Is Anyone Into Homebrewing?

Discussion in 'Beer Forum' started by Drukenduty, Jan 30, 2016.

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  1. Drukenduty

    Drukenduty New Member

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    I've seen it on TV and movies, and it seems like the equipment doesn't take too much space.
    A couple of 7 gallon buckets, some tubing, a bottle capper, and you're pretty much set.

    How much of an undertaking are we talking here?
    How long till you get a batch ready?
    Is the beer just awful?

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts folks!
     
  2. cortana

    cortana New Member

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    Spent $100 on the make your own beer kit and threw it in the trash. I saw all the work needed and how long it would take and I knew right then and there that walking down the street to pick up a case of beer in ten minutes is the safer thing to do!
     
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  3. Drukenduty

    Drukenduty New Member

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    It's not like I'm trying to never buying beer again...
    There's just something sexy to brewing your own.

    How long did it take for each batch from start to end?
    What was the worst part of it in your opinion?
     
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  4. FuZyOn

    FuZyOn Active Member

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    Homebrewing is probably better in terms of taste, I would love to start doing it in the near future. It doesn't seem too expensive.
     
  5. Sue

    Sue Active Member

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    Many years ago my mom and dad use to be into homebrewing. I was too young back then to enjoy it but I remember them storing it in the attic to set. One year it got too hot and the caps all blew off the bottles. Our house smelled like a brewery for quite some time after that. lol
     
  6. thash1979

    thash1979 New Member

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    I am wondering the same thing. Me and my husband got a beer kit for Christmas, and have yet to crack into it. Wondering if anyone has tried these kits that are sold in stores? If so, how well did the beer taste and was it a total mess to make?
     
  7. SirJoe

    SirJoe Active Member

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    I was really enthusiastic about starting brewing, but then saw all the work involved and the amount of time I would have to wait before I could enjoy it.
    I think if you have the time and do it as a hobby it can be worth while but if you are thinking of doing it in order not to go down the store and buy some you are going to have to have a lot of patience.
     
  8. crimsonghost747

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    I have a friend who brews his own, it's a very rare thing though, he did it now and the last I remember it was years and years ago. But yeah, it's not THAT complicated.

    It's, of course, not worth the effort in terms of taste. Quite frankly it didn't even taste good. :D But if you see it as more of a hobby then go ahead and give it a try.
     
  9. Sue

    Sue Active Member

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    I have had beer that other people brewed and it was okay but it does not compare to the beer you buy at the liquor stores. It is a good hobby though and it a great Christmas gift when Christmas rolls around next year or for birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
     
  10. thash1979

    thash1979 New Member

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    I agree that it is a great gift but is time consuming. We have cracked the box open to it several times, and after reading all we have to do, we literally just get in the car and drive to the liquor store! I don't have time to take a bath longer than 10 minutes with my little ones running around, not alone spend a few hours on making a glass of beer!
     
  11. Daddy-O

    Daddy-O Active Member

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    Naw, I never had the patience to really do it. In adulthood, I've almost always worked long hours and time to unwind with some beer was just that. That and some of the home-made beers, ales, etc., I've had over the years were truly ghastly. They may have been the exception, but still ...
     
  12. Molly Brougham

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    A few years back, I bought my fiance the "Mr. Beer" home brewing kit for Christmas. It is an extremely simple introduction to home brewing. He made one batch of a light ale. It turned out okay but we like darker brews. After his first batch, he accidentally destroyed the brewing container by putting it in the dishwasher!

    Long story short, I think home brewing is an adventure worth pursuing. Once you get the hang of it, you can start brewing some pretty sophisticated beer. For example, you can start experimenting with fruit flavors, spices, and even adding liquor. If you are interested, try it out!

    I recommend purchasing equipment that is easy to wash, like buckets and glass. If you don't, AT LEAST, pay attention to the washing instructions!
     
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  13. Sue

    Sue Active Member

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    I went to this shooter crawl one year at this campground we were tenting at. The idea is everybody prepares a traye or two of shooters and you go from site to site and have one. We were pretty wasted by the time we got to the last site where there was a a huge all night party. Anyway what I was getting at was we went to this one site and this woman makes all her own liquors. Omg they were so good and very potent.
     
  14. SirJoe

    SirJoe Active Member

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    Sorry to hear that. It sounded like you where really getting into it. I think that the appeal to home brewing is exactly what you mentioned, experimenting with different tastes.
     
  15. Terry

    Terry Member

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    It rеquirеs thаt yоu саn rеаd аnd fоllоw а prесisе simplе сооking rесipе. Hеrе is whаt it tаkеs fоr еxtrасt brеwing:
    Yоu'll put а mеаsurеd аmоunt оf wаtеr intо а pоt, bring it tо а bоil, аdd mеаsurеd ingrеdiеnts, аdd а tеаbаg full оf hоps, bоil fоr thе spесifiеd timе, сооl еvеrything оff.
    Yоu nееd wеigh аnd/оr mеаsurе ассurаtеly
    usе а thеrmоmеtеr
    Thе оthеr сritiсаl pаrt is sаnitаtiоn - yоu wаsh just аbоut еvеrything bеfоrе yоu usе it, thеn аgаin аftеrwаrds. Yоu will stеrilizе а fеw things with sаnitizеr.
    Mоst pеоplе аrе unfаmiliаr with hаndling livе yеаst, but if yоu fоllоw thе instruсtiоns yоu will bе finе
    Yоu nееd а smаll аmоunt оf spесiаl еquipmеnt - аirlосks fоr yоur fеrmеntеr, а bоttlе саppеr аnd а bоttlе fillеr, things likе thаt.
    yоu nееd а plасе tо stоrе yоur fеrmеntеr whilе thе bееr is fеrmеnting - а plасе thаt is nеithеr tоо hоt nоr tоо соld.
     
  16. AlexZ

    AlexZ Member

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    It's rеаlly nоt vеry hаrd tо gеt stаrtеd, but yоu саn dеfinitеly mаkе it аs соmpliсаtеd аs yоu wаnt, frоm thеrе.
    Thе mоst bаsiс аpprоасh tаkеs а fеw hоurs, but it rеаlly just invоlvеs bоiling а fеw gаllоns оf wаtеr, сооling it, аnd thеn саrеfully trаnsfеrring it intо а plаstiс buсkеt аnd сlеаning up аftеrwаrds. Thеrе's оthеr stuff yоu оbviоusly nееd tо dо аrоund thаt, likе thrоw in thе hоps аnd mаlt syrup, but it's аll prеtty strаightfоrwаrd. Thеrе's а tоn оf grеаt еxplаnаtiоns fоr bеginnеrs оut thеrе, bеginning with thе Pаlmеr аnd Pаpаziаn bооks, but аlsо а hugе аnd grоwing librаry оf hоw-tо-brеw соntеnt оut оn thе Intеrnеt.
     
  17. Stephens

    Stephens Member

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    Exactly! Оnсе yоu'vе mаstеrеd thаt simplеst аpprоасh, yоu саn dеfinitеly stаrt tо аdd tесhniсаl соmplеxity tо yоur prосеss, but yоu dоn't nееd tо stаrt thаt wаy, аnd yоu саn dеfinitеly rеfinе yоur tесhniquе аt yоur оwn pасе. Thе vаst mаjоrity оf hоmеbrеwеrs just stаrt in thеir kitсhеns, аnd mаny hаppy, suссеssful brеwеrs nеvеr lеаvе.
     
  18. rz3300

    rz3300 Member

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    I really wish that there was some sort of middle ground between investing all the time and money and just reading about it. I am sure that there is somewhere, but nothing too easy to just get a good hands on experience.
     
  19. DR KOKIL AGARWAL

    DR KOKIL AGARWAL Active Member

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    I have never ever thought of brewing at my own place. Is is really so easy as it sounds?

    I believe that nothing is easy and each and everything requires a lot of study, time , money as well as energy. I think this is definitely not my cup of tea.
     
  20. FolkArtist

    FolkArtist Member

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    Yes, I guess some people would be brewing their own beer these days but who has the time-but then again, can't you make some really good craft beer for pretty cheap? Its been legal to brew your own beer since Jimmy Carter signed a bill in 1979-and also making your own beer,cost they say about 65 cents a beer,which does sound like a reason to start brewing some craft beer. Making your own craft beer seems really creative which is cool as well.
     

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