So, once again I was involved in a highjacking of a good thread and decided to pull the cord before it was too late

AZDesertRat and I got talking about Home Brewing. So does anyone else here do it? Show us your set-ups, share some recipies, what have you made that you really like.


BREW

 

I have thought about giving it a shot, looked over the Williams Brewing site they even sent a catalog. But looks time consuming, and I can't seem to find enough time to do all the things I like now.

Is there any reccomendations for a starting point? I assume it will be like everything else i get into, start out small and basic and then just explode into something vast and intricate.

 

I would buy a kit to get started. It will come with the 5gal bucket and all the stuff you need to make your first batch of beer. Start with something easy, like a Light beer. One of the best tasting and easy to make light beers I ever made was made with rice syrup solids and about 1lb of dry malt, cooked it, let it ferment and bottled it. It was like drinking Coors light. Not the best beer in the world, but easy to make, easy for you and your friends to drink and enjoy. Trust me, I 've made some pretty nasty tasting beers in my beginning days. But as you get into it, its more fun and you can get different equipment and try differnet types of beer. Its a great hobby, and honestly, doesnt take all that much time...it just takes time to ferment..so its not like it takes away from your day. Its not expensive to get started, so if you do it and realize you dont have the time or dont like it, your not out a huge pile of money.


I'm getting ready to try my hand at making wine..this outta be fun.

BREW

 

So Brew.....are you serving this "moonshine" at your party?

 

Well, its far from "shine" but I just may have a keg of it at the party


BREW

 

This thread brings back memories - some good, some bad. I used to brew, but most of my friends and relatives either quit drinking over the years or like only miller/coors type beer. It's no fun brewing that much beer and having only yourself to share it with, imho.

The good memories:
My old house had the perfect brewing area - laundry room just off kitchen with sink and big countertop and exhaust fan. That and the huge garage are all I miss about that place.

I haven't brewed in 7 years - since I moved. I have some mead sitting in a carboy that I really ought to bottle some day. It's just aging gracefully.

The bad memories:
That batch of stout that got infected and turned into landmines. Whoo hoo! Just as good as folks tales of their grandparent's prohibition-era bathtub beer. Exploding bottles and geysers of brown froth.

Oh, yeah, in the cupboard next to that carboy of mead is a carboy of marzen that was in secondary fermentation when I moved. Did I mention that was 7 years ago? I'm afraid to think of how bad that's going to stink when I drain it. Talk about autolysis.

 

MMMMM.........did someone say beer??

 

This is it? I show up and no more talk about alcohol. You guys suck. Especially you Tom and your stupid thread.

I guess i had enough beer last night on my date i dont need to talk about it today. It was hard enough getting up this morning muahaha.

 

Look man...dont ruin my thread with your "look at me, i'm an alcoholic BS"

Once AZDesertRat shows up, it will be all good.


BREW

 

I'm thinking I should try my hand at brewing my own beer. BREWDUDE lives to far from me to get good home brewed beer from him, so I guess I've got to do it my self.

I was talking this weekend with my girls, cousins, ex-husband at my girls cousins second wedding (a bit strange, I know). He brews his own beer and said that I could observe when he does his next batch. He says that it's somewhat time consuming, that if you do the cooking inside it'll smell up the house and that the worst part is cleaning the bottles. I think it would be worth it to have good beer on hand. My local package store (liquor store for thoes who aren't in the north east) has a limited selection. There are a few good ones but I have been drinking them pretty regularly. I'd like something new.

 

My wierdest experience was with dandelion wine that my sister made. I think we got into it before it was supposed to be gotten into. It was funny, but I never got really drunk enough to even stagger, but we couldn't talk properly. We talked like some of the members on this site type. Our mords were fo sucking muxed ip, we couldn't understand each other.
Now beer. That's a different matter. I've been around home-brew for years. It sure is cheaper than buying at the liquor stores. We have a Yukon U-Brew in Whitehorse where you go to make your brew, with the help of the staff. They bottle it and call you when it's ready and you pick it up. Then you take it home and drink it. That's about the hardest part of making it.

 

WITTOM..Cleaning bottles does suck. But its not too bad if you get the cleaning solution used by most big restaurants. It makes it quicker and easier, with less chance of contamination. I havent cleaned bottles in a long time. I just Keg it now. Its easier to drink that way and I get to keep more of it. The problem with bottles, is that once your buddys try it, they alway want to take a few home. Next thing you know, your out

I guess if I think about it, it can be time consuming, depending on the type of beer you make. I dont really think about it. I usually plan on at least half a day or more to get everything cleaned, cooked and in the fermenter (carbouy). It deff. stinks up the house, but I love it. I love hearinbg all the women complain about it..LOL.

I'd say, if your sisters babys mommas daddy said you could hang out next time he brews, deff. go do it. You'll get a real feel for it and see if you want to get into it.


BREW

 

I tried once with beer, but it looked like I was cooking Meth. It was sloppy as all get out. I may try wine though. I can drink bad wine, but drinking bad beer = :Puke: