denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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06-19-09 05:16 PM - Post#87982
Does anyone else brew their own beer? I know only one person who does that - lives in my neighborhood and I will definitely ask him more about this. I bought my husband a home brewery starter kit today for Father's Day. Don't worry - he doesn't visit this site and sure wouldn't look here - those of you who know him don't need to tell him either. Anyway, I came home with four big boxes of stuff for this so he can start his new hobby - something he has been looking for the past few months. We're giving it to him tonight anyway, so it won't be a secret for too much longer. 
I'm just curious how easy it is to make the beer and if you have any recipes for your favorite beer to share.
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Robin L
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Posts: 838
Reg: 12-19-07
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06-19-09 05:22 PM - Post#87984
In response to denisew
Let me know how it goes. Hubby is a beer snob, and has studied the process of brewing beer. He really wants to do it, too.
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Joe Schirmer
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Posts: 1360
Loc: SE Allen
Reg: 06-30-08
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06-19-09 06:09 PM - Post#87992
In response to denisew
Home brewing is a fun and rewarding hobby. It can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it. In other words it is very simple to make a very good beer. It just takes malt (syrup or powder), hops (pellets), yeast, and water and if you follow a simple recipe you will be rewarded with a very good beer in about 6 to 8 weeks. But if you want to get fancy you can get into full grain brewing, lagering, kegging, or a bunch of other things you can do to improve your beer or just to make a more customized beer to your liking.
A great starter book with instructions, recipes, and all kinds of good information is The Complete Joy of Homebrewing (3rd edition) by Charlie Papazian. It is often referred to as "the bible" of homebrewing.
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lostyankee
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Posts: 1336
Reg: 10-27-05
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06-19-09 06:47 PM - Post#87995
In response to Joe Schirmer
It is a GREAT way to spend some down time... Joe gives some great advice, but if he runs into trouble and Papazian doesn't help, Homebrew HQ in Richardson is a great source of information. I can answer simple questions, but the guys here are very knowledgeable.
It's a great way to try out new brews.... I've been into schwartzbiers lately, so have one of those fermenting right now.
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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06-19-09 10:32 PM - Post#88010
In response to lostyankee
That is where I bought his starter kit - at the store in Richardson. I walked in with my mother and neither of us had a clue there were so many types of starters to choose from. One man walked in and commented on a first - they had three women customers in one afternoon (there was another lady in there when we arrived). I reminded him that it is Father's Day weekend. They did seem very knowledgeable about the whole process and I know I will probably have him call the store if he has questions - or ask my neighbor who has made his own beer. I will also give him the book information. He might have to sign up here to get information from the two of you too! Thanks! I'll tell him about all this so he can get started on his beer making soon!
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RayW
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Posts: 1230
Loc: Allen, Tx, USA
Reg: 12-18-01
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06-19-09 10:59 PM - Post#88012
In response to denisew
I brewed beer for several years but got away from it after our house fire. Most of my equipment burned up including my 10 gallon oak barrel that had a 2 year old lambic in it. I’m hoping to get back into it once I start getting a steady paycheck again.
I am a fourth generation brewer (although it could go back farther). My great-grandmother did it in Germany, my grandmother did it during prohibition and my dad did it in the 60’s when it was still against the law.
I had put together a 10 gallon system and had several 5 gallon stainless steel Dr Pepper kegs to store it in. A friend found about 20 at a scrap yard and I got enough good parts to build 12.
If your husband tries to make beer without a refrigerator to ferment it in he will be very disappointed. Most beer if fermented above 65 degrees will have a lot of off tastes from fusel (SP) alcohol etc.
If your husband has any questions send me a PT. I’m actually a fairly competent brewer even if I do say so myself.
He may also consider making mead and cider. Cider is really quick and easy and doesn’t require boiling. I have actually made cider with bread yeast. Mead takes a long time.
I going to combine the two and mix about 6 pounds of honey with 4 gallons of unfiltered apple juice. Ferment it with wine yeast and when it’s almost done add several pounds of peaches.
Right now I a patiently waiting on a 6 year old prickly pear mead to be ready.
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance - a sharp, vindictive glance.
James Thurber
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eilish
enthusiast
Posts: 821
Loc: Allen's Alliterative Aven...
Reg: 04-02-06
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06-19-09 11:54 PM - Post#88019
In response to RayW
Ray, that prickly pear mead sounds good. So does the one you're considering concocting.
| To err is human, to forgive is canine. To remember every little slight, real & imagined, is feline. |
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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06-20-09 10:08 AM - Post#88028
In response to eilish
I gotta get him to sit down to read this thread. Ya'll have some wonderful information I know he will want to read. He has been outside washing his truck this morning and now we're getting ready for brunch. I'll have him take a look to read when he gets done eating. Gotta go get it cooked now so it will be ready when he is done with his shower. Thanks!
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lostyankee
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Posts: 1336
Reg: 10-27-05
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06-20-09 05:38 PM - Post#88037
In response to RayW
Wow Ray... good to know another brewer... I've not noticed any off tastes from brewing at the temps I'm doing it at, but maybe just not aware of the off flavors you mention.
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Brewer
enthusiast
Posts: 1421
Reg: 06-02-07
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06-20-09 06:56 PM - Post#88039
In response to lostyankee
I always brew ales due to the fact that I ferment at room temps, and my beer tastes great. Some yeasts may make the beer taste "hot" at lower temps but I have good luck with any ale yeast I have thrown. If your fermenting location is way too hot you can get off flavors and an increase in fusel oils, also if you hop heavily and don't take off the krausen you can get lots of fusels. I don't brew with lots of hops so that may be why I have not had an issue yet. I have stuff to brew a batch but have been busy. Might have to do it next week. B
Have a homebrew!!
A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.
-GEN George S. Patton
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lostyankee
enthusiast
Posts: 1336
Reg: 10-27-05
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06-20-09 09:15 PM - Post#88048
In response to Brewer
I'm stunned to see how many of "us" there are on the forum... may have to have a meeting to compare our wares
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Brewer
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Posts: 1421
Reg: 06-02-07
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06-20-09 10:53 PM - Post#88057
In response to lostyankee
We should set up a date a few weeks in the future to give everyone time to get a brew done and then get together for an informal tasting/judging. We could throw 5 bucks into a pot even. B
A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.
-GEN George S. Patton
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Joe Schirmer
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Posts: 1360
Loc: SE Allen
Reg: 06-30-08
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06-21-09 11:57 AM - Post#88070
In response to RayW
If your husband tries to make beer without a refrigerator to ferment it in he will be very disappointed. Most beer if fermented above 65 degrees will have a lot of off tastes from fusel (SP) alcohol etc.
Let's not scare the guy into buying a bunch of equipment he may not want or need. I understand that you may have advanced to the head of the class in beer brewing, but for most of us it is still a simple and enjoyable art. I make quite a few ales which I am quite proud of and do not have any "off" tastes.
If you brew above 65 degrees then you are likely brewing an Ale., and if you brew with a refrigerator then you are likely brewing a Lager. Starting off with a decent Ale yeast and rack your beer immediately after the primary fermentation should prevent any "off" tastes. Some people enjoy the cleaner and crisper taste of a lager. If you are one of those people and you don't mind an investment in time (it takes much longer to ferment) and equipment a lagering system (a refrigerator modified to allow fermenting at lower temperatures) is a good step for a beginning brewer to work towards.
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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06-21-09 02:04 PM - Post#88072
In response to Joe Schirmer
Maybe there should be an "Allen Home Brewers Club" like I have the garden club that meets once a month. You could take turns showing off your home brewing systems and share tips, recipes, etc. then sit around and taste test. Order some pizza, get a movie (Die Hard, Top Gun, Terminator, etc.) going on a big screen tv . . . 
Seriously though, I told my husband about the book and when he gets his next coupon via e-mail from Borders, he'll pick it up to read.
For now with all the new equipment and bottles, he wants to know how do you sanitize your equipment? Do you use bleach water on the equipment? Do you boil the bottles in a canner or will a run through the dishwasher be enough? I have a large canning pot that could be used for boiling the bottles.
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Brewer
enthusiast
Posts: 1421
Reg: 06-02-07
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06-21-09 05:15 PM - Post#88076
In response to denisew
I use a no rinse product called One-Step. You can get it at Home Brew HQ. Mix it with water and put all your stuff in it for the required time, pull it out and use it w/o rinsing. Some people use bleach solution and then rinse. I use a large plastic tote from Target. On brew day I sanitize a plate to put my spoons on. 3-4 METAL spoons (no wooden spoons for brewing). 3-4 because if it's touching something that's not sanitary for even a second it goes in the sink. I pour my fermenting barrel full of One-Step and put the lid in the tote. On bottling day I bring the tote back out and stand my CLEAN bottles up in it. I pour my bottles full of one step and then poor some in the tote. I throw in the caps I know I'll need and then some extra,throw in a couple extra bottles too. I put in a plate,measuring spoons, my tiny funnel for priming sugar and let it sit for 15 min. I pull out a bottle drain it,shake it,prime it and pour it full and cap it ( I use plastic coke bottles). If you are sloppy you can wipe the rim off with a cloth soaked in one step. Invert the bottle to dissolve the priming sugar and repeat.
A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.
-GEN George S. Patton
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Joe Schirmer
enthusiast
Posts: 1360
Loc: SE Allen
Reg: 06-30-08
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06-21-09 08:19 PM - Post#88087
In response to denisew
A monthly Allen homebrewers club sounds fun. There is a North Texas Homebrewing Association which is quite active and a good group to learn from if you are a beginning homebrewer.
As far as sanitizing your equipment, the dish washer should be fine most of the time. If it doesn't fit in the dishwasher the you could use a bleach solution but that might leave a slight oder/taste behind and effect the growth of the yeast during the fermentation process if there is bleach left behind. The product mentioned by Brewer sounds like the safest since it is sold by homebrew headquarters for exactly that purpose.
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RayW
enthusiast
Posts: 1230
Loc: Allen, Tx, USA
Reg: 12-18-01
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06-22-09 01:04 PM - Post#88137
In response to Joe Schirmer
Sorry Joe, you are correct. I didn’t use a refrigerator the first 3 years and did just fine. It sat in a plastic garbage can on my dining room table. Actually the July-August issue of Brew Your Own magazine has a short article on Belgian style yeast that will ferment well up unto the mid 80’s.
Speaking of BYO magazine, I really prefer it to Zymurgy. BYO just seems to be more down to earth.
http://www.byo.com/
Also here is an excellent recipe site:
http://brewery.org/cm3/dl/
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance - a sharp, vindictive glance.
James Thurber
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RayW
enthusiast
Posts: 1230
Loc: Allen, Tx, USA
Reg: 12-18-01
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06-22-09 01:21 PM - Post#88139
In response to denisew
For now with all the new equipment and bottles, he wants to know how do you sanitize your equipment?
I use iodophor sanitizer for most of my equipment but not the bottles. I wash the bottles with plain water and put them in the oven on bottling day at about 300 for several hours. This totally eliminates the possibility of leaving sanitizer residue behind. You need to make sure they cool completely before filling them.
Also don’t forget to sanitize your hands. I wash them in the same iodophor solution. That may be overkill but I got a bacterial contamination in a batch one time and couldn’t get it out of my plastic equipment. Ruined 3 batches before I threw the equipment away and replaced it
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance - a sharp, vindictive glance.
James Thurber
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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06-22-09 03:07 PM - Post#88145
In response to RayW
Thanks for those links. My husband did read this thread yesterday and I saved those links under my favorites for him to look at. The guys down at the store in Richardson did say that if you get scratches in the plastic containers, there is a greater chance of not getting it cleaned completely and getting bacteria growing in there. We bought a big glass jar with our kit to help prevent that. Hopefully, he will get time this coming weekend to really go through everything in the kit and figure out what he needs to do to start a batch.
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RayW
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Posts: 1230
Loc: Allen, Tx, USA
Reg: 12-18-01
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06-22-09 03:57 PM - Post#88160
In response to denisew
What size glass carboy did you get? One thing I learned the hard way is that if you ferment 5 gallons of beer in a 5 gallon carboy, you will get a mess unless you rig up a blowoff hose. The homebrew store should have included this in the kit. If you have a 7 gallon carboy this shouldn’t be an issue.
This is something the older issues of Charlie Papazian book didn’t mention. Hopefully the new ones have been updated.
One batch of raspberry wheat beer I made stopped up the airlock. When the pressure built up and blew out the stopper we had yeast, beer foam and raspberry pulp all over the ceiling.
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance - a sharp, vindictive glance.
James Thurber
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RayW
enthusiast
Posts: 1230
Loc: Allen, Tx, USA
Reg: 12-18-01
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06-22-09 04:01 PM - Post#88162
In response to RayW
BTW – anyone need a counter pressure bottle filler? I don’t need it since my kegging system was destroyed. It just needs a good cleaning and new rubber stoppers.
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance - a sharp, vindictive glance.
James Thurber
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RayW
enthusiast
Posts: 1230
Loc: Allen, Tx, USA
Reg: 12-18-01
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06-22-09 09:14 PM - Post#88184
In response to denisew
OK I don’t really know why I bookmarked this page but I must have had a good reason. Who knows? Check it out there may be some useful info.
http://www.tastybrew.com/
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance - a sharp, vindictive glance.
James Thurber
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Joe Schirmer
enthusiast
Posts: 1360
Loc: SE Allen
Reg: 06-30-08
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06-23-09 03:02 PM - Post#88228
In response to RayW
I'll second the opinion on the glass carboy. The plastic buckets are really only good for one or at the best two uses.
I'll also second the opinion on the blowoff hose (Papazian did mention it in first edition, but it is buried on page 171).
Just stick one end into the opening of the glass carboy (it should be big enough to fit snugly in the opening) and the other end just stick into a small bucket of water (I use one of the malt buckets from HBS). When the fermentation takes off, the yeast produce enough CO2 that the wort will bubble and the bubbles will be directed into the bucket of water. It should also take any solids (spent yeast, left over mash and hops) which should also improve the taste of your beer.
RayW: What is a counter pressure bottle filler?
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RayW
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Posts: 1230
Loc: Allen, Tx, USA
Reg: 12-18-01
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06-23-09 09:27 PM - Post#88259
In response to Joe Schirmer
RayW: What is a counter pressure bottle filler?
If you have one of these.
http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?prod...
and you want to fill bottles you will need one of these
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.a...
Actually if I had it to do over again I wouldn’t waste money on a keg system. One of the best things about home brewing is sharing it with friends. If all of your beer is in kegs this becomes a problem. I took a keg of beer to a Super Bowl party several years ago and all we got out of it was foam. If you agitate a keg by moving it, it needs to set still for at least 24 hours.
But if you already have a keg system and want to go through the hassle of bottling kegged beer I will dig through my garage and find my bottle filler.
I think bottle conditioned beer is better that force carbonated beer anyway. I like the yeast in the bottom of the bottle.
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance - a sharp, vindictive glance.
James Thurber
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Edited by RayW on 06-23-09 10:06 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Joe Schirmer
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Posts: 1360
Loc: SE Allen
Reg: 06-30-08
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06-23-09 11:07 PM - Post#88270
In response to RayW
Interesting. I guess if you bottle from a keg then you won't get the sediment at the bottom of the bottle.
I occasionally think about kegging, but I'm too cheap and quickly talk myself out of it.
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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06-28-09 06:04 PM - Post#88724
In response to Joe Schirmer
We bought the book Joe suggested - "The Joy of Home Brewing" yesterday. My husband is making his first batch today. I'm staying out of the kitchen and letting him do his thing - unless he asks for help which he has done only once so far.
He said the book told him to keep the sediment out of your mouth - pour the beer into a frosty mug (or if you like it warm - a room temperature mug) - all except the sediment at the bottom.
Edited by denisew on 06-28-09 06:06 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Joe Schirmer
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Loc: SE Allen
Reg: 06-30-08
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06-28-09 10:06 PM - Post#88738
In response to denisew
Good luck on your husband's first batch.
I know a few people who will drink the sediment at the bottom of the bottle. But most people (including me) think the sediment gives an off taste to the beer which is why it is best to pour the beer into a mug.
The best advice in that book is "relax, have a homebrew." Of course for your first batch it is acceptable to substitute an alternate brew.
Edited by Joe Schirmer on 06-28-09 10:10 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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06-29-09 07:44 AM - Post#88768
In response to Joe Schirmer
I spoke to him this morning (I'm at work now) and we both noticed our cat who is really interested in what's going on in the pantry. I guess he hears it bubbling and probably smells it too. When I opened our pantry this morning, he walked in very cautiously toward the bucket, but I scooted him out once I figured out what he was hearing.
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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06-29-09 08:46 PM - Post#88821
In response to denisew
Well, I brewed my first batch on Sunday - wheat beer. On Monday morning, I found that activity happened overnight - the fermentation lock had bubbles and a little spillage - :). It seems the male cat loves the smell of brewing beer, he sits at the pantry door like he is waiting for it to finish (along with me). Anyway, 24 hours later, there is still a darkish liquid in the lock, but I do not see any bubbles or activity. First, should I worry? According the the recommended book , it says no worries. :) Since this is my first brew, I do not have a hydrometer for checking the density. Secondly, when should I move to the glass carboy? It is currently in the plastic bucket.
Thanks,
Troy
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lostyankee
enthusiast
Posts: 1336
Reg: 10-27-05
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06-29-09 09:34 PM - Post#88823
In response to denisew
Troy:
I love the smell also... while visiting Dublin I was able to find the Guinness factory with my nose.
Sounds like you got a vigorous fermentation going, that blew up into the airlock (assuming you're brewing in the plastic bucket?) Your airlock may be blocked, so you could take out the lock and clean it out, but you add the chance of infecting the batch, so follow the sanitation. Chances are you are still vigorously fermenting, but I've had some that rocket overnight (one dunkel blew the top off my plastic bucket). Only way to truly know is to buy a hydrometer.
As for moving to the carboy, I usually wait until I have no bubbles coming through the airlock, or until my hydrometer says to move (depends on your recipe) It's usually about a week.
Good luck!
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Joe Schirmer
enthusiast
Posts: 1360
Loc: SE Allen
Reg: 06-30-08
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06-30-09 10:10 AM - Post#88840
In response to lostyankee
I agree with lostyankee, it sound like your airlock may be clogged. After it is cleaned you should see a slow but steady succession of bubbles being expelled through your airlock. (Anywhere between 1 to 20 seconds apart)
If you still do not see any activity then you can contact Homebrew Headquarters and they should be able to help. I had a fermentation stall on me once but homebrew headquarters supplied me with some stuff (I forget what it was) which re-started the fermentation.
In my experience the first day or so is the most active, but after that it slows down considerably. Be sure to wait at least one to two weeks before bottling, because if you bottle too early your beer will be over-carbonated and the beer will spew out like a volcano when you open it.
Once again, good luck on the beer.
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Joe Schirmer
enthusiast
Posts: 1360
Loc: SE Allen
Reg: 06-30-08
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06-30-09 10:38 AM - Post#88847
In response to denisew
I forgot to answer your question about when you should transfer the wort into the secondary fermentor (the glass carboy).
You can transfer into the glass carboy at anytime between now and shortly before you bottle. Basically what you are wanting to do is move the wort into a container without all of the dead yeast and other solids which are created during fermentation. If you had a blow-off hose connected to the glass carboy, the more active fermentation of the first day or so would expel some of these solids through the blow-off hose.
The only problem with transferring into a secondary fermenter is that you might oxygenate the wort in the process if you are not very careful. Since the yeast is now in the anaerobic stage and any oxygen in the wort could cause oxidization and give off-tastes to the beer. So if you do transfer it to the carboy, be sure to top it off with water to prevent a large pocket of air (which would contain oxygen) at the top of the carboy.
I don't think it would be a bad idea to leave the wort in the bucket until you are ready to bottle. At that point gently transfer the wort, being sure not to let it splash as you do so, and leave behind any solids. This would also be a good time to add your priming sugars being sure to gently mix then immediately bottle.
But be sure to check Papazian (Joy of Homebrewing), he might have additional (or different) advice from mine.
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Joe Schirmer
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Posts: 1360
Loc: SE Allen
Reg: 06-30-08
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06-30-09 11:04 AM - Post#88850
In response to Joe Schirmer
I just re-checked Papazian about the question of when to transfer (since I don't use that method of brewing). I definitely suggest reading it since his advice is slightly different from mine. It is on page 127 under the heading "Open Fermentation" in my 3rd edition copy.
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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07-05-09 11:51 AM - Post#89129
In response to Joe Schirmer
Thanks all for your help. I ended up going to Brewhouse HQ in Richardson and they were a big help. I also bought a hydrometer. I'm looking forward to bottling my first batch.
Troy
ps: The cat is still fascinated with that big white bucket in the pantry.
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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10-28-09 07:01 PM - Post#98659
In response to denisew
I wanted to update you on how the beer tasted. I should have posted this earlier, but forgot about it. I tried my husband's beer after he let it sit in the freezer for a little while to get ice cold. This was on a night when we were having pizza for dinner. It was really good! I didn't drink a whole bottle and am not the one who is really enjoying it, but my husband enjoys an occasional beer and isn't even done with his first case yet - four months after he started all this!
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Joe Schirmer
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Posts: 1360
Loc: SE Allen
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10-28-09 09:59 PM - Post#98680
In response to denisew
Glad to hear that you and your husband is enjoying your homebrew. What kind of beer did he choose for his first batch?
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denisew
Community Expert
Posts: 9244
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 02-18-02
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10-29-09 08:35 AM - Post#98696
In response to Joe Schirmer
He used a wheat beer starter he got from Homebrew Headquarters (in the can), but added pineapple juice with the water. It has a nice flavor, but I can't tell there is pineapple juice - just tastes good.
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