Anyone else brew beer?

The bare minimum you'll need is a 5 gallon pot, and a food grade 7 gal plastic bucket. Pretty cheap. NorthernBrewer.com has really good extract kits. Great selection. To second Pat13, howtobrew.com has all the info you'll need. Buy the book if you're feeling crazy.

 

I just bottled my first batch!

 

I'm a brewer, and a new "used" tacoma owner. Love brewing, been doing it for about 7 years now, and getting pretty good at it, I do all grain, and it really helps that my brother is a bio-chemist. We get some great brews. The best recently was a Russian Imperial stout, black as night, about 9% alchohol and oh so good!!! The more it ages the better it tastes. If you guys are ever in Minneapolis, check out Surly brewing - one of my favorite local breweries. They have a beer called Surly Darkness - best RIS I've ever tasted! Also check out Leinekugels "Big Eddie" - awesome.

 

First batch just went into secondary on friday! NB's Sierra Madre Pale. Tastes great already. Can't wait to bottle.

 

Sweet! Thanks guys. I found a place that sells home brew supplies so I'm going to go there and look around. Definitely will be spending some money on brewing supplies soon

 

I make beer too Currently have a red ale in secondary for just over a year now, got a mead going as my ritualistic christmas event, and broke down and made a partial mash that's ready for bottling right now. Got Sabco's Brew Magic in the garage waiting to be fired up when the snow breaks. Plus I probably have about 200 bottles of various brews sitting in the basement. No show winners but it's a lot of fun and it tastes great when you get it right!

This is one of my children

 

Damn FuzzyRuttin!! That thing is sweet. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what it is though. Lol. I see a PRV, soda keg connects, thermometer. Is the vinyl hose acting as a level gauge? Is it a pressure capable fermenter? It probably has multiple uses. Either way, very cool. I don't have any pics of my brewing gear, but I will take some soon. I do have a pic of my chest freezer kegerator.

 

I really really really really need a kegerator. Thinking chest freezer perhaps similar to yours, something that would hold 2 sanke kegs.

Yeah the fermenters are made for anything you want to use them for, I would have to guess. The guy I bought my Sabco system from threw in 3 of these fermenters with the deal, couldn't believe it! Driving down the thruway with 6 half barrel kegs in the back of my tacoma must've been a sight to behold. Anyway I can pressurize the fermenters with no leaks or anything, did it a few times to force carbonate my brew.

 

I've made 2 batches all together over the last 3 years. I've only used the Brewers Best brand ingredient kits that has the canned malt with dried grains that you steap and the hop pellets you add in. My last batch was a Scotch ale I brewed a year ago and still have a case left.

I have a secondary fermenter but have never used it. I think for my next batch I want to try a pale ale, all grain kit without the canned malt and utilize my secondary. Any suggestions?

 

I've been homebrewing since 1995. About to switch from glass carboys to better bottles. Trying to decide what I'm going to brew after I get them in. Typically brew two 5 gallon batches at a time, but going to go to three when I go to the better bottles.

 

If you're going to try all grain, make sure you have the equipment to do it. All grain brewing is not difficult at all, but it requires a few more steps and some additional equipment. There are many different setups for all grain brews, and you may already have the equipment necessary. If you need to do some research check howtobrew.com, or if you have some specific questions I would be happy to answer them.

Next, secondary vessels are only really necessary for beers that you plan on conditioning for a few months or more. Pale ales are good to go within a few weeks. I would recommend just using your primary vessel for a pale ale, it's easier and makes it less likely that your beer will get infected.

Good luck on your next brew. Cheers!

 

I know a few people who have switched to better bottles. I'm just curious, why did you decide to switch? I prefer glass. If I wanted to use plastic, I would probably just use a food grade bucket.

 

Well, primarily because I didn't want to drop the money on a temperature-controlled Fermenator yet. That being said, they're supposed to be the best of both worlds. If the type of plastic lives up to the hype, they're supposed to be easier to clean and don't require scrubbing. Bottle brushes almost always cause scratches eventually (from exposed metal). They can be ported and have spigots which can be rotated to avoid the trub. The dry-lock cap is interesting as well. I've almost always used glass, but since I started using a converted chest freezer for fermentation a few years ago, I was a bit concerned about all the lifting and manipulation with glass. The accessories with the better bottles seemed like they'd allow me to not worry and relax easier.

 

Hmmmm, porting a better bottle with a spigot sounds pretty intriguing. That's a great idea. I think I'm sold. That wasn't too difficult.

 

yea i have been doing it for about 5 years or so. love doing it so much i work for a beer dist. full time and a local micro part time. I have done a SUPER EXTRA IPA that came in around 18% be careful it will F you up fast..... good luck my fellow home brewer. And remember this you will screw up some times in a good way and some times in a bad way but if you can read you can brew. got all glass and stainless steel its the only way to go and remember most of all CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Once you see the valve, it's an even easier sell.
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/aitdownloadablefiles/download/aitfile/aitfile_id/440/

 

That looks awesome. Yet another thing to add to the long list of brewing equipment that I want.

 

Hey, stumbled into this forum. Ive been brewing for 15 years or so. I used to be more into it but had to scale back. I used to always have 3 kegs of homebrew in the various fridges around the house, but got tired of fighting the beer gut and cleaning the mess. Now I only have one keg around and use half to drink and half to barter or bring to events for others.

I love doing it, but it can be a lot of storage and mess if you get too wrapped up in it.

Did I read someone say make some Canadian beer???! Its really hard to find moose in the US and even harder to catch their piss. Seriously, all my inlaws are Canadian and the beer up there is equivalent to Miller High life. Ive heard thats the champaign of beer, Im not sure who wants to drink it though.

 

I keep 6 on tap in my little keezer at ALL times..probably overkill, but it makes for a good show when folks come over or when i am craving different brews....

Got a 12% one fermenting now...OH BOY, cant wait to try that...prob gonna knock me out.

 

About a month ago I brewed 15 gallons at a place near me called "the brewers apprentice" which sells brewing supplies or you can brew with their stuff and then go back 2 weeks to bottle it. Really cool experience, makes me definitely want to brew more regularly