1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Homebrewing basics.

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by 4x4Runner, May 5, 2009.

  1. May 5, 2009 at 9:09 PM
    #1
    4x4Runner

    4x4Runner [OP] Sam’s gone, man. Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2006
    Member:
    #7
    Messages:
    25,221
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Drunken Sailor
    Not north, not south, not west, mostly east
    Vehicle:
    1WD
    nuttin fancy
    Homebrewing... Where to begin.

    Home brewing beer became federally legal in 1978 and one can legally brew up to 200 gallons of home brewed beer a year, depending on state and local laws please consult with localities before pursuing.

    Now keep in mind this is home brewed beer, mead or wine not the fermentation and distillation of spirits. No moon shining folks, don't want to see any Popcorn Sutton's on here.

    A basic kit for homebrewing beer will include a primary fermentation vessel (carboy or food grade bucket) a bottling bucket (food grade). Various items including brushes, hydrometers, airlocks, thermometer strips, siphons, bottle capper and instructions. These can be picked up for anywhere between $80 and $100 or so. The more complicated or advanced the kit the more the price will run you. Other items you will need are a 20 quart stainless steel pot for brewing the wort and a thermometer for measuring the temp of the wort. Another item I found that works well... A propane turkey fryer sans aluminum pot. That lil mug will get your water and wort up to a reasonable temp and maintain it well better than a stove.

    After you aquire your kit get with a local brew shop and learn the lingo. They are your best bet for help and advice. Get a book from them and read it, I recommend "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing".

    Understand that cleanliness has nothing on sanitation when it comes to homebrewing. Sanitaize, Sanitaize and Sanitize. DO NOT USE SOAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! During the brewing/fermentaion process and soap residue will leech into the wort/beer as it ferments and you will be stuck with a nice Dawn or Palmolive Pale Ale that tastes like shit. Use sanitizers like Iodophor or a one step cleanser. I have found that bleach works fairly well in extreme circumstances.

    Bottles, use the non twist off type and the browner the better. UV light kills the brew. Avoid clear bottles and green bottles, UV light will skunk your beer.

    Now personally I am only into the malt extraxt for now and have not delved into mashing and sparging yet.

    A few business's I have dealt with in the Northwest are:
    The Cellar
    Mountain Hombrew

    Another thread will cover lingo and beer types.
     
  2. May 5, 2009 at 9:43 PM
    #2
    tacoholic

    tacoholic Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2009
    Member:
    #12480
    Messages:
    4,072
    Gender:
    Male
    East Bay, CA
    Neato!
     
  3. May 5, 2009 at 10:44 PM
    #3
    4x4Runner

    4x4Runner [OP] Sam’s gone, man. Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2006
    Member:
    #7
    Messages:
    25,221
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Drunken Sailor
    Not north, not south, not west, mostly east
    Vehicle:
    1WD
    nuttin fancy
    There will be more...

    As I sober up...
     
  4. May 6, 2009 at 9:04 AM
    #4
    sliverworm

    sliverworm Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2009
    Member:
    #12992
    Messages:
    413
    Gender:
    Male
    Austin, Texas
    Vehicle:
    06 PreRunner TRD Offroad
    You can purchase kits online at.

    www.austinhomebrew.com

    I personally used to do beer but id rather move to soda as I enjoy that more
     
  5. May 6, 2009 at 9:09 AM
    #5
    wiscdave

    wiscdave Lets Do It!

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Member:
    #5392
    Messages:
    2,530
    Gender:
    Male
    Northern Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    Tundra Rock Warrior
    Past ride - 3" OME 885s&Shocks/ TSB 1.5AAL/ AX184 Rims 285 Firestone destination ATs/ 2 Shallow mount P310s in Supercrew Box - Punch 601s, Beefed up Hunter Brush guard, Tint, Fog light mod, AFE Drop in, AC and Fog light mods, scangauge
    I've made my own wine before using the proper stuffs. Not too hard, just didn't turn out that good, but for the price its right.
     
  6. May 8, 2009 at 10:01 AM
    #6
    nd

    nd Radical Town. It's a hell of a place!

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2007
    Member:
    #1047
    Messages:
    12,619
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nate
    Greenville, SC
    Vehicle:
    07 TRD Off-Road 4x4 debadged
    De badged, 5100's, Black Toyota Baja wheels
    i'll be keeping an eye on this forum. i've always wanted to try brewing but i've never had a really good temperature controlled place to try it
     
  7. May 8, 2009 at 3:40 PM
    #7
    Sinister

    Sinister Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2009
    Member:
    #15364
    Messages:
    107
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Vegas
    Vehicle:
    11 Super White TRD Off-Road
    WeatherTech Liners, ICON Stage 3 front and back, ICON UCAs, ICON AAL
    ND, I hear you. So here in Vegas I keep the beer in a closet under the stairs. Dark and cool. Also, you can use the "swamp cooler" method of having the wort bucket sit in a pan of water. And they make a chiller that looks like a piece off a Moonshine Still.
     
  8. May 10, 2009 at 8:11 PM
    #8
    A.D.

    A.D. Desert Riding Ninja

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2009
    Member:
    #12198
    Messages:
    708
    Gender:
    Male
    SoC♠l 4 life but stationed in Utah
    Vehicle:
    Low and Slow Mini
    I have all the gear, but no one around me knows how to do it, and i am kinda scared to try it out on my own. Bought a nice setup from a home brewer that PCS'd outta here and he didn't need it anymore.
     
  9. May 11, 2009 at 6:08 AM
    #9
    Sinister

    Sinister Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2009
    Member:
    #15364
    Messages:
    107
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Vegas
    Vehicle:
    11 Super White TRD Off-Road
    WeatherTech Liners, ICON Stage 3 front and back, ICON UCAs, ICON AAL
    AD,

    Its not that hard to get started.. can you boil water?:) Then you can make beer with the basic of ingrediants. Google homebrewing and see what shops popup and head down to one or two of them and hangout. Im sure they would be more then happy to help you out.
     
  10. May 11, 2009 at 7:19 PM
    #10
    DanGer

    DanGer Avatar approved by 98tacomav6

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2008
    Member:
    #7155
    Messages:
    5,480
    Gender:
    Male
    Northern Virginia & Blacksburg
    Vehicle:
    07 Base 4Cyl 4x4 Manual
    White Head Light mod, White shorty antennae, Doug Thorley Long Tube headers, AFE Drop in air filter, Secondary Air Filter Removed,
    Hey guys, How much space is required for a brewing kit? I want to try in my apartment next year, but am lacking a large space
     
  11. May 11, 2009 at 8:44 PM
    #11
    drifter379

    drifter379 CenTex Honky

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2009
    Member:
    #13084
    Messages:
    3,514
    Gender:
    Male
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    06 Tacoma SR5 Prerunner
    Secondary Air filter mod,Removed running boards,AFE Pro dry filter,sirius satelite radio,relocated horns,sockmonkey decal,EZ change drain plug,color matched grille,grille craft mx, BHLM, Fog light mod, Hellas behind the grille
  12. Jun 15, 2009 at 9:13 PM
    #12
    TexasIslandBoy

    TexasIslandBoy THE RED DRAGON!!

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2009
    Member:
    #18262
    Messages:
    3,261
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Andrew
    South Texas. SPI
    Vehicle:
    07' trd offroad 4X4 (For Sale)
    pro comp 6inch lift 35'' tires moto 950's radfo coilovers magnaflow exhaust 5/16" front skidplate usa spec ipod interface tree pin strip mod dry drop in filter full size BFG KM2 spare
    i have the mr beer kit and bottles i would sell for like 20 bucks + shipping all you need is the refill kit i tryed it once and now im done ill just buy my beer from now on hha
     
  13. Jul 31, 2009 at 11:32 PM
    #13
    Flyin' Squirrel

    Flyin' Squirrel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    Member:
    #7149
    Messages:
    59
    Gender:
    Male
    Austin, Tx
    Vehicle:
    06 SR5 Longbed 4X4
    TRD Sport, 3" Revtek suspension lift, Borla exhaust, AFE Pro Dry filter, Westin chrome nerf bars, Moto Metal chrome rims, limo tinted rear windows, Devil Horns grill emblem, extra bed D-rings
    I started brewing in a small apartment. You'll need to be able to store a large stainless kettle, one or two 5 gal fermenters and a little over 2 cases of bottles plus some other misc equipment for a single batch of beer. A dark, temperature regulated closet works great for fermenting and storing the beer. You'll also need to take over the kitchen for several hours, so it helps to have tolerant roommates.
     
  14. Aug 1, 2009 at 10:11 PM
    #14
    Sinister

    Sinister Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2009
    Member:
    #15364
    Messages:
    107
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Vegas
    Vehicle:
    11 Super White TRD Off-Road
    WeatherTech Liners, ICON Stage 3 front and back, ICON UCAs, ICON AAL
    don't forget about being able to regulate the temperature of your closet/storage area.
     
  15. Sep 25, 2009 at 6:23 PM
    #15
    Husker_in_KC

    Husker_in_KC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2009
    Member:
    #18266
    Messages:
    69
    Gender:
    Male
    CO Springs
    Vehicle:
    05 Red
    Tinted Windoz, TruXedo, Toytech lift, beefed sliders, got winch.
    Anybody in KC wants to learn to brew, PM me....
     
  16. Oct 1, 2014 at 4:47 PM
    #16
    yowow

    yowow Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Member:
    #137727
    Messages:
    65
    Gender:
    Male
    Carbon filter water and star san. Is the only two things u need to make 'decent' beer. Decent meaning drinkable and taste better then the miller/bud craft beer.
     
  17. Nov 13, 2023 at 4:10 PM
    #17
    IndianaTaco83

    IndianaTaco83 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2023
    Member:
    #437391
    Messages:
    49
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2005 Tacoma Double Cab / 2021 Tacoma Double Cab TRD Pro
    Support your local home brew shop.
     
To Top