Beer brewing thread

mj1angier

mj1angier

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Looks like a few have brewing as a hobby too.

Get in here scmoose and mulletmaster

What are you brewing? What kind of set up do you have?

I am just getting back into it. I did it first in the 90's. Then I did wine in the 00's and some harder stuff in 10's and now back to beer, lol

I am working up to all grains. Right now doing extract with specialty grains added.
 
I'm here. Mainly brew ales, lagers and the occasional IPA APA. Made the switch to all gain after a few extracts, kegged from the get go.

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I am doing is partial mash right now in 5-gallon batches. My current setup is a 5-gallon boil kettle, which is too small, and propane burner for now. And the snow holds off I'll take my snow blower on it and get some more equipment Brew in a bag All Grain.

Right now I have a dry Irish Stout that's in the fermenter for about a week and English extra strong bitter on deck.
 
I just bottled this Imperil Oatmeal Stout https://www.atlanticbrewsupply.com/Raleigh-Brewing-Company-The-Toll-Clone-Imperial-Oatmeal-Stout-Extract-Kit_p_2313.html

It was kind of a mess because I am still trying to get my set up figured out. I have a 15 gal alum. fry pot that I have made into my brew kettle. My old 7 gal fermentation buckets had seen better days so I picked up a7.9 gal Speidel the other day. I also got a 5.6 gal Torpedo keg and all the fitting to swap over from the Sanke fittings. I was going to keg the stout, but it tasted a bit harsh and think by bottling and letting it set a few months it will mellow out. I hope, lol [h=1][/h]
 
Great to know there are a few other brewers here too!

I started brewing in 2000. So far, I've only brewed ales. I tried a lager once or twice, but it never went well. After my 7th extract batch, I went all grain, and never looked back. I have a 15 gal firestone keg that I cut out the top. I use a 75,000 BTU propane burner.


The brew kettle





I took two 5 gal insulated coolers and converted them to mash and lauter tuns. So far, I've only used the simple infusion mash process. I usually strike in with around 150 degree water and mash for 90 minutes, then sparge with 170 degree water to recover about 5.5 gallons of sweet wort.

Mash & Lauter tuns








I use 6.5 gal re-enforced glass carboys as a primary & secondary fermenters. I use an old ski jacket around the fermenter to keep light and drafts out, and he has become affectionately known as, "Mr. Bubblehead."

Mr. Bubblehead


My wife has been after me to make another batch for a while now. It's been almost 5 years since I last brewed, so I'm WAY overdue for another one. Maybe this will be the inspiration to get going again!
 

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Climberman;n87336 said:
how much does it cost to get an initial setup in this hobby?
Click to expand...

Here is a basic set as far as equipment goes: https://www.atlanticbrewsupply.com/...quipment-Kit-5-Gallon-Basic-Bucket_p_632.html

Then you pick a beer "kit" recipe https://www.atlanticbrewsupply.com/5-Gallon-Extract-Kits_c_291.html

Some things you may already have. Most guy use a lp turkey fryer stand to boil the base beer but you can do it on your stove. A 5 gal pot is nice to boil in. You can clean and reuse beer bottles that you collected or buy new ones.

Like most hobbies, you can go low $ or high $.
 
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Got a Scotch Ale in the pot. 6 weeks or so this will be a 5 gal keg of love


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Ok, I am going in!!

Stepping into the all-grain side of life. Going to do a BIAB IRA (Irish Red Ale) on Sunday morning. With the advise of Adam at Home Crafted in Holly Springs it might be drinkable in 4-6 weeks, lol
 
All grain is simple. If you can boil water you can make AG. Just takes more time and often more equipment depending upon your method. I don't brew much anymore, could if I had time, but if you have any questions I've been homebrewing since 1998 and started judging around the same time.
 
NicerInPerson said:
All grain is simple. If you can boil water you can make AG. Just takes more time and often more equipment depending upon your method. I don't brew much anymore, could if I had time, but if you have any questions I've been homebrewing since 1998 and started judging around the same time.
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Cool. Not to worried about it, just need to do a few batches to work out a system. By going BIAB (brew in a bag) it will save some steps and equipment needed.
 
I just finished up doing my first BIAB. I did a IRA ( Irish Red Ale) that I got from Northern Brewing http://www.northernbrewer.com/irish-...iab-recipe-kit. They had BIAB recipes for 3 gal so I got 2 to make a keg full plus a few bottles to put back.

Everything went real good, so good I am scared it will muck up in the ferment, lol I used my kettle and steamer basket with a bag I made from Walmart curtains. I picked up a grain roller local and crushed my own grain. I brew out my basement garage door and was able to rig up a lift pulley, which I am glad I did!

I have a big plastic trough that I use for clean up. I just toss everything and use hot water coming out of the wort chiller to fill it up
A few photos:chiller cleaner.jpg mash.jpg pully BIAB.jpg
 
I don't brew...but a guy at work does. Occasionally, I'll throw in and buy something to brew up and we'll make up a 5 gallon batch and bottle it.

He's got a great set up for his beer cooler...he bought a chest freezer, plugged it into a thermostat controlled power source so it keeps the freezer at whatever optimal temperature he needs for cold brewing or his corny kegs of home brew. Pulled the lid off the freezer, rigged up a 2 X 4 frame and sealed it to the top of the chest freezer, then re-mounted the freezer lid to that. Drilled and installed taps into one side of that. Then he cut a whiteboard up to fit the top of the freezer lid so he can write notes on what's on tap and what's cold brewing.
 
All i've done to date is root beer, couple of gallons of hard cider. Got a gallon of mead working now, needs another couple of weeks primary ferment, then 2 months secondary. I'll bottle it for Christmas. Also got a couple of gallons of beer going in a different fermenter.
Mead looks strange, all the honey settled to the bottom of the glass jug. Yeast are working their way down. Bubbler is going none stop, about 80 beats per minute. constant streams of bubbles up the sides of the glass.
CF
 
I have only done mead 1 time way back when. I remember it being a slooooow ferment. And then when it was done, no one liked it too much because they thought it would be sweet like honey. I know now that you can back sweet with more honey and pasteurize it in the bottle to have a sweet, bubbly drink.

Tomorrow I will check the IRA. Think it is ready to move to secondary.
I have a cider that I added pineapple juice to. I am going to taste it and see if it is ready to bottle. Most folks that have done it with pineapple says it stinks when you first bottle it but give it 6-8 months and it gets better, at 10-12 it great, lol.

I got a cider that I made 5 gal batch, added 1 gal of tart cherry juice and let it ferment out. Then put 2.5 gal in small keg with 1 cup coconut vodka and some splenda. I forced carb it and tasted it. I have named it "Pantie Dropper" and will wait till a hot day at the lake with the women folk!
 
Racked 10 gallons of an IPA to kegs today.
Currently on tap - Porter, IPA, Sweet Stout, and a Brown Ale.

Here is the 10 g going to kegs. Love these Speidel fermentors.
 

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So how much does it cost to make 5-10 gallons of beer? I'm interested in getting into this. It can't be that hard. And be self sufficient where beer is concerned is a nice idea
 
It's like any hobby, you can get in cheap or sell the farm and get in, lol

Basic set to brew and bottle beer $100-125, this would be the Hi-point 9mm set-up. https://www.atlanticbrewsupply.com/...nt-Kit-5-Gallon-Basic-Glass-Carboy_p_633.html
High speed, low drag set-up, $5-6000 https://www.morebeer.com/products/rider-digital-brewsculpture-v4.html?site_id=7

Both brew beer, one brews more complex beer, better beer. Both will get you drunk

Right now I have about $250 in equipment on the brewing side. I had a turkey fryer and propane burner that I use.

Adding kegging system will add $175-250 https://www.morebeer.com/products/homebrew-draft-system-5-gal-ball-lock-keg.html

And some way to serve with a keg--- simple-http://www.kegerators.com/equipment/craft-beer-kegerator.php
Home made-https://taftcanyonbrewers.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/kegerator.jpg
Balls to the wall- http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=386054

The ingredients run $20-80 for 5 gal of beer https://www.morebeer.com/products/english-pale-ale-extract-beer-kit-1.html
https://www.morebeer.com/products/bearded-stout-extract-beer-kit.html

But you can find stuff on Craiglist https://raleigh.craigslist.org/hsh/6019356202.html
 
Some brewery pics:

Brew stand with 15 gallon More Beer pots; 10 gallon cooler for mash tun:


Mashing in: this was about 28 lbs of grain for 10 gallons of IPA:


Full boil: watch it close; don't want a boil over:


Mobile kegerator - holds two 3 gallon kegs:


Pale Ale: nice and clear -
 
resurrecting this old thread...

What have you guys got going on these days?

I'm running 5 gallon batches off a grainfather, fermenting in a spike's CF5 and a SS brew bucket and running 4-5 kegs at a time depending on whats ready.

Right now I've got a Hefe in the CF5 - fermenting under pressure for the first time ever, and a Chocolate Milk stout in the brew bucket.
 
Stopped by HomeCrafted in Holly Springs and picked up the grain bill for a Barleywine. It will be going into this:
IMG_2063.JPG
 
Started a big beer yesterday- barleywine!
29 lbs of grain for a 6 gallon batch.
It's going to be "Huuge!!"
barlywine.jpg
 
Found this old thread today. Covid19 does have some positives. I brewed back in the 90s and decided to get back in the game again. Picked up a few items from the local brew supply store that got lost in all the house moving.
Brewing a Kolsch this afternoon and hopefully a Hefe Weizen tomorrow. Will be putting in 5 gallon Corny kegs. I can fit 3 kegs in the kegerator.
 
I just poured my first beer from the Kolsch beer I brewed. Looks great and tastes like a Kolsch. I did not brew the Hefe Weizen yet, my son wants to participate. We brewed an IPA at his house. Should be ready to bottle in the next day or two.A8B24C8B-C293-4D0B-9DC5-7CD3DEC0FB05.jpeg
 
Brewed up a Hefe Weizen yesterday. The Beer is starting to foam up and the air lock is bubbling. Going to brew an October fest beer next.
 
I've got some starter equipment if anyone is interested in giving it a try I'll dig it out. I brewed a couple batches but lost time/interest.
 
DCGallim said:
I've got some starter equipment if anyone is interested in giving it a try I'll dig it out. I brewed a couple batches but lost time/interest.
Click to expand...
I started brewing back in the early 90s. I got transferred to a different station and didn’t have the time and lost interest. The Covid/economy/supply demand all pushed me back into brewing.
Brewing an October fest beer right now.
 
We are going to the apple orchards this weekend to get some cider so we can do a batch of hard cider. We normally brew a nice beer and ferment a cider this time of year!

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Kegged the October fest today. Should be ready in a week or so. I picked up 3 corny keg lids today. I have everything I need to keg the Hefe wiezen tomorrow.
Had my last glass of Kolsch about 5 minutes ago. That keg is empty now. That was a pretty good beer.
 
Hefe Weizen in da keg now. Put about 5 psi on it to be sure it sealed. Should be ready in a week maybe longer.
 
Leadchunker said:
I just poured my first beer from the Kolsch beer I brewed. Looks great and tastes like a Kolsch. I did not brew the Hefe Weizen yet, my son wants to participate. We brewed an IPA at his house. Should be ready to bottle in the next day or two.View attachment 231930
Click to expand...
How did you get it to stay in the glass like that?
 
BTW, if you have any liberal friends that love home brewing tell them they have to thank Ronald Reagan.
Before deregulation, home brewing beer as illegal.
Deregulation is a good thing, unless you are part of Big Corp.[emoji6][emoji16][emoji38][emoji28][emoji1787]

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Had an October fest beer yesterday and it turned out great. Just hooked up the Hefe Weizen to the kegerator. Wow lots of pressure built up in the keg. Flushed the lines and checked for leaks. Everything looks good. I will have a glass after I get my driving done today.
 
Currently in the pot boiling the hops. I’m brewing a Cream Ale. We will see if it’s worth brewing again in the future.
The last glass of October fest beer was consumed last night. That was a pretty good beer.
The Hefe Weizen was a great beer. Whom ever made up the recipe got as close to a Franziskaner beer out of Munich as you can get. I have all the ingredients to make another batch already. Prepping for the 100 day lockdown coming in January.
 

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Just finished brewing a German Pilsner. Got it sitting in the living room. The Cream Ale air lock is bubbling merrily now.
 
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