Any home brewers here?

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Old Jan 3, 2012 | 10:06 PM
  #16  
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Theres a bunch of norcal homebrewers on the LGT forum iirc.
Old Jan 3, 2012 | 10:25 PM
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Originally Posted by JZ oo7
just bottle it and i'll help you age them. i got Old Guardians from 2009.
I have trained you well!'

FYI, this shall be the "official" homebrew thread of i-club! Recipies, tips, and the whole sha... I mean general chit chat.
Old Jan 4, 2012 | 07:32 AM
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Just added my hops for dry hopping, cant wait to bottle, age, DRINK!
Old Jan 4, 2012 | 09:38 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by buckeyemike75
I've brewed alot of mead in my time. If you want really good mead you will need unpasteurized honey which can be quite expensive for 5 gallons or so. I rarely do meads anymore and just focus on beer because mead needs at least 3 years aging and will taste like rocket fuel for the first year, with beer you can drink it withing 2 months.
I have a local honey farm that I can get unpasteurized honey from and for a decent price if I get a few lbs at a time.

I'm not looking to brew a few gallons, just a gallon or so the first time, best not to waste if I don't like it.

As far as aging goes, after you bottle it you just leave it there to age correct? It is not like whiskey where it needs to age in a barrel?
Old Jan 4, 2012 | 09:55 AM
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Just got of the phone with a winery about letting a group of brewers use their kitchen and fill a barrel than age it in their cellar for a year or two. Any one interested? More info to follow after I talk with the owner.
Old Jan 4, 2012 | 05:13 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Hoofus
I have a local honey farm that I can get unpasteurized honey from and for a decent price if I get a few lbs at a time.

I'm not looking to brew a few gallons, just a gallon or so the first time, best not to waste if I don't like it.

As far as aging goes, after you bottle it you just leave it there to age correct? It is not like whiskey where it needs to age in a barrel?
Once it ferments up you want to rack off the lees and into another vessel and just leave it there to age, you can check it every 6 months to see if the mead still tastes like rocket fuel.
Old Jan 4, 2012 | 05:31 PM
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<<<<<<< (takes Mr.Beer kit aside...)

I'll show myself out.


(lol. will lurk to learn more, have always wanted to try my hand a brewing a batch)
Old Jan 4, 2012 | 06:37 PM
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Originally Posted by queeg9k
Just got of the phone with a winery about letting a group of brewers use their kitchen and fill a barrel than age it in their cellar for a year or two. Any one interested? More info to follow after I talk with the owner.
depends on how much.
Old Jan 4, 2012 | 07:44 PM
  #24  
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I did a California IPA and an American Brown Ale. Both kit beers, I got all my stuff from More Beer in Los Altos.
Old Jan 4, 2012 | 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by queeg9k
Just got of the phone with a winery about letting a group of brewers use their kitchen and fill a barrel than age it in their cellar for a year or two. Any one interested? More info to follow after I talk with the owner.
Sounds great! Like said, depends on how much. Also would it be a used barrel or new and then what beer would be best?
Old Jan 5, 2012 | 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by JZ oo7
depends on how much.
Originally Posted by IHeartE30s
Sounds great! Like said, depends on how much. Also would it be a used barrel or new and then what beer would be best?
I do not know how much yet, waiting to talk to the owner. I was thinking getting a group together and making a HUGE batch. The winery has an industrial kitchen. Perhaps payment could be make two barrels and the vineyard gets one?

New or used barrel, I have seen people do it in used wine/bourbon barrels. I am sure they could get us a new one though.

As for type I was thinking a porter?
Old Jan 5, 2012 | 09:55 AM
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Originally Posted by buckeyemike75
Once it ferments up you want to rack off the lees and into another vessel and just leave it there to age, you can check it every 6 months to see if the mead still tastes like rocket fuel.
Thanks , I think I'll start putting things together for a 'kit'. Though it's going to be slow going as I'm in the process of taking my 01 Legacy L to an 01 Legacy EG33L
Old Jan 5, 2012 | 10:17 AM
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Originally Posted by queeg9k
As for type I was thinking a porter?
IPA in oak for me.
Old Jan 5, 2012 | 10:27 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by JZ oo7
IPA in oak for me.
Sounds good to me! New or used barrel? wine or bourbon? Charred or not?
Old Jan 5, 2012 | 10:46 AM
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Got a question for y'all.
How does one know how much yeast to use when brewing?
Say I go to make a gallon of mead, how do I know how much yeast to use for the 2lbs of honey? Or will they multiply until the sugar is gone and then die off?

I imagine the more yeast the quicker it will start the process, the less yeast the longer it will take correct? Is there anything other than sugar that yeast needs to live?



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