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Posted by dyedon8 on 2007-11-25 21:20:09 +0000

Bottled the IPA today. should be ready in ~10 days. Had a few test bottles already. Mmmmmmm.

Posted by tendiamonds on 2007-11-26 12:58:51 +0000

I find that a common problem of homebrewers is to work on too many recipes. People have the most success if they focus on one or two recipes and make it every time until it is mastered.

Posted by mr. mister on 2007-11-26 14:02:26 +0000

I saw a home brewery kit at CVS for $30 on BLACK FRIDAY. DO you think it would work. I want to start home brewing!

Posted by tgl on 2007-11-26 14:22:00 +0000

Saw the same Mr. Beer kit at CVS a week or so ago.

Posted by Corby Trouser Press on 2007-11-26 14:38:44 +0000

just the malt extract for a batch of beer costs around 30 bucks - i would be suspicious, whats in the kit?

as 10D mentioned - my next batch of beer is going to be the same as my first batch - till i get that stuff PERFECT! then im moving on to lager (after i have made a mash/lauter tun out of a cooler) - all this cold weather has to be good for something

Posted by tgl on 2007-11-26 15:52:00 +0000

It includes all the hardware you'd need. Not sure about a brew kettle, but a fermenter certainly. I doubt there are grains for steeping, and the malt extract might even be hopped.

Extract brewing is certainly a compromise, but not using specialty grains for steeping and a hop schedule is a serious shortcut. It'll be beer though. There's a PBR extract out there.

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I've done a number of ESBs and a couple Stouts, however, not with enough frequency to learn anything. I think I won't get bored with these two, and my goal is one batch a month. I'd expect to be adding an IPA to my quiver by the summertime. Or, move to full-grain by then (which means getting the hang of mashing and lautering, and no more brew-times starting at 5pm).

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Home brew tasting before/during/after Measure for Measure this Wednesday? I need more feedback other than "this homebrew isn't bad!"

Posted by Corby Trouser Press on 2007-11-26 15:55:53 +0000

put me down for a bottle or two! i will bring some of mine

Posted by tgl on 2007-11-26 15:56:05 +0000

Oh, and probably only makes a couple gallons. Not 5 or 6.

Here it is: <a href="http://www.mrbeer.com/category-exec/category_id/2">Deluxe!</a>

Posted by ConorClockwise on 2007-11-26 19:40:40 +0000

I find that a common problem of homebrewers is to work on one or two recipes too much. People have the most success if they broaden their recipes and keep experimenting with malt/hop ratios and innovate.

Posted by tgl on 2007-11-26 19:48:50 +0000

I think 10D and CC are saying the same thing.

Posted by tgl on 2007-12-01 19:40:00 +0000

2007DEC01

Krausen dissipated, airlock quiet. Racked off the trub. SG is 1.016. Very cloudy, chestnut brown. Smells of roasted barley. Nice bitterness and then a hint of the coffee. Not too clean aftertaste. The bitterness lingers, maybe that's barley at the end as well. Can't tell if it's got that "homebrew" flavor yet, the hops are still too prominent.

I let it go another two weeks before bottling. FG is supposed to be 1.008, but it might be too cold in my basement for that.

(<a href="http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator?group=13&item=3823">source</a>)

Posted by mr. mister on 2007-12-03 16:06:44 +0000

Well it seems like you fellas have pieced together your own home brewing kits from other sources. I may grab this "Mr. Beer" for starters. There used to be a place up the street called Deja Brew which sold all this stuff. Home Brewers and there goofy names.

Posted by tgl on 2007-12-22 16:34:00 +0000

2007DEC22

Primed (again) with 3/4 cup of brown sugar.

FG: 1.020

Yielded 48 12oz plus 5 22oz

Posted by tgl on 2007-12-22 17:16:07 +0000

Really... sweet. I hope it's just the priming sugar. Decent bitterness, a hint of coffee. Storing upstairs, hopefully the priming action drops the specific gravity a bit.

Very clear, dark dark dark brown. Rich maltiness.

Posted by tgl on 2007-12-22 17:17:18 +0000

That's weird. Just noticed the SG was 1.016 a couple weeks ago, and now it's 1.020. Hopefully all attributed to the priming sugar.

Posted by dyedon8 on 2007-12-22 18:59:47 +0000

Can't wait for the next batch.

Posted by pchippy on 2007-12-23 13:52:40 +0000

I currently have three carboys blurping away:

1. Dry ginger mead (my long-time favorite)

2. Cheapo beer, from canned extract with a bit of added hops from Carlo, my local hop-grower.

3. Cider, made from Stewart's New England Apple Juice (no preservatives, but filtered) with a vial of liquid cider yeast.

Hurrah for zymurgy!

Posted by tgl on 2007-12-28 11:08:46 +0000

1. my longtime favorite, too.