Hello fellow brewers! We have just launched a forum to better address your needs. We encourage you to upload an avatar and create a public profile, here is mine as an example: http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/b ... arrybrewer Forum access is provided with a free account.
Larry, I noticed you brew electric, and that you mentioned BIAB. Do you BIAB in the electric kettle, and if so how do you keep the bag off the element.
Yes, I have done BIAB in my electric kettle. See this post for how I built my false bottom for under $15: http://www.brewersfriend.com/2012/06/23 ... can-order/
Hello! I'm a true newbie to brewing. I have several crabapple trees nearby on community property that nobody uses. I have made all the jelly and apple butter I can use, so I decided to take on brewing. I have a second batch in the primary fermentation bucket with an initial SG of 1.051 that I just started this morning. My first batch didn't fill the bucket as much and it looks like I measured the water wrong at the start...instead of 7 quarts, I added HALF that much. Oops. This is day 6 for that first batch and it is now in a 1 gal carboy plus an additional 32 oz in a 64 oz growler. (I'm a little concerned about that headspace...is it ok?) I racked it yesterday and the SG at that time was 1.015. the carboy and growler are bubbling at about once per minute right now and sediment is beginning to collect on the bottom. I'm wondering if I should add water at some point or just let it go as is? The current flavor at racking is fresh and dry. I am planning on priming with Munton's CarTabs at bottling. What is your opinion on backsweetening and your choice of non-fermenting sweetener? Any comments, suggestions and/or advice are appreciated!
You may want to start a new thread for this under the Brewing Questions section. I'd think you are okay to top off after the fact, but make sure the water is pure. Any off flavor will find its way into the finished product. I would taste it, and do a blending trial in a small glass first just to see the impact, and adjust it to what you like. Head space should not be an issue because the CO2 formed during fermentation purges the oxygen from the head space.
Thanks for the info, LarryBrewer! Especially about the excess head space. The excess air being forced out by the CO2 makes perfect sense! For this batch, I went ahead and left the water volume alone. I actually found out that my 2 gallon primary fermentation bucket is better suited to one gallon batches anyway. In fact, my 2nd batch bubbled up into my airlock. I have just bottled a single bottle and primed it to test it. (I used the smaller amount I had in the growler that had been re-racked to a flip-top bottle.) The color and flavor are very much like a dry, light white wine. I had about 3oz to do my SG test and enjoyed it afterward! I think this batch is going to be like a brut Champagne-style cyser.
Hello to all here. I am Xavier a retired Army vet of 20 years and an up and coming brew master. Currently I have 5 very different brews completed. My goal is to create the very best dark lager possible. I want to be able to introduce it to The Veterans Brew Company located in Chicago (my hometown). They currently have just two beer types to offer. Hopefully I will be able to create such a beer. I just receive my first review from Master Brewer out of Crown Point IN, Bob Heinlein of Kennywood Brewing Supply. Here is the e-mail I received from him: Bob Heinlein kennywoodbrew@aol.com 4:16 PM (34 minutes ago) Hi Xavier, The pleasure is all ours. This has been a great business for meeting great people like yourselves and we enjoy the visits. We just tried your beer. The beer was very clean a tribute to your sanitation practices. I found it to be a very sessionable beer, perfect balance of sweet and bitterness with a soft malt profile. If I were to recommend one thing, the carbonation was quite high but an easy fix. Thanks again! Okay wish me the best ...
Great to have you and , I hope this software helps improve the good start you have already, good luck! and Brew On
Hello. Newbie here in Idaho. Just put my first batch into fermenter on Saturday. I did an old stone house pale ale with the help of my brother who has done a lot of brewing. Made a boil kettle out of a keg and used a mash tun that a friend had in storage. HLT was my wifes canning vessel. Planning on doing an Amber in a few weeks. I am wanting to fully understand the brewing process to be able to create my own concoctions.
Guys I am not sure if this is the "right place" on the website, but having reached the ripe old age of 60 I have decided the time is right to create some great beer. I need advice on starting from scratch! Please advise.
first I would invest in the right equipment, then try a few kits, then invest in more equipment to to get set up for better control over your beer. I would need to know more about any brewing history beyond that
Starting with kits is definitely not a bad idea. That way you can get a feel for your water, fermentation setup, and the types of yeast you use. Once you have your fermentation under control (this may, for example, involve building a chamber...), going all-grain, brew-in-a-bag or mixed would be the next logical step. Extract brewing allows for a great introduction to producing good beer with a minimum of equipment and time investment.
one thing I recommend for making good beer is working backwards from finish to start, the right containers, cleanliness fermentation, correct temperatures, packaging. all seem to be the last to acquire, I think they should be the first
Hello, I am a new member, currently living in Snowdonia (Wales). I have been brewing extract recipes since 1995, and enjoy making up my own and trying out new things - and they've all worked out well so far! I've currently got a maple and chestnut beer bottled and conditioning, and an interesting IPA fermenting - I say interesting as I've used mainly Chinook hops and the wort tasted quite spicy! Yet to try brewing an all grain yet, as I don't have all the necessary kit, but never say never. Anyway, happy new year to you all! Tom
Welcome! If you have the hardware to make a full boil 5 gallon extract kit (a 40 qt pot or so), then you just need a nylon bag to make all grain recipes. Look into Brew In A Bag (BIAB).
Definitely want to echo jeffpn here, Brew in a Bag could be a great option for you if you want to move onto all-grain brewing. Good luck!
Good morning beer buds, North Texas in the house. Stumbled across this site yesterday while searching for a beer log format. So far this site seems like an awesome tool to record, collect and share data. I am brand new to brewing. I first used a Mr Beer kit a couple months ago, liked it. I have now moved on to extract brewing. First batch is a may bock, second batch is a american brown ale. Frankly, I jumped in without doing much record keeping, just kinda winging it. We'll see how it goes. Thanks to everyone who shares information on the site. Gene
