Home Beer Micro Brewery
Jan 26, 2015 | 4:05 pm
#1
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Home Beer Micro Brewery
Just though I'd see how much if any interest there is in discussing all things home beer (or cyder) micro brewery / home bewing related.
I'm just in the process of restarting a long-lapsed interest, mainly because whilst I find it tough to find anything that beats my favourite Paulaner Original Mnchner Hell - I always use to brew real beer type that always tasted as good or better than I could buy in a pub.
So my initial setup is six Kingkeg top tap kegs with a couple of fermenters and I plan to make two beers at a time to give some continuity and variety and slow condition them in the kegs in the garage. I'll keep them harm-free and fresh with gas. I plan to use kits until I get "my eye" back in .... and then may move on to the whole natural process from scratch if I feel the urges.
As soon as I return the first three brews will be a cyder and
some reviews
and as I like Golden Ales ......
some reviews
I'm back home in a couple of weeks and I'm currently monitoring temperatures. When we're there I've found a room that I can easily keep to between 17 and 22 c to ferment and start the conditioning.
The garage is going to be a bit more interesting. This has been a real cold spell and these two seven day charts show external and garage temperatures in the unheated garage. I'm going to work out how these conditions will effect conditioning.
Outside Temperature 7 days
Garage Temperature 7 days
I'm just in the process of restarting a long-lapsed interest, mainly because whilst I find it tough to find anything that beats my favourite Paulaner Original Mnchner Hell - I always use to brew real beer type that always tasted as good or better than I could buy in a pub.
So my initial setup is six Kingkeg top tap kegs with a couple of fermenters and I plan to make two beers at a time to give some continuity and variety and slow condition them in the kegs in the garage. I'll keep them harm-free and fresh with gas. I plan to use kits until I get "my eye" back in .... and then may move on to the whole natural process from scratch if I feel the urges.
As soon as I return the first three brews will be a cyder and
Woodforde's Wherry real ale kit - supreme champion beer of Britain. Brews 40 pints. Made with malt, hops, water & yeast. Wherry Bitter, an aroma of malt and citrus fruit is the prelude to this award-winning offering from Woodforde's. Woodfordes Wherry Best Bitter is probably the best beer kit that money can buy! Developed in conjunction with the award winning Norfolk based Woodfordes brewery, this kit uses the brewery's own grist formulation and brews a beer that any landlord would be proud to serve.
and as I like Golden Ales ......
A top of the range beer making kit made using just malt, hops, water and yeast. This kit brews 40 pints of thirst quenching Golden ale and does not require additional sugar for the fermentation process
I'm back home in a couple of weeks and I'm currently monitoring temperatures. When we're there I've found a room that I can easily keep to between 17 and 22 c to ferment and start the conditioning.
The garage is going to be a bit more interesting. This has been a real cold spell and these two seven day charts show external and garage temperatures in the unheated garage. I'm going to work out how these conditions will effect conditioning.
Outside Temperature 7 days
Garage Temperature 7 days
Last edited by uk1; Jan 26, 2015 at 6:35 pm Reason: temperatures added
Jan 27, 2015 | 7:15 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: On the road, 24/7/365
Posts: 3,589
I started homebrewing in '78 - mashing and sparging through a Coleman cooler. A few years later, met some guys though my Bay Area homebrewing clubs - Dean Biersch, Dan Gordon, Martin (John and Reid of Big Time and Triple Rock, fka Rolling Rock).
Gave it up for good when microbrewing hit its first "fad peak" back in the late 80s. That said, it is a fun and creative thing to do, especially once you are doing your own grain manipulation (no extracts) and recipe creation. Do it and enjoy. You'll have more friends too.
Gave it up for good when microbrewing hit its first "fad peak" back in the late 80s. That said, it is a fun and creative thing to do, especially once you are doing your own grain manipulation (no extracts) and recipe creation. Do it and enjoy. You'll have more friends too.
Last edited by 365RoadWarrior; Jan 28, 2015 at 5:15 pm
Jan 29, 2015 | 10:22 pm
#3
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Feb 10, 2015 | 9:48 am
#5
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It's all shiny and fancy, but do consider the "basics" approach: a big pot on the stove, some howngrown contraption for extracting sugars from grain (mash and sparge process), and a big repurposed glass carboy. Feed it with locally grown hops (your location may vary), some yeast from the homebrew store and a recipe that you've developed (or at least customized, say with different sugars - honey? molasses?) yourself. Buy a thermometer and stick it in your basement/closet (ale) or an old refrigerator (lager). Make it yours!
Feb 10, 2015 | 10:17 am
#6
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It's all shiny and fancy, but do consider the "basics" approach: a big pot on the stove, some howngrown contraption for extracting sugars from grain (mash and sparge process), and a big repurposed glass carboy. Feed it with locally grown hops (your location may vary), some yeast from the homebrew store and a recipe that you've developed (or at least customized, say with different sugars - honey? molasses?) yourself. Buy a thermometer and stick it in your basement/closet (ale) or an old refrigerator (lager). Make it yours!
Thanks ..... yes ... as I said above ... that is stage #2 ...
So my initial setup is six Kingkeg top tap kegs with a couple of fermenters and I plan to make two beers at a time to give some continuity and variety and slow condition them in the kegs in the garage. I'll keep them harm-free and fresh with gas. I plan to use kits until I get "my eye" back in .... and then may move on to the whole natural process from scratch if I feel the urges.
Feb 22, 2016 | 3:19 am
#10
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Resurrecting this thread. I actually started with a Brooklyn Brewshop kit last week. Before investing in a full grain set-up wanted to know if I'd enjoy it. Ive got 3 one gallon batches to make. Then will decide if this is something to pursue.
I really enjoyed making the first batch, it is now fermenting and will be bottled next week. Lets hope it tastes ok!
I really enjoyed making the first batch, it is now fermenting and will be bottled next week. Lets hope it tastes ok!