# Home brew



## walrusbt (Jan 10, 2013)

Does anybody here brew there own beer? If so what styles do you favor?


----------



## ggleach101 (Dec 17, 2012)

I've brewed beer for the last few years. We make a lot of IPAs. But my next batch will be a Belgian ale of some sort.


----------



## walrusbt (Jan 10, 2013)

I got into homebrewing right as I had kids. I've only made four batches so far as a result and I think it's been almost a year since I brewed something (it was easy enough when I only had one - but brewing with two around is much harder). Two of the four batches have been pale ales - brewing what I like to drink the most. I've been meaning to get to an IPA at some point.


----------



## Bandit44 (Oct 1, 2010)

I brew about once a month, mostly Pale Ales, but also IPAs, Ambers, ESBs, Barleywines, Porters, and Stouts. Been doing it for many years, but I now give away more beer than I drink. Hard to keep the waistline in check with cases and cases of good beer lying at your fingertips.


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

I have over 1,000 gallons of home brewing under my belt... I learned in December 2010 that I am allergic to unfiltered beer & have since hung up the carboys & racking canes... I have some great recipes I have tweaked over the years, my favorite being a lagered Oktoberfest... I also have a dynamite ipa recipe, a decent imperial stout & several other ale recipies... if anyone is interested I will share since they're not doing me any good right now


----------



## walrusbt (Jan 10, 2013)

Well I'd love to get some if your favorites, but I'm guessing with that much experience you were doing all grain. I'm still just doing extracts.


----------



## walrusbt (Jan 10, 2013)

Bandit44 said:


> Hard to keep the waistline in check with cases and cases of good beer lying at your fingertips.


That's what I was worried about when I started. I figured I'd be brewing way more than I could drink - hasn't really been a problem yet, but if I had more time on my hands it would be. Sharing it with others and seeing what they think has been one of my favorite parts though.


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

walrusbt said:


> Well I'd love to get some if your favorites, but I'm guessing with that much experience you were doing all grain. I'm still just doing extracts.


I was an extract brewer... I didn't have the time to dedicate to all grain... I will dust off the recipe files & post some here for all to have & use


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

Bandit44 said:


> Hard to keep the waistline in check with cases and cases of good beer lying at your fingertips.


*Disclaimer: i have never tried this, i have done the research & the chemistry is right...

Throw a couple bean-o tablets into your primary fermentation vessel... It is the exact same, chemically, as the method employed by the "big boys" when they create lite beers... Basically, the bean-o will dissolve some of the carbohydrates available in your wort before the yeast can get to them, thus lowering your calories


----------



## walrusbt (Jan 10, 2013)

Thanks! Looking forward to them. Maybe some new recipes I knew were favorites will give me the motivation to find the time to brew!


----------



## walrusbt (Jan 10, 2013)

salgy said:


> *Disclaimer: i have never tried this, i have done the research & the chemistry is right...
> 
> Throw a couple bean-o tablets into your primary fermentation vessel... It is the exact same, chemically, as the method employed by the "big boys" when they create lite beers... Basically, the bean-o will dissolve some of the carbohydrates available in your wort before the yeast can get to them, thus lowering your calories


Interesting. I've never heard of this. I'll have to look into it.


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

my tried & true recipes... all were brewed regularly as part of my "house collection"... for those new to brewing, if you need further explanation on the recipes, please let me know... all recipes are for 5 gallon batches, and the first 2 are named after my dogs (just to avoid any questions)... my typical brewing schedule was: 1 week primary, 2 weeks secondary, 6 weeks bottle conditioning before opening... believe me, it is worth the extra wait...

*Oliver's Pale Ale*: American IPA - 6.2% alcohol, 70 IBU, OG: 1.063, FG: 1.016
6.67 pounds muntons dry light malt
6 ounces cara-pils malt
8 ounces 2-row caramel malt 30L
1.5 ounces centennial hops (10.0%) 60 minutes
1 ounce cascade hops (5.5%) 15 minutes
1 ounce cascade hops (5.5%) 5 minutes
1 ounce cascade hops (5.5%) added dry to secondary
2 ounces oak wood chips - added dry to secondary
A/N Jack Daniels <i would soak the wood chips in enough Jack to cover them to sterilize them>
1 each WYeast 1056 american ale

*Fenway's Amber Ale*: American Amber ale - 5% alcohol, 39 IBU, OG: 1.052, FG: 1.013
6.6 pounds golden light liquid malt extract
.5 pounds 2-row cara-pils malt
1 pound crystal 55
.75 ounces Amarillo hops (8.5%) 60 minutes
.5 ounces East Kent Goldings (5.0%) 30 minutes
1 ounce Cascade (5.5%) 10 minutes
1 ea WYeast 1968 London ESB ale 
* this beer was great on its own & was the basis for a winter beer i would make... i just threw anything into the pot & it would taste good... oranges, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla beans, cloves, whatever... just give it 6 months to mellow before drinking...
*
Moose's Stout*: American Stout - 6.6% alcohol, 47 IBU, OG: 1.067, FG: 1.017
6.67 pounds dark liquid malt extract
1 pound roasted barley
1 pound crystal 120L
1 pound Chocolate Malt
1 pound 2-row cara-pils
.5 pounds British black patent
4 each soured Guinness<*>
2.5 ounces East Kent Goldings (5.0%) 60 minutes
1 each WYeast 1084 Irish Ale
* this beer has great flavor, but the body left something to be desired... it was a little soft when compared to a Guinness... in my notes was to add some dextrine malt, which should fix the problem... i would suggest 1.5 pounds for starters, cutting out the cara-pils above to keep the same alcohol %
<*> to sour Guinness, pour them into a container & leave out, uncovered for 48 hours. 
*
PAiPA*: this beauty is a hop monster that should sit for a full year before opening - 7.25% alcohol, 148 IBU, OG: 1.072, FG: 1.018
10 pounds 2-row brewers malt
2.5 pounds crystal 45L
1.5 pounds dextrine malt
1.5 ounces centennial hops (10%) 90 minutes
1.5 ounces centennial hops (10%) 60 minutes
1.5 ounces cascade (5.5%) 30 minutes
1.5 ounces cascade (5.5%) 10 minutes
1 teaspoon irish moss, 10 minutes
1.5 ounce cascade hops (5.5%) steeped (5 minutes) after boil
1 ounce cascade hops (5.5%) added dry to secondary
2 ounces oak wood chips - added dry to secondary
A/N Jack Daniels <i would soak the wood chips in enough Jack to cover them to sterilize them>
1 each WYeast 1056 american ale
* i would also add 1 ounce of cascade soaked over night in 2 ounces jack daniels into the fermentation bucket with my priming sugar before the final racking to "wet hop" the beer right before bottling... at 9.5 ounces of total hops, this is one of my favorites... if you are unsure whether you are able to handle this, go find & drink a stone ruination beer... if you like it, brew this... if not, don't!

*Spring Training*: American Pale ale - 5.4% alcohol, 22.5 IBU, OG: 1.055, FG: 1.014
6 pounds dry light malt extract
.25 pounds crystal 60L
.75 pounds English wheat malt
1 ounce Fuggle hops (4.8%) 60 minutes
.5 ounce Tettnanger (4.5%) 30 minutes.25 ounce cascade (5.5) 1 minute
1 each WYeast 1272 American Ale II
2 ounces apricot extract added to secondary
* great spring & summer beer...

Saved the best for last... *

Oktoberfest*: European Amber Lager - 6.7% alcohol, 41 IBU, OG: 1.068, FG: 1.017
6.67 pounds amber liquid malt extract
2 pounds dry light malt extract
1 pound crystal 45L
2 ounces Saaz hops (5.0%) 60 minutes
1 ounce Hallertau (4.5%) 5 minutes
1 each WYeast 2308 Munich Lager
* very simple recipe with outstanding results... i brewed this as my "first" lager and it tasted so good i kept it around year round... my lagering schedule was: overnight at room temp, 1 week in plastic at 38*F, secondary fermentation for 4 weeks in old metal kegs at 38*F, i would pull them out to room temp the day before bottling... and then wait 6 weeks before drinking...


----------



## ggleach101 (Dec 17, 2012)

I think I'll try your spring training recipe this weekend. Thanks for posting these.


----------



## walrusbt (Jan 10, 2013)

Thanks! Not sure if I'll try the Oliver's or Spring Training first. Are these for a partial boil? Just making sure if I need to make a slight adjustment for a full boil.


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

walrusbt said:


> Thanks! Not sure if I'll try the Oliver's or Spring Training first. Are these for a partial boil? Just making sure if I need to make a slight adjustment for a full boil.


I always did a full boil, although I was lucky enough to be using a commercial kitchen & had a 30 gallon, 125,000 BTU tilting kettle at my disposal... As long as you use the above amounts, and end up with 5 gallons total yield, it shouldn't matter if you do a full or partial boil... Flavors will be the same


----------



## walrusbt (Jan 10, 2013)

salgy said:


> I always did a full boil, although I was lucky enough to be using a commercial kitchen & had a 30 gallon, 125,000 BTU tilting kettle at my disposal... As long as you use the above amounts, and end up with 5 gallons total yield, it shouldn't matter if you do a full or partial boil... Flavors will be the same


Okay, thanks. I always adjusted the bittering hops down slightly on the full boils since I should be getting better hops utilization (not that I was ever sure it mattered all that much).


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

walrusbt said:


> Okay, thanks. I always adjusted the bittering hops down slightly on the full boils since I should be getting better hops utilization (not that I was ever sure it mattered all that much).


I found that hop utilization is not that important to the outcome... The alpha acid % is a much more important factor in keeping your batches more consistent... I would do the hop schedule above even for a half boil...


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

walrusbt said:


> are these for a partial boil?


One other nugget I will share in regards to partial boils, on occasion a bunch of us would go in on a big (40 gallon) batch of Oliver's... Our 30 gallon kettle would burn off about 6 gallons during the boil, yielding us 24 gallons of wort. We would put 3 gallons of wort into the bottom of 8 fermenters & add a 16 pound bag of ice to each (1 gallon of water weights 8.34 pounds). I am sure someone smarter than me can figure out the exact thermodynamics at work, but 3 gallons hot wort + 16 pounds ice = 5 gallons of wort at about 60*, instantly ready for yeast... If I was still brewing, and brewing at home where space might be limited, I would continue this method on the stove top, using ice to make up the difference in boil off or in the case of a partial boil...


----------



## walrusbt (Jan 10, 2013)

salgy said:


> One other nugget I will share in regards to partial boils, on occasion a bunch of us would go in on a big (40 gallon) batch of Oliver's... Our 30 gallon kettle would burn off about 6 gallons during the boil, yielding us 24 gallons of wort. We would put 3 gallons of wort into the bottom of 8 fermenters & add a 16 pound bag of ice to each (1 gallon of water weights 8.34 pounds). I am sure someone smarter than me can figure out the exact thermodynamics at work, but 3 gallons hot wort + 16 pounds ice = 5 gallons of wort at about 60*, instantly ready for yeast... If I was still brewing, and brewing at home where space might be limited, I would continue this method on the stove top, using ice to make up the difference in boil off or in the case of a partial boil...


Sounds easier than my immersion chiller,


----------



## mdinz (Aug 6, 2012)

Although I have brewed beer in the past, I currently make hard cider and have made a batch every fall for the last 4 years. I buy a good quality drinking cider from a local source before the preservatives are added and combine with cider or champagne yeast, couldn't be simpler. I ferment till its nice and dry and then bottle with a little extra light brown sugar for carbonation.

-cheers!


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

ggleach101 said:


> I think I'll try your spring training recipe this weekend. Thanks for posting these.





walrusbt said:


> Thanks! Not sure if I'll try the Oliver's or Spring Training first.


Did either of you guys end up brewing?


----------



## Ματθαῖος (Jun 17, 2011)

salgy said:


> *Disclaimer: i have never tried this, i have done the research & the chemistry is right...
> 
> Throw a couple bean-o tablets into your primary fermentation vessel... It is the exact same, chemically, as the method employed by the "big boys" when they create lite beers... Basically, the bean-o will dissolve some of the carbohydrates available in your wort before the yeast can get to them, thus lowering your calories


That's very interesting.

I had to do a little more research:

Apparently Beano reduces complex carbohydrates into more simple sugars. So, I assume, you could brew a higher ABV beer with fewer calories.

I wonder how it affects taste?

Matthew


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

Ματθαῖος said:


> I wonder how it affects taste?


I wouldn't think it would affect the flavor much... I think the malt & hops would mask any residual bean-o flavors...

As to the higher ABV, we would probably need to figure out whether complex carbs have more "sugar" than simple sugars... I would guess your ABV would probably be very similar.


----------



## CaligulaStyle (Sep 11, 2012)

Big brewers use a lot of rice for lite beers as well.


----------



## salgy (May 1, 2009)

CaligulaStyle said:


> Big brewers use a lot of rice for lite beers as well.


The big boys use rice and sometimes corn for cost savings, not to lower calories...


----------



## ggleach101 (Dec 17, 2012)

salgy said:


> Did either of you guys end up brewing?


Sadly, no. Rain and cold prevented it. Soon though. At least that's what I keep telling myself.


----------



## nateo (Feb 27, 2013)

I've been brewing beer and mead for maybe 9 years now. Mostly "continental" styles, especially the more esoteric styles that aren't brewed commercially anymore.


----------



## AJLP (Oct 12, 2007)

I've been brewing off and on since 93.currently have a black ipa on tap and plan on brewing a wheat ipa in the next Week (northern brewer's bear cat and t cans wheaten beat down).


Home brew and bow ties are my guilty pleasures.


cheers!


AJ


----------

