[TN]

In our closet & basement right now....

• 5 gal. of Robust Porter ready real soon
• 5 Gallons of aplfwein ready at x-mas
• 1 gal. Joe's Ancient Orange Mead ready in Feb.
• .5 gal. of 1/2 spiced cider, 1/2 mead experiment ready in Feb.
• La's perpetual pipeline of Kombucha

Our Holiday Spiced Ale is almost gone now & while everyone who has tasted it liked it....I don't much care for it though.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Excellent! I'm not a big fan of those spicy ales, either. The first beer I ever tried from the Harpoon Brewery was their winter warmer, and it took a while before I tried another Harpoon beer (glad I came around though).

I've got nothing fermenting right now. I've got about 10 cases of homebrew filling my beer shelves, so I need to work through some of it before brewing some more.

I've got three recently bottled batches. The wit will be ready in another week. The IPA is ready and is by far the best beer I've made...my first "home run." The cherry stout is ready as well, and is quite good. I barely taste the cherry. It just tastes like a smoked porter.

 

[TN]

Excellent! I'm not a big fan of those spicy ales, either. The first beer I ever tried from the Harpoon Brewery was their winter warmer, and it took a while before I tried another Harpoon beer (glad I came around though).

I've got nothing fermenting right now. I've got about 10 cases of homebrew filling my beer shelves, so I need to work through some of it before brewing some more.

I've got three recently bottled batches. The wit will be ready in another week. The IPA is ready and is by far the best beer I've made...my first "home run." The cherry stout is ready as well, and is quite good. I barely taste the cherry. It just tastes like a smoked porter.

Do you try your bottles before they are ready?

We always crack one open every week until 3 weeks. Most are carbed & drinking good by one week.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Do you try your bottles before they are ready?

We always crack one open every week until 3 weeks. Most are carbed & drinking good by one week.

Yup. I usually try them at one week and two weeks too. Technically the IPA should bottle condition for two more weeks, but it is fantastic right now.

My porters and stouts tend to need three weeks to get a good carbonation going. I tried the cherry stout at one week and it was flat. At three weeks it was ready to go.

 

[BikeGeek]

6 gallons of Metheglin (spiced mead) using 15 lbs of local wildflower honey, ginger root, elderflowers, lemon zest, and cloves

 

[TN]

6 gallons of Metheglin (spiced mead) using 15 lbs of local wildflower honey, ginger root, elderflowers, lemon zest, and cloves

That sounds good. Ever made a mead before?

 

[BikeGeek]

That sounds good. Ever made a mead before?

I've used honey in plenty of beers at home and at work and even made a braggot (50/50 honey/barley malt), but other than the one batch of the Joe's "Ancient" that I dumped this is my first 100% honey fermentation.

 

[BadDNA]

Nothing fermenting now but last night I bottled a batch of Imperial Pilsner.

On deck I have a Classic American Pilsner, a Braggot and the wife has a Nut Brown.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Dammit, I want some of that imperial pilsner.

 

[BadDNA]

Dammit, I want some of that imperial pilsner.

Becky has deemed it undrinkable (too much hops), you'll love it.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Becky has deemed it undrinkable (too much hops), you'll love it.

Then GIMME.

 

[pnj]

I cooked up an Ale on thanksgiving.

9 lbs 2 row
1 lbs Vienna
1 lbs 80L Crystal

Willamette Hops.
Nottingham yeast.

I've got about 4 different ales bottled and ready to drink.

 

[Bigdroptoflat]

5 gallons of "cooked goose winter ale" 9.6% abv

 

[pnj]

Brewday today.

2 row
Crystal 80L
Vienna
Oats

Nottingham yeast.

Willamette, Amarillo hops

 

[Arkayne]

I've been itching to expand my beer knowledge because I'm a complete beer noob. Sooooooo, I went to BevMo and bought a small selection of AleSmith beers. I got an IPA, Horny Devil and Extra Pale Ale.

I'm having the Extra Pale Ale with my dinner and I'm already starting to buzz. This stuff is strong! Yes, I'm a lightweight.

There is so much taste in this compared to the 24-pack brands.

 

[TN]

Bottled my Porter this weekend.

I didn't hit my FG, so it is gonna end up being 4.7% instead of 5.0% abv. Last week my fermenter temp was 56*. I think that slowed down my fermentation cuz it sat for 6 weeks at 66 +or- 6* besides that one week.

It tasted fine, but a little weak for a porter. Hopefully it will be better once it bottle conditions.

We have also come to the conclusion that every time we have brewed with extract from a can we get a tin-y metallic taste in our beer. it is barely noticeable, but it is evident enough that I think we are through with canned extracts.

 

[BadDNA]

Bottled my Porter this weekend.

I didn't hit my FG, so it is gonna end up being 4.7% instead of 5.0% abv. Last week my fermenter temp was 56*. I think that slowed down my fermentation cuz it sat for 6 weeks at 66 +or- 6* besides that one week.

It tasted fine, but a little weak for a porter. Hopefully it will be better once it bottle conditions.

We have also come to the conclusion that every time we have brewed with extract from a can we get a tin-y metallic taste in our beer. it is barely noticeable, but it is evident enough that I think we are through with canned extracts.

Try getting your extracts from Northern Brewer. It's been a while since I did an extract brew but they used to (and probably still do) package theirs in 1/2 gallon plastic jugs like milk comes in.

 

[jonKranked]

Can I join this thread? I don't have anything fermenting at the moment, but my wonderful girlfriend got me a brewkit for the holidays, it came with a American Pale ingredient kit (but it was backordered), and I just ordered a Continental dark ingredient kit as well. Still need to pick up a few components (16 quart boiling pot - any advice if I should go bigger or smaller?) and collect a few more bottles. I've got about 3 cases worth at the moment, and my bro-in-law has a case of grolsch bottles that he's gonna donate (why he has them is beyond me).

 

[TN]

Can I join this thread? I don't have anything fermenting at the moment, but my wonderful girlfriend got me a brewkit for the holidays, it came with a American Pale ingredient kit (but it was backordered), and I just ordered a Continental dark ingredient kit as well. Still need to pick up a few components (16 quart boiling pot - any advice if I should go bigger or smaller?) and collect a few more bottles. I've got about 3 cases worth at the moment, and my bro-in-law has a case of grolsch bottles that he's gonna donate (why he has them is beyond me).

I would get the biggest kettle you can afford. I have 20 qt. but can only boil 4 gal in it which is fine for me. the most we ever boil is 3 gal.

BadDNA- They just opened up a store here. Next time I have to go to the LHBS I will hit them up.

 

[jonKranked]

I would get the biggest kettle you can afford. I have 20 qt. but can only boil 4 gal in it which is fine for me. the most we ever boil is 3 gal.

http://www.amazon.com/Quart-STAINLESS-STEEL-STOCK-COMMERCIAL/dp/B002MQFXC0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260812281&sr=8-1

 

[BadDNA]

http://www.amazon.com/Quart-STAINLESS-STEEL-STOCK-COMMERCIAL/dp/B002MQFXC0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260812281&sr=8-1

Get this instead of that: http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/10-gallon-megapot.html

Note, the price shown does not include the ball valve or thermometer.

 

[jonKranked]

Get this instead of that: http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/10-gallon-megapot.html

Note, the price shown does not include the ball valve or thermometer.

that's pretty rockin. Maybe once I get an industrial drum for fermenting I'll pony up for that.


All jokes aside, I will peruse this Northern Brewer website, they look like they have some quality supplies.

 

[BadDNA]

that's pretty rockin. Maybe once I get an industrial drum for fermenting I'll pony up for that.


All jokes aside, I will peruse this Northern Brewer website, they look like they have some quality supplies.

Most of my gear has come from Northern Brewer. The little that didn't has been largely homemade.

 

[jonKranked]

Most of my gear has come from Northern Brewer. The little that didn't has been largely homemade.

Yea i just spent some time looking at what they have. Seems like they have quite a comprehensive selection.

 

[TN]

My mom just called & said she was at a store with home brew supplies & asked if I needed anything. So, she picked me up some drilled bungs & airlocks. My mom rules! Too bad I didn't need anything else.

 

[Heidi]

My mom just called & said she was at a store with home brew supplies & asked if I needed anything. So, she picked me up some drilled bungs & airlocks. My mom rules! Too bad I didn't need anything else.

"need" is a loose term that can often be interchanged with want. What were you thinking?

 

[jonKranked]

"need" is a loose term that can often be interchanged with want. What were you thinking?

I'm with Heidi on this one.

 

[pnj]

Seriously.
when it comes to beer and homebrewing, you always need something.

tell her to go back.

 

[I Are Baboon]

"drilled bungs"

 

[jonKranked]

"drilled bungs"

just the way TN likes it.

 

[TN]

"need" is a loose term that can often be interchanged with want. What were you thinking?

when she called, she said they had "big 5 gal. plastic jugs for $3.99" I told her to buy all they had. She was wrong. that price was for the 1 gal as I figured. So I stuck with something cheap & easy.


And yes I am a big fan of the drilled bungs.

 

[BadDNA]

Nothing fermenting now but last night I bottled a batch of Imperial Pilsner.

I need to pop one of these tonight and see how it's coming along.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Mom-in-law bought me a farmhouse ale extract kit from Northern Brewer for Christmas.

 

[BadDNA]

Mom-in-law bought me a farmhouse ale extract kit from Northern Brewer for Christmas.

Hehe, I knew before you did. Have fun!

 

[BikeGeek]

Mom-in-law bought me a farmhouse ale extract kit from Northern Brewer for Christmas.

Cool, probably my favorite style of beer. Just curious, what yeast came with that? If it's WLP565 or Wyeast 3724 I have some tips from some pros on how to get that mofo to finish.

 

[pnj]

Cooked up a porter on wednesday. I missed my target temps by 15 degrees(!!!!) which ment I had to heat more water, making my brew day much more longer then normal.

then it took nearly 48 hours for the yeast to start working. I've got a blow off tube on it now and it's blowing like crazy.

 

[TN]

tasted our apfelwein & cyser this weekend. both are ready to bottle. The apfelwien is going to taste a lot like champagne when it is carbed & the cyser is a deliscious elixir too.

gonna brew a batch of beer soon just have to figure out what.

 

[TN]

So I have opened 6 bombers in the last 2 days & my porter smells like sulfur or more like when my dog has gas.

The first 2/3rds of the batch were fine. Maybe they were all infected & they just now started stinking. they taste fine but I cant drink 'em cause they stink so bad.

 

[BadDNA]

So I have opened 6 bombers in the last 2 days & my porter smells like sulfur or more like when my dog has gas.

The first 2/3rds of the batch were fine. Maybe they were all infected & they just now started stinking. they taste fine but I cant drink 'em cause they stink so bad.

That sucks...

If it helps you feel any better my Imperial Pilsner came out great. I popped the top on one of these last night and I am pretty happy with it. It poured with a nice thick head that fell pretty readily but left some nice lacing that clung to the sides of the glass as I drank it. The balance between the malt and hops was right on for my taste. I've never had a commercial imperial pilsner to compare against and this recipe was one of my own creations. It was remarkably easy to drink but I felt that if I had two or three I'd know it.

 

[TN]

That sucks...

If it helps you feel any better my Imperial Pilsner came out great. I popped the top on one of these last night and I am pretty happy with it. It poured with a nice thick head that fell pretty readily but left some nice lacing that clung to the sides of the glass as I drank it. The balance between the malt and hops was right on for my taste. I've never had a commercial imperial pilsner to compare against and this recipe was one of my own creations. It was remarkably easy to drink but I felt that if I had two or three I'd know it.

Did you copy & paste that from that other thread?

I am anxious to see how the last 4 turn out.