Anyone else homebrew their own beer?

I just started this hobby about 2 months ago. I bought a Mr. Beer kit from Target and just dove in. 1st 2 batches came out pretty good. I made a 'West Coast Pale Ale' (just plain old beer) and a recipe called 'Cherry Bomb Ale' (draft beer mix with cinammon, cherries, and honey). The Cherry Bomb Ale is actually really good with a hint of cherry and cinammon in each swig.

Anyone else do this and have any experiences/recipes to share?

I don't brew my own but a friend of mine is something of a pro, using huge containers and even kegging when finished. He sent home a milk jug of his version of Bass and I recall not caring for it all that much, but I'm not sure how fresh it was.

I don't have enough time to brew my own but it looks like fun.

The freshness of the brew can definitely make a difference in the taste. The instructions I use state that you should dump any beer that you have not consumed after 4 months. It has no preservatives and it has not been cold filtered or heat pastuerized so it stands to reason that it will go "bad" after a certain amount of time.

The other thing that can adversely affect the taste of the finished product is improper sanitizing of all of the equipment that will come in contact with the fermenting beer. If bacteria gets into the beer, it can sour the batch. I doubt that this was a problem with your friend's batch.

Also, how long you spend in each phase makes a difference in the taste. It takes about 1 month from start (making the wort) to finish (drinking a cold brew). I keep mine in the fermenter for 7-10 days and then another 7-10 days in the bottles at room temperature. Then it goes into the fridge and the taste continues to mature while in the fridge. Usually it tastes the best after about 2 weeks in the fridge. I start to taste mine after 48 hours in the fridge and I keep a log of how the flavor changes over time. It's a tough job but someone has to do it. :D

I have made homebrew for about 5 years. The Mr. Beer is a great way to get started, but won't produce as good a beer as a real setup.

The best way to start is through homebrew.com. They can set you up to make good beer. Make sure that you get a kit that has fresh hops and barley, in thier natural form - not that precooked syrup you find in some places.

I use a 7 Gallon cookpot and a propane burner (a deep fried turkey cooking setup, in my case).

After cooking the beer, it goes into a sanitized 5 gallon food grade drum with a spout on the front end. After fermenting for about a week, it is ready to bottle. I just use old beer bottles with a capper. I usually get about 40-50 bottles.

Keep them refrigerated, they should last a long time. I have drank 8 month old homebrew that was excellent.

The whole setup will cost about $100.

Thanks for the advice and the website recommendation. I figure that I will use the Mr. Beer for about another year (which should be about 6 more batches). In the meantime, I will learn all that I can and eventually move up to a different setup as you suggested.

Mr Beer does make it fairly easy to get started in this hobby and get decent results.

:D I'm usually too soused to read the directions.Seems quicker to waddle up to the beer store.

Cheers to beer and to the people who make 'em! :) I stick with Heineken and Sapporo. Just personal preference.

I just put a batch of Velvet Velociraptor in the fridge to lager for a week or so. The recipe called for red raspberries. The first fruit beer that I made I used cherries and it came out pretty good.

It is definitely easier to go grab a six pack and let the good times roll. :D Sapporo is one of my favorites along with Kirin.

But making the beer yourself is kind of fun (especially when it turns out good).

I used to, when I was younger and single. I still have the food grade tub, glass carboy, and the rest of the rig. I don't like fruit or spices in my beer, but that's just personal preference. The best ale I made was a strong one made with Hellertauer hops, very pungent and strong. Stunk up the apartment but good.

One reason why I like to view this forum is to see how different people really are. I tend to meet people who are just like myself in NorCal.

Frankly, I never considered brewing beer and never will. But it is just fun to meet people who are different even it is in cyberspace. It was really interesting when I met Vertrkr and CalRidge in person when we met at Mt. Diablo.

My favorite beer is Sam Adams and I doubt that I can come close to brewing one.

zero -


Beware of excessive temperatures during the fermentation now that summer is nearing. I have stopped brewing during the summer months as it was costing me more in ice to keep it cool for a week while fermenting than the beer itself. Have fun, it's a great hobby!

Wow! If I brewed my own beer I could probably afford two Ridgelines.
I have a Champagne budget but I spend it on Chateau Du Hops and Barley.

I recall my uncles brewing beer, I believe they omitted the barley and put Suconol in it, it always put me to sleep.
There is a Australian stout called Sheaf that I am sure uses this same recipe.

Steve

Wow! If I brewed my own beer I could probably afford two Ridgelines.
I have a Champagne budget but I spend it on Chateau Du Hops and Barley.

I recall my uncles brewing beer, I believe they omitted the barley and put Suconol in it, it always put me to sleep.
There is a Australian stout called Sheaf that I am sure uses this same recipe.

Steve

"I am neither for nor against apathy"

Yes, I've been a brewer for several years, though I'm currently taking a break from it since starting a new job last November. Lots of things to learn and many levels to aim for. Your next level is to move up to better extract kits or recipes. Stouts are ridiculously easy to make.

You'll need a home brew supplier. You won't have any trouble finding one in the Bay area, but I'm fond of Northern Brewer in Minneapolis. Their kits are well thought out and reasonably priced. Lot's of styles to choose from. See http://www.northernbrewer.com. They have an excellent user forum there - you can post to see if any of the brewers owns a Ridgeline !

Can't believe I just found this thread. I DRINK beer, so I was thinking, those of you who want to send me what they make (shipping at your cost) please send asap..... :)

Thanks for the advice Grok Lobster. I may need to place some 2 liter bottles with ice in the bathtub where I keep the fermenter to maintain the appropriate temperature.

One of the docs in my group is a home brewer as well and he uses a more involved setup. I will eventually more to a more complex system. I am using the Mr Beer kit to get my feet wet and build some confidence with this hobby.

I plan to crack open one of the beers tonight. I know it is not completely ready, but I like to taste the batch early and then record how the flavor matures over a few weeks. It is a good lesson to learn and a tasty one too!

I plan to crack open one of the beers tonight. I know it is not completely ready, but I like to taste the batch early and then record how the flavor matures over a few weeks. It is a good lesson to learn and a tasty one too!

I can think of no better way to ease your anxiety while waiting for your Ridgeline to come in. :)

Can you brew beer in the in-bed trunk? Is this why you are discussing beer brewing? Can you connect the trunk to the keg in truck bed? Wow, this is a great idea for the East Coast ridgeline tailgate party!