The Brew

[Vhexxus]

I've noticed all the reference to drinking beer. Which is good....I like beer a lot!
Beer is expensive though.
thought I would start a thread on home brewing.
I home brew my own beer, cause it's cheaper and better tasting than store bought.
Any other home brewers out there? or Just want to talk, or ask questions, or consume home brews....
Maybe create a recipe....for......TESTing we can? 0.o

 

[Bambooza]

While awesome in theory my experience is that Home Brewing takes way to long. Much easier to by buy at the store and then drink as soon as it at the right temperature, instead of 5 weeks later. Could you imagine @Blind Owl having to wait 5 weeks before enjoying a beer?

Of course I am all in favor of recipes for home brews.

 

[smeggy]

Homebrewer here too, but haven't done it for a couple years. Been traveling and working a lot(excuses excuses).
Have an APA kit sitting around someplace.
Used to brew a lot more when I lived near some friends. Their parents made wine and mead for a living and had remodeled a big basement for making and tasting, as well as a camper for mobile work.

Could you imagine @Blind Owl having to wait 5 weeks before enjoying a beer?

Oh, I know the feeling. But once you complete one five gallon set, start the next day brewing another so that will be done when all the bottles are empty again.
Guh, gotta dig out all my 5gal kit and clean everything.

 

[Printimus]

I like beer.

 

[Vhexxus]

Thanks for being the first to reply Bambooza!

I brew enough to keep a rotation of at least 3 batches of 5 gallons. True when I started I had to wait 4 weeks to ferment. During that initial waiting time I bought several craft beers to taste and try out to decide on what I would like to brew myself. I went through that phase for about 3 months until I went all in. Now I always have cold beer on tap in 5 gallon kegs, and atleast 5 gallons in bottles too.

 

[Vhexxus]

That's the "Spirit" Smeggy!

 

[Xian-Luc Picard]

Strange Brew

 

[Bambooza]

Thanks for being the first to reply Bambooza!

I brew enough to keep a rotation of at least 3 batches of 5 gallons. True when I started I had to wait 4 weeks to ferment. During that initial waiting time I bought several craft beers to taste and try out to decide on what I would like to brew myself. I went through that phase for about 3 months until I went all in. Now I always have cold beer on tap in 5 gallon kegs, and atleast 5 gallons in bottles too.

Guess having 25 gallons is not a huge storage issue and it gives you 5 gallons a week to drink.

 

[AntiSqueaker]

I don't home brew beer, but I have made my own hard cider/apple wine before.

Overall I think it was more trouble than it was worth, but it was decently tasty, and pretty strong at about 10-12% I reckon.

If I had more spare time and a bigger kitchen I might branch out into more homebrewing or start it back up again, but I prefer to drink, not to think! :kissing_heart::beers:

 

[Vhexxus]

I made cider once. Early in brewing days. I used brown sugar in it. Anyhow. After I brewed it, I put in in a closet for 6 months and really forgot about it. When I finally checked on it, the water I had in the airlock had evaporated and the air lock was compromised. Turned out to be a overpowering brown sugar smelling vinegar. Nasty!..I also made a small batch of mead once, same result and about the same time period.
But, I have to say, all the beer I've made so far has been decent to really good.

 

[maynard]

I have had mixed success brewing alcoholic Root Beer

a couple of jugs exploded in my closet one time

 

[Blind Owl]

Could you imagine @Blind Owl having to wait 5 weeks before enjoying a beer?

No. No I can't.

Oh, I know the feeling.

Was it terrible and horrifying?

Strange Brew

Take off eh! Hoser.

 

[smeggy]

Was it terrible and horrifying?

Oh yeah. Specially when you go from one country that has good beer (can buy it by the 1 litre cans that have handles or even larger, or over 8% average) to the meh beers of America (other than some of the really good craft ones).

 

[Blind Owl]

Oh yeah. Specially when you go from one country that has good beer (can buy it by the 1 litre cans that have handles or even larger, or over 8% average) to the meh beers of America (other than some of the really good craft ones).

That IS terrifying. How did you survive?

 

[Bambooza]

really good craft ones

The craft beer scene has been such a wonderful thing for those of us unable or lacking in the patience to wait 5 weeks for delicious beer. It was one of the reasons to visit places like Portland but now it seems to have spread out all over the place.

 

[smeggy]

That IS terrifying. How did you survive?

Once back home, akavit/aquavit (like Swedish whisky). Until I found some good stuff again.

The craft beer scene has been such a wonderful thing for those of us unable or lacking in the patience to wait 5 weeks for delicious beer.

Agreed. Luckily it has been growing even in Nebraska, but they have been trying to pass laws forcing craft brewers to go through distributors and force prices up and more favoritism.
I do miss the craft beer scene of Japan, Osaka mostly. Almost every town area in that huge city has their own brewery. Or just walk through the food district and almost every street vendor sells beer too.

Hoping to make my 1gal of APA this weekend, already named Psyhobabble.

 

[Vhexxus]

I haven't decided what I'm brewing next. I've got plenty of Strong Porter, and a small stock of Vanilla Porter and Red Ale in bottles. On tap I have Munich Helles. I'm guessing 2 gallons left on that. I brewed a "project" Raspberry wheat, that was suppose to clone Purple Haze. It turned out a bit thick to say the least. Iv'e got about 2 gallons of that that I just can't stand chew anymore. I guess.....yeap....I need...to...let...it..go.....
But I can't just throw it out?

Either way, I have plenty of empty bottles to start up another 5 gal batch. I don't like the IPAs. So I leaning toward a traditional hefeweizen, or a easy drinking English Bitter.

 

[Vhexxus]

I was just looking up cream ales and came across a brewery in Athens Georgia called Terrapin Beer Company. They make a cream ale called Terrapin Golden Ale.

 

[Blind Owl]

Once back home, akavit/aquavit (like Swedish whisky). Until I found some good stuff again.

Haha, close call.

 

[Ammorn]

While awesome in theory my experience is that Home Brewing takes way to long. Much easier to by buy at the store and then drink as soon as it at the right temperature, instead of 5 weeks later. Could you imagine @Blind Owl having to wait 5 weeks before enjoying a beer?

Of course I am all in favor of recipes for home brews.

That's why you keep brewing beer all the time that way after 5 weeks or so you'll always have beer and be saving money.