What better way to start brewing

FrewBrew · 11-16-2005, 12:09 AM

When I went out and bought my first brew kit, I knew that my father had made wine back in the day, but wasnt sure of the differences in equipment, and (being a lazy former-pothead) didnt want to do any research. SO... I went down to my local HBS (Beers of the World in Rochester... not the greatest assortment of equipment, and kits, but OMG! it's a wall to wall warehouse of beers from all over... if youre in the area, check it out!!) and picked up my True Brew equipment kit (True Brew'd Frew Brew... thats kinda funny).

So I get it home, and head down stairs to my dad's old wine room, and start cleaning up. After clearing some shelf space, and throwing out a couple old empty boxes, I start opening up my kit and seeing what Ive got. About Halfway through, I realize... everything... is... the same.

At first, I was like WTF, why'd I waste my money, all pissed off.... then I started thinking... why get pissed, just make more beer!!

So that was 3 brews ago, and tonight, I started taking inventory.

5 gallon glass carboys x 5
6.5 gallon glass carboys x 4
15 gallon carboy x 1

I really don't plan on using the 5 gallon carboys too much... just foresee blowups happening waaaaaaaaaay too easily. But... a double batch of Frew Brew sure sounds tasty to me!

God Emporer BillyBrew · 11-16-2005, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrewBrew

I really don't plan on using the 5 gallon carboys too much... just foresee blowups happening waaaaaaaaaay too easily. But... a double batch of Frew Brew sure sounds tasty to me!

Yeah, but they'd be great for secondaries!

drengel · 11-16-2005, 05:46 PM

use 'em to brew 2.5 or 3 gallon batches. they work great for that, and its really nice to brew a batch sometimes and not haveto drink 2 cases of it. you know for crazy experimental beers or when youre trying to tweak a recipe.

FrewBrew · 11-16-2005, 05:50 PM

hmmm, not such a bad idea...

but I still can't get over ...

15 gallon carboy!!!

**Walker** · 11-16-2005, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrewBrew

hmmm, not such a bad idea...

but I still can't get over ...

15 gallon carboy!!!

Yeah... no kidding. Pick THAT up and shake it to aerate it! That thing would weigh well over 100 lbs when it was full! Makes my lower back hurt just thinking about it.

-walker

drengel · 11-16-2005, 06:11 PM

i do my fermenting in a wine cellar thats a little to warm for wine (actually its an old grease pit built into a wine cellar--i live in a VERY glorified garage) but i have to carry my carboys and buckets down a ladder to get them in there, i cant imagine carrying a 15 gallon carboy down there, id have to set up a rappel with my climbing equipment to get that beast down there! and a fifteen gallon brewpot--wow...

**Walker** · 11-16-2005, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drengel

i do my fermenting in a wine cellar... but i have to carry my carboys and buckets down a ladder to get them in there

That sounds like an accident waiting to happen, drengel!

Darth Konvel · 11-16-2005, 06:27 PM

Sounds like a perfect excuse to build a pulley system

**Walker** · 11-16-2005, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LupusUmbrus

Sounds like a perfect excuse to build a pulley system

I had a crazy great-uncle that would always have me do bizarre chores for him. One of the two most memorable chores involved a sack of small pulleys and some nylon rope.

Did I mention that this guy was totally off his rocker? As in; convinced people from a nearby factory were breaking into his house through the back door at lunch time to eat his food. Totally crazy.

He had an old shed in his back yard that had a wooden door that opened inward with a spring attached to pull the door shut automatically. In his crazy mind, he had the idea that he needed a pulley system installed so that he could pull a rope to open the door from the inside of the shed instead of just putting a frigging handle on the door that he could pull on with his hand.

I gave him a sideways look when he asked me to do this, but figured... what the hell... he's paying me to do this.

So, I attached one pulley to the ceiling and attached the rope to the door, threading it through the pulley and letting it hang down. Now he could pull down on the rope to open the door. Crazy ass job done, right?

WRONG.

I showed him the work when I was done, and he got pissed. I didn't use all of the pulleys! There were something like a half dozen in the sack he gave me, but I only used one. This was unacceptable.

Did I mention that this guy was crazy? As is; nailed his back door shut to keep out those factory workers that were stealing his food?

Anyway, 2 hours later I presented him with a god-awful Rube-Goldberg machine that he could use to open the stupid shed door. He was pleased and gave me a $2 bill as payment.

Did I mention this guy was a whack-job? As is; had me dig a 4 foot by 4 foot by 3 foot hole in his yard. After which, he placed 4 jars of homemade grape jelly into this monster hole and asked me to fill the dirt back in? I got another $2 bill for that one, too.

-walker

**DeRoux's Broux** · 11-16-2005, 08:06 PM

oh yea! you'll be glad you have all that brew gear. you'll find a "way" to fill 'em up!