Homebrewers Roll-Call

[ddow229]

Hey now,
I am new to the forums and smoking meats but I am a long time homebrewer. I brewed extracts and partial mash for about 15-20 years but decided to switch over and take real control of my beer about 5 years ago when I started all grain. In that time I have had several fails and twice as many successes., The latest success is a Belgian Dark Strong Ale that was voted best of show in a competition a couple of weeks ago against 138 other beers. I am pretty excited by that. I am experimenting with pressurized fermentation as I live in Missouri where it is not the best lager yeast country. I did a Dortmunder Export that came out pretty well using this method and have a doppel bock that is in the fermenter right now.
I like brewing the base styles. I figure if I can't make a good pilsner, why would I make one and throw all kinds of flavor at it only to have the base beer fail. I mostly keg but throw stuff into bottles for the competitions.

 

[hitechredneck]

Brewing for 4 years. Hill Country Hoppers is our local homebrew club here in the Texas Hill Country.
I mostly brew Blondes, Mexican Lagers, and some normal Pale Ales, and some IPAs. I brew 5 gallon batches and use a Spike Trio system. I just upgraded my cold-side to a Spike conical CF5 as well. I don't have possession of it yet, but my next brew-day will include that sweet addition... The Trio makes brewing a true pleasure and a lot of fun.

 

[Wet Spaniel]

I’ve just got a brew on for the first time in a looong while. As soon as this one is out of the fermenter I’m going to get another on the go - it’s about time to have some friends over and have some beers and barbecue.

 

[RodneyPayne]

Hey, getting back into brewing. Having friends over for a barbecue and some beers sounds like the perfect way to enjoy the summer. Have you ever considered trying your hand at wine making too? Wine making kits are becoming increasingly popular and they're a great way to produce quality wine from the comfort of your own home. If you're interested, you might want to check out this website I stumbled upon https://www.wineonlinestore.co.uk/. They have a great selection of wine making kits to choose from. Not an ad, guys. My dad and I have been doing wine making for about 15 years, so it's just a friendly recommendation. Anyway, thanks for letting me in. I hope we'll manage to keep this thread updated.

 

[broozer]

Just joined the SMF yesterday, and I'm pleased to find a homebrewing thread here as well.

My wife bought me a kit over 20 years ago, and I've been brewing ever since. It didn't take me long to decide to build my own system, a tower on wheels that I can move outside to my covered patio. It's all gravity feed, with a pump for water transfer only, and an ancient Phil's/Listerman sparger. Nothing fancy; I like to keep things simple.

I bottled at first, but not anymore, except for big stuff like barleywines and Scotch ales. Years ago I bought the cheapest Home Depot fridge I could and converted it to a kegerator. If you brew a lot, kegging is the way to go.

We grow Centennial hops horizontally along our deck on a wire. My gardener wife trains them to run along the wire and it works well. I usually harvest about a pound for fresh hop ale every year.

My latest two brews have been a Cold IPA, using this recipe, with one change:

Cold IPA Recipe

My cold IPA recipe is super crushable and citrus-forward. Almost like a dry-hopped American light lager with more flavor.

hazyandhoppy.com

I dry hopped in the primary during high krausen, as I had read about after searching a few recipes online.
It's deceptively strong, with huge hop aroma, but light bitterness, and went from 1062 to 1010 in 5 days. Cold crashed for a week, then into the keg. It's now my favorite brew to date.

I hope to hear from fellow brewers, and share brewing tips and tricks.

 

[02ebz06]

Very nice!!! Used to have a kegerator years ago, one I made from a fridge and later one I bought.
Never got the urge to brew my own though.
I do drink my share.

 

[ddow229]

I li

Just joined the SMF yesterday, and I'm pleased to find a homebrewing thread here as well.

My wife bought me a kit over 20 years ago, and I've been brewing ever since. It didn't take me long to decide to build my own system, a tower on wheels that I can move outside to my covered patio. It's all gravity feed, with a pump for water transfer only, and an ancient Phil's/Listerman sparger. Nothing fancy; I like to keep things simple.

I like your three tier. I have one I am sketching right now that is similar. I haven't been as active brewing lately as I got an air still for Christmas. Way into that science now.

 

[Jtexans4]

I haven’t brewed in over a year since my daughter was born, but now that she’s 1 and things are in more of a routine, I just placed a grain order for two beers to brew next weekend. A mosaic ipa and a citra session ipa. Before my daughter was born, I bought a new electric system from Clawhammer Supply but have only used it twice so far. Finally getting the itch back!

 

[broozer]

Latest brew, a British-style ESB. Bitter in the milder British sense, nothing like an American IPA, with nice caramel. I used Imperial A09 Pub yeast, and the gravity dropped like a bomb in 5 days and is clear as a bell:

 

[uechikid]

I haven’t visited the page in a long while. I just got an email notification so I thought I’d check in. I stopped brewing and drinking a few years ago for health reasons. Man I miss brewing!
I see some really nice clever setups. Nice work.

 

[02ebz06]

Making me thirsty...

 

[ddow229]

I brewed a Boulevard Tank 7 clone last month and it pretty awesome. I also entered into a wort challenge through a local brewery and bought ten gallons of wort. 5 gallons I hopped with about 10 ounces of old hops I have had for a couple of years. I just bottled it and it didn't tastes not bad. The other five gallons are getting distilled. We shall see how that turns out.

I am doing a big brew day beer for a club competition with some clubs in Colorado next weekend. hoping it goes well.

 

[uechikid]

My staple was a hearty IPA. But my favorite was a Pyramid Snowcap clone. I only made that a couple times a year. It was a lot more work that an IPA. It required a lot of grain. Did I say I miss it?

 

[ddow229]

My staple was a hearty IPA. But my favorite was a Pyramid Snowcap clone. I only made that a couple times a year. It was a lot more work that an IPA. It required a lot of grain. Did I say I miss it?

I run in phase. Last year in the first nine months I drank nothing homebrew. The. The end of the year and into February I didn’t brew a drop. I start distilling last year and I haven’t bought a whiskey in a year. I did get gifted a nice bottle Four Roses though.

I really like the big brews. I used to make a doppel bock every year. I need to again.

I am sorry we are teasing you!

 

[uechikid]

No problem. I lost a bunch of weight, got back in shape and, I havent had a gout flair up in four years. I wouldn’t trade how I feel now for brewing again.