Home Brew Beer Thread

I'd recommend starting with an extract reciepe, and then if you like it and continue you can look at the all grain equipment.
I noticed it most of a day to brew a batch weather its 5 gallons or 15. If you continue brewing, get bigger fermenters.

originally posted by: eriktheawful
Like I said: I'm very lucky that my well water is perfect for brewing (includes ice tea and coffee too). The Ph level is perfect coming out of the well.

Just curious, where do you need to be on that? In the 7.4 range?

originally posted by: DBCowboy
My family (evil disrespectful ungracious parasites!) are having a field day picking names out for my beer.

List some of them here.

Sharing is caring.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

My water is right at 7.0

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: DBCowboy
My family (evil disrespectful ungracious parasites!) are having a field day picking names out for my beer.

List some of them here.

Sharing is caring.

Big Fat Daddy's Brew
Fat Man's Ale
Pale Spleen
Crippled Craft
Oh God, My Husbands Gone Insane Beer

"Who Needs A Liver?"

Well, it looks like I'll start out with a kit.

If I'm successful, then I can branch out and get more elaborate.

What I figured is the making is even more fun than the final product, and it sounds as if that's the case.

I can't say enough thanks for the insight and constructive links.

originally posted by: eriktheawful
"Who Needs A Liver?"

The liver, like the lungs and brain, are just vestigial organs that you don't really need any more.

a reply to: DBCowboy


Crippled Craft is brilliant.

a reply to: DBCowboy

One more thing.

If you bottle: DO NOT USE THE SCREW CAP BOTTLES!

Bottles that you buy like Bud, etc, that have screw tops on them. The bottles will not let you seal the cap on correctly, and you'll end up with flat beers.

Only use bottles that require a bottle top remover if you use a bottle capper.

a reply to: eriktheawful

I was thinking about buying some beer that had the ceramic-hinge-stopper top and just re-using the bottles.

a reply to: DBCowboy





Those are the best! They are expensive though if you've got 6 gallons or more to bottle, heh.

a reply to: eriktheawful

Challenge: Accepted!

a reply to: DBCowboy

Been brewing since the '80s, cleanliness and temperature control are big. Recipes are a secondary concern.

originally posted by: wtbengineer
a reply to: DBCowboy

Been brewing since the '80s, cleanliness and temperature control are big. Recipes are a secondary concern.

I'm doing this in my garage for the most part.

What temp issues might I face?

a reply to: DBCowboy

There are a couple of temp issues:

The boil: if you're doing Full Grain, you have to malt the grains, and if you have the temp of the water go above soemthing like 180 F if I remember right, it causes acids to come out of the shells of the grains which will mess with the flavor of the beer. If you're doing full extract, you don't need to worry about this.

Cooling the wort down to add the yeast: you need to get the wort down to 90 F or less before you add the yeast. If it's hotter than that, it will kill the yeast.

Primary Fermentation: Try to keep your beer during it's first week at a stable temp while it's fermenting. Ales are normally done at room temp. Lagers are normally fermented at cold temps (around 45 F). Normally you'd have it in a fridge to do this, so it's temps are controlled.
Don't be afraid to experiment though, so people use lager yeast at room temps and other variations. The main thing to keep in mind is to not leave the beer in direct sunlight while it's fermenting, because it can heat it up and kill the yeast.

After bottled: try to store the beer after it's bottled in a cool place out of sunlight. Brown bottles are the best for this.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

My family (evil disrespectful ungracious parasites!) are having a field day picking names out for my beer.

Now that would make an interesting play thread,name DB's beer!

originally posted by: DBCowboy

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: DBCowboy
My family (evil disrespectful ungracious parasites!) are having a field day picking names out for my beer.

List some of them here.

Sharing is caring.

Big Fat Daddy's Brew
Fat Man's Ale
Pale Spleen
Crippled Craft
Oh God, My Husbands Gone Insane Beer

DB's Devil Brew
Cowboy's Craft
Big Boi Brew

Fat A$$

a reply to: DBCowboy
Why bottles? Go for a small barrel. What equipment? You don't need all the fancy paraphernalia, temp guages, hydrometer etc. Just remember beer has been brewed for centuries and I can tell you now in the 1700s they didn't have fancy equipment.
One rule, don't be tempted to "add more sugar" to get a stronger beer it can ruin it. Practice and put in enough for your taste, remember you are making it for you.
Myself I make home brew wine. There is a greater range of ingredients for different tastes and the benefit, you can make wine from literally anything. All you need to buy is sugar, if you haven't got access to free honey.
And SSSHHH, if it turns out you don't like the taste you can always still it for the alcohol.

a reply to: crayzeed