold. any real issues? might be a better way, the bottles are going to be a pain after a while. i have a few growlers i plan to use as well. beer fridge is loaded and wont be able to kegerate it. might have to look in to a smaller fridge. bottling the first batch thursday...to much to do tomorrow.
Kegging is pretty easy; about $150-$200 invested in gear & you're up and running. Much easier to sanitize one vessel instead of many dozens, nice to pour "just another half a pint", great for parties. I drilled 2 holes into a dedicated fridge, one for the CO2 line, the other for the tap. Best to use a newer fridge, as older ones have bad door seals and aren't energy efficient. On my 1st such fridge, I mounted the tap on the front door, but on the 2nd one, placed it on the side, just nicked a tube from the compressor, no leaks, I was lucky! If you want to save some $ and effort, use a Cobra valve, but you have to open the fridge every time you need a pour.

starhm

02-16-2008, 08:55 PM

you have convinced me...went out and got the soda keg, regulator, faucet and co2 cylinder. im going to keg the wheat when i get there. is there anything else i should be thinking for kegging like double fermenting or anything? i didnt do too bad of a job siphoning the first batch into the bottling bucket. let me know. im committed now...or will be soon!:spin:

SneakyFast

02-17-2008, 02:42 PM

Congratulations, you just saved yourself a lot of trouble. The bad news is that you are now past the point of no return. :spin:

One important thing to know is that if you plan to carbonate your keg using priming sugar (like you would with bottles) you use much less sugar than you would with bottles. I forget how much because I always force carbonate with the co2. This is how you force carbonate.

http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/ForceCarbonation.html

It is also important to "line balance" your system. The beer line needs to be at least 5' long to avoid a foamy pour. Details you ask?...

http://hbd.org/clubs/franklin/public_html/docs/balance.html

Now go build yourself a kegerator!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://community.livejournal.com/homebrewing/413981
http://www.kegman.net/rc.html

starhm

02-17-2008, 10:20 PM

i got the co2, so shouldnt need the priming sugar in the keg...right. i am still reading. i am making the wheat tomorrow and should be kegging in 2 weeks. i am looking for the fridge for the kegerator tomorrow and getting a couple more soda kegs to have fun with!!

yep, beyond the point of no returen here!:lol::spin::lol:

SneakyFast

02-18-2008, 01:42 PM

You don't need priming sugar if you are carbonating with co2. There are a ton of refrigerators on craigslist. good luck.

starhm

02-19-2008, 07:38 AM

i guess which is more consistent with carbonating...sugar or co2. should not be too bad with co2 as long as the temp is consistent. does sugar carbonating leave a lot of sediment at the bottom of the keg that gets dispensed? curious, thanks for the help! three 5 gal soda kegs and oring kits on the way...let the building begin!

SneakyFast

02-19-2008, 10:27 AM

They are both pretty consistant, but if you can control your temperature you can literally carb your beer to an exact volume. I would say co2 would be more consistant in that way. You are going to get a little bit of sediment in the bottom of the keg either way. You will get a little more if you use priming sugar.

If you are co2 carbing you can "cold crash" your fermenter to get less sediment in the keg. You just store your fermenter at 55* or below for a day or two before you rack it to the keg and that causes all of the yeast in suspension to go dormant and fall to the bottom of the fermenter.

I don't cold crash and I don't get much sediment at all. The first half pint you pull from the keg will need to be dumped out but that's about it.

starhm

02-23-2008, 01:22 PM

this place in tn is dumping a lot of corny soda kegs...moving to the boxes. i got four of them for 105.50 shipped!! kegged the wheat today. i still need to get the fridge and am waiting for the assorted parts to make the kegerator.

i liked the wheat and noticed there are syrup malts and dried hopped malts. which is better or is there no real difference in the taste. i went to nashua and got wheat malt syrup for the last batch. was looking at he dried hopped malt as an order on line possibility. thanks for any inputs.

i should be putting the oktoberfest in the keg thursday...

SneakyFast

02-24-2008, 02:54 PM

DME is pretty much dehydrated wort and LME is is wort that has been "reduced" down to a thick syrup. If it's hopped malt that just means they added hops to the wort before they dehydrated or reduced it. To be honest I have never used hopped extract. I would rather add fresh hopps to the boil. Let me know how it is if you try it.

As far as LME vs. DME, the taste is pretty much the same if your LME is fresh. Beyond that it's pretty much what you prefer to work with. FWIW I prefer DME. There's a lot of opinions here if you care to read them.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=51949

Congrats on the keg hookup! I was stoked to get 4 shipped for $125 recently. $105 is a steal! Now go fill 'em all up. Post a pic of the kegerator when you get it put together!

SneakyFast

02-24-2008, 05:11 PM

Hey RC. Did you ever get up and running?

starhm

02-25-2008, 04:53 PM

Here is something pretty funny...i was going to go to bestbuy and get the sanyo sr-4912 to make a kegerator out of since it doesnt have the coiling coil ice tray. i actually found directions on how to convert this very same fridge on youtube... got the faucet taps and a video. this is going to be fun!!

YouTube - How to Build a Kegerator: Sanyo 4912 Twin Tap Conversion

SneakyFast

02-25-2008, 06:29 PM

Here's a pic of my converted 4912. I have since added a drip tray and a small railing around the glassware in the back. This thing works like a champ!

I used instructions that I found here.
http://community.livejournal.com/homebrewing/413981.html
I never bothered with the tower cooling fan because I didn't have any foaming issues. Good luck!

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n210/shearbiggity/Kegerator.jpg

SneakyFast

02-25-2008, 06:47 PM

I just watched the video. I would use the walkthrough I linked above. It's a little more detailed. I don't think drilling a hole for the drip tray drain is necessary either. My drip tray is a Guiness bar mat. No drilling and I think it looks better. I'll get a pic of it when I get home tonight.

starhm

02-25-2008, 08:55 PM

thanks...that is exactly what im building. i appreciate the help!!

SneakyFast

02-25-2008, 09:42 PM

Glad I can help. Here's how it looks with the bar mat drip tray.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n210/shearbiggity/P1010152.jpg

starhm

03-12-2008, 02:36 PM

rc0032

03-12-2008, 02:38 PM

Hey RC. Did you ever get up and running?
Not yet. I need to find the time to start and the gf thinks its a great gift idea and I shouldn't purchase the stuff myself. Whenever that happens I end up disappointed :lol:

SneakyFast

03-12-2008, 03:27 PM

Not yet. I need to find the time to start and the gf thinks its a great gift idea and I shouldn't purchase the stuff myself. Whenever that happens I end up disappointed :lol:

Just buy the yourself a starter kit then tell her what a great gift kegging equipment would be! ;) Here's a couple of good starter kits if you want to get her pointed in the right direction.

This is a basic starter kit for $100 (ships free!) It's everything you NEED but the bottles.
http://morebeer.com/view_product/15910/102142

If your serious about getting into brewing I would buy this kit. It's $300 but you'll end up buying all this stuff eventually anyway. This is the stuff that makes the process a lot easier. (also ships free!)
http://morebeer.com/view_product/15912/102142

SneakyFast

03-12-2008, 03:46 PM

that kegerator is still a thing of beauty! mine is done. kegged up some beers with the help given here and am loving it. i have a wheat, oktoberfest, pilsner, and porter in the basement. my next adventure is a flavored wheat...

how much fruit should go into the primary fermenter to get that good blueberry flavor. it is with a wheat. i didnt plan to use a syrup, but enlighten me. i was thinking two pounds of slightly crushed blueberries. i know this will take a secondary fermenter after about 5 days.

any tips or insight welcome, thanks...

Awesome. There's nothing better than coming home after a long day and pulling a fresh pint of beer from the tap. Sounds like you've been busy. Pic of the kegerator or ban!!!

I've never brewed a fruit beer, so you are officially beyond my area of expertise. From what I understand, fresh fruit can be a little bit difficult sometimes because the yeast will ferment out most of the natural sugars in the fruit. I would post a thread (and or do a search) at http://www.homebrewtalk.com/ . You should find lots of help there. I have a recipe for a bomb ass Vanilla Carmel Cream Ale if you are interested in that. No help with the blueberries tho...

starhm

03-12-2008, 11:50 PM

Thanks...ill try the pics over the weekend.

starhm

03-18-2008, 04:43 PM

still wrestling the pics...but i did brew the blueberry wheat last night. smelled great, cant wait for it to get done fermenting. will be transferring to a secondary fermenter friday to finish. a buddy told me to not leave the fruit too long or it will begin to spoil. used 2.5 lbs of frozen blueberries. I was told to freeze them or i would have to mash them. the freezing broke the skins to let the juice out. i will update when its done. will have to taste test and hydrometer at transfer day, just to see.

starhm

04-12-2008, 04:19 PM

the two and a half pounds of blueberries worked great. they were frozen so the skins were broke. i transferred to a secondary fermenter after 5 days and jumped the gunk. i think next time is will mash the blueberries a little before adding to help the flavors mix. all in all, after about three weeks of aging it is great. the flavor keeps coming out a little more as it ages.

SneakyFast

04-13-2008, 02:51 PM

Sounds tasty. I'm going to have to try a fruit beer one of these days. Is it pretty sweet or is the blueberry really subtle? What was the rest of your recipe?

starhm

04-13-2008, 09:11 PM

it is suttle and smooth. it is not as sweet as seadog blueberry for comparison. i also put two perlick ss faucets on the kegerator today. having fun still. i will be building a two tap jockey box here soon.

starhm

04-26-2008, 03:44 PM

made a strawberry wheat. should get a taste in about a week. smells great. also, does anyone have any experience with irish moss and/or liquid isinglass for clearing. thanks for any info. clearing isnt as easy when kegging since there is no priming sugar to help eat up the rest of the solids.

SneakyFast

04-26-2008, 04:18 PM

I use Irish Moss in all of my beers. It works pretty well and it's really easy to use. You just throw it in when there is 5 minutes left in the boil. Cold crashing your fermenter before racking the beer to a keg will help with clarity too.

Strawberry wheat sounds tasty. Just in time for summer.

starhm

04-26-2008, 04:38 PM

while your on, sneaky, do you strain out the hops when putting the wort into the fermenter, or do you put it all in the fermenter and siphon above it all. i have a few recipes and they both say different things...one strain, one put it all in there. just wondering. will straining affect the irish moss?

SneakyFast

04-26-2008, 05:56 PM

I used to strain them but now I use hop bags so I don't need to strain. It won't hurt the beer if there are hop leaves in the fermenter. The hop leaves can clog your racking cane when you are transferring though. Get yourself some hop bags, they will save you a lot of hassle.

http://morebeer.com/search/102209

I don't bag pellet hops. I just let them settle out with the rest of the trub.

starhm

04-27-2008, 12:12 PM

i have to transfer the strawberry wheat again...sucked up some of the strawberry chunks during transfer. i got the things for a belgian white ale next. should be brewing thursday.

Silverstar

04-27-2008, 01:37 PM

wow, looks like everyone is doig wheats now.

That's probably what I should have done. Instead I attempted a jalepeno beer. I wanted just a touch of heat and a subtle jalepeno flavor. All I got was a good amount of flavor and no heat! We'll see what happens to it after a few more weeks in the secondary...

SneakyFast

04-27-2008, 03:30 PM

Interesting experiment. Did you put the peppers in the boil or the fermenter.

starhm

04-27-2008, 05:26 PM

whoa...def interested in how jalepenos turn out. wheat is an easy one to take a fruit flavor and still be light. never thought about things like you have going on. the possibilities are endless...

next wheat will be a raspberry or blackbrerry.

Silverstar

04-30-2008, 09:08 PM

I seeded and roasted two jalapenos, then added them in for the last 5 minutes and kept them in the primary until I racked to the secondary.

It'll be a few more weeks before I get to taste this one. I like to do a long secondary to let it clear up.

This was inspired by a habenero amber I had at a homebrew store, it was awesome. I think it was a "Brew and Grow" store in Roselle, IL. Great shop for anyone around that area.

rc0032

04-30-2008, 09:34 PM

I think it was a "Brew and Grow" store in Roselle, IL. Great shop for anyone around that area.
More details on store please :)

SneakyFast

05-01-2008, 11:15 AM

If you "dry hop" it with some peppers you might get more heat.

rallysquirrel

05-01-2008, 12:01 PM

Clarifying:

I toss in 1 tsp of Irish Moss during last 15min of boil.
Then after 2nd fermentation, I put the carboy in the fridge for 2-3 days before racking.

It still doesn't come as clear as I'd like but it's pretty good.

starhm

05-04-2008, 07:53 PM

strawberry wheat tastes pretty good after carbonating. needs to age some. made the belgian white today. i will be messing with gelatin for clearing when i move it to the secondary fermenter.

starhm

05-18-2008, 06:00 PM

Here is the current setup...
http://i29.tinypic.com/2pyqcdi.jpg (http://s3.tinypic.com/2pyqcdi.jpg)[/URL]
Two kegs in the kegerator in the dining room. I added the Perlick faucets.
[URL="http://s3.tinypic.com/e6c1fk.jpg"]http://i32.tinypic.com/e6c1fk.jpg (http://s3.tinypic.com/2pyqcdi.jpg)
Three kegs in the beer fridge down stairs...

Silverstar

05-18-2008, 07:09 PM

More details on store please :)

yeah, yeah so I'm a little slow to respond:
http://www.altgarden.com/site/retail%20stores/BG_Roselle.html

If you don't want to go outside, check out the sale at austinomebrewsupply.com
But hurry, the sale ends tonite. I just picked up a Boddingtons kit and a Nottinghams IPA kit. I am currently drinking their Fat Tire clone, been awhile since I had a real Fat Tire so I don't know how close it is, but it is a good beer and a real nice kit.

Silverstar

05-18-2008, 07:12 PM

If you "dry hop" it with some peppers you might get more heat.

I considered this, but I'm reluctant to put anything unsantized in the secondary and risk an infection...maybe I better grow some hair on my sack next time and try it.

starhm

05-18-2008, 07:32 PM

+1 on ausitnhomebrew...got another carboy coming and a lot of other gear for 6.99 flat rate shipping. def a good deal!

SneakyFast

05-19-2008, 10:15 AM

[quote=starhm;1885752]Here is the current setup...
http://i29.tinypic.com/2pyqcdi.jpg (http://s3.tinypic.com/2pyqcdi.jpg)
quote]

PIMP! I like the tap handles. Where did you get them?

starhm

05-19-2008, 12:44 PM

tap handles came from kegworks. you can disassemble them and put your own labels in them. your label wraps around the black insert behind the clear plastic...$17.95 each. i love kegworks...never had a problem. they are fast to fix problems.

http://www.kegworks.com/product.php?productid=21292&cat=777&page=1

SneakyFast

05-19-2008, 12:57 PM

They look pretty slick. Do they feel solid in your hand or do they rattle around a little bit.

On a side note. Don't ever use kegkits.com. It's a pretty small opperation and the guy that runs it has no idea what he's doing. I had some problems with an order from them and it practically took an act of congress just to get the guy to call me back.:mad: Pretty frustrating.

rallysquirrel

05-19-2008, 01:16 PM

I use www.northernbrewer.com for my needs. If anyone knows of a web store with a large selection that's on the East Coast let me know. They have to be dependable too.

starhm

05-19-2008, 02:14 PM

the handle is pretty solid. the shank from the faucet threads into the bottom of the black insert to keep it all together. i havent made labels, so i cant speak to longevity yet with taking them apart for changeout. i will follow up when i get some use on them.

one of the handles i received originally was stripped out on the end and kegworks shipped out a replacement as soon as i hung up the phone. i have had no problems with them at all!!

SneakyFast

05-19-2008, 02:23 PM

http://www.beer-wine.com/ is in Woburn, MA. They seem to have a pretty good selection of stuff.

starhm

06-04-2008, 09:55 PM

i need to see how close they are to me. closest so far is jasper's in nashua...alot of stuff in a little place including beers from around the world in bottles.

alright, i may have a problem...i have 9 kegs now and 6 have beer in them. austinhomebrew has kept me up on copy beers so the last three will be full soon. i gutted the beer fridge down stairs and have four corny kegs and co2 on the bottom shelf. this still leaves me the two drawers and the door space for beer brought over and the two in the kegerator upstairs. six nice and cold ones. if i knew the fridge was that easy, i might have skipped the kegerator. good times this summer.

building a two keg travel box that will be fiberglassed so i can ice two and either have a jockey box on top or tap out the sides and pipe in the co2. palns coming together for a weekend build. this is definitely out of control now...

rallysquirrel

06-05-2008, 08:00 AM

Now that's a good problem to have.

You say you have 9 kegs, do you use them as fermenters too, cause 9 kegs is A LOT of kegs.

starhm

06-05-2008, 11:47 AM

eb50

06-06-2008, 04:54 AM

no, i have two primary and two secondary fermenters. i have six cold on tap and three aging for quick change out. i have enough traffic through the house to go through two kegs a month. this gives me a month of aging in a keg before it goes on tap. after a month it def tastes better and has had enough time to clear up.

now that ill have my own home brew in the next month, the traffic coming through your house might decrease and you will need to drink my rations :lol:

i started sanitizing last night. i should be good to do today for brewing either a honeyweizen or nut brown.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=3466

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=3538

starhm

06-06-2008, 09:18 AM

ill give you a yell when i get off work today, eb. looks like i wont get out of here early...

CTATV

06-06-2008, 10:25 AM

buy a bunch of grolsh with the re-sealable tops. my girlfriend's father used to brew and said he had about 100 of them he would bottle his own beer after brewing with limited/no hassle. thats all I got

eb50

06-06-2008, 07:32 PM

CTATV

06-06-2008, 07:45 PM

thats why i am building a kegorator :spin:

nice my buddy had one at school used to get kegs all the time and keep em in there. had the C02 tank and the spout on top & all:wub:

eb50

06-06-2008, 07:52 PM

yep. i did the sanyo 4912m conversion with co2 tank inside along with 2 corny kegs and a 2 tap tower on top

rallysquirrel

06-09-2008, 08:18 AM

keep the co2 outside and have more room inside the kegorator.

SneakyFast

06-09-2008, 10:19 AM

The 4912 only has room for two kegs whether the co2 is inside or outside. The co2 fits because it's shorter than a corny.

rc0032

06-24-2008, 08:43 AM

peterjmc

06-24-2008, 08:49 AM

Good luck!!!! me and my buds have made over 100 gallons of goodness in the past year... :-)

rallysquirrel

06-24-2008, 09:02 AM

I'm on my 12th batch of beer this year. That would make 60 gallons made a drank in 2008, or 1ga. drank every 3 days with my friends of course otherwise I'd be German.:lol: (b)

I've got another 12 gallons of wine too. 6 ga. pinot noir (bottled), and 6 ga. of sauvingon blanc in 2ndary. These are my first batches of wine. Wish me luck.

SneakyFast

06-24-2008, 10:34 AM

Ok my kit arrived last weekend. I got the buckets, thermometer, some tubes, 48 bottled and 2 pre-made blends; basically the premium starter kit. I'm going to give it a try this Sunday and see how it goes. Wish me luck!

Thanks for all your advice guys!

Read section one of this before you get started. Tons of good info that will make your brew day go smoother.

http://howtobrew.com/intro.html

SneakyFast

06-24-2008, 10:40 AM

rallysquirrel

06-24-2008, 11:03 AM

rc0032

06-24-2008, 11:05 AM

Read section one of this before you get started. Tons of good info that will make your brew day go smoother.

http://howtobrew.com/intro.html
Thanks man!

SneakyFast

06-24-2008, 02:09 PM

^ No problem. Hit us up if you have any questions.

SneakyFast

06-24-2008, 02:32 PM

To do wine you need a 7.5ga bucket for primary and a 6ga. for 2ndary.

It's a little less work to do wine, as you don't have to boil anything, but it takes a lot longer overall. It takes 2months before you can bottle, with 2 rackings in the 2mo. Then rest in bottles for at least 3mo.

I'll see in 3mo if the wine is good. I just bottled this weekend. It comes out to be $4 a bottle for good wine.
Also try to get juice that's 4ga or more so you have to add the least amt of water to.

So that would net you 30 bottles or so right? Does the $4 a bottle include the cost of bottles or have you been raiding recycle bins? And just out of curiosity, what temperature does wine need to ferment at?

rc0032

06-24-2008, 02:51 PM

rallysquirrel

06-24-2008, 03:06 PM

SneakyFast,

30 bottles are from store bought wine we drank over the course of 2 months. Can you tell we like to "socialize" with our friends?

Wine ferments at pretty much ale temperatures 65-70. Perfect basement temps.

SneakyFast

06-24-2008, 03:56 PM

Thats a good question...the kit says it makes ~57 bottles but I only have 48 :spin: Can I get a growler from somewhere and use that for in bottle fermenting? That should cover the ~108 oz of storage i'm short.

If you are bottling exactly 5 gallons it will net you a tiny bit over 53 bottles. Ideally you want to get 5.5 gallons of wort into the fermenter because you are going to lose a little to the yeast cake and trub at the bottom of the fermenter. If you end up with more or less it's no big deal. I would go buy a 12 pack of non twist-off beer, drink em, then clean up the bottles real nice just in case you have some leftover. The growler would work too. Don't forget to sanitize.

Edit: If you use the growler you will need to fill it up to within an inch or two of the top for it to carbonate properly and not spoil.

rc0032

06-24-2008, 04:01 PM

Thank!

CTATV

06-24-2008, 04:31 PM

eb50

06-24-2008, 04:39 PM

with the help of starhm, i kegged my first beer last nite. i also transferred my 2nd batch from the primary to secondary

batch #1 honey weizen
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=3466

batch #2 nut brown
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=3538

Setup i purchased
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=6874

CTATV

06-24-2008, 04:50 PM

thanks, thats a good website when i get home from school for good (july 10th) i think im going to have to purchase a kit...:spin::wub:

with the help of starhm, i kegged my first beer last nite. i also transferred my 2nd batch from the primary to secondary

batch #1 honey weizen
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=3466

batch #2 nut brown
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=3538

Setup i purchased
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=6874

eb50

06-24-2008, 05:04 PM

one thing we did learn is that u def want to get the ice packs with ur liquid yeast kits.

peterjmc

06-24-2008, 05:05 PM

one thing we did learn is that u def want to get the ice packs with ur liquid yeast kits.

+1 Always!!!

Lucky for me there are a couple of home brew stores around me.

rc0032

06-24-2008, 05:54 PM

cost and link?:wub:
PM the little woman it was my b-day present :cool:

CTATV

06-24-2008, 05:55 PM

PM the little woman it was my b-day present :cool:

your married to seb?:eek:

rc0032

06-24-2008, 06:43 PM

your married to seb?:eek:
He lets me smack him around what can I say :lol:

CTATV

06-24-2008, 06:43 PM

He lets me smack him around what can I say :lol:

powerbottoms for the win i guess:rolleyes:

eb50

06-26-2008, 10:37 PM

carbonated my first beer tonite. ill wait until tomorrow to see how the tastyness is.

2nd beer goes into the keg on monday.

rallysquirrel

06-26-2008, 11:13 PM

As I was finishing racking the 2nd carboy of white wine into bottles and I only had a 1/2 bottle to go, I tilted the carboy to get the last of it and the carboy slipped out of my wet hands and down 2 stairs onto the concrete which broke the glass and spilled the wine (I've been doing it on the bottom of the stairway since batch #1).

Well it took me 1/2 hr to cleanup the chards of glass and the precious wine AND I had to clean another 6ga. carboy to put in todays fresh brew of Irish Ale into it. It was a hectic 4 hours of cleaning bottles, racking and brewing. I'm gonna buy the neoprene sack for the carboys with next order.

eb50

06-26-2008, 11:20 PM

starhm

06-27-2008, 05:17 AM

soldier down...sorry to hear about the carboy! here is a little project i built for parties and camping...

http://a541.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/125/l_010755e71414078642c52159520cbe24.jpg (http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=170981478&albumID=0&imageID=20941615)

http://a660.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/126/l_b08818d10275801ee54c9ffd4f555563.jpg (http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=170981478&albumID=0&imageID=1727716)

insulated with 2" pink foam board covered with 4 mil plastic and fiberglassed. need to drill and put the drain in this weekend.

rallysquirrel

06-27-2008, 08:49 AM

^ Now THAT'S camping

SneakyFast

06-27-2008, 11:47 AM

soldier down...sorry to hear about the carboy! here is a little project i built for parties and camping...

http://a541.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/125/l_010755e71414078642c52159520cbe24.jpg (http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=170981478&albumID=0&imageID=20941615)

insulated with 2" pink foam board covered with 4 mil plastic and fiberglassed. need to drill and put the drain in this weekend.

Very nice indeed! Have you switched over to all grain yet?

SneakyFast

06-27-2008, 11:50 AM

A little off topic... but has anyone seen any good deals on cornies lately. I can't seem to find any for less than $35 shipped. I switched over to 10 gallon batches a little while ago and my kegs are filling up fast.

rallysquirrel

06-27-2008, 03:01 PM

So you've swithced to all grain since you're doing 10ga. batches? I'm still with extracts, thinking about partial mash.

SneakyFast

06-27-2008, 05:59 PM

Kind of the other way around. I decided to jump to all grain and figured since I was investing in new equipment, I may as well go all the way.

rallysquirrel

06-27-2008, 10:14 PM

That's what I meant.
Because you're doing 10ga. I was assuming you've gone all grain where you need a bigger pot to do full 5ga boils or multiles of 5ga.

mars_volta

06-27-2008, 11:01 PM

i might as well chime in here. ive been homebrewing for over 5 years. i make 12 gallon all grain batches and keg all of it.

this is an old picture of my setup in its prototype days. its changed quite a bit.

http://www.plastikhosting.net/uploads/mars_volta/dscf0779.jpg
http://www.plastikhosting.net/uploads/mars_volta/dscf0776.jpg

SneakyFast

06-28-2008, 10:31 AM

That's a nice setup. Mine is currently a little more ghetto. I have a pump and I'll probably put together a sculpture sooner or later but this is what I'm rockin right now. It's the classic 3 tier system :lol:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n210/shearbiggity/P1010196.jpg

mars_volta

06-28-2008, 12:11 PM

simple is good. from experience, i had set a few guidelines when i built that.

no lifting
no disconnecting hoses during brewing
needed to fit a certain spot in the garage
able to do 10+ gal batches in less than 5 hours start to finish
no siphons
no glass

i use 2 6.5 gal brew buckets with spigots. 2-3 week primary, no secondary, straight to keg.

i do ok. ;)

rc0032

06-30-2008, 06:56 PM

wow...I cant wait to **** up my first batch! keep it coming boys!

My ETA is 8/2 :)

SneakyFast

06-30-2008, 07:00 PM

:lol: It's easy. You'll be fine!

SneakyFast

06-30-2008, 07:03 PM

The hard part is waiting after you have brewed the beer. Be prepaired for the longest 6 weeks of your life.

rc0032

06-30-2008, 07:18 PM

6 weeks? I thought it was 3? I still have a lot to read and thats the first free weekend I have.

SneakyFast

06-30-2008, 07:54 PM

If you're bottling, it will need 3 weeks in the bottle to correctly carbonate. I recommend the 1-2-3 method as a general rule. One week in primary, two weeks in secondary and 3 weeks of conditioning/carbing in the bottle (you do want to make sure your beer is finished fermenting before you rack to bottles or you can end up with bottle bombs). You can drink it sooner but you will have much better beer if you wait the full 6 weeks.

rc0032

06-30-2008, 07:58 PM

I can wait..I thought about the keg method but its my first time and 2 cases of bottles was less commitment. Im still not sure how im going to cool the wort :spin:

Like I said a lot to read and find someone to call on game day :lol:

SneakyFast

06-30-2008, 08:08 PM

Are you doing a full or partial boil?
What is in your recipe kit? ie what kind of extract? any grains? what hops? and what kind of beer is it. If you had a link to it that would be helpful.

rc0032

06-30-2008, 09:02 PM

This is what I have with the Amber Ale from here -> http://www.leeners.com

http://www.leeners.com/pictures/brewery.jpg

starhm

06-30-2008, 09:49 PM

Very nice indeed! Have you switched over to all grain yet?

no, i have done some reading and havent put the time in to try it. still living in the easy life of extracts with some grain for flavor. one day i will have alot of time...in four more years maybe. i went in with eb50 on cornies and we split four at $22 ea. need to question multiple buys on ebay if you need that many. it does come down eventually.

it was a complete fluke, rally, that thing even fit in the camper. i got the parts to just put the third faucet on the box and get rid of the party tap i had hidden away. i have 3 full kegs for 4th of july camping.

SneakyFast

07-01-2008, 01:24 PM

This is what I have with the Amber Ale from here -> http://www.leeners.com

http://www.leeners.com/pictures/brewery.jpg

I don't see a boil kettle in the kit. I don't know if you have anything at home but you need to be able to boil at least 3 gallons so you will need a 4.5-5 gallon pot for a partial boil (that is where you boil a more concentrated wort then mix it with water in the fermenter after you cool it to dilute it to your target gravity.) Usually with partial boils your pot is small enough that you can put the pot in an ice bath in the sink or tote to chill it. If you do full boils you will need a 7 gallon pot, a propane burner and a chiller.

rc0032

07-01-2008, 01:28 PM

I don't see a boil kettle in the kit. I don't know if you have anything at home but you need to be able to boil at least 3 gallons so you will need a 4.5-5 gallon pot for a partial boil (that is where you boil a more concentrated wort then mix it with water in the fermenter after you cool it to dilute it to your target gravity.) Usually with partial boils your pot is small enough that you can put the pot in an ice bath in the sink or tote to chill it. If you do full boils you will need a 7 gallon pot, a propane burner and a chiller.
I have a big ass pasta pot thats probably 4-5gals...I need to measure it :spin:

Should I just go get a 7gal pot for future reference?

SneakyFast

07-01-2008, 01:43 PM

rc0032

07-01-2008, 01:59 PM

ya let me get the hand of it first.

As for cooling I was thinking the tub and ice.

mars_volta

07-01-2008, 02:07 PM

if you can, get 5 ' of 1/4 copper tubing or so and rig it onto your sink faucet. make a quick immersion chiller.

trying to cool with ice is not fun.

also, if you have a Cub foods or other large food outlet, id bet they have $10 5 gal stainless pots. works for getting started.

rc0032

07-01-2008, 02:10 PM

if you can, get 5 ' of 1/4 copper tubing or so and rig it onto your sink faucet. make a quick immersion chiller.

Pics?

trying to cool with ice is not fun.

you cant make beer sober...can ya :confused:

also, if you have a Cub foods or other large food outlet, id bet they have $10 5 gal stainless pots. works for getting started.
good call!

Im getting excited :spin:

mars_volta

07-01-2008, 02:45 PM

smaller version of this:

http://home.comcast.net/~bdg2/brewery/DSCF0603.JPG

no, you can not make beer while sober.

starhm

07-01-2008, 05:10 PM

If your going to stick with brewing I would recommend it. It is an investment though. When you get boils that big you will need a propane burner to boil it (bayour classic is $45 at home depot). You can boil on the stove but it will take F-O-R-E-V-E-R to reach boil. You'll need an immersion chiller to chill it ($50 or so) and a cheap stainless or aluminum pot will cost you around $70-$80. I'd do a couple batches with what you have then upgrade if you decide if you want to stick with it.

i stove boil and yes its forever to boil, but what is worse is i dont have the temp control you have with gas heat. you turn down the flame, the boil rate responds, on the stove it just keeps boiling for a while until the entire burner heat responds. stove=alot of taking the pot off the heat to bring down the boil. not great for brewing, but a great curl workout!:lol: i need to get gas burner!!

SneakyFast

07-01-2008, 06:00 PM

What are you waiting for?!?!?! 30 bucks!!!

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100056313

SneakyFast

07-01-2008, 06:04 PM

smaller version of this:

http://home.comcast.net/~bdg2/brewery/DSCF0603.JPG

no, you can not make beer while sober.

We only post pictures of IC's with SUBARU'S in the backround on this site. Shame on you!

That's a beefy chiller!

rc0032

07-01-2008, 06:41 PM

SneakyFast

07-01-2008, 07:52 PM

such minor details... :rolleyes::lol:

I would probably stick to partial boils if you are stuck brewing indoors.

rc0032

07-01-2008, 07:59 PM

Let me start slow...I have the room just want to ease in :lol:

I do need a method for cooling...I like the copper pipe.

mars_volta

07-01-2008, 08:25 PM

hope youre not knocking my rockin toro... dont worry, that saturn is looooong gone. ;)

and yeah, that chiller will take 13 gallons of boiling wort to 75 deg in about 20 min. in the meantime, the garden gets a drink.

starhm

07-11-2008, 05:23 PM

What are you waiting for?!?!?! 30 bucks!!!

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100056313

i dunno....cheap bas-tard...you can put the emphasis anywhere you like. on another note...whats the benefit to cooling the work by its self vice combining with three gallons of really cold water to bring the temp down to pitch yeast? I havent been able to find an actual reason. thanks.

SneakyFast

07-12-2008, 12:39 PM

If your able to get to pitching temperature quickly by combining with water then you don't need one. If you start doing full boils you will need a chiller.

starhm

07-13-2008, 12:54 PM

thanks...brewed a raspberry-chocolate stout. i will let you know in about 6 weeks how that went. I might try brewing all grain when i get to va. should have enough room when i get set up down there.

SneakyFast

07-13-2008, 03:59 PM

I've never been too into fruits or adjuncts but a raspberry-choc stout sounds really tasty. It would make for a hearty desert after a good meal. I haven't brewed a stout in a while either... Let me know how it turns out. I might steal your recipe.

I ran across this today on youtube. Figured i would share since we've been talking about chillers
YouTube - Immersion Chiller (IC) Build

starhm

07-13-2008, 06:26 PM

nice...i love projects...

thanks for the video.

rc0032

07-19-2008, 04:02 PM

- What kind of water do you guys use to make the wort? tap? distilled? bottled?

- Also any comments on this? Any ways to avoid this?
2. Pouring your beer. To pour the beer without getting yeast in your glass, tip the bottle slowly to avoid disturbing the yeast layer on the bottom of the bottle. With practice, you will be able to pour everything but the last quarter inch of beer without getting any yeast in your glass

- Where are you getting the 6 week timeline from? Its wort-2 weeks of fermenting - 2 weeks in bottle. That's 4 weeks :confused:

SneakyFast

07-19-2008, 06:47 PM

If your tap water tastes fine from the tap, it is fine for extract brewing.

You can turn beer around in 4 weeks but it will be much better after six. I'm not sure your beer will be properly carbed after only 2 weeks in the bottle. Beer doesn't taste right if it's not properly conditioned (aged). That said you can usually get away with drinking them sooner if they are lighter beers like blonds, wheats, or wits. Bigger and stronger beers really benefit from proper aging. Barley wines age up to a year or more. An ale should really be aged 6 weeks before it's drank. It gives the flavors proper time to mix or mellow. A beer that tastes like armpit after 4 weeks could be great at 6.

A good rule of thumb is 3 weeks in fermenter(s) and 3 weeks bottle conditioned. I have a blond ale recipe that goes from grain to glass in 3 weeks (force carbonated) and it's great, but I highly recommend being patient with bigger beers. You will truly drink better beer.

SneakyFast

07-19-2008, 06:49 PM

Do'h! double post

rc0032

07-19-2008, 06:50 PM

Tap water it is! My concern about bottled/ distilled is the lack of flavor the water brings to the party.

Ok so 3 weeks in the fermenter and 3 weeks in the bottle! wOOt im ready!

SneakyFast

07-19-2008, 06:53 PM

Brew something already!

rc0032

07-19-2008, 06:58 PM

Aug 2nd is D day! its the first weekend I will have free since late June :(

rc0032

08-01-2008, 12:28 PM

w00t tomorrow is the big day!!

SneakyFast

08-01-2008, 04:07 PM

Sanitation, sanitation, sanitation... And you'll be fine. Good luck!

rc0032

08-01-2008, 04:14 PM

Pictures to follow :)

about sanitation...it came with little tablets is that better than bleach.

SneakyFast

08-03-2008, 04:08 PM

...it came with little tablets is that better than bleach.

Yes the tablets are better.

Bleach isn't good for home brewing. Starsan and Iodophor are the best sanitizers for hombrewing. That's probably what I would grab when you run out of the tablets.

rc0032

08-03-2008, 04:41 PM

I have bubbles!! Pics still to follow

Silverstar

08-03-2008, 08:11 PM

+1 on the starsan, a few bucks for a bottle that'll last for awhile. I've found it usefull to put some in a spray bottle so I can sanitize any areas that I can't submerge (tops of fermenters, racking canes, etc. Plus if you think you broke sanatation you can spray the area.

Regal05LGT

08-03-2008, 08:56 PM

B-Brite is a good sanitizer as well, it's what my dad uses for his beer and what I use to do wine.

rc0032

08-04-2008, 03:00 PM

I got bubbles!

I went to the local home brew place and got iodine...it works :)

SneakyFast

08-04-2008, 03:07 PM

Awesome. Where are those pics you promised? Pics or BAN!

rc0032

08-04-2008, 03:08 PM

loading them now :)

SneakyFast

08-04-2008, 03:12 PM

Alright... You have 5 minutes.

rc0032

08-04-2008, 03:33 PM

Ok here we go

The kit
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/Cheeers1/DSC02819.jpg

The beer kit
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/Cheeers1/DSC02820.jpg

Sanitation Sanitation Sanitation!!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/Cheeers1/DSC02822.jpg

We boil!! I have a 3 gal pot I need a bigger one!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/Cheeers1/DSC02823.jpg

The break!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/Cheeers1/DSC02824.jpg

I tried to "proof" the yeast but I think the water was too hot...I pitched the backup yeast in.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/Cheeers1/DSC02825.jpg

55 mins is a LONG time!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/Cheeers1/DSC02826.jpg

How fast is "Rapid"? I took me 6 bags of ice and an hour to cool the boil to 70 deg :spin:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/Cheeers1/DSC02828.jpg

Finally <70 deg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f97/Cheeers1/DSC02829.jpg

SneakyFast

08-04-2008, 04:06 PM

What, no action photos of hop sprinkling? :lol: Looks like you did a nice job. Good job waiting for the wort to reach the 70's before pitching yeast. A lot of people get impatient and pitch it too hot which can lead to problems.

I wouldn't worry too much about the 60 minute cool time. If you didn't get an ideal cold break, you will probably just get a little chill haze. Purely cosmetic. Doesn't affect the flavor at all.

Congratulations on a successful brew! Now for the hard part! ;)

Regal05LGT

08-04-2008, 04:57 PM

Looks like my kitchen every weekend, lol. Good luck with the brew!

rc0032

08-04-2008, 05:00 PM

Aside from the coil/ sub-merger method how is everyone cooling their brews so fast?

Regal05LGT

08-05-2008, 02:16 PM

I stick it in the sink, run cold water alongside ice exactly like your pics, seems to only take like 10-15 mins for me

rallysquirrel

08-05-2008, 02:51 PM

Regal05LGT

08-05-2008, 07:39 PM

^^ Just have to be careful there is enough cold water to bring it down to temp, don't want to add too hot of a mix to the primary.

rallysquirrel

08-05-2008, 09:14 PM

Well youre always supposed to add the yeast after the primary is filled anyway right? If primary is 80F then just wait 1/2 hour and add the yeast.

rc0032

09-08-2008, 10:20 PM

I put down a Belgian Tripple on 9/6. Did an extract with Wyeast (starter I build 3 days prior with 1 cup LME) and its still giving off 20+ burps per min 9 days later :spin: The agging of this one will kill me :(

I spent the past month of my "resting period from LGT" on http://www.homebrewtalk.com learning everything I can. Im goind AG very soon :)

CTATV

09-08-2008, 10:38 PM

aint seen you around in a while RC

rc0032

09-09-2008, 07:46 PM

I was hiding :)

Ok so I just picked up ~4oz of fresh Fuggles and ~4oz of Fresh castcades (they fill a 1 gal ziptop bag) any ideas on what I should do? Im thinking using the fuggles to make a british bitter - well 1/2 them for arromoa using pellets for the bittering 5 gal....OR use them to make a 3 gal batch using them for bittering and arroma.

As for the castcades...no ideas.

SneakyFast

09-09-2008, 11:56 PM

Cascades are a great flavoring and/or aroma hop in pale ales. Great for dry hopping too. Cascade is primarily what you taste in Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I would pick up some Magnum or Warrior pellets as a bittering hop and make a nice traditional "American Pale Ale".

Fuggles are great for the same thing but in English style beers. They would make an excellent bitter.

Brace yourself for jealousy... I get my fresh hops from the back yard Here's a shot of my Cascades!
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n210/shearbiggity/P1010277.jpg

Unfortunately they went in the ground a little late in the season so I'm not going to get a full crop this year. They look cool on the pergola though.

SneakyFast

09-10-2008, 12:06 AM

Im goind AG very soon :)

Sweet... If you go the cooler MLT route make sure to get at least a 10 gallon cooler if you want to be able to make bigger beers like tripples, Imperial Stouts or IPAs. You can make 10 gallon batches of smaller beers too.

Regal05LGT

09-10-2008, 12:18 PM

Those hops look great! We had two hops plants this year, the golding's flourished but the cascades were subject to japanese beetles. The whole thing died, have to go back to store bought hops for a while :icon_sad:

rc0032

09-10-2008, 08:35 PM

SneakyFast

09-11-2008, 02:00 PM

Want to mail me some ribosomes in the spring?

Also are you willing to mail me some Stone? I'm ging through withdrawal :spin:

It's a first year plant. I don't want to phuck with the root structure just yet. Rhizomes are cheap if you really want to start growing hops.

You should brew a clone. Here is a recipe for an AB clone.
http://makinghomemadewineandbeer.blogspot.com/2006/02/arrogant-bastard-clone-recipe.html
The key to a good AB clone is the Chinook. You can't really substitute it.

If your serious about shipping it, I could probably throw a few bombers in a box for you and ship it out. The liquor store up the street always has the Smoked Porter, IPA, Ruination IPA and Arrogant Bastard 22s in stock. I love that store:wub:

starhm

09-14-2008, 07:50 AM

If you're doing partial boil, you could use about 2ga. of COLD tap water to fill primary partially. With your wort at 110-120F and the cold tap water should net you 75-80F wort in primary.

This way you don't need to cool your wort down to 70 in the sink.

this is how i cool. i take 3 gallons of water and put them in the freezer downstairs before i start sanitizing. by the time ready to put the wort in the primary, they are just starting to get crystalized. cools down to just around 85-90. i have a coil now as well, but havent tried it yet for comparison.

got a recipe for a pumpkin ale that will be interesting. need to get 6# of pumpkin and some time.

rc0032

09-14-2008, 09:00 AM

It's a first year plant. I don't want to phuck with the root structure just yet. Rhizomes are cheap if you really want to start growing hops.

You should brew a clone. Here is a recipe for an AB clone.
http://makinghomemadewineandbeer.blogspot.com/2006/02/arrogant-bastard-clone-recipe.html
The key to a good AB clone is the Chinook. You can't really substitute it.

If your serious about shipping it, I could probably throw a few bombers in a box for you and ship it out. The liquor store up the street always has the Smoked Porter, IPA, Ruination IPA and Arrogant Bastard 22s in stock. I love that store:wub:
Link to where I can buy Rhizomes?

the AB close looks so simple. I would have thought a more complex grain bill like this http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/arrogant-bastard-clone-71867/ or the attached.

I wonder what shipping would be :spin:

SneakyFast

09-15-2008, 04:21 PM

I got my zomes from http://www.freshops.com/

The more complex recipes might be closer. It's tought to say without brewing them. You can brew a very complex tasting beer with a very simple recipe though. I have a Sierra Nevada Pale ale clone recipe that is SPOT ON. It's just 2 row and crystal 60. You never know till you brew it! If you do brew one let me know how it turns out. I'm yet to clone AB.

mattg

09-15-2008, 04:38 PM

beautiful hops. that's awesome.

and RC, you can't get Stone where you live? that sucks.

rc0032

09-15-2008, 08:46 PM

I got my zomes from http://www.freshops.com/

This might be the worst website ever :lol:

beautiful hops. that's awesome.

and RC, you can't get Stone where you live? that sucks.
Im sure I could find a random store that has had it on the shelf for 9 months. Chicago has it fair share off good beer dont worry ;)

rc0032

09-26-2008, 02:08 PM

woot new avatar :)

http://usera.imagecave.com/janetmulligan/airlock%20sniffer1.bmp.jpg

eb50

09-26-2008, 03:29 PM

lol.

pumpkin ale kit came in today :rolleyes:

rc0032

09-26-2008, 03:34 PM

This you?
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/specialty-grains-kit-not-crushed-81951/

:lol:

rc0032

09-26-2008, 03:36 PM

Im planing out the use of my Castcades and Fuggles I got fresh.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/865527-post2.html
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f64/fuggles-52520/

Convert to PM or extract and order from ABS along with an AB clone and a few other odds and ends :)

Yeast is getting expensive; I need to start washing it.

eb50

09-26-2008, 08:56 PM

This you?
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/specialty-grains-kit-not-crushed-81951/

:lol:

lol no i am eb50 on that forum too...

rc0032

09-29-2008, 03:51 PM

I just ordered enough for 3 more brews. If they go well its AG for xmas!

SneakyFast

09-29-2008, 06:41 PM

Look at you. It took you 6 weeks to find time to make one beer and now your a junkie! :lol:

rc0032

09-29-2008, 09:13 PM

1 is a AB clone http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_452_43_245&products_id=1096

SneakyFast

09-30-2008, 10:59 AM

I think I'm going to do an AB clone as my next beer too.

Abandonhope16

09-30-2008, 11:11 AM

I just have a couple basic questions that I'm sure I can research, but anything beer related is blocked at my work.
Does the beer continue to ferment until it is cooled down? Basically I'm wondering b/c kits seem to typically be about 60 12oz bottles. I dont have that kind of room and would want to avoid a big investment until I see if this is for me. So, unless I get those 60ish bottles in a fridge, they will continue to ferment?

rc0032

09-30-2008, 11:34 AM

This is the quick and dirty about how it works for extract starters:

Boil water and grains (2-3 gallons) place these into a 6.5 gal container and add water to reach 5 gal total. This is the fermentation phase it will last 1 week. Then you move the beer to a secondary for clarification for 2 weeks (some argue leaving it in the first container for 3 weeks total and skipping this step) after this its "bottled" and let sit at room temperature for 3+ weeks to condition. Then place as many or few into the fridge for consumption.

A 5 gal batch will make right around 48 bottles or two cases. so you need the ability to store a bucket and some equipment; for me I stole one of the closets in our house :lol:

Abandonhope16

09-30-2008, 11:44 AM

What would happen to those that may not fit in the fridge? If they are left in the bottle, wont they continue to condition; creating a different taste to those that went in the fridge earlier?
Basically, I have space for everything non-fridge related; we have an unfinished basement. I just dont want to have to buy an additional fridge, or make a kegerator. So, as far as boiling, the largest pot I would need is about 3 gallons (the remaining 2 gallons are just room temp water)?.

rc0032

09-30-2008, 11:49 AM

they will continue to condition and that's great because they get better (from what I have read) im at 4 week on my first batch in the bottle. So no need for a second fridge or anything. I also like variety so im looking to always have a few kinds on hand. Its like red wine and will will get better with age but peak at somepoint (time depends on brew type)

The size of the pot depends on how far you take the hobby. A large stock pot will get you started but im already shopping for a 7.5-10 gal pot :hide:

Edit: here is some info on buying kits http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/best-place-buy-brew-kit-82391/

Abandonhope16

09-30-2008, 11:57 AM

I believe we have a LHBS. But one last question, what does the cost breakdown look like? Your basic kit? Ingredients (which I believe are sold in beginner-friendly, everythings included packs)? Thanks for the input/help.

rc0032

09-30-2008, 12:03 PM

Equipment - $20-$150
Recipe kits - $30-$60 each

If you are looking to save $$ its going to take a few batches to recoup your costs.

To get started I got a kit and 2 recipes for ~$160 I have since bought a lot more toys :redface:

SneakyFast

09-30-2008, 03:35 PM

This hobby gets expensive fast if you get into it. That said, you can also keep it simple and cheap and make great beer.

SneakyFast

09-30-2008, 03:43 PM

im already shopping for a 7.5-10 gal pot :hide:

If you plan on ever using a outdoor propane burner "turkey fryer" kits are a pretty good deal.

Abandonhope16

09-30-2008, 07:46 PM

rc0032

09-30-2008, 10:40 PM

If you plan on ever using a outdoor propane burner "turkey fryer" kits are a pretty good deal.
my problem with the turkey fryer is the heat cutoff system I keep reading about. I want something just just burns :icon_twis I am looking for a post turkey day sale ;)

eb50

10-01-2008, 04:44 AM

If you plan on ever using a outdoor propane burner "turkey fryer" kits are a pretty good deal.

this is what i use. it was like 30$ from ebay. its probably a 10 gallon. very easy to control the heat. im not sure what i am going to do in the dead of winter though.

Bulletproof4age

10-01-2008, 09:37 AM

Yeast is getting expensive; I need to start washing it.

Im assuming you read this sticky on yeast washing, but in case you missed it...

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

rc0032

10-01-2008, 09:47 AM

Im assuming you read this sticky on yeast washing, but in case you missed it...

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/
I did thanks! I was actually going to wash the yeast from the tripple I put into secondary but didn't have the supplies and how oftain would one really brew a tripple? But at $7 something a package it gets up there in the overall cost of a brew.

For my next 3 beers I based them all on a California Yeast so I figured I could wash the yeast after the first beer, then brew the second beer with the washed yeast and throw the 3rd beer; the AB clone with a high OG, on top of the cake from the second beer.

Tomorrow im going to do a Apfelwein :)

starhm

10-01-2008, 06:57 PM

From what I can tell, you can get a basic brewing kit with everything need for $60 plus shipping, right? Then an extra $30 for ingredients. Plus whatever bottles set you back; maybe another $30. So an initial investment of about $120?

bottles are easy...get your friends to drink sam adams or other beers that do not have twist tops and wash and recycle the bottles. i bottled my first batch and that is what i did. i was drinking the beer anyway...no extra cost for the bottles. just a thought.

transferred the pumpkin from the primary to the secondary...tasted good...cant wait until it gets done!!

Regal05LGT

10-01-2008, 06:58 PM

bottles are easy...get your friends to drink sam adams or other beers that do not have twist tops and wash and recycle the bottles. i bottled my first batch and that is what i did. i was drinking the beer anyway...no extra cost for the bottles. just a thought.

+1 My basement is full of bottles from all of my friends helpin me out lol

starhm

10-01-2008, 07:04 PM

by the way, i keg now and have a crap ton of bottle caps and priming sugar and the capping tool-plastic...anyone interested? i can go get a real count on these.

500 bottle caps

8 bags of priming sugar for 5 gal brews

pay shipping and they are yours if you want them.

Abandonhope16

10-01-2008, 07:19 PM

bottles are easy...get your friends to drink sam adams or other beers that do not have twist tops and wash and recycle the bottles. i bottled my first batch and that is what i did. i was drinking the beer anyway...no extra cost for the bottles. just a thought.

transferred the pumpkin from the primary to the secondary...tasted good...cant wait until it gets done!!

Can bottles just be run through the diswasher for "sanitizing"?

Regal05LGT

10-01-2008, 07:21 PM

Can bottles just be run through the diswasher for "sanitizing"?

No, you need to actually use a sanitizer to insure no contamination..... I use b-brite, works great, there are numerous others as well

starhm

10-01-2008, 07:25 PM

Can bottles just be run through the diswasher for "sanitizing"?

you will need a bottle brush or faucet connection to wash the bottles to ensure they are clean. not sure if a dish washer will leave anything soap wise in the bottles...you also need to bake the bottles in the oven for about an hour at 350 prior to use to sterilize them prior to using them. some recommend putting foil on them prior to baking others bake open. i didnt use the dish washer, so no info there. after use you will have some sediment in the bottom of the bottles that will need cleaned after homebrew use. the sediment is from the yeast that acts with the priming sugar to carbonate the beer.

rc0032

10-01-2008, 07:26 PM

People are using the dishwasher with no rinse agent on the sanitize cycle on the forum but I use Ioda-4 the little woman likes spot free dishes :lol:

We should do a beer exchange :cool:

Regal05LGT

10-01-2008, 07:31 PM

starhm

10-01-2008, 07:34 PM

my ancient dishwasher provided me no help. easier is always better if it doesnt affect the beer!!!

beer exchange...

starhm

10-01-2008, 07:37 PM

How much would shipping be I'll take it off your hands

i will box them up tomorrow. not very heavy and i have some bubble wrap for the priming sugar. if your serious just pm me your address and i will put them in the mail and pm you the shipping. shouldnt be much, so im not worried. let me know. i also have the bottling wand and capping tool. cleaning out my closet. let me know.

Regal05LGT

10-01-2008, 07:42 PM

PM Sent...

starhm

10-01-2008, 07:57 PM

closet cleaned out.

eb50

10-01-2008, 09:17 PM

rc0032

10-01-2008, 10:53 PM

my ancient dishwasher provided me no help. easier is always better if it doesnt affect the beer!!!

beer exchange...
I would do it (once I get better) but save some caps and bottles :lol:

Anyone have a barleywine they would be willing to part with? I want to see if I like it before i brew it and wait 6 months to drink it :spin:

SneakyFast

10-02-2008, 03:13 PM

Sierra Nevada usually releases a barley wine around this time of year. It's called Bigfoot. It's probably the most commercially available barley wine. Keep an eye out for it.

Abandonhope16

10-06-2008, 03:17 PM

What kind of sugar do you all use for priming?; I've seen differing opinions for corn sugar vs table sugar. Are the same amounts used no matter what type it is?

Regal05LGT

10-06-2008, 05:00 PM

I use 3/4 tsp. of corn sugar per bottle

Abandonhope16

10-06-2008, 07:07 PM

So you're just putting the sugar directly into the bottle; i.e. you're not using a water mixture and putting into the fermentor?

starhm

10-06-2008, 07:13 PM

this would go in the bottling bucket just before bottling. its double edged sword here. you can use the bag of sugar for 5 gallons and adjust it for the volume under 5 gal you have to prevent them from exploding, or add per bottle and hope you fill the bottles to the same level to achieve the same carbonation in each. in the bucket is easier and more consistent, but if you mess it up you have taken out quite a few beers.

SneakyFast

10-06-2008, 11:27 PM

Keg and force carb FTW

Regal05LGT

10-07-2008, 11:59 AM

So you're just putting the sugar directly into the bottle; i.e. you're not using a water mixture and putting into the fermentor?

That's the way I am doing it yea.... Sugar in the bottle (not mixed with water or anything), then fill and hope the beer is to the same level on each bottle lol.

starhm

10-07-2008, 04:12 PM

you rebel, living life on the edge...im with sneaky on this one!!

Regal05LGT

10-07-2008, 05:56 PM

:lol:

rc0032

10-08-2008, 09:14 PM

Keg and force carb FTW
What method to force carb?

I want to keg :redface:

SneakyFast

10-08-2008, 11:32 PM

If you chill a keg and hook it up to gas it will carb it's self. Most people either let it sit a serving pressue (10-12psi) for a week to carb or 36 hours at 30 psi.

starhm

10-09-2008, 08:52 AM

or you run the chart based on temp and roll the keg on its side, gas valve up, until there is not more absorption of co2 by the beer. rolling on side gives more surface area for absorption. doenst take as long. the chart will give you a co2 cylinder pressure based on temp of the keg to achieve proper carbonation for the beer.

good stuff!!! moderate-large initial investment for kegs and co2, but it saves time and heart ache in the end!!

rc0032

10-09-2008, 10:26 AM

It looked to be right under $1k for a kegging system that would work for me with a few kegs. Daddy wants :wub:

starhm

10-09-2008, 01:33 PM

i just kept watching ebay to get the kegs as cheap as possible. check for how much to the co2 cylinder will cost on ebay and at the local place where you will need to get it filled. also, you will need the regulator. i bought all of my stuff on ebay. it wasnt that bad. some brew stores make deals on a co2, one keg, and regulator to get you started. you will also need a fridge or kegerator to keep the keg cold. funny as it is, a big fridge costs just as much as a kegerator. you can fit atleast 4 kegs in a full size fridge with a co2 cylinder in there. just use party taps on the kegs. hmmm, that is alot $$ to start!! i need to add this up sometime.

rc0032

10-09-2008, 01:36 PM

See I have a condo in the city and cant have a big thing; here is my plan

Buy this http://www.beveragefactory.com/refrigerators/beer/sanyo.shtml and convert it into a 3 tap system like this

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/data/1/4295-DSC02295.jpg

starhm

10-09-2008, 05:00 PM

you could build one for $350. sneaky has a link in here somewhere to build you own kegerator with a sanyo fridge. you should look into it. i built mine from his link. wasnt hard at all and you can get everything but the fridge on ebay. i like that place...

SneakyFast

10-09-2008, 05:05 PM

Craigslist is a good place to pick up kegerators on the cheap. I usually see one of that style of kegerator about once a month on CL in my area.

A smaller chest freezer conversion might be a good and cheap solution for you too.

rc0032

10-09-2008, 05:15 PM

But they dont make the sanyo fridge anymore. The link goes something like this thought; right? http://imagehost.calabro.us/images/beer/Oster/default.htm

I liked that one because you can fit 3 kegs in it.

SneakyFast

10-09-2008, 06:40 PM

That's pretty much it exactly. 3 Kegs would be nice. Good find.

starhm

10-10-2008, 05:14 AM

its a thing of beauty...the temp regulator and tower fan are optional. i did not include them in mine, there are others that had foaming problems and put the tower fan in to keep cool air up in the tower. sneaky's video told you how to find the coils in the top so you didnt cut through them and off you go.

Bulletproof4age

10-10-2008, 06:38 AM

Did you guys see the Oster model that "replaced" the 4912? I don't think it will hold 3, but 2 corneys and a #5 CO2 is enough for me. I'm building mine soon.

rc0032

10-10-2008, 09:51 AM

sneaky's video told you how to find the coils in the top so you didnt cut through them and off you go.
Ya search YouTube but...make a baking soda water paste plug the fridge in and apply the past to the top. the coil is where the slurry drys first

Did you guys see the Oster model that "replaced" the 4912? I don't think it will hold 3, but 2 corneys and a #5 CO2 is enough for me. I'm building mine soon.
Ya its another brand. Im telling you 3 is key! Im a huge fan of variate :) Of use the other one to lager.