405 replies to this topic

[DoctorShumway]

Earlier I was posting the following message in the homebrew thread when the Shizz database or something went kaput. Since I can't seem to find the thread anywhere, I'm going to guess it got deleted in whatever happened this morning. Since I'm the one who broke the other one, I figured I'd start a new thread up.

Over the weekend I bottled the batch of red ale into 22 oz. bottles, which excited the guy at the homebrew store to no end. Apparently he loves the 22 oz. bottles. He also hooked me up with this intense sanitizer and I vowed to not take any chances on this batch. I cooled the wort to about 70 degrees before adding it to water, and I even strained it, albeit through a tiny, tiny strainer. I immediate asked my wife to buy me a larger one for next time. The new heights of responsibility I took this brew to are mindblowing. I have very high hopes for the red ale. I tasted it before bottling and it was pretty damn smooth. It's also much less cloudy than the IPA was, which should cut down on any of those tooth sweaters.

Over the weekend we had a BBQ for the great Massachusetts holiday of Patriot's Day (lord knows what we're celebrating besides people running really far.) At Sherv's insistence, I put a bottle of IPA in the fridge to give my homebrew a test run, even though it had only been carbonating for a week. I must say it was much better than I thought it was going to be. It was chock full of floaties, but the flavor mellowed out a bit in the past week. When I tasted it before bottling it tasted almost exactly like a stale Magic Hat IPA, which is definitely on the harsher side. It almost had some fruity undertones to it and was pretty enjoyable, although I had a few to drink already at that point. Sherv said he liked it, but then again Sherv is pure positivity on two feet. I would guess that in about another week or two I should have some better than decent beer to drink, with the cases of red ale ready a week or so later.

I'm thinking that once this IPA batch is consumed, my next project will be to expand myself beyond the kits and try one of these receipes that are floating around. Sherv, once you get situated and are able to brew again, we should have a brew-off. Like a dance-off but not asinine.

[mikemfer]

I sure as hell don't know what happened to the old thread, but I renamed this one. It is now the offical homebrewing thread. Well, until until Dr. Shumway fucks it up anyway

[mikemfer]

I don't know about the backup but I'd sure like to restore the original thread. And what about your guitarra thread?

Our coffee stout tasted pretty bad. I took a six pack home from John's place, and I brought five back later.

[DoctorShumway]

Well the guy at the homebrew store was happy because a. they were out of 12 oz bottles, and b. he thinks it better form to give people larger bottles when sharing. More beer is better.

Brewing a batch in both, I can see that the 22 oz. bottles definitely have their benefits. Storage wise they save space, and they cut your bottling time in half.

[Jacki O.]

I'll add to this thread:

I have a recipe for a cherryale - it calls for 10 pounds of sour cherries...any idea where i can find this in Phoenix?

[Colin]

I don't know about the backup but I'd sure like to restore the original thread. And what about your guitarra thread?

I think John and mig would have simultaneous heart attacks if anything happened to guitarra. Ah, who am I kidding - I would too.

I don't know when I'll be out again, but please please save me a coffee stout. There's a Berkshire Coffee Porter they have at Redbones (local BBQ) place that I'm quite fond of.

[Shervz0r]

A brewoff! I'm down for that, and we can try it at my place if you guys want. I haev a spare carboy, so Colin can join in the fun too.
I really think your IPA was quite tasty after such brief aging, and in another week or two it'll be even better! I really want to get brewing again, now that i have more bottles available. I too love the 22oz bottles, but when I first was brewing I was giving them to people to try, and they never came back Solution? I shall drink many large bottles of Chimay to replenish my stock!

I'm sad to see the old Homebrew thread go

[DoctorShumway]

Sherv left some random homebrews at my place on Monday out of the kindness of his heart (or the fact that he had a huge bag of science to take with him.) Last night my wife had to make a call to an old friend that she hadn't spoken to in years in order to reconnect. This is a friend who she stopped talking to on the worst of terms. Needless to say most of those bottles are empty now (I had some too because playing guns on the internet is thirst inducing work. Plus no one like to drink alone.) Both of us gave them very high marks, which means a lot coming from Celeste because she doesn't really like a lot of beers. I believe it was one or two of the blueberry ales and some of the Anchorsteam, the latter of which I think I like better than beer you were replicating. I have the bottles set aside for you to take when I have the homebrew BBQ, which should hopefully be next weekend.

I should have plently of bottles available very soon with my IPA ready to go. Let's figure out what beer we're going to brew and start making some plans.

[Colin]

I have a few Sherv bottles ready for re-use too. So what would participating in this brew-off entail? Do I actually need to research or buy anything?

[DoctorShumway]

I have a few Sherv bottles ready for re-use too. So what would participating in this brew-off entail? Do I actually need to research or buy anything?

You would need to buy ingredients and bring a large enough pot for boiling said ingredients. The one I've seen you use for pasta would work. I think between Sherv and I we have enough of the other tools to go around. A week later you would have to buy bottles. That's about it.

[Shervz0r]

Yup, that sounds like a plan! You can choose a kit with everything measured out, or go for a partial grain brew and choose the grains and use a dry malt extract. All roads lead to Rome!

Think about a type of beer you'd like to brew, or even a beer you'd like to clone...I have a book of clonebrews, so that could be a good place to start.


I'm glad you and Celeste enjoyed the beers, Nick! I can't wait to try your Red!

[mig50]

i knew that my music tech professor was a homebrewer, but i always thought it'd be weird to talk to him about it because of the whole student/teacher/alcohol relationship.

i finished my final a few minutes ago, and since he wasn't technically my teacher anymore i decided it was ok to talk about it.

he told me exactly where the homebrew shop in lee's summit is, so i'm going to check it out sometime soon.

also, i was discussing how i wanted to avoid getting a kit because i didn't want to deal with buckets, but he told me that he actually still uses his bucket (he's done 40 or 50 batches with it) and actually prefers it over a carboy. i found this rather interesting.

[woodman]

It's on - kristin and I started a hefeweizen this weekend using ken's (homebrew depot) best guess, since he lost the original recipe. man, the gas stove makes such a huge difference - I was actually boiling at temperature, instead of under pressure! and, i was able to steep at almost exactly 158 for 1/2 an hour - sweetness.
I also grabbed the only hefe at the safeway - pyramid - it was suprisingly tasty. i almost had one for breakfast.

6 weeks get here soon.

[raubhimself]

anyone know where i can find homebrewing suppliers in my area? a google search found a page at brewery.org or something, but the site is dead