Richard Cranium Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 About a year ago my brother in law started brewing. I was buying the kits and having him brew them for me. About a month ago I got the bug and decided to start brewing myself. Tonight when I got home from work I put together a wort chiller from 50' of 3/8" copper. That was the last thing I needed to brew, so I decided no time like the present. 5 gallons of Raspberry red ale ready to drink in about a month. Other than miscellaneous kitchen issues I got sorted out the process went like clock work. I think this summer I may try my hand at all grain brewing. Anyone else here brew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Party at Rick's place on April 13th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I used to think about home-brewing, but seems like a lot of work. I'll stick to enjoying a few pints, let the pros brew the sauce. You know I'm down for a sample, Rick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillJoy Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I have made several 5 Gallon Extract Batches. Enjoyable hobby, with GREAT rewards! ...and surprisingly, sanitation is THE MOST important key in good beer. Get good habits in the beginning, and you're golden. Check out THIS Forum, if you have not yet. LOTS of good info... :thumbup: KillJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted March 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 For extract brewing it's not bad. Takes a couple hours, and it makes the house smell incredible. For my couple hours of effort I end up with about 2 cases of craft beer for about $30 or $35. Come on over for a few when it's done. If I get off my ass I can have the Cherry wheat beer kit done around the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagner Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I am going to come over, get drunk, and pass out on your hot tub <3 wagner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted March 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I have made several 5 Gallon Extract Batches. Enjoyable hobby, with GREAT rewards! ...and surprisingly, sanitation is THE MOST important key in good beer. Get good habits in the beginning, and you're golden. Check out THIS Forum, if you have not yet. LOTS of good info... :thumbup: KillJoy Yeah, I hope I got the sanitation right. Looking back I don't think there is much I could have done differently. I did miss one step (didn't sanitize the pouch of yeast before I opened it), but I don't think that is too bad for my first batch. I have been on that forum before, not spent much time there though. I will probably go ahead and join AHA (American Homebrewers Association). I already joined the local home brew club SODZ (Scioto Olentangy Delaware Zimurgests) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RC K9 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I love beer and have been intending on getting into homebrewing for a while now. Probably this summer. Glad your batch has turned out well so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedfocus1647545489 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Congrats. I have been brewing from extract for years. I'm considering doing all grain next time, but honestly if you get your malt from a good source it's hard to beat. I get all of my supplies from Listermanns in Cincinnati. He gets all of his malt fresh from a Canadian supplier. It doesn't just sit around in cans for ages. I think they still ship anything over $50 for free. (Edit: it's $75 now) http://www.listermann.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted March 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Congrats. I have been brewing from extract for years. I'm considering doing all grain next time, but honestly if you get your malt from a good source it's hard to beat. I get all of my supplies from Listermanns in Cincinnati. He gets all of his malt fresh from a Canadian supplier. It doesn't just sit around in cans for ages. I think they still ship anything over $50 for free. (Edit: it's $75 now) http://www.listermann.com/ We've been buying most of our stuff from Midwest. Not free shipping, but their prices are so low that it comes out about even. Next time I'm down that way I plan on checking them out. I'm not a fan of doing mail order in state because then I normally get dinged with shipping and tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted March 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I am going to come over, get drunk, and pass out on your hot tub <3 wagner You'll have to bring your own vacuum cleaner. You can't use ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBaustert Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I brew using LME. Looking into upgrading my equipment and switching to full grain brewing. Supposedly it's the way to go. Invest in a forced carbonation system, trust me. The priming sugar natural carbonation brewed beers taste way different than forced carb'd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted March 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 I can force carbonate, I've tried it on a couple kegs. I find the carbonation tends to be not uniform. With root beer I've been hit or miss with force carbonating. Even though we keg our beer we have been using the priming sugar and keg conditioning the beer. Besides the beer always tastes better with an extra week or 3 to condition. My goal is to brew like crazy for the next couple months so I can get ahead and let kegs sit for a few weeks before tapping them. My goal is to have 3 on tap and 3 more on deck waiting at all times. I've got 5 ball lock corney kegs now, I'm going to need a couple more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted March 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Batch number two is in the fermenter now. This time it's a Raspberry wheat for Carol. I have everything to change the kegorator over to 4 taps, so I need to keep it in gear so we'll have something to tap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffro Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 :nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics::nopics: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted March 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Okay, not much to see when brewing beer, but here you go. This is the nitrogen stout faucet being installed. http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=590&pictureid=5919 After the boil is completed the beer has to be cooled before yeast can be pitched. This is the new wort chiller. http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=590&pictureid=5920 The Raspberry Red Ale boiling in the kettle. http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=590&pictureid=5921 The fermenters. The red ale is on the left and the wheat is on the right. http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=590&pictureid=5922 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBussman1647545507 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 It's a pretty significant step up to all-grain, takes me about 7-8hours from start to finish. that's doing 10 gallon bathes too. Next batch should be done on the 28th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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