Let's Start It Off

[steve williams]

With so many great domestic and foreign beer available I am curious who among us has tried bewing their own beer. I have seen these kits over the years and have often wondered what they produce and how good it tastes. I remember years ago my wife's uncle who was a Viet Nam vet and ardent beer lover brewed his own and it seemed to have an OK taste.

So fess up and tell us who has dabbled in the fine art of brewing your own beer

 

[wineslob]

I've been making beer since the mid 80's. Like alot of beginners I tried a "kit" but found the results.............................aweful.
From there I went to my own choices in extract, hops, yeast, ect.
Today I'm an all grain brewer. My last batch done this past spring can be best described as "New Castle on steroids".

 

[steve williams]

Can you describe how you go about making your own beer? I am fascinated with your good results

 

[Ron Party]

My last batch done this past spring can be best described as "New Castle on steroids".

Well since Newcastle Brown Ale is my favorite beer, I'm just going to have to insist that you bring some of your home brew with you to Steve's for the next meeting at his house!

 

[wineslob]

Can you describe how you go about making your own beer? I am fascinated with your good results

No problem! I start with 15 lbs of 2 row pale malt, and 1lb of #30 crystal. I mash in a ice chest (holds the heat @ 155 really well). Rinse with 165 degree water for the best extraction I can get. The wort goes on the stove in a canning tub and brought up to a rolling boil. Add hops. Hops are usually Kent Golding, about 4 oz, but I don't dry hop. I like hoppy beer.
After cooling the wort (home made cooler) It's poured into a 6 gal. acid "jar". Now it's time to pitch. I usually use dry yeast, what ever "English Style" is on hand with a good alcohol tolerance. Usually I'll get an SG that'll get me somewhere in the 7% + range, so I need good yeast.
I do a 2 stage fermentation (6 gallon to a 5), which usually takes about 5-7 days to run out "dry".
Then I bottle.
Most of the time this beer takes about 2-3 months of bottle conditioning to come around.
My next batch I'm going to cut back on the 2 row to probably 10-12 lbs, and maybe up the crystal by about a lb. I don't want it quite as "thick" as the last batch and I want a little more color. I'm still tweaking the recipe.

 

[steve williams]

Fascinating. Some of the terms I am not familiar with

2 row
Crystal
Wort
Dry hop
SG

Thanks

 

[wineslob]

Fascinating. Some of the terms I am not familiar with

2 row < A type of grain with two "rows" along the seed head and has more starch per pound thats fementable than other types.
Crystal < Another grain that's processed and used for adding body/color to beer. It also helps with head retention.
Wort < The water thats used to "strip" the sugar from the grain after it's been put in hot water to "convert" the starch to sugar. Raw (unfermented) beer is the wort.
Dry hop < Instead of adding the hops during the boil (wort) it's added to the fermentation container. It's not boiled, so considered "dry".
SG < Specific Gravity, it tells you the possible ammount of alcohol that may be produced from the frementation process.

Thanks

Clear as mud?

 

[Appelz]

Hrm...a single forum with topics for high end audio/video, top shelf liquors, and home-brewing? I should probably work on getting myself banned, before this turns into another addiction...

Adam Pelz