Posted on 12/05/2008 9:10:10 AM PST by djf
OK.
I have a bunch of empty Grolsch bottles and have been thinking about doing some moon shining of sorts.
Any Freepers ever home-brew? Beer? Hard cider?
Curious about experiences and recommendations, and since Freepers are the smartest people in the world, figured it needed a thread!
Everyone should start with extract brewing, all grain is much more difficult and has a smaller margin for error.
You actually don't boil the grains, you steep them at about 150 degrees to release the sugars. The result is then boiled with hops to offset the sweetness of the wort.
It is rapidly (or as rapidly as you can) cooled and yeast added.
Yeast is added and you let it do its thing.
The rapid initial fermentation is the “primary” fermentation phase, then you let it sit, clear and finish in the “secondary” phase. At no time is anything additional added. What you start with is what you end with.
Once it has completely finished, a small amount of corn sugar or malt is added then it is quickly bottled.
Once it is bottled, you let it sit at the same temp as the fermentation for about 3 to 4 weeks. Do NOT put it in the fridge, you will make all the yeast go to sleep.
Basically, I tell people that if you can make soup, you can make beer, there is not all that much to it.
That being said, it is a great hobby. It is as complicated as you want to make it.
Any other questions?
Cheers,
knewshound
Five gallons does sound like a lot, but it’ll be so much easier to just get the kit and follow the directions than to work out proportions to do less. I use my canning kettle to boil the malt. You don’t have to boil a whole 5 gallons of water, you can add more water to the wort as it cools. I’ve been really happy with the Williams kits. Their directions are clear and complete.
A case of 12 22-oz bottles cost me just under $12. I bought them locally so didn’t have to pay shipping.
If you’re really determined to start small, look for a Mr. Beer kit. They turn up in stores about this time of year because it is a “Guy Present”, good for a not-well-known brother-in-law.
That cache of brews you brought to the FReeper Party was the best Homebrew I have ever run across!
Thanks!
Does each yeast have an optimal temp? I keep my house at about 73F.
I understand the idea of the water seal to let the CO2 out, but before I even start, I want to make sure it never “backflows” into the mix.
So I am thinking of a tube to the cap of the fermentation jar, then that tube to a 1 litre bottle or so, then a tube from that bottle to the water.
Guess the best thing for me to do is visit the local home brew store!
I’m already thirsty!
We used to just put a balloon on the neck of the bottle
Many thanks! My next project is a Russian Imperial Stout for Christmas. NEXT Christmas...if I start now... ;-)
The Federal limit is 200 gallons per household
...about 2.5 gallons worth...
so you have a head start. I’ve found that about 2 weeks fermenting gives one about enough time to drink up a case to get another 2.5 gallons worth.
and once your friends/family find out, you’ll have more bottles than you know what to do with. except you’ll know they need filling.
and your friends/family will be looking to drink good beer...
Welcome to the homebrewing culture!
...Time for some family lore....
My Dad’s father was in the Army serving stateside during WWII. Officers were then authorized to carry their service pistol (1911 Colt 45ACP) 24x7, even at home.
So one night, he wakes up to some noises in the bathroom. Grabbing his pistol at the high ready (barrel pointing up), he goes to the bathroom. He is startled by stepping in something wet and lets loose a shot into the ceiling.
When he turned on the lights, he found that some of his homebrew bottles had exploded...
...Use a yeast meant for 50 degree temps at 73...
and that’s how Anchor Steam is made - with a lager yeast fermented at ale temperatures...
..I keep my house at about 73F....
Good temperature for an ale yeast (like Safale S-04). Ale yeasts give somewhat more character to the beer than lager yeasts. Lager yeasts leave a cleaner taste if fermented in the proper temperature range (typically 50 - 65F).
My basement gets up to 75 or so in the summer, and I’ve had consistently good brew results. I have an attached root cellar that I’ve used when brewing lagers (like a Maibock or Dopplebock) and that works out pretty well for those.
The best trick I’ve found is to “relax, don’t worry, and have a homebrew”. It all comes out good.
Thanks!
Now how do you know primary fermentation is done? From what I have heard, fermentation will stop for one of two reasons:
They ferment everything, run out of sugar, and starve or
they make so much alcohol, they end up basically poisoning themselves.
No. First, distilling is illegal without proper licensing in the USA, homebrewing is not; second, homebrewing is pretty easy skillwise, although it does take a lot of elbow grease.
midwestsupplies.com, in MN, is great. They sell and ship everything, prices are good.
One recommendation: when you start out, make a moderately dark ale (brown, red or porter) or a pale ale with lots of flavor. Don’t try to start out with trappists, stouts, or lagers. Good ales have thick taste profiles that don’t crumble if the brew isn’t made exactly right.
Don’t even ever try to make a Bud/Miller/Coors copy. (If you are going to do that, why even homebrew when you can buy the swill a lot cheaper.)
I will say, for ‘beer’ drinkers whose entire taste is mass-produced American* ‘lagers,’ the good stuff that homebrewers make will be a big turn-off.
Finally, be patient! If the brew tastes off, let it age a bit, and make a few different kinds to try out what you like. It’s like cooking, you have to find recipes that work for you.
*Hard to call them American, since the Big Three are all foreign-owned now!
Thanks.
That’s kind of the direction I was heading in, I mean, when/if I get to bottling, I can try various combinations then and keep track.
And like I said I love a good Stout or a Bitters so I don’t thing I’d have a problem if it turns out a bit off.
(BTW, if I get a stout, it’s rarely Guiness. It’s usually Murphys, which is hells bells far better than G)
Moonshine? Why no, I was just making some ethanol for my flex fuel vehicle.
My friend made a wicked jalapeno beer. It tasted awful, so he used it as a marinade. A year later he tried some and it had settled to an excellent product.
Homebrew also makes a great gift for friends and family, and for holiday dinners.
Guinness in America is made in Nova Scotia in the Molson brewery. Guinness in Ireland is fresh from St James’s Gate and a real treat, way better than the ‘imported’ stateside stuff. Murphy’s out here is great, you are correct there.
Bump for homebreading
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