Homebrewing?
#1
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Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Fitchburg Ma _ToastedRice_
Homebrewing?
Who here brews their own beers?
What kind of equipment do you guys have?
What beers are your favorite?
Where do you buy your ingredients and equipment?
I just got a starter kit for xmas, and should be starting my first batch by the end of the week, First batch is going to be Honey Stout
What kind of equipment do you guys have?
What beers are your favorite?
Where do you buy your ingredients and equipment?
I just got a starter kit for xmas, and should be starting my first batch by the end of the week, First batch is going to be Honey Stout
#3
Get the Mr. Beer kegs. One case of beer each.
Buy their premium mixes. Don't use the plastic PET bottles.
Get non-twistoff bottles (buy them full, drink them, then sterilize them) and real caps and a capper.
Bottle prime them with the carbonation drops from www.williamsbrewing.com instead of table sugar or corn sugar. I have much better results this way. One drop per 12 oz, 2 per 22-24 oz. I prefer 24oz bottles. Half the capping, twice the happiness.
I also use liquid yeast grown specifically for the type of beer I brew (each batch) then save some from each batch for each consecutive batch. I buy the liquid yeast from a local brewer'* supply, but Mr. Beer also has it now.
You really just need to start with a basic kit and see where it leads you. That'* what I did. I'm a bit more refined now, but not nearly to the point where it takes me hours to brew.
I had 11 cases of homebrew at WCBF, and they were all a big hit. My alcohol content is carefully crafted to be a little on the high side, too.
Buy their premium mixes. Don't use the plastic PET bottles.
Get non-twistoff bottles (buy them full, drink them, then sterilize them) and real caps and a capper.
Bottle prime them with the carbonation drops from www.williamsbrewing.com instead of table sugar or corn sugar. I have much better results this way. One drop per 12 oz, 2 per 22-24 oz. I prefer 24oz bottles. Half the capping, twice the happiness.
I also use liquid yeast grown specifically for the type of beer I brew (each batch) then save some from each batch for each consecutive batch. I buy the liquid yeast from a local brewer'* supply, but Mr. Beer also has it now.
You really just need to start with a basic kit and see where it leads you. That'* what I did. I'm a bit more refined now, but not nearly to the point where it takes me hours to brew.
I had 11 cases of homebrew at WCBF, and they were all a big hit. My alcohol content is carefully crafted to be a little on the high side, too.
#4
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Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Fitchburg Ma _ToastedRice_
I had a Mrbeer, but i have moved on to bigger and better things
http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=15910
I hope to buy a piece of equipment every couple months when i order more beer ingredients. A wort chiller and a kegging system would be awesome to have around
http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=15910
I hope to buy a piece of equipment every couple months when i order more beer ingredients. A wort chiller and a kegging system would be awesome to have around
#6
Give it TIME to fully ferment. Don't short-change yourself on it. You'll be tempted to try it early, so don't give in. Bottle priming the same way. Let it sit for 6-8 weeks in the bottle.
The Mr. Beer kegs are nice because they block some natural light and they're easy to move around. Other than that, Toasty has a nice setup there too. I just don't have anywhere to store a keg.
I can give you more detailed fermenting and priming times from my logs. I keep track of all my batches in a book.
The Mr. Beer kegs are nice because they block some natural light and they're easy to move around. Other than that, Toasty has a nice setup there too. I just don't have anywhere to store a keg.
I can give you more detailed fermenting and priming times from my logs. I keep track of all my batches in a book.
#8
Everyone should do this. Oregon is the micro-brew capital of the world. I love the Oregon Premium beers, and the wcbf'ers have come to appreciate them too. But I can brew my own GREAT beer for less than the cost of cheap generic beer. There'* alot of satisfaction in that.
I'd like to see more people try it too. My department at work is only 6 people, but 3 of us brew.
I'd like to see more people try it too. My department at work is only 6 people, but 3 of us brew.