Thread: Home Brewers: What's on tap?

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

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

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

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

Ryan Braun is my favorite Brewer.

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.

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.

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

I'll sterilize your grain strainer

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Originally Posted by MileHighCrew

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?

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?

Originally Posted by NightTrainLayne

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.