hello from michigan

I'm just getting in to the home brew seen and I'm finding out i really enjoy it but i want to move on to all grain because seems that most recipes are but i don't quite understand some of the terms they use my LHS says it is pretty easy once you understand the wording. and for my first question I'm about to brew a dragon's milk bourbon barrel stout and was wondering wean i should put the beans in and how many don't want it to be over powering but i want to taste the vanilla along with the bourbon and oak flavor. this is for a 5 gallon batch.
Thanks

Welcome. Where are you in Michigan? I'm sure there is someone near you who can show you the ropes with all grain. I would use 2 high quality vanilla beans.

grand rapids Michigan ya i hope so I'm better with hands on then reading if you know what i mean

Greetings from Detroit! New member and brewer here as well. Working on my third batch as we speak.

danno_lee said:

Greetings from Detroit! New member and brewer here as well. Working on my third batch as we speak.

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nice the big d has some good brewery's there i was just there a couple weeks back.

NIZZLE said:

nice the big d has some good brewery's there i was just there a couple weeks back.

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As does GR! I was there at Founders (via New Holland) over the summer. Can't wait to come back for a visit to Vivant!

danno_lee said:

As does GR! I was there at Founders (via New Holland) over the summer. Can't wait to come back for a visit to Vivant!

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Let me know when your coming we have a new brewery in towen perren brewery its nice

What up Nizzle!

Wasssssssss up

I live near Allendale. If you want to learn all grain, hit me up on PM and maybe we can set something up. I'm going to have a beer tasting / brewing party once it warms up.

Welcome Michibrewer! I definitely want to get over to GR to check out Founders and any other breweries in that area. I've heard alot of good stuff about your city!

Wow so many Michigan people! Well I'll throw my hat into the ring too, greetings from Detroit!

yes founders is great we also have a new brewery in comstock park called perrin brewing that im a mug club member too awesome beer

thanks to all very polite people hear great place to be

Welcome

To many brews welcome again

Greets from Midland. Booze is highly taxed in MI so I suppose you'll find that many people homebrew here. Lots of good home brewers in your neck of the woods.

yes we got a lot of them i like all of them used to drink bud light then i woke up my taste buds to the goo life

planecrazy29 said:

I live near Allendale. If you want to learn all grain, hit me up on PM and maybe we can set something up. I'm going to have a beer tasting / brewing party once it warms up.

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im from jenison so pretty close to allendale, lmk when you do this tasting, I would love to join, I am looking to switch to all grain and need some advice/tips.

GR is a great place to homebrew. Lots of resources nearby with Sicilianos market and lots of great breweries and there is Primetime Brewers HB club that I'm sure you could tap for tips and hints.

A Dragon's Milk style beer is fairly ambitious for a new homebrewer, but not hard to do. Just do some readings and give it a shot. Basically it's brew the basic beer, ferment in primary, rack to secondary and add oak chips (unless you have an oak barrel...) and a bit of bourbon and vanilla bean and let it sit for a bit. Timing the oak is a challenge because everyone seems to have a different preference for the amount of oak they like and different oaks give different amounts. Just read up on it and give it a shot.

FYI there is a terminology page on here somewhere. Maybe do a search for glossary or terms. In any event, don't be afraid to just ask what a term means. All of the mods and most of the members are familiar with the terms and can point you to a resource for further information if needed.

Cheers!

Welcome to the site! I'm another new brewer from Michigan. Just brewed my first batch on 3/3/13.
A Vanilla Imperial Stout w/ Vanilla beans which I planned to age on some charred oak chips soaked in bourbon. I have 2 oz of oak chips soaking, and I planned to add all 2 oz of the chips in the secondary, but should I also be adding straight bourbon? Or would the soaked chips be enough?

Also wondering about the oak chips being sanitary. Can I assume the 10 day soak in 90 proof bourbon will be enough to sanitize the chips?

Cheers and thanks for any help

Greetings from cortown smack dab in the middle of Detroit, MI!

Hit me up if anyone wants to grab a beer at nancy whisky or something and bounce some homebrewing ideas off the wall.

Welcome from a fellow west sider. Out in Muskegon area myself.

Wow I would friggin' love to come out and share a beer or two and get your two cents on AG brewing.

But Allendale is a long ways...

Another Michigander checking in here....

In Grand Rapids, check out O'Connors. They do brewing seminars fairly regularly, alternating extract and all grain. It's a great shop with great people there to help you out.

SpottedDogBrewing said:

Welcome

To many brews welcome again

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welcome to our dastardly obsession.
I'm down in the SW corner. near Green Bush and the Livery.
also close is Bare Hands in Grainger IN and IECHYD Da in Elkhart In.
best of luck to your brewing.
Hop Cat has got a great list.
and don't be scared to check out brewery Vivant.
Cheers.

I do all-grain (BIAB - brew in a bag) just about every Saturday in Jenison if you want to stop by to learn that, do a double-brew or just chew the cud over a couple homebrews.

brewmadness said:

In Grand Rapids, check out O'Connors. They do brewing seminars fairly regularly, alternating extract and all grain. It's a great shop with great people there to help you out.

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Yes O'Connors is a great place that is my favorite store they are who got me brewing and the people are very helpful

I just did my first BIAB AG last night. Used my new IC wort chiller. Nice

Detroit to Grand rapids area is 170 miles...

meet ya'll halfway in Dearborn?

Die_Yankees_Die said:

I just did my first BIAB AG last night. Used my new IC wort chiller. Nice

Detroit to Grand rapids area is 170 miles...

meet ya'll halfway in Dearborn?

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If Dearborn is halfway...I need a new map.

This post has gotten a lot of love as far as introduction posts go. I sure do love being a Michigander

StrongBad42 said:

This post has gotten a lot of love as far as introduction posts go. I sure do love being a Michigander

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Me to

StrongBad42 said:

This post has gotten a lot of love as far as introduction posts go. I sure do love being a Michigander

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Well, we are the high-five state.