Homebrewing

[Turtle]

My wife got me a home brew kit for Father's Day this year, and after getting settled back into the house I FINALLY got around to starting my brew. The kit is a Monster Brew pale ale. It should come out as an English pale ale/bitter. Like I said, I started the process last night. The wort was easy enough to make. I thought it smelled pretty good, but my wife described it as stinky. It's now in the fermentation chamber and will be for the next week. Then I bottle it. Then another week or so before it's ready for drinking. I love delicious beer, so this is a super fun and exciting project. If anyone's interested, I'll keep posting updates. If it works out well, I plan on branching out and experimenting a little more.

Have any of you ever tried your hands at brewing your own beer? If so, what kind of brew and what kind of results?

[Lobsterman]

Are you talking about the cheaper kits with the plastic jug, or the pro one with the stainless steel tank? I tried the plastic one a few years back, and the beer came out kind of flat. Mind you, I like my carbonated drinks very bubbly, so maybe it's a personal taste thing. Anyhow, the beer wasn't terrific, but the experience was a blast. My roommate and I had fun making the beer, finding cool vintage bottles, designing labels, and imagining our rise to power as artisan craft beer moguls.

[buttheadsmate]

Cleanliness is a hugely important factor, as is temperature . I've had a go at making beer many times over the years with varying levels of success & I believe that the current kits have improved dramatically. I'll be very interested in your project.

I make apple-cider most years & it is very satisfying,technically it's not brewing but most of the processes are similar. Over the years I've managed to simplify the whole process & what I make is always well-received & consists of just two ingredients apple-juice & sugar,using the yeasts that occur naturally on the apple skins.

[buttheadsmate]

Are you talking about the cheaper kits with the plastic jug, or the pro one with the stainless steel tank? I tried the plastic one a few years back, and the beer came out kind of flat. Mind you, I like my carbonated drinks very bubbly, so maybe it's a personal taste thing. Anyhow, the beer wasn't terrific, but the experience was a blast.

If you bottle the beer after the primary fermentation ,adding sugar,& then crown cap them you'll almost certainly attain a bubbly/fizzy/sparkling result after the secondary fermentation.

-goodheadsmate

Edited August 11, 2011 by buttheadsmate

[Turtle]

It's a shame that didn't work out for you guys as I think Lobsterman Lager would be a big seller. I've got the big 5 gallon plastic jug kit. I think the carbonation process occurs after you've added the sugars and bottled it, so hopefully I won't get anything too flat. Hopefully. I counted my empty bottles last night, and I'm about 15 or so shy of what I'll need, so it looks like I've got some drinking to do before next Wednesday. The sacrifices I make.

Two ingredients? Nice. Cider's not really a big thing over here, so the only cider I can think of is Woodchuck, which is too sweet for my tastes. I don't know how something like that would stack up to the cider you're used to. Does your cider go through two stages of fermentation? I know less about cider preparation than beer brewing (i.e., nothing.)

Cleanliness... I think I spent more time cleaning my supplies than actively working on the brew. I'm fermenting at room temperature in the low 70's. I actually am a little worried that the temp might be too high. In the future I'll probably clear a spot in the basement, which stays a good bit cooler than the rest of the house.

Edited August 11, 2011 by Turtle

[Bob Harris]

I've never tried it, but good luck to you, Turtle.

When I read about Lobsterman's marketing idea I remembered a beer brand that you just have to love. I present you the Austrian beer "Fucking Hell":

Now let me explain. There was a huge discussion wheather the brewery was allowed to call the beer like that. Of course most German people do understand what the English expression means, hence the controversy. Thing is, the German word "Hell" doesn't mean the devil's residence, but "light" and "bright". A "Helles" - a "light one" - refers to what you call a lager I guess. "Fucking" - now here's the funny part - is the name of a small Austrian town and right there is the brewery. So "Fucking Hell" just means a lager from that town. That's very clever marketing! :tongue:

[buttheadsmate]

I need some of that Bob :biggrin:

I confess that cider isn't a favourite of mine either but anything you make youself tastes good .....er...usually ....but uniformity is an elusive goal . What I would say about these beer kits is (perhaps 'was' is the word that would be more accurate for me) that despite what it says on the label they always tend to taste the same. This sameness isn't too detrimental unless you become too discerning ....you will

[Turtle]

I got the bottling done tonight. It was pretty exciting opening the fermentor. I thought the aroma was quite nice, and the color looked good. I'm pretty optimistic that next week I'll have a good sample and in month I'll really enjoy it. (Probably not London Pride enjoy, but hey.) It turns out I've had a few friends start brewing a batch in the last couple of weeks, so I think I'll have some good swaps too.

I've been a beer fan for a bit, but this has already given me a great appreciation and understanding of beers. Understanding what the flavors are, where they come from, and how they're added really, really makes you enjoy what you've got.

[Turtle]

I put a couple of bottles in the fridge before I left for work this morning. I'll leave the other 45 to condition for a bit longer, but I can't wait to try this tonight. To top it off, I made some pizza dough and sauce last night, so tonight's meal features scratch made beer AND scratch made pizza. I've gotten pretty good at making pizza, so hopefully the same will hold true for the beer. The workaday cannot end soon enough.

[karamazov80]

Sounds like a very cool project. I love me some good beer, but I'm a lazy person by nature, and prefer to drive over to the Winn Dixie when I need my fix. My former major professor used to brew his own beer and much of it was very good.

[Turtle]

Last week's sample was alright, but was still a bit green. There was a pretty bitter aftertaste that was a bit unpleasant, but now that the hops have mellowed a bit, this beer has gotten quite tastey. I am pleased, and it should only get better as it ages a little more. Very pleased. Also, my hydrometer gave me a reading of around 5% alcohol, but after a beer and a half tonight... I think it may be a little higher. Not complaining.

[Turtle]

I bottled a batch of nut brown ale last night. I tasted a sample, and it is a sweet beer very low on the hops. With my earlier pale ale, I let it sit in the fermentor for about a week. With this ale, I left it in for about two weeks. That should help make a clearer, crisper bottled beer as the yeast does more cleaning up and discharging of waste in the fermentor than in the bottle. We'll see. I think I'll probably start another batch of the pale ale in the next couple of days. I've been really happy with the first batch. The serving temperature makes all the difference too. If I drink it straight out of the fridge at low temperatures, it's got a not-quite-right flavor. After I pour a glass, I let it sit for a couple of minutes, and it really hits the spot.

For anyone that enjoys beer, I have to say this is a hobby that is entirely worth it. The kits are only about 30 bucks, and you get about 2 cases of beer out of it. The equipment is more, but once you've bought it, you're set. It's super fun, and understanding how the process works has drastically increased the way I enjoy beers.

[Bob Harris]

That's sound amazing, Turtle.

After I pour a glass, I let it sit for a couple of minutes, and it really hits the spot.

In Germany there is the saying, that it takes seven minutes to pour a good bear. Everybody knows that here. (There's also a saying that goes "a good German beer takes 7 minutes. A good American beer does not exist."... )

Edited September 23, 2011 by Bob Harris

[buttheadsmate]

I can't agree about there not being any good American beer Bob , Sam Adams for a starter makes some seriously beautiful beers ,there are many others.

[Turtle]

We've got a couple of good beers, but the vast majority in a standard shop aren't so great. Sam Adams is up there. Sierra Nevada is probably my favorite American beer.

The nut brown ale turned out pretty good. It's not what I would pick as a regular drink as it is a bit sweet and heavy for my tastes, but for the style, it turned out well, and everyone that's tried it has enjoyed. I ended up brewing and bottling another batch of pale ale. I did a couple things different in the brewing process- I let the grains steep a bit longer and was better in controlling and timing the boil after hopping it, and I let it sit in the fermentor for two weeks before bottling. I tried a couple bottles last night, and I am in love. It's got good clarity, aroma, and the malt and bitter flavors are well balanced, imo.

[TM2 Dinobot]

I don't drink but I love unique beers and I love making it.

Indie beers are great. If the indie brew industry is something interests y'all, you should check out a documentary called "Beer Wars".

[Jatta Pake]

Damn this is making me thirsty. I had buddies in college that home-brewed some kind of rice based alcohol using a garbage pail and a concealed part of their dorm room closet. They claimed it was the most foul tasting concoction ever created but it got them blindingly hammered. I was turned off to home brewing based on hearing about their experience. Mind you, this was the early days of the Internet and techniques weren't so readily available.

I am intrigued. Why should you take 7 minutes to pour a great beer? And is home brew better at room temp?

I know American beer gets a bad rap but a can of Bud at near freezing temperatures poured into a frozen glass is delicious on a hot day. But I also love Ales. They can't be beat on a chilly day.

[Turtle]

The brews I've made are best cool, between room temp and fridge temp. I think it's the same for any ale, but I notice the difference a lot more with the stuff I've brewed. A slow pour helps release a lot of flavor and aroma.

Yeah, our big beers do have their place. I really like an ice cold Coors when I'm eating hotwings.

[TM2 Dinobot]

Jatta, that sounds like Moonshine; THE oldest technique known to man. Home brewing is much better, safer, and with tastier results.

This thread compels me to share the greatest beer joke ever. (nsfw)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9cTXl5ApEk

[Turtle]

Nice

[buttheadsmate]

Fascinating stuff ,I'm enjoying your learning curve with a wry smile

Next week could well be the week that I start my cider-making. I'm not mad on cider but turning a load of bruised, dented & wasp-infested apples into something that shuts most of my mates up makes it worthwhile especially as the apples are free . When I sold the farmhouse a few years back I left my orchard behind but the guy who lives there now is just pleased to get rid of the surplus apples & I give him some cider in exchange....not too much though because the poor guy gets p*ssed too quickly for my liking

[TM2 Dinobot]

Do you mean he gets drunk too quickly? I'm not familiar with that particular idiom.

[buttheadsmate]

Do you mean he gets drunk too quickly? I'm not familiar with that particular idiom.

Sorry ,'p*ssed' would in the UK mean generally be accepted as being drunk whereas in the US it would be angry .Right? It does mean angry as well but generally we add the word 'off' whilst most people seem to have dropped the word 'up' when describing an inebriated state.

P*ssed (p*ssed up) ....drunk.

P*ssed (pissed off)....angry.

[TM2 Dinobot]

Oh. Interesting. Learn something new every day.

[Turtle]

Fascinating stuff ,I'm enjoying your learning curve with a wry smile

Next week could well be the week that I start my cider-making. I'm not mad on cider but turning a load of bruised, dented & wasp-infested apples into something that shuts most of my mates up makes it worthwhile especially as the apples are free . When I sold the farmhouse a few years back I left my orchard behind but the guy who lives there now is just pleased to get rid of the surplus apples & I give him some cider in exchange....not too much though because the poor guy gets p*ssed too quickly for my liking

I'm happy to report that cider weather has finally hit here. Today's high will be in the upper 50's. Up until yesterday, we still hadn't really consistently gotten out of the 80's which to me just isn't cider weather. A nice cold snap to bring on fall. I'd love to hear about whenever you start your cider.