No one else out there brews their own beer?

Should I edit my first post to teach you how and then start posting recipes?

Cause I will if you want!

 

You Rang?

I actually stopped on the grain and brew from prehopped malt. Not enough folks seem to want the investment of all the equipment unless its simple to do these days.

For wine we have GR apple reisling, French Cab, Blueberry Pinot, and Lodi Old vine Zin, on the shelf may be a couple I don't remember. We Vint and bulk age in 6 gal carboys for wine, and 2 1/2 gal batches for beer which makes a case. 6 gal of wine is about 28 bottles if its very clear and no sediment. 2 bottles with some that we decant overnight and pour off the clear. so 30 total. We make wine to 12% ABV and Beer to 6.5.

Its pretty easy and having the extra vessels gives us a large storage fo water if needed.

 

I am sure there are some who are interested. I would love to brew my own beer someday soon. Take charge and get a massive beer brewing thread going.

Also you can send me a bottle of your best lager....for sampling of course hehe.

 

Ok, here goes folks....

Homebrew!

Step one: Is Homebrew Legal?

In the United States, our government has this to say about Homebrew:

Statute:
United States Code Title 26, Subtitle E, Chapter 51, Subchapter A, Part I, Subpart D, § 5053 provides an exemption to the code permitting the production of beer for personal or family use. § 5052 provides a definition for beer (see applicable statutory material).

Discussion:
The 1978 amendment to § 5053 added subsection (e) thus federally recognizing the home production of beer. Amendment XXI (1933) of the United States Constitution repealed the prohibition of intoxicating liquor (Amendment XVIII [1919]). However, section 2 of Amendment XXI and state police power gives states the authority to regulate the production, transportation and possession of intoxicating liquors. Therefore the home production of beer is recognized by federal statute so long as such production is not in violation of state law.

Special Provisions:
N/A

Alcohol Beverage Control Agency:
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
650 Massachusetts Ave.
Washington, DC 20226
(202) 927-8700

Applicable Statutory Material:
§ 5052 DEFINITIONS

(a) Beer.--For purposes of this chapter (except when used with reference to distilling or distilling material) the term "beer" means beer, ale, porter, stout, and other similar fermented beverages (including sake or similar products) of any name or description containing one-half of 1 percent or more of alcohol by volume, brewed or produced from malt, wholly or in part, or from any substitute therefore.

§ 5053 EXEMPTIONS

(e) Beer for personal or family use.--Subject to regulation prescribed by the Secretary, any adult may, without payment of tax, produce beer for personal or family use and not for sale. The aggregate amount of beer exempt from tax under this subsection with respect to any household shall not exceed--

(1) 200 gallons per calendar year if there are 2 or more adults in such household, or

(2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only 1 adult in such household.

For purposes of this subsection, the term "adult" means an individual who has attained 18 years of age, or the minimum age (if any) established by law applicable in the locality in which the household is situated at which beer may be sold to individuals, whichever is greater.

In other words, you can brew beer but NOT sell it! You can brew up to 100gallons per year, per adult person in your household, up to a MAXIMUM of 200 gallons.

 

Ok, here goes folks....

In other words, you can brew beer but NOT sell it! You can brew up to 100gallons per year, per adult person in your household, up to a MAXIMUM of 200 gallons.

Correct, then add to that the wine totals.

Its actually pretty generous tax wise.

Forgot to mention I have 6 gal of wine bubbling away right next to me.

 

Who was worried about the law? muuhahahha Moonshine anyone?

 

The old federal felony and bubba for your new wife stops most folks.:xeye:

 

The next step...

Homebrewing Equipment:

Homebrewing is like any hobby, you can have an entire garage full of equipment, spend thousands of dollars on high end gear, or you can have a small quality bit of stuff in a closet.

From my experience (on batch #238), you can make beer just as good with a bare-bones approach as you can with the best and most $$ stuff you can buy.

The following is a basic list of equipment that I would recommend for someone starting out. Most of this can be found around your kitchen already, but it's likely that a few purchases will be required.

1. A LARGE POT!

You will use this to cook your beer. You will need a pot that can handle upwards of 4 gallons of liquid at a time. If you don't have a large pot, a smaller one (2-3gallon capacity) will do for now and I'll explain how later.

2. One 5 gallon plastic bucket, WITH LID!

This is where fermentation of the beer takes place. An upgrade would be a 5-6 gallon glass carboy.

3. A SIPHON TUBE!

You will use this to transfer the beer from your cookpot to your fermenter without contaminating it. This is something I would recommend that you buy. You can buy an autosiphon at your local homebrew shop or online, they are about $10.

4. A THERMOMETER!

If you don't know what this is for, you probably should take up watching TV as a hobby instead of Homebrewing...

5. AN AIRLOCK!

Our goal is to induce fermentation without contamination! So we need a sterile seal that keeps bad bacteria out of our beer, while allowing the CO2 gas produced by the process to escape without blowing up the container. You can buy an airlock or you can make one. This will be explained more later.

6. A SPATULA!

You will use this to stir your beer while it is cooking... Plastic is better because it's easier to clean and won't contaminate like some wooden ones can.

7. BOTTLES!

Save your commercially bought beer bottles that DON'T have screw-on caps. The screw-on bottles won't reseal right and you'll ruin your beer. The simplest solution to bottling is to buy/collect GROLSCH Swing-Top bottles.

Next.... Ingredients!

 

It's been years since I homebrewed but think I could do it again with few mistakes: The simple rules, for me, were sanitize, sanitize and sanitize. Don't unnecessarily move, rack, or siphon. Heat, sunlight, air/oxygen, and anything porous are to be avoided, glass is best especially when lagering, plastic does leach air!

Boil your wort, a little honey make a good finish, sanitize plastic with light solution of Potassiun metabisulfate, ( be aware of asthamatics and keep sulfite use at a minimum ), stainless with iodide, don't mix these up. Avoid slippery sanitizers.

Cool your wort (liquor in ole parlance, now ) quick, pitch the yeast after starting it. Make sure your container is well sealed around the edges. BUT with bubbler!! before overreacting to slow fermentation.

When priming for bottling, if you're doing that (I did at first but graduated to Cornelius kegs...) Prime the whole 5 gallon batch not individual bottles like some recommend. Typically 1/2 to 3/4 cup corn sugar, or krausening with next batch to prime very advanced... Man I'm so excited I'm getting back into Zymurgy!!!!!

 

Good Ol Corn mash and a still.:

 

Hi Cage,I like to homebrew,I think I will start again this year, now you have encouraged me.
Stout,Lager ,Ginger beer and Ale are ones I have made.i buy the cans and ferment them in a 20 litre container.
I think I had better start again ,seeing the prices have jumped this last month on alcohol.
We dont drink that often, but it is nice when you have a BBQ to have homebreww.
My husband looked after our neighbours place last year, and opened the kitchen door to see glass, and liquid spread from kitchen to even the bedrooms.He had a box of homebrew sitting in the kitchen and it had exploded everywhere.

 

A couple of links to explore:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/

Both of these are big-time suppliers.

In addition to a thermometer, you will want to check your specific gravity unless you are using a kit which will provide pretty consistent results for you.

The ingredient kits from Northern are very nice, I have tweaked some mostly delicious Porters and Stouts to my taste. If anyone has an interest in starting "not quite" from scratch, I'd be happy to supply my recipes. (1.4+ range).

I don't do lagers, only ales so far. Although we have some very cool winter basement temps here, and I'm sure I could pull it off, I prefer the dark beers, amber/reds and the Hef types when I've a taste for something more hoppy.

You can get set-up very inexpensively, and if you skip the mashing for yourself process, beer is very easy - nearly fool-proof!

I used to get all the bottles I could ever use from a local bar - this will cost you a capper and caps, but now most brands have gone screw-top, you just have to know which are not. Those Grolsch bottles are awesome, but an expensive initial purchase as well.


I very-much want to try some Mead, which uses basically the same equipment. Wine requires a hefty up-front equipment purchase, and much more skill and time - is a bit too expensive/extensive a hobby for me.

Glad I prefer beer :

 

I very-much want to try some Mead, which uses basically the same equipment.

I've been brewing my own mead for a little over a year. The initial investment is low, the supplies are low (most expensive part is the honey), and the results are good. Check gotmead.com for recipes and more detailed information or PM me. I also visit weekly a local meadery that has great products and ship...

 

Beer is not as hard on the liver as spirits or wines.Ask the germans about their gallbladder and liver problems compared to the french.

 

Great thread! I loved homebrewing when I did it. Capable wine bottles, or recycled beer bottles. I used to save my old pop top beer bottles and use a hand capper. I love homebrew much better than any store bought.

 

I dont know what your bottles are like in america, but I try to get the ones that are concave on the bottom, so they dont explode.
Apparently the two litre juice glass bottles are made for that reason.

 

The best homebrew I've had (OK, it was great, like all the others) was a seasonal pumpkin pie ale...you could actually taste the different nuances...like a pie's filling, crust and even the whipped cream. I wish I still had that recipe! If anyone has something like that, I'd LOVE to get a copy of the recipe!

 

My late grandfather used to make a hard ginger beer that was awesome as I recall... the old goat took the recipie to the grave with him

 

I did some basic brewing. Look into Brew Your Own magazine. They have a monthly all grain recipe and a wine making section also. I use a Mr. Beer kit and buy DME and malt extract syrup. I want to do all grain some day.

Bobo

 

I don't really care for homemade beer. We do, however, make blackberry and peach wine (for the womenfolk). For the real sipping, I go with the Tennessee home brew.

 

Do you have a recipe for these because I have a ton of blackberries!

 

I tried

I tried it about 15 years ago, made two batches, drank one, bad hangover. Sold off equipment

I would love to get back into, and do it right. If I can come up with a Bud Light recipe, I would be in heaven.

Now home made wine, and white liquor, now that is some good stuff. I have made many batches of peach and strawberry wine, good stuff right there.

 

I've got 6 gallons of Welches grape juice wine fermenting right now. gallons of juice, 2 1/4bls of sugar per gallon. (disolve the sugar in the juice before putting it it the carboy, or big glass jug.) add some wine yeast, install air lock. When the bubbling completely stops, siphon into another jug, leaving the yeast and crud on the bottom of the first jug. Let it settle out again and siphon back to the other cleaned out jug. let it sit again, then siphon into bottles or mason jars. I use bleach to sterilize everything. Always keep the air space in the jugs to a minimum. Air is the enemy that will turn it into vinigar.

 

woooow lol thank you! :thumb::thumb:

 

I love home and micro brew beers. Unfortunately there are alot of rubes on this site who somehow think it's AMERICAN to support "big beer" and mindlessly swill that rice based brew. Idiots. Yeah I'm being uppity because i'm supporting a local guy.

 

Just finished bottling the last batch a few days ago, now the long wait till it's good to drink.

I tend to brew lager and stout.
I prefer the stouts myself, but it's nice to have a beer that most people enjoy on hand as well.

 

Here's a tip for any homebrewers that I learned/tried recently. The spent grains are great for the compost heap, as I'm sure you already know. But if you have any four legged friends that love treats (dogs, not sure about cats) you can mix up some of the grains with a bit of flour and peanut butter, stick it in the oven and make your own treats. They are great for dogs, and mine absolutely love them!

 

I just found out from a friend that the left over yeast waste in the bottom is good for making wheatmeal bread.

Dissolve the waste into the last beer, bottle it and place in the fridge.
Then when your bread recipe calls for water, use half water and half yeast/beer.
Makes a nice dark loaf with a real crunchy crust.

 

I have been brewing beers for a while, though I mostly use book recipes.

I have been studying 'gruut's lately and I want to branch out into them.

 

great thread . thanks to all who have posted was wondering what yall

thought of this lil kit and how much would it produce? ..besides ingredients it

is simply 2 rubber stoppers,2 clear plastic tubes.and 2..2 liter bottles(which im sure can be substituted with something larger)

http://cgi.ebay.com/BEER-KIT-HOME-B..._W0QQitemZ390116047654QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5ad4ba7b26

 

I would stay away from used plastic as it can invite lots of little infectious bacteria. Try something like this.

http://www.ebrew.com/systems_homebrew_beermaking/single_stage_beermaking_system.htm

It comes with everything needed to make a 5 gallon batch and even has the capper to start bottling it.

 

OK, the DW got me a Mr Beer kit( we do the 12 days of Christmas thing- I got her a 40 egg incubator with auto turner from Murray McMurray), so I'm just beginnng my journey.....I'd appreciate any do's and don't's, tips and suggestions.

 

You are doing it right.

Any of the kits to get you going. Remember though 'laboratory clean'. I clean the room, I clean all utensils, I clean me. I found that the biggest single ingredient in successfully making good brews, is how clean everything is.

Start with canned syrup of pre-hopped, and do a dozen batches.

Then go to un-hopped and get your own hops [for a dozen batches].

Then get your own grains, ...

Then add filters, a CO2 bottle and a pressure keg.

Then drop the hops and begin your journey, ...



We also have a 40egg incubator with auto turner [I do not recall who we get it from though]. Every 22 days, in the spring, we run it with a fresh batch of eggs.