Anybody ever brew their own beer?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anybody ever brew their own beer?

Posted: 6/22/2001 1:36:05 PM EDT

I thought I might give this a try.
Anyone got any pointers or advice before I start?

Posted: 6/22/2001 1:38:19 PM EDT

[#1]

just buy a kit ... follow instructions...and wait three weeks(some kits have dif times)...and enjoy i do this about 2 times a year and i love it

Posted: 6/22/2001 1:55:39 PM EDT

[#2]

I am glad you have entertained this hobby. I am sitting here with a fresh glass of homebrew on draft - I use to bottle but kegging is so much better. But, you have to start somewhere. Besides, your wife (or whatever) may not like the smell of Malt boiling in the home. Here are a few tips that have helped me brew.

When boiling, use only stainless steel - a cheapo 5 gal brewpot would be fine to start.

Don't use the dried yeast that comes with a kit. Buy liquid yeast - WHITE LABS - it kicks ass.

Don't bother with a specific gravity tester, unless you want to measure the alcohol content and want to be geeky about it. If it tastes fine, who cares?

Use a glass carboy (like a water cooler jug, 6 1/2 gal is best) instead the food grade plastic containers that comes with a brew kit.

When the bubbles stop bubbling in the fermenter, about 2 1/2 weeks, then you are ready to bottle.

For bottling bottles, buy a couple of cases of beer and drink it - you don't need to buy bottles.

Sanitize equipment with unscented bleach. I use to clean all the bottles in the bath tub for about 1 hour, then rinse them.

When bottling, DO NOT use cane sugar - make it all malt and use DRY MALT EXTRACT. Your brew supply store will guide you. [beer]

I brew about once a month and have been brewing since 1994. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me. Oh, one more piece of advice....DO IT!!!

Posted: 6/22/2001 2:03:04 PM EDT

[#3]

It's kinda fun, but you have to wait a while, not knowing if it's gonna go down the drain or not. Just tell everyone you home brew, and rebottle one of your favorite micros. Probably cheaper in the long run.
I agree with several of DR's points. NO PLASTIC. EVER. Ditto, liquid yeast, and who cares about the alcohol %? You want it to taste good.
If you have the Home brewers handbook, don't try the one with the dead chicken in it.

Posted: 6/22/2001 2:08:33 PM EDT

[#4]

Just poured myself a glass of homebrew too..I started about 4 years ago and find it to be a very fun and rewarding hobby....after you get your equipment paid for you can make lots of cheap good beer..

Cheers
Nightranger

Posted: 6/22/2001 2:36:22 PM EDT

[#5]

Do as DR says!

The only thing I would do different is to use Iodophore instead of bleach.

Bleach you need to let things sit for minimum of 20-30 minutes to disinfect.

Iodophore is only 2 minutes, with no extra rinsing required. Just air dry. And there is no after taste.

I haven't brewed a batch in a couple of years, but it was fun doing it!

Posted: 6/22/2001 2:45:56 PM EDT

[#6]

Anyone here ever cook up your own crack? [%|]

Posted: 6/22/2001 3:32:51 PM EDT

[#7]

My brother and I did it about 25 years ago, in his garage. With a little working you could get a beer that would kick you a**, and taste good, too.
Hey - If you make it you gotta drink it , don't you??
In S.C. you can make up to 200 gallons a year per household. That is actually a lot of beer.

Posted: 6/22/2001 4:53:30 PM EDT

[#8]

Thanks for the pointers.

Posted: 6/22/2001 4:57:18 PM EDT

[#9]

How about moonshine? My grandfather tells me how he made homemade hooch growing up. Anybody try it?

Posted: 6/22/2001 5:13:55 PM EDT

[#10]

Yep!

I took a brewing course in Memphis, TN back in 1983. Brewed for several years, but never could find enough time to drink all that I brewed.

I was always trying different malts, kits etc., and couldn't drink as fast as I could brew.

I never brewed a "bad" batchy, but I had alot of "interesting" batches.

I agree that glass carboys are a must, and stainless steel cook pots are nice, but I didn't have access to stainless steel pots when I started, those were added later.

Specific gravity testing is a thing of the past. Once the beer quicks working (essentially it has gone "flat,") you add a sugar source, I always used corn sugar when I bottled. Never thought about using some malt instead.

Man, looks like I need to bring out the equipment.

This brings up a great idea. Maybe we should have an AR15 shoot and home brew tasting get together.

I have got to go back out to my keggerator and get a another Shiner Bock!!!

Posted: 6/22/2001 5:22:06 PM EDT

[#11]

I brewed beer with a friend 4 years ago. We bought the starter kit for like $110. It's a lot cheaper to just buy beer, but w gave it a shot. Our beer was crap because it didn't carbonize correctly.

His friend from college was a terrific brewer though. Made a killer stout and an apple hefeweizen with tons of sugar in it for added punch. That beer was over carbonated and began spontaneously busting bottles, had to throw the batch out.

Posted: 6/22/2001 6:56:06 PM EDT

[#12]

I am drinking a fine Honey Pilsner right now brewed by ""The Beer Slayer" of this board.

Balming

Posted: 6/22/2001 7:09:12 PM EDT

[#13]

Even shitty homebrew is pretty darn good if you drink enough! And the good stuff is better!

Posted: 6/22/2001 7:15:00 PM EDT

[#14]

This is the best hobby that I have,I don't consider firearms an hobby.Whenever you decide to start,MAKE SURE you get a kit with a TWO STAGE fermenter.I'd go with glass,At least the secondary fermenter should be galss.I know you live in the great state of Texas,but I'd look into the Grape & Grainery out of Ohio.They have a large selection of grains and kit beers,at decent prices(shipping is good to).
When you first start out you'll want to use kits and eventualy you'll add grains,then you'll go to an all grain beer.There are plenty of books out there to help you out.Just remember,if you can make coffee,you can make beer!

Posted: 6/22/2001 7:32:23 PM EDT

[#15]

Does drinking the beer that I bought at the store(that I now own) and letting it properly age (30 minutes or so) in the fridge count?

Posted: 6/22/2001 7:34:47 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
In S.C. you can make up to 200 gallons a year per household. That is actually a lot of beer.

View Quote

Now that's something to be pissed about! You better write your congressman! REPEAL!!

Edited because I have had one too many myself

Posted: 6/22/2001 8:02:22 PM EDT

[#17]

There is a Micro brewery in Strongsville, Oh. called the Brew Kettle. They have the facilities, the recipes and ingredients and you do the brewing. They have about 100 recipes. I made a few batches there. Fresh, no preservatives and you make it yourself. If anyone has real brewing experience and is looking for a business this sounds like the way to go. The guy has a commercial set up and makes and markets his own label also has six small set ups for you to brew your own. He has got to be making a ton of money.

Posted: 6/22/2001 8:15:17 PM EDT

[#18]

I've experimented with making a wine type product. It was ok. I was just fooling around. I am considering trying either wine or beer for real this summer. I got some books so I could read up on the subject and do it the right way.

Posted: 6/22/2001 8:21:35 PM EDT

[#19]

home brew is the best i did it for a science project in HS 1998 just couldnt bring any to school or drink any being under 21. every one that tried my homebrew said it was the best beer they ever had. i wanna try maing some Mead when i turn 21

Posted: 6/22/2001 9:37:24 PM EDT

[#20]

Try it you'll like it . I did my first batch about 6 months ago I need to do another .
Mine was a little cidery from over use of sugar to enhance alcohol content . I just mixed it with a little Miller lite and it was Kick Ass .
I like dark beer though .
I kept notes in to record my progress, any thing I did right or wrong so not to repeat the mistakes but also to make different recipes .
Find a good recipe and you'll be set .

Posted: 6/22/2001 9:44:55 PM EDT

[#21]

No can't wait that long. does it taste like the mirco stuff?

Posted: 6/22/2001 10:32:56 PM EDT

[#22]

Originally Posted By SILVER SURFER:
No can't wait that long. does it taste like the mirco stuff?

View Quote

The best homebrewers' beer tastes like microbreweries. Usually though it has a definite "homebrew" taste to it. A lot of Rogue brewery beers from Oregon have this homebrew taste. It's not a bad thing, just distinctive.

Posted: 6/22/2001 11:36:58 PM EDT

[#23]

btt

Posted: 6/22/2001 11:53:35 PM EDT

[#24]

Tried it once, small scale, just to see how it would go.
If you are going to bottle rather than keg, I can only offer one suggestion: Make sure it is done with its "fermentation" before capping the bottles, or you will have the interesting new brewing related hobby of digging bottle caps out of your ceiling.
I now wait till end of night at my weekend bartending gig, and have a few freebies with the manager. [:)]
Sluggo

Posted: 6/23/2001 12:46:34 AM EDT

[#25]

raven, thanks I give it a try.

Posted: 6/23/2001 4:43:00 AM EDT

[#26]

Yeah, I brewed beer for about 3 years. My friends could drink the stuff faster than I could produce it.

Only had a couple bottle 'explosions' from not waiting long enough for the brew to ferment out. Make sure you let it completely ferment out. Then prime and bottle.

Best damn beer in the county [beer]

P.S. One thing I used to do to speed up the cool down process after cooking. Put the stainless pot into the sink and fill the sink with cold water. Replace the cold water a couple times. They make wort chillers but I was always satisfied doing it my way. Hope this helps.

Posted: 6/23/2001 5:47:00 AM EDT

[#27]

I have been brewing since late 1994. I use the kits and they work great. Also, unlike store bought beer, I find that homebrew gets better with age. I have a two year old batch of amber that is wonderful. The best I had so far was a bottle of amber I brewed in 1995 that I drank (accidentally - I was saving it) in 2000. When I tasted it I realized which bottle I had opened.

Good luck! It is alot of fun and while it will not save you much money, the product will be superior to what you can buy in the store for the same price.

Robert

Posted: 6/23/2001 11:23:40 AM EDT

[#28]

I've been brewing for about 10 years. It's about the same as AR-15s: You start with a basic kit and then you become hooked on it. Now, many $$ later, I have a stainless RIMS system.

My advice is start slow and have a great time. You won't save any money over buying commercial beer, but you'll learn a lot and have a great time doing it. (just like building an AR-15).

Here is a good web page you may find handy: [url]http://www.brewery.org/[/url]

Good luck!

Scott

Posted: 6/23/2001 11:35:07 AM EDT

[#29]

i've brewing for about 5 years. It's alot of fun. Just remember STERELIZE EVERYTHING. I have used the plastic food buckets as well as glass. Both work equally well. The only thing about plastic is it scratches and bacteria grow in the scratches. This makes it harder to clean. Other than that i have found no difference. The homebrew you make will be better than ANYTHING you can buy off the shelf.

An interesting sidenote. Homebrew is much heathier for you. It contains all the vitamins and yeast that is usually filtered out of comercial beers. Also the yeast secrets a chemical byproduct that affects you the same way as valium. You tend to get a much more relaxed feeling from it. As opposed to the falling down drunk effect from common grocery store swill. Another plus is the hangovers are much more freindly

[beer]

mike

Posted: 6/23/2001 12:17:56 PM EDT

[#30]

I've been brewing for about six months. This hobby is more fun than a barrel full of monkeys!! Check our www.mrbeer.com. $40.00 and you have every thing you need to brew and bottle you first batch - except patience. Someone stated above that homebrew gets better with age and that is no joke. I now wait at least six weeks after bottling before I even think about cracking the first bottle. Try it - you'll like it!!!!!

Posted: 6/25/2001 1:18:14 PM EDT

[#31]

When I move either down South or to the PI, I want to make my own lambunog (coconut "wine" which is actually distilled, and knocks you on your ^$$). My ex-wife's cousin makes it for a living in the Philippines, and it is GOOD!

I was thinking about brewing my own beer, but then only so I could distill my own personal WHISKY! [;D] Yeah, I know. You have to use distiller's beer, which isn't drinkable. It was just a thought...

Semper Fi!

Ken Little

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anybody ever brew their own beer?

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