Home Brewers: What's on tap?

[ShooterJM]

Anyone else brew their own beer or cider? I'm a fan of stouts, but I'm increasingly enjoying IPA's.

I'm a cheater though, I'm back to using extracts to help cut down on the time requirement brew day.

[weazel]

Anyone else brew their own beer or cider? I'm a fan of stouts, but I'm increasingly enjoying IPA's.

I'm a cheater though, I'm back to using extracts to help cut down on the time requirement brew day.

I just kegged a blonde last week and I have an IPA in primary right now

[ShooterJM]

Very nice. I just lost 3 batches to infection (pilsner, IPA, and an amber). First time it's happened to me. Nearest I can figure is that my grain strainer wasn't properly sterilized, that's the only item I used in all 3 batches.

Sad day to open and pour out that many bottles.

[MileHighCrew]

i tried once, it was a pilsner. it was so sweet, i dumped them out and never tired again.

[BigDaddyBronco]

I don't have the time with all the meth I'm cooking up....

[sneakers]

Ryan Braun is my favorite Brewer.

[SR]

My dad and I used to brew our own stuff before I left for the military and he still does, but I just haven't found the time. One of these days though, when my dad-to-day is a little more stable, I'll get back in to it. I'd love to be able to brew my own traditional IPA or real hefeweisen.

[NightTrainLayne]

I need to bottle two batches that have been in the fermenter for 4 weeks now. Hopefully, I can get at least one of them bottled this week.

I still have an awesome English Pale Ale that is probably the best one I've done out of the 5 batches I've been able to drink so far. It's a high-gravity Pale Ale, so it has a high ABV, and a strong hop profile to balance it out. . .it's almost an IPA, but not quite. Delicious. . .I'm getting thirsty.

[CoachChaz]

Still finishing off the Oktoberfest I bottled a month ago. Got a dopplebock fermenting for the winter consumption.

Actually hadnt brewed anything for almost a year til I did the Oktoberfest.

[NightTrainLayne]

Still finishing off the Oktoberfest I bottled a month ago. Got a dopplebock fermenting for the winter consumption.

Actually hadnt brewed anything for almost a year til I did the Oktoberfest.

You're the one who originally got me interested in the idea. . .do you do all grain, or extract?

I have been doing "mini-mashes". . .not all-grain, but much better than all extract as well. .. I don't have the equipment yet to go all grain, and honestly, what I've been brewing is so good. .. I can't imagine it getting much better with all grain.

[BroncoNut]

Very nice. I just lost 3 batches to infection (pilsner, IPA, and an amber). First time it's happened to me. Nearest I can figure is that my grain strainer wasn't properly sterilized, that's the only item I used in all 3 batches.

Sad day to open and pour out that many bottles.

I'll sterilize your grain strainer

[BroncoNut]

Still finishing off the Oktoberfest I bottled a month ago. Got a dopplebock fermenting for the winter consumption.

Actually hadnt brewed anything for almost a year til I did the Oktoberfest.

huh. I never took you for a homebrewer. You seem too cool

[BroncoNut]

i tried once, it was a pilsner. it was so sweet, i dumped them out and never tired again.

that's weird. so like you haven't slept or napped at all since?

[slim]

I was going to try this once, until I realized that the majority of the time is spent sterilizing bottles and equipment.

Am I wrong about that?

[CoachChaz]

You're the one who originally got me interested in the idea. . .do you do all grain, or extract?

I have been doing "mini-mashes". . .not all-grain, but much better than all extract as well. .. I don't have the equipment yet to go all grain, and honestly, what I've been brewing is so good. .. I can't imagine it getting much better with all grain.

Depends. Even with the equipment, it's not always easy to get a grain beer to come out the way you plan. I got this recipe book about 2 years ago and it has the recipes for a lot of commercial and micro beers.

A beer I like that is hard to get since Katrina is Blackened Voodoo by Dixie Brewing. The recipe is in the book in both extract and grain form. I've tried the grain recipe twice and it sucks, but the extract is great. I alos made a Warsteiner out of there with grain and it came out great.

So, it's win some/lose some. If your extract stuff comes out the way you like it, then just stick with that. None of us are ever going to open a brewery, so why bother getting too technical if you dont have to.

Only 2 reasons to go all grain. Either you're really good at it...or your ego drives you to it. Mine was the latter.

[BroncoNut]

hmm. does sound kinda interesting. how do you sterilize the equipment?

[CoachChaz]

I was going to try this once, until I realized that the majority of the time is spent sterilizing bottles and equipment.

Am I wrong about that?

Depends. I bought an automatic sterilizer and a bottle tree. I can hose down the inside of a bottle then put it on the tree to air dry. I can knock out 20 bottles in about 10 minutes.

As far as the rest of the equipment, just sterilize it right after you use it and right before you use it. If you get a devise that will sterilize for you, it's easier. if you do it all by hand, it takes longer.

To me it's really no different than making a great meal and then having to wash the dishes afterward.

[CoachChaz]

hmm. does sound kinda interesting. how do you sterilize the equipment?

I use boiled water and iodine. but you can use bleach or rubbing alcohol.

I know some people that use acid agents and they work for cleaning, but acid doesnt kill bacteria very well, so I stay away from it

[CoachChaz]

huh. I never took you for a homebrewer. You seem too cool

Manufacturing your own alcoholic beverages from scratch isnt cool?

[BroncoNut]

I use boiled water and iodine. but you can use bleach or rubbing alcohol.

I know some people that use acid agents and they work for cleaning, but acid doesnt kill bacteria very well, so I stay away from it

that's right. alot of bacteria can be quite acid tolerant. especially the disease causing ones. anything accompanied with hot water is probably your best bet. 20 percent Bleach is a good disinfectant.

When I first met Beef he told me that Chlostridium difficile was the only bacterial species that was not susceptible to Bleach treatment. I don't know if that is true or not, but he's so damn good looking that I just smiled and nodded

[ShooterJM]

Depends. Even with the equipment, it's not always easy to get a grain beer to come out the way you plan. I got this recipe book about 2 years ago and it has the recipes for a lot of commercial and micro beers.

A beer I like that is hard to get since Katrina is Blackened Voodoo by Dixie Brewing. The recipe is in the book in both extract and grain form. I've tried the grain recipe twice and it sucks, but the extract is great. I alos made a Warsteiner out of there with grain and it came out great.

So, it's win some/lose some. If your extract stuff comes out the way you like it, then just stick with that. None of us are ever going to open a brewery, so why bother getting too technical if you dont have to.

Only 2 reasons to go all grain. Either you're really good at it...or your ego drives you to it. Mine was the latter.

I'd love to open a brew pub, but the whole "work" and "need money" thing seem to be holding me back.

Edit: Bottling takes a long time. I keg normally but if I do bottle I try to use larger bomber bottles or even sterilized 2 liter bottles as much as I can.

I wash the equipment as normally and then use starsan to sanitize. It works well and is very fast.

I'd be curious to know what book that it is. Most of the time I just sit down and try to figure out what may taste good! :D