fat n happy
Assistant Cook
do any of you good people know anything about beer making . i want to start but have no clue :roll: on how to start or even where to start . i like darker beers if that matters . thanx for you help fatnhappy
beer making made easy
- Thread starter fat n happy
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do any of you good people know anything about beer making . i want to start but have no clue :roll: on how to start or even where to start . i like darker beers if that matters . thanx for you help fatnhappy
ronjohn55
Head Chef
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2004
- Messages
- 2,080
**do any of you good people know anything about beer making **
Far, Far more than I need to (And Much MUCH more than my wife thinks I should).....
Making beer is really pretty easy, especially if you want to start with just extract kits. From there you can move into different types of specialty grains (Think of them as seasoning you add to the base malt), and then eventually there's 'all-grain' brewing, where you're making beer like the big guys do, just on a much smaller scale.
There are a couple of good books on the subject - The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing (a new edition just came out), and Dave Miller's Homebrewing Guide is another good starting book.
I see you're in Ohio, there are several good homebrew stores in Ohio that you can pick from, any of which can help you on your way.
There are also scads of internet sites with tons of info (some good, some not so good), the biggest is the Hombrew Digest
Dark beers are some of the easiest to make, so you're in good shape there. Feel free to email more if you want more info (or post away on the site, maybe someone else will want to know, too!!).
John
Dearborn, MI
Head Maniac, Geneva Street Homebrewery
Far, Far more than I need to (And Much MUCH more than my wife thinks I should).....
Making beer is really pretty easy, especially if you want to start with just extract kits. From there you can move into different types of specialty grains (Think of them as seasoning you add to the base malt), and then eventually there's 'all-grain' brewing, where you're making beer like the big guys do, just on a much smaller scale.
There are a couple of good books on the subject - The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing (a new edition just came out), and Dave Miller's Homebrewing Guide is another good starting book.
I see you're in Ohio, there are several good homebrew stores in Ohio that you can pick from, any of which can help you on your way.
There are also scads of internet sites with tons of info (some good, some not so good), the biggest is the Hombrew Digest
Dark beers are some of the easiest to make, so you're in good shape there. Feel free to email more if you want more info (or post away on the site, maybe someone else will want to know, too!!).
John
Dearborn, MI
Head Maniac, Geneva Street Homebrewery
tancowgirl2000
Head Chef
My ex thought he was such a good beer maker...well so did my father...of course neither of these two ever exchanged more than three words in 9 years. But here was the arguement....
Should you bottle in plastic or glass.
Plastic breathes, and glass lets the light in. Dark glass is my choice but what ever...that was never something that counted. So what would you think is better...
Plastic, clear glass, dark glass.....
Should you bottle in plastic or glass.
Plastic breathes, and glass lets the light in. Dark glass is my choice but what ever...that was never something that counted. So what would you think is better...
Plastic, clear glass, dark glass.....
ronjohn55
Head Chef
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2004
- Messages
- 2,080
Well, for the most part I keg my beers in old 5 gallon soda kegs...
But I prefer brown glass bottles for when I do bottle. They're easier to clean and sanitize, and I think it's just more 'proper', so to speak. Especially since the beers that I generally do bottle are bigger beers that have the ability to cellar well for several years, much like wine.
John
Dearborn, MI
But I prefer brown glass bottles for when I do bottle. They're easier to clean and sanitize, and I think it's just more 'proper', so to speak. Especially since the beers that I generally do bottle are bigger beers that have the ability to cellar well for several years, much like wine.
John
Dearborn, MI
tancowgirl2000
Head Chef
Any body else with thier opinion?
Bangbang
Executive Chef
Ok...I have found that there is no need for the secondary fermenter. The nore you expose your beer to air the better chance you will ruin the batch. Use glass only glass. Make sure you use the proper yeast for the type of beer you are using and sanitize everything with bleach. Its cheap and it works. I have also found that I do not have to boil the wort as long as I keep it up to 180 degrees(pastueriziing) for about 15 minutes. This avoids boil overs. Always watch your beer during heating to avoid a boil over.
ronjohn55
Head Chef
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2004
- Messages
- 2,080
Bangbang said:
Sometimes there is a need for secondary fermenters, especially with lagers (Need to get the beer off the inactive yeast / trub to avoid off flavors). For ales, especially quick ines like a special bitter, you're absolutely right. Cask ale finishes fermenting in the cask, which provides the slight carbonation.
I too prefer glass carboys, but do have plastic buckets that I use for primary ferements with no problems.
For the shorter boil, I wonder if you are using hopped extract? I brew all grain, and would have trouble getting the hop untilazation I need. I do know of extract brewers that do shorter boils though.
Just like everything else in brewing, if you're happy with your results, do what works for you!
John
