Whats Up With the Brewz! Official Homebrewing Thread

[RaoulDuke]

Originally Posted by sourceworx

IPAs don't require a cold fermentation. They are ales, which are supposed to ferment in the 60-70°F range. Your basement should be fine for any of them.

Check out northernbrewer.com for ingredients. They also have some good recipe kits, with numerous IPA recipes. The website has user reviews on a lot of the kits, so you can see what's good and what isn't.

Cascade hops are a must in IPAs. Great aroma and flavor.

But honestly check into the recipe kits especially if you're brewing for the first time. It's a good way to learn the initial process. Plus you can always modify them.

I just bottled my red ale two days ago. I'm kegging my English Bitter this weekend. It's going to be the first time I force carbonate a beer.

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for: pre-selected extracts.

I'll take a closer look at home.

[Dimitri_0515]

This seems like a lot of work guys. I wish I had the time to do all this. I'm getting into a trend of microbrews now.

[RaoulDuke]

Originally Posted by Dimitri_0515

This seems like a lot of work guys. I wish I had the time to do all this. I'm getting into a trend of microbrews now.

Working for gallons of home beer is not work.

Seriously, even though I’ve screwed both attempts, count roughly 2-4 hours to make the stuff, then another 2 hours bottling the stuff. The hardest part is waiting…

[Sourceworx]

Originally Posted by Dimitri_0515

This seems like a lot of work guys. I wish I had the time to do all this. I'm getting into a trend of microbrews now.

Originally Posted by RaoulDuke

Working for gallons of home beer is not work.

Seriously, even though I’ve screwed both attempts, count roughly 2-4 hours to make the stuff, then another 2 hours bottling the stuff. The hardest part is waiting…

Raoul is right. Waiting is the hardest part. Cracking open a beer that's you made is very rewarding.

When you use extracts, the brewing time is only 60-90 minutes. On a rainy weekend afternoon, what else are you going to do?

If you move to all-grain brewing, it obviously will take a bit more time and work.

The only part that's really time-consuming is cleaning and sanitizing bottles. I just got a keg to eliminate that. I plan on getting a second one in the very near future.

[Sourceworx]

Originally Posted by RaoulDuke

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for: pre-selected extracts.

I'll take a closer look at home.

Yeah the kits are great. NB sells them pretty cheap too. The red ale I brewed is from one of their kits, with some small modifications that I made. Over two cases of (hopefully) good beer for about $30. Life is beautiful.

[RaoulDuke]

Originally Posted by sourceworx

Yeah the kits are great. NB sells them pretty cheap too. The red ale I brewed is from one of their kits, with some small modifications that I made. Over two cases of (hopefully) good beer for about $30. Life is beautiful.

That's how I sold it to the wifey: I'm saving money !!

I'll have to check how much they charge for shipping and handling though...

[OrangeJet]

I just doughed-in for a batch of Haus Pale Ale. The mash is sitting at a comfortable 152

My shiny new Perlick taps will be arriving tomorrow, along with some more kegs...homebrew life is grand right now

[Dimitri_0515]

When do you add the flavoring in the fermenting process

[OrangeJet]

Originally Posted by Dimitri_0515

When do you add the flavoring in the fermenting process

It's done over the entire process. For all-grain for instance...mash temperature will affect how malty your beer is (as will the kind of malt you use, of course). During boiling, the amount of hops you use, and for how long you boil will affect bitterness, flavor and aroma. The yeast strain you use, and the temperature you ferment at will also affect flavor.

Many recipes call for hops in the fermentor (dry-hopping) as well. Many, many things affect the flavor...even time itself will affect the flavor.

[Sourceworx]

Originally Posted by OrangeJet

I just doughed-in for a batch of Haus Pale Ale. The mash is sitting at a comfortable 152

My shiny new Perlick taps will be arriving tomorrow, along with some more kegs...homebrew life is grand right now

Nice!

The local homebrew shop has some refurbished cornies for $40. I'm probably going to buy one in the next week or so.

I'm going to try force carbing in the keg that I got for Christmas. From what I've read it's easy to do and gets your beer ready to drink faster.

On top of that my friend told me he's not using his brewing kit anymore, so I'm taking it off his hands. My brewing capacity is about to double.

[OrangeJet]

Originally Posted by sourceworx

Nice!

The local homebrew shop has some refurbished cornies for $40. I'm probably going to buy one in the next week or so.

I'm going to try force carbing in the keg that I got for Christmas. From what I've read it's easy to do and gets your beer ready to drink faster.

On top of that my friend told me he's not using his brewing kit anymore, so I'm taking it off his hands. My brewing capacity is about to double.

waaay easy. I still bottle...but man, kegging is so much easier. when you fill up the keg, give it a quick blast at 30psi...bleed the oxygen, set at 10-12 psi and forget it. A week later you have some nicely carbed beer.

[Sourceworx]

Originally Posted by OrangeJet

It's done over the entire process. For all-grain for instance...mash temperature will affect how malty your beer is (as will the kind of malt you use, of course). During boiling, the amount of hops you use, and for how long you boil will affect bitterness, flavor and aroma. The yeast strain you use, and the temperature you ferment at will also affect flavor.

Many recipes call for hops in the fermentor (dry-hopping) as well. Many, many things affect the flavor...even time itself will affect the flavor.

Do you use whole hops or pellets?

I used whole hops on the beer that I made that came out bad (I even dry-hopped with them). Is there anything that you have to do to them before using them?

Even though I doubt that's what ruined the brew, I've stayed away from them since.

[Sourceworx]

Originally Posted by OrangeJet

waaay easy. I still bottle...but man, kegging is so much easier. when you fill up the keg, give it a quick blast at 30psi...bleed the oxygen, set at 10-12 psi and forget it. A week later you have some nicely carbed beer.

That's exactly what I've read. I've also read that there's a way to carb it even faster (pumping 30psi into the keg and shaking it), but I've heard that method can also screw up the beer.

[OrangeJet]

Originally Posted by sourceworx

That's exactly what I've read. I've also read that there's a way to carb it even faster (pumping 30psi into the keg and shaking it), but I've heard that method can also screw up the beer.

I've never tried that. I have so much beer on hand, that I can wait a week

[OrangeJet]

Originally Posted by sourceworx

Do you use whole hops or pellets?

I used whole hops on the beer that I made that came out bad (I even dry-hopped with them). Is there anything that you have to do to them before using them?

Even though I doubt that's what ruined the brew, I've stayed away from them since.

Pellets. Way more durable, and there probably isn't much of a difference in flavor.

[Sourceworx]

Originally Posted by OrangeJet

I've never tried that. I have so much beer on hand, that I can wait a week

I'm working on getting to that point!

Originally Posted by OrangeJet

Pellets. Way more durable, and there probably isn't much of a difference in flavor.

Thanks.

[OrangeJet]

Well, I'm going to have an interesting beer. I opened the cupboard above the stove, and a bag of brown sugar falls out...I caught it...but not before at least one clump made it's way into my beer ( and about half a pound all over the stove)...

Fudge! oh well...I guess this one will be my Brown Sugar Haus Pale Ale. It will probably end up being my best beer ever...and I'll never be able to duplicate it...

[RaoulDuke]

Originally Posted by sourceworx

Yeah the kits are great. NB sells them pretty cheap too. The red ale I brewed is from one of their kits, with some small modifications that I made. Over two cases of (hopefully) good beer for about $30. Life is beautiful.

They don't deliver here.

[BigJet85]

gonna brew my spring beer next weekend.... my first batch of blonde ale came out awesome

[Sourceworx]

Originally Posted by RaoulDuke

They don't deliver here.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2054961868

You might be able to find something here. Do a little research.