Brew day.

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: homercles337

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
I know that some of you here have a more than passing interest in beer, while others are brewers yourselves. Some have no idea what is involved and are often surprised by how simple and relatively inexpensive a hobby brewing beer can be. In light of this, I though I'd take time to share with you all one of our recent brew days. I hope that you guys enjoy!

Brew day.


If any of your are locals you should feel free to join us sometime, it's a lot of fun and very rewarding!

Ah yes. I used to brew regularly when i was in collge (all-grain FTW). Im still an active BJCP judge (national rank), but there arent many events up here.

How does one go about becoming a BJCP judge? That sounds like a pretty great time!

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: homercles337

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: homercles337

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: Tizyler
How long does it take? And where did you do it at?

A couple of hours for initial brew, about 1 hour worth of racking, then another hour or two to bottle.

I am including cleanup time.

Not for an all-grain. The inital brew takes ~6 hours to get it to the ferment vessel.

I'm talking about someone who has never done it before and using a kit.

The pics were clearly an all-grain.

:roll: So what? A newbie starting up isn't going to do an all-grain. They're going to go buy a Mr. Beer kit to try it out. Why scare someone who has never done it into thinking that the beer-making process is a multi-day event?

 

[bobdelt]

"by the Lutheran church of all places"


well wasnt it german monks that invented the lager?!

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: bobdelt
"by the Lutheran church of all places"


well wasnt it german monks that invented the lager?!

Monks and the history of brewing have been intertwined long before that advent of the lager even. The catholic church was actually a large factor in preserving brewing tradition during the middle ages. Since beer was acceptable to comsume during lent, monks brewed beers in the trappist style which drank like a meal, in order to sustain them during the fast.

It's just common among protestants in my area to harbor disdain for beer drinking, despite what Jesus's views clearly would have been. I don't want to turn this thread into one of those, though!

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: BatmanNate

Originally posted by: homercles337

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
I know that some of you here have a more than passing interest in beer, while others are brewers yourselves. Some have no idea what is involved and are often surprised by how simple and relatively inexpensive a hobby brewing beer can be. In light of this, I though I'd take time to share with you all one of our recent brew days. I hope that you guys enjoy!

Brew day.


If any of your are locals you should feel free to join us sometime, it's a lot of fun and very rewarding!

Ah yes. I used to brew regularly when i was in collge (all-grain FTW). Im still an active BJCP judge (national rank), but there arent many events up here.

How does one go about becoming a BJCP judge? That sounds like a pretty great time!

BJCP.org The exam is about 4 hours written with 2 or so beers to offically judge after the exam (usually flawed). A lot of the written is on style (eg, The Zenne valley is known for a specific style of beer. Describe the style and history. Write a recipe for a 5 gallon batch), origins/causes of off-flavors, and of course brewing techniques. Check with the guy at your local homebrew shop for upcoming exams (or look here). I was fascinated by beer and brewing for years before i took it so i didnt need to study, but most people have to study their asses off to pass. It is not an easy exam.

 

[TheNinja]

Awesome.

I have some buddies who brew 5 gallon batches. Basically steeping the grains in about 3-4 gallons (the biggest pot they have) over a turkey frying/propane fire. Then I guess you just start adding the other stuff like hops and malt extract and obviously the yeast at some point. It usually turns out pretty good. He kegs his as well, which really cuts down on the whole bottle process b/c you obviously don't have to clean and cap each bottle.

 

[j00fek]

:thumbsup:

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: homercles337

Originally posted by: BatmanNate

Originally posted by: homercles337

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
I know that some of you here have a more than passing interest in beer, while others are brewers yourselves. Some have no idea what is involved and are often surprised by how simple and relatively inexpensive a hobby brewing beer can be. In light of this, I though I'd take time to share with you all one of our recent brew days. I hope that you guys enjoy!

Brew day.


If any of your are locals you should feel free to join us sometime, it's a lot of fun and very rewarding!

Ah yes. I used to brew regularly when i was in collge (all-grain FTW). Im still an active BJCP judge (national rank), but there arent many events up here.

How does one go about becoming a BJCP judge? That sounds like a pretty great time!

BJCP.org The exam is about 4 hours written with 2 or so beers to offically judge after the exam (usually flawed). A lot of the written is on style (eg, The Zenne valley is known for a specific style of beer. Describe the style and history. Write a recipe for a 5 gallon batch), origins/causes of off-flavors, and of course brewing techniques. Check with the guy at your local homebrew shop for upcoming exams (or look here). I was fascinated by beer and brewing for years before i took it so i didnt need to study, but most people have to study their asses off to pass. It is not an easy exam.

I've done a fair share of reading on beer history and design as well as the craft brew industry, but what I'd really like to do is to get a better feel for off flavour characteristics. I was reading recently about some place that offers sampling of a multitude of common off flavours (DMS, acetyl., autolysis, etc) and it interested me probably more than it should have. Want to pay us to drink bad beer? You bet!

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: TheNinja
Awesome.

I have some buddies who brew 5 gallon batches. Basically steeping the grains in about 3-4 gallons (the biggest pot they have) over a turkey frying/propane fire. Then I guess you just start adding the other stuff like hops and malt extract and obviously the yeast at some point. It usually turns out pretty good. He kegs his as well, which really cuts down on the whole bottle process b/c you obviously don't have to clean and cap each bottle.

I have to agree, kegging is a big step up but well worth it. I'm just the right mixture of lazy and impatient to dread bottling and everything that goes along with it, which probably explains why I have 15 corny kegs and feel like I'm running out.

 

[TheGizmo]

that was real cool to watch the pictures and nice caption work as well. :thumbsup: hope your brew turns out really good :beer:

 

[TheGizmo]

Originally posted by: BatmanNate

Originally posted by: TheNinja
Awesome.

I have some buddies who brew 5 gallon batches. Basically steeping the grains in about 3-4 gallons (the biggest pot they have) over a turkey frying/propane fire. Then I guess you just start adding the other stuff like hops and malt extract and obviously the yeast at some point. It usually turns out pretty good. He kegs his as well, which really cuts down on the whole bottle process b/c you obviously don't have to clean and cap each bottle.

I have to agree, kegging is a big step up but well worth it. I'm just the right mixture of lazy and impatient to dread bottling and everything that goes along with it, which probably explains why I have 15 corny kegs and feel like I'm running out.

nice 15 full kegs, party at nates everyone! i'll bring the band. you take care of the lights. oh and the drugs, well i got some people who will take care of that end cheers

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Nice setup! I'm still working out of my kitchen but I bottle as well as keg. Something about bottling tickles the recycler in me. "One-step" sanitizer makes life easy. Some of my favorite brew is big Imperial Stouts pushing 14% ABV. They take much longer in the secondary though. I love playing beer roulette which is the result of rarely labeling completed brews. Sometimes it takes me two or three before I remember which brew it is.

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Nice setup! I'm still working out of my kitchen but I bottle as well as keg. Something about bottling tickles the recycler in me. "One-step" sanitizer makes life easy. Some of my favorite brew is big Imperial Stouts pushing 14% ABV. They take much longer in the secondary though. I love playing beer roulette which is the result of rarely labeling completed brews. Sometimes it takes me two or three before I remember which brew it is.

Oh man, I can really relate to the beer roulette. A couple of years back I brewed this utterly vile Spruce ale that wouldn't kick but I just could not bring myself to throw out. So, in order to deplete it, every so often one of the mystery bottles would give birth to this crime against beer and I'd suffer through it. The kegged half ended up in the care of a friend of mine who is somewhat of a beer philistine and he had no scruples about powering it all.

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: TheGizmo

Originally posted by: BatmanNate

Originally posted by: TheNinja
Awesome.

I have some buddies who brew 5 gallon batches. Basically steeping the grains in about 3-4 gallons (the biggest pot they have) over a turkey frying/propane fire. Then I guess you just start adding the other stuff like hops and malt extract and obviously the yeast at some point. It usually turns out pretty good. He kegs his as well, which really cuts down on the whole bottle process b/c you obviously don't have to clean and cap each bottle.

I have to agree, kegging is a big step up but well worth it. I'm just the right mixture of lazy and impatient to dread bottling and everything that goes along with it, which probably explains why I have 15 corny kegs and feel like I'm running out.

nice 15 full kegs, party at nates everyone! i'll bring the band. you take care of the lights. oh and the drugs, well i got some people who will take care of that end cheers

Drop me a line the next time you're in the Northwest corner.

:beer:

 

[Hubes]

very cool pics

 

[Jawo]

I would love to join ya, if I wasn't on the other side of the country! I have always wanted to try brewing, but I already have enough expensive hobbies!

 

[SolMiester]

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
I know that some of you here have a more than passing interest in beer, while others are brewers yourselves. Some have no idea what is involved and are often surprised by how simple and relatively inexpensive a hobby brewing beer can be. In light of this, I though I'd take time to share with you all one of our recent brew days. I hope that you guys enjoy!

Brew day.


If any of you are locals you should feel free to join us sometime, it's a lot of fun and very rewarding!

Mate, great work, however doing the hops etc yourself is way too much work, we just get the kits with hops already sorted.
All we have to do, is add water, the kit with yeast (havent done it in about 18yrs...LO, so not sure here), brew for about 5 days then bottle and sit for 3-4wks......

 

[KarmaPolice]

where do you live? That looks great!

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: SolMiester

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
I know that some of you here have a more than passing interest in beer, while others are brewers yourselves. Some have no idea what is involved and are often surprised by how simple and relatively inexpensive a hobby brewing beer can be. In light of this, I though I'd take time to share with you all one of our recent brew days. I hope that you guys enjoy!

Brew day.


If any of you are locals you should feel free to join us sometime, it's a lot of fun and very rewarding!

Mate, great work, however doing the hops etc yourself is way too much work, we just get the kits with hops already sorted.
All we have to do, is add water, the kit with yeast (havent done it in about 18yrs...LO, so not sure here), brew for about 5 days then bottle and sit for 3-4wks......

That's one of the reasons brewing is such a great hobby, you can take it to any level you desire, it just depends on the amount of control you'd like over the end product and how much time you're willing to put in. You can get kits or design your own, it's really up to the individual brewer.

My LHBS supplies hops to many of the local brewpubs so they do a lot of volume and the hops are nice and fresh, straight from Yakima where the vast majority of the US's hops are grown.

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
where do you live? That looks great!

I live in a little town about 45 minutes south of Seattle, WA.

 

[Squisher]

This looks like something I'd like to get into.

 

[BatmanNate]

A great place to get started, if you're fortunate enough to have one, is your local home brew supply store. Folks there tend to be very knowledgable and helpful. Failing that, Northern Brewer, Austin Homebrew, and Morebeer are all respected online vendors where you can get a starter kit for about $75.

Probably the most important step I took into the hobby was reading John Palmer's book "How to Brew." It's a free read online, and is available HERE. It's very simple for starting out and gets as in depth as you'd like to take it. He outlines the basics of how the process works and what you'll need, and gives recipes along the way.