OT: Any home brewers here?

[JoeSchmoe]

I used to make hard cider for many years. I stopped around the same time I had kids, but kept my stuff. Back then I always thought beer was too much work.

Then a couple months back I saw a YouTube clip on the Brew in a Bag method. I ordered a mesh bag off Amazon, got some ingredients from a homebrew store, and pulled out my old stuff. Some of my BBQ thermometers and outdoor frying equipment came in handy too.

For my first batch I went with an Amber Ale. I thought it was okay, but everyone else really liked it. 

My second batch I've got fermenting is an IPA. I'm hoping it doesn't turn out too hoppy as I went for flavour over bitterness. 

My next batch will be a lighter American Wheat Beer like Blue Moon, but I think I'd like to try to sub out another flavour for the orange. Maybe lemon or lime? Any ideas? I'm thinking I'll shoot for maybe 4% over 5% as I want this to be a drink by the pool beer.

Anyone else into the hobby? Any recipes or stories to share?

[Weave]

I was heavy into the hobby until about a decade ago.  Enjoy.  Its a black hole of time and empty calories LOL.

I made a 15 gal brewery in my garage.  Had 3 taps running in the house. And was buying barley in 50lb sacks.  Toyed with business plans to open a brewery, but never had the courage to leave a very good job to do it.

I brewed for about 15yrs, gained 40lbs, scalded the hair off my left leg permanently, and loved doing it.  I started it because when I was 30 the local beer market was almost entirely macro lagers, and if I wanted something else I had to buy it.  Today I have 3 breweries with 10 miles of me in a very rural area.  Beer variety is everywhere, so I don’t have to make it anymore. And I’ve lost 25 of the 40lbs since I quit.

 

Dive in feet first.  Geek out on it.  Learn the chemistry.  Its a blast.

[JoeSchmoe]

15gal! Wow... no way I could drink that much beer, but it would be fun to make. I could see how having convenient beer on tap all the time would cause a weight gain though.

I have a 5 gallon pot I bought for boiling corn, so my batch size will be limited by that. My first batch was 2 gallons, this next batch is 3. The American Wheat will be up closer to 5 as I'll mash it out stronger, then water it down during cooling to get more volume. The hard part will be bottling as I've only got 3gal worth of bottles now. I was considering buying some cheap used growlers. Would I have to buy new caps for them or are the caps reusable?

[LTS]

My story is much like Weave's.

I started with buckets in my townhouse about 25 years ago.  Gradually worked my way up to a 30 gallon stainless, propane system with a 15G conical.  Had the conical on a stand in a freezer with a temp control that would either kick in the freezer or engage an electric heat wrap as needed.

Buddy and I went our separate ways and I assembled another 20G system at my house.  I don't have the conical.  It has sat there for years because I just don't have the time and frankly there is beer everywhere now and I can find something to drink.  I still have a 3-4 tap kegerator sitting here as well but nothing in it.

I'm trying to sell all of it.. not sure I will ever go back to brewing and if I did I would convert to electric.  Either I'd drill into the stainless and put in heating that way or use conduction but on 30G that's a tough call.  

I brewed a ton of beer, enjoyed the hell out of it. Gave a ton away. Toyed with jumping into the brew business but couldn't take the financial risk at the time.  I had some of the top brewers in the area giving my beer compliments so I felt like I was doing okay (they weren't just being nice, they would critique and did on some less good batches). 

It's a great hobby and I still sometimes wish I had the desire to do it more just so I can make some things you never find but the time and desire just isn't there any more.

Wanna upgrade?
 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/818539939096551

Edited 4 hours ago by LTS

[JoeSchmoe]

For me, the draw is the suspense of not knowing what the beer is going to taste like until close to a month after you put the work in. It's like a kid waiting for Christmas.

I don't think I'll ever graduate away from BIAB and get into what you guys have done, nor would my wife sign off on it. It'd be nice to have a tap, but I seriously fear Weave's story, and my willpower not to grab a pint or two with dinner is not very good. If I did, at most I could see myself getting something like this as it would easily fit in the spare fridge.

https://www.vevor.ca/beer-mini-keg-c_10709/vevor-beer-growler-tap-system-170oz-5l-mini-keg-304-stainless-steel-pressurized-beer-growler-keg-growler-with-pressure-display-co2-regulator-faucet-leak-proof-ring-for-draft-homebrew-craft-beer-p_010690630801

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

I'm intrigued but never got into it. But I have let regular apple cider go bad.

[steveoath]

Never brewed as there are just so many great beers available now that I couldn't justify the setup. However, I would like to have a go a making mead. Golden Hive kits seem like a reasonable starting point.