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more bier questions for soraFollow

#1 Oct 18 2007 at 7:27 PM Rating: Good
i enjoy a good homebrew from time to time and i think it is about time i break out my kit and make some more bier.

in the past i have done the following brews:

amber (turned out great at about 6% ALC/VOL with a great deep red color, excelent flavor and smell, but a bit to much head. head was close to 3in on a 12oz pore)

2nd try at amber (spoiled, i must of got something in it as the yeast never did its job. still was semi ok to drink but only at about 3 - 4% ALC/VOL) bad contamination If i had to guess.

Pilsner pale ale (turned out perfect. my 2nd best brew to date) good head, color, clearity, smell, and head. all around good bier. no clue what the ALC/VOL was on it.

amber 3rd try. turned out better then the first batch, but lower ALC/VOL only at 5% or so. still was a very good brew.

oatmeal stout. last batch (about 4 years ago or so) best batch EVER. perfect in every way. color, clerity, taste, head, smell, flavor, thickness was unreal, and at just under 8% ALC/VOL also my strongest brew.

what i would like to try to make this time around is something like several of your links in the 10 - 20% ALC/VOL range. now from reading some updated stuff on brewing i need more malt, but i do not want to lose the flavor of the hops. have you brewed, do you have any tips for this, also i will NOT be able to cold brew as i do not have a place in my house that i can keep under 50F. lowest i can keep a place in my house is around 78F or so, i might be able to pull off a small area of 75F or so. so an ale or porter would be best.

suggestions, comments, etc... would be great.

many thanks


FYI all of the past have been kit brews, never from scratch. i am not opposed to going from scratch, but am more confident with a kit.
#2 Oct 19 2007 at 4:05 AM Rating: Good
I have yet to get into Home Brewing. Making a 10-20% Alc beers is tough even for advanced folks.

If I were you I'd stick with the Oatmeal Stout A) Its one of my favorite styles B) If you can get it @ 8% Alc thats pretty darn good.
#3 Oct 19 2007 at 4:10 AM Rating: Good
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Sora, I have to recommend to you once more, should you ever come to NS, or possibly NB as they may carry it, you have to visit the Garrison Brewery and try everything they have. Had their Raspberry Wheat last night and was amazingly surprised how good it was considering how sweet it was. They just don't miss when it comes to beer.
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#4 Oct 19 2007 at 4:14 AM Rating: Good
Uglysasquatch, Mercenary Major wrote:
Sora, I have to recommend to you once more, should you ever come to NS, or possibly NB as they may carry it, you have to visit the Garrison Brewery and try everything they have. Had their Raspberry Wheat last night and was amazingly surprised how good it was considering how sweet it was. They just don't miss when it comes to beer.


Ohhh Gelato!


The Stout and Moka Ale look delicious! Actually I am interested in a Moka ALe, don't think I have even heard of a Coffee Beaned Ale (its usually in a Stout or Porter)
#5 Oct 19 2007 at 4:20 AM Rating: Excellent
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I'm not sure, but I think you could probably special order them. Or, if we could figure out how to, I could send you some. Not sure how the law works with sending cross border between Canada and the US. It tends to be more lax than when sending to other countries. Almost certain they have a variety pack too.
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#6 Oct 19 2007 at 4:22 AM Rating: Excellent
This is the US, they'll think its a 6 Pack of Anthrax and bomb Canada.

I do state to state shipping but I am not messing with Customs.
#7 Oct 19 2007 at 4:49 AM Rating: Good
His Excellency Soracloud wrote:
This is the US, they'll think its a 6 Pack of Anthrax and bomb Canada.

I do state to state shipping but I am not messing with Customs.


hear hear
#8 Oct 19 2007 at 4:51 AM Rating: Good
His Excellency Soracloud wrote:
I have yet to get into Home Brewing. Making a 10-20% Alc beers is tough even for advanced folks.

If I were you I'd stick with the Oatmeal Stout A) Its one of my favorite styles B) If you can get it @ 8% Alc thats pretty darn good.


ahh, well ill keep checking around. there has to be a great homebrew store in this area. last time i ordered from Seattle and prior to that i had one of the best places over in the Tampa area called Worms Way.
#9 Oct 19 2007 at 4:54 AM Rating: Excellent
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Well, I have 2 trips to the US in the next 2-3 weeks, so on the first trip, I'll see what the policy on crossing the border with alcohol is and if its kosher, I'll bring some with me on the 2nd trip and mail it to you from where I'm going.
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#10 Oct 19 2007 at 4:55 AM Rating: Good
Uglysasquatch, Mercenary Major wrote:
Well, I have 2 trips to the US in the next 2-3 weeks, so on the first trip, I'll see what the policy on crossing the border with alcohol is and if its kosher, I'll bring some with me on the 2nd trip and mail it to you from where I'm going.


Smiley: yippee
#11 Oct 19 2007 at 5:02 AM Rating: Excellent
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Btw, exactly how do you mail someone beer? Fedex/UPS? Can you actually trust them not to toss it around?
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#12 Oct 19 2007 at 5:04 AM Rating: Good
Uglysasquatch, Mercenary Major wrote:
Btw, exactly how do you mail someone beer? Fedex/UPS? Can you actually trust them not to toss it around?


I send it UPS, pack it nice and tight and tell them its a nice collection of Glassware. Haven't had one break yet and I sent two cases down to Hawaii for my Honeymoon, no problems at all.
#13 Oct 19 2007 at 5:13 AM Rating: Good
His Excellency Soracloud wrote:
Uglysasquatch, Mercenary Major wrote:
Btw, exactly how do you mail someone beer? Fedex/UPS? Can you actually trust them not to toss it around?


I send it UPS, pack it nice and tight and tell them its a nice collection of Glassware. Haven't had one break yet and I sent two cases down to Hawaii for my Honeymoon, no problems at all.


yeah have done the same thing. plenty of popcorn packing or the newer air packs work great for protecting the bottles. also tell them it is glass and it will get marked properly. have not used FedEx, but have used UPS several times with no problem.

FYI do not ship USPS as they now inspect, open, read, make copies, etc... of anything shipped. this mainly applies to digital media sent so far as the reading of material and what not, but still i do not trust the USPS for anything other then paying my bills that i do not have set to auto pay out of my account.
#14 Oct 19 2007 at 11:43 AM Rating: Good
just picked up the ingredients for an Imperial stout (extract). i plan on brewing it either tomorrow or late on Sunday. I am guessing about 3 - 4hr brew time including clean up, then a 2 - 3 month ferment time before i can bottle and let age before drinking.

i am hopping to have it ready around the Christmas new years break. i may just crack one open then ready or not. ill post on it as i do the steps, maybe even make a web directory on my site with pics as we brew and what not.

Sora were do you live?
#15 Oct 19 2007 at 11:46 AM Rating: Good
Singdall wrote:
just picked up the ingredients for an Imperial stout (extract). i plan on brewing it either tomorrow or late on Sunday. I am guessing about 3 - 4hr brew time including clean up, then a 2 - 3 month ferment time before i can bottle and let age before drinking.

i am hopping to have it ready around the Christmas new years break. i may just crack one open then ready or not. ill post on it as i do the steps, maybe even make a web directory on my site with pics as we brew and what not.

Sora were do you live?


Alright! Good luck Singdall! Thats a good choice Smiley: thumbsup


I live in NJ.
#16 Oct 19 2007 at 11:46 AM Rating: Good
What you all need to do now, is go out and buy a nice big bottle of Green Goblin Cider and put it in the fridge and then drink it tomorrow.
#17 Oct 19 2007 at 11:56 AM Rating: Decent
have not seen any of that... i have seen the pumpkin ale mentioned above. i might pick up a bit o that tonight to drink after classes though.

NJ, hmm 3 - 5 days ground UPS... might have a brew for ya when it is ready sora. would love your feedback on how it comes out.
#18 Oct 19 2007 at 12:19 PM Rating: Decent
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Can anyone recommend a good starting kit for home brewing? I make muscadine wine every year but haven't gotten into beer. I have a friend who cooks his own whiskey but I don't live in the woods like he does lol.
#19 Oct 19 2007 at 12:20 PM Rating: Good
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His Excellency Soracloud wrote:
Uglysasquatch, Mercenary Major wrote:
Btw, exactly how do you mail someone beer? Fedex/UPS? Can you actually trust them not to toss it around?


I send it UPS, pack it nice and tight and tell them its a nice collection of Glassware. Haven't had one break yet and I sent two cases down to Hawaii for my Honeymoon, no problems at all.


All that bubble wrap you had in mine was kick *** Smiley: lol
#20 Oct 19 2007 at 12:38 PM Rating: Good
erdrickalso wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good starting kit for home brewing? I make muscadine wine every year but haven't gotten into beer. I have a friend who cooks his own whiskey but I don't live in the woods like he does lol.


Basic homebrew kit a nice little step up.

list of good basic brew kits.

http://www.monsterbrew.com/index.cfm

the homepage for that site.

there are loads of good places to look and learn. also i would suggest doing a google search like this: homebrew zip (put your zip code in there) and find a local store that has supplies. most places that sell homebrew kits and ingredients also have people who have brewed several batches and are willing to help you learn how.

short directions for brewing a bier is simple:

1. boil malt
2. add hops
3. cool wort
4. add sugars and what not
5. add to fermenter add yeast and store until ready (between 2 - 4 weeks)
6. bottle
7. age between 2 - 8 weeks
8. drink

there are a few steps missing but that is basically all there is to it. easier to make bier then wine, but just like making wine, cleanliness is next to godliness. so keep things as clean as possible and enjoy the work as you go along.
#21 Oct 19 2007 at 2:39 PM Rating: Decent
here ya go, detailed directions for a generic brew:

1. if you are using liquid yeast it is necessary to start your yeast a day to several days before you start to brew. see the package for instructions (i have never used liquid yeast)

2. about 2 hr before brewing put 4 gal of good quality water in your freezer (allow enough time to get very cold, but not quite frozen) FYI pure H2O from the store is best unless you have good quality natural spring water handy. more impurities in the water the worst your brew will taste if it comes out at all.

3. wash, rinse, and sanatize all equipement that will touch your bier. for sanitizing you may use household bleach at one teaspoon per gallon or amberdyne at 1/2 tsp. per gal. i just use the bleach, but i use 1/2 CUP to 1 gallon of water. either way rinse several times in cold water.

4. bring one gallon of good quality water to 160F in your brew pot. add gypsum if required (this is something i have never had to do. it is for dealing with hardwater i ALWAYS use bottled water when brewing) pour this water into the insulated cooler and add your cracked grains. (this is if you are not using a liquid syrup to start your wort) put the lid on the cooler and let it steep for 60min. if a cooler is not available leave in your brew pot, add grains and cover. (this is making the wort)

5. in an other pot, 15 min. before the grains are done steeping, bring one gallon of good quality drinking water to 170F (again i ALWAYS use bottled water and never tap)

6. place funnel on top of priming bucket, insert filter and place a colander on top of funnel.

7. pour grain and water (now called wort) through the colander and funnel extracting the wort from your grain. you will notice the liquid backs up in teh funnel due to fine particles that clog the filter.

8. lift one side of the colander and using your brew spoon, gently scrape the filter until all the liquid has drained.

9. remove the clogged filter and dump the sediment off it. replace the filter and lower the colander back into place.

10. take the 170F water and pour it slowly over the grain in the colander to sparge (wash) all the wort trapped in the grain.

11. pour the strained wort out of the priming bucket into your brew pot.

12. add your malt extract and stir well until it is completely dissolved. place pot on burner and bring the dissolved extract and liquid to a boil. boil for 1 hour adding hops, as your recipe requires. during the boil your recipe amy call for the addition of other adjuncts and/or additives such as irish moss, gypsum, specialty sugars, as well other hoping. just add at the times the recipe requires.

13. at the end of your one hour of boiling, remove the pot and place it in a sink full of water. (i use my bathtub as the more cool water you have the faster it will cool the wort) this will start cooling your wort.

14. fill your carboy (or plastic furmenter) with 2 gal of near freezing water. this is to further cool the wort before you add the yeast. if the wort + water are too hot it will KILL the yeast.

15. strain the wort through the colander and large funnel with filter screen into the carboy. if you are using pellet hops do not strain with colander and screen, just pour right into the carboy using the funnel alone.

16. add enough water to the carboy to fill it almost to the top. place sanitized solid rubber stopper on carboy and shake well. at this point you may notice some solids forming in your beer this is called "cold break." these are proteins that fall out of solution and settle to the bottom of your beer comes to an even temperature. this helps prevent "chill haze" and should give you a nice clear beer.

17. take a temperature and hydrometer reading.

18. if your beer temperature is below 80F pitch (add) your yeast. DO NOT add your yeast until the temp is BELOW 80F. top off the carboy completely with cold water.

19. insert end of blowoff tube in carboy. place other end in bucket of water (end should be under water 1in). put carboy tube and bucket in a cool dark place. using the "swamp" method is recommended in warmer ares to help lower fermentation temp. (i also just use a bubbler lock for this step instead of the tube and cup) although i WILL be trying out the swamp method for this brew.

20. "the swamp" the ideal temperature for most ales is 68 - 70F (was cooler then my house) to help achieve this you can place your carboy in a large basin or tub (we call this a swamp). fill the basic with about 4in fo water. wrap a dark towel around the carboy and soak it with water. the water from the basin will wash up about half way up the towel, the upper portion of the tower will have to be soaked every day. the evaporating water will drop the temperature of the carboy 4 - 10 degrees and will help your beer considerably.

21. fermentation should begin within a day eventually "barm" or the froth on top of your fermenting beer will blow off through the tube leaving a little behind. when the foam stops flowing through the tube, remove the tube replace with the airlock. this should happen after 3 or 4 days.

22. you can test for complete fermentation in one of two ways. when time between bubbles in the airlock is 2min or greater, you can take a hydrometer reading. take an other 24h later, if the two readins are the same, fermentation is complete. the alternative is to assume that when the time between bubbles is 2 min or greater, fermentation is complete. this reduces the risk of infection from multiple hydrometer readings.

23. another clue that fermentation is complete is to notice the clarity of your beer. it will begin as a cloudy or milky liquid and will slowly clear from top to bottom. when it is clear all the way to the bottom fermentation is usually done. this will take between 10 - 21 days.

bottling instructions

1. begin by washing, sanitizing and rinsing enough bottles to hold 5gal of beer. then sanitize all other equipment.

2. soak your bottle caps in sanitizing solution.

3. take a final hydrometer reading of sample from carboy.

4. boil 3/4 cup corn sugar in one cup of water and pour into priming bucket. using your racking tube and tubing siphon the beer out of your carboy into your priming bucket leaving all sediment behind. you will leave between 1/2in - 3in behind. it is WORTH leaving this mess behind, if you do not it can make the flavor of the beer a bit fuzzy and gritty.

5. rinse your racking tube and hose and attach it to the spigot at the bottom of your priming bucket. place bucket on your counter top. attach bottle filler to other end of the tubing and open the spigot. the bottle filler is a spring loaded tube that is as deep as the average 12oz long neck bottle. makes for more uniform filling.

6. place filler all the way down into each bottle until it touches the bottom of the bottle. press the filler down against the bottom of the bottle. the bottle will start to fill. fill the bottle to the VERY top, when you remove the filler the liquid will drop to the proper level. you need at least 1in left in the top of the bottle or you run the risk of blowing off the cap.

7. place a cap on each bottle and secure with your bottle capper.

8. put the bottles away in a COOL DARK place and WAIT. they should be ready to test in about 10 days.

that is the long of it. it is much simpler then this with some of those kits i linked above. this is my first time from "scratch" so to speak. should be an interesting challenge and fun. ill have to dig out the recipe for the imperial stout i am making as to when, what, how much to add.

also you can BUY the priming sugar to make things even easier.
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