Brewing Beer

[Jeff_H3]

Anybody brew their own beer?

I got a Mr. Beer kit for Christmas, and I am finally enjoing my first batch of West Coast Pale Ale. Now I am looking to get more gadgets and tools for another great hobby.

[KevinA]

I did once with my brother. We did a larger set up than the Mr. Beer. We had a great time. It's a fun thing to do with some friends...over beer. and then the next time, you do it over beer you made

Will get a kit some time soon. Good times.

[big2dabank]

Ive brewed with my brother several times. He started his own micro brewery last year and has five styles and a seasonal brew. I can get you some god info if you need any.

[dailydriver]

I never have brewed my own beer, but I work with a guy who does it quite frequently. He said to be patient with it your first few time. Also, once you work out the kinks of your first trail run always use high quality filtered water (not tap water). Go to one of those water sale place and always use the same one. Oddly enough he said the water you use makes the biggest difference in taste. good luck! and let us know how it goes.

[Slogger]

How cool is that. I got two for Christmas too. I need to get them going.

I have a feeling my first few batches won't come close to a nice Guinness.

[caljon88]

I have brewed a few kegs and need to get back to it. My supply store isn't open but 2 day of the week so it's hard to get supplies. I do 5 gallons at a time and am going to build a keggle system when I get my shed cleaned out this summer. Which will produce 15 gallon a pop, which will go into 3 5 gallon kegs. Home brewing beer is the best, drinking a brew that you have crafted really will make you a beer snob!

[Jeff_H3]

I have brewed a few kegs and need to get back to it. My supply store isn't open but 2 day of the week so it's hard to get supplies. I do 5 gallons at a time and am going to build a keggle system when I get my shed cleaned out this summer. Which will produce 15 gallon a pop, which will go into 3 5 gallon kegs. Home brewing beer is the best, drinking a brew that you have crafted really will make you a beer snob!

Very cool. Thats a lot of beer.

I don't have much room, so I am thinking about keggin in the 5L party keg and using the tap-a-draft system. I figure I can get 2 5l kegs and a couple bottles out of my 2.5gallon kit.

I much rather wash out a small keg every so often, then half to continually wash and store 12once bottles.

[caljon88]

Yeah, bottling sucks! I had an explosion in the basement over night once from a soda I was doing!
90% of the bottles blew shards of glass every where.

I keg, only 1 thing to clean. I have a kegerator in the basement that works grand.

[jakesz28]

I have been doing extract kits for a couple years. Getting set up to go all grain right now.

[big2dabank]

Here is my brothers setup. He has stepped up a little more than just your average home brewer. Current brewing capacity is 250 gals to 300 gals.

I had quite a few of his Oatmeal Stouts this weekend.



Here is a link to his site if anyone is ever in the Central Florida Area. http://www.effinheimerbeer.com

[Mark]

How's his brewery doing? They got some good beer there

[big2dabank]

He is doing really well, his biggest challenge is mass scale bottling. He is curently bottling by hand and is too labor intensive. Once he overcomes that challenge he will be able to get bottles in stores and bars/restaurants that do not have a free tap.

[Mark]

That will be huge when he gets to that point. If I remember correctly when I was there he could only sell to go in jugs. Was that a bottling or legal issue? Thought I remember there being a legal reason.