Bob
06-07-2004, 14:19
As noted in the NY StraightBourbon Crew thread, I enjoy drinking beer, and once in awhile, I brew my own. As there have been some interest in this hobby, I thought I'd share some of my info...
I started homebrewing in 1993, and I have made about 30 brews. When I first started homebrewing, I would brew 4 or 5 times a year. Over the last few years, I've slowed down considerably: I now am lucky if I do 2 5-gallon batches in a year. All my brewing has been with malt extracts along with some specialty grains. Here's a few of my favorites: Imperial Pale Ale, a Rasberry Framboise (made with rasberries from my yard, I've done this a few times), Irish Stout, Grand Cru, an Old Ale (recipe from the Papazian book on homebrewing, it is a nice, simple, quick brew to make; I've made this a few times), a Kriek (cherry) beer, a kick butt Imperial Stout (it was a fairly high alcohol content brew, and the yeast had such a wonderful time enjoying eating up the sugar, that the cork was blown off of the carboy about 12 hours after fermentation started! It created quite a mess - I had beer on the ceiling! http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/banghead.gif But, it was a damn good beer. http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/drink.gif), a Holiday Spiced Stout, a few Pale Ales, brown ales, and I've made a couple attempts at IPA's, but for some reason, they never turn out right! http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/banghead.gif
Anyway, that's a quick run down. I have used liquid yeast on occassion, but usually use dried yeast that I rehydrate. I either bottle the brews, or fill 1.25 gallon mini-kegs that Nancy got for me. She is a big help with the bottling process, which is the part that I find least appealing, although once it's bottled/keged, it's not long till I can enjoy them! http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/drink.gif
This is definitely a fun hobby, if you have the time. I like the ability to create receipes and tinker with them a bit to try getting a better product. Another benefit is that the cost is considerably less than what I would have to pay to buy a couple of cases of good beer.
Bob
I started homebrewing in 1993, and I have made about 30 brews. When I first started homebrewing, I would brew 4 or 5 times a year. Over the last few years, I've slowed down considerably: I now am lucky if I do 2 5-gallon batches in a year. All my brewing has been with malt extracts along with some specialty grains. Here's a few of my favorites: Imperial Pale Ale, a Rasberry Framboise (made with rasberries from my yard, I've done this a few times), Irish Stout, Grand Cru, an Old Ale (recipe from the Papazian book on homebrewing, it is a nice, simple, quick brew to make; I've made this a few times), a Kriek (cherry) beer, a kick butt Imperial Stout (it was a fairly high alcohol content brew, and the yeast had such a wonderful time enjoying eating up the sugar, that the cork was blown off of the carboy about 12 hours after fermentation started! It created quite a mess - I had beer on the ceiling! http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/banghead.gif But, it was a damn good beer. http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/drink.gif), a Holiday Spiced Stout, a few Pale Ales, brown ales, and I've made a couple attempts at IPA's, but for some reason, they never turn out right! http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/banghead.gif
Anyway, that's a quick run down. I have used liquid yeast on occassion, but usually use dried yeast that I rehydrate. I either bottle the brews, or fill 1.25 gallon mini-kegs that Nancy got for me. She is a big help with the bottling process, which is the part that I find least appealing, although once it's bottled/keged, it's not long till I can enjoy them! http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/drink.gif
This is definitely a fun hobby, if you have the time. I like the ability to create receipes and tinker with them a bit to try getting a better product. Another benefit is that the cost is considerably less than what I would have to pay to buy a couple of cases of good beer.
Bob