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Hey guys, just had quite the score! BEVMO is selling their Brooklyn Brew shop kits half off right now. Their recipe books are $5 and the ingredient kits a $5 instead of 14.99. So I picked up a book and another bourbon dubbel. I don't know if its all stores but its a least northern Ca.
 
I'm getting one of the starter kits from Small Batch Brewing. I have read good things about Northern's Caribou Slobber and was wondering if their 1gal kits would be ok with the equipment or if the fermenter too big.
I am going to start with the ingredients form SBB and then maybe try other kits.
 
lumpy5oh said:
I'm getting one of the starter kits from Small Batch Brewing. I have read good things about Northern's Caribou Slobber and was wondering if their 1gal kits would be ok with the equipment or if the fermenter too big.
I am going to start with the ingredients form SBB and then maybe try other kits.
Click to expand...

go for it.

let us know how you are doing
 
dadshomebrewing said:
i bought 4 months worth of supplies yesterday... :)

i could get snowed in for the whole winter, and still be happy.
Click to expand...

Awesome... I could go a couple months..I have base malt and a few pounds of specialty grains and 2 prepped kits ready to go .... :)
 
Yeah... In Chicago we have to deal with stuff you like don't see much of in NorCal.

I grew up in the Bay Area, and moved to Chicago in February many years ago.

Oh boy, what a surprise.
 
Question! Are you guys using extract kits, partial mash, or doing all grain? I do 1.75 gallon batches so I'm pretty much in the same game as you guys, but I do AG and make up my own recipients.
 
C-Rider said:
Question! Are you guys using extract kits, partial mash, or doing all grain? I do 1.75 gallon batches so I'm pretty much in the same game as you guys, but I do AG and make up my own recipients.
Click to expand...

doing all of the above. enjoyed all of the small batch brews so far.
some kits from online (extract) such as hop zombie, bisquits n' honey and dead ringer and made a few of my own from the clone brews book which I scaled down (noche beuno (PM), negro modelo, and an extract sweet stout). have "kits" ready to brew that I made for Yards pale ale clone (PM) for 2.5G and several other 1.25G batches (AG, PM & extract)
also can't wait to order in the ingredients and try the smaiclause clone from clone brews for a 1.25G batch. Long 1 yr wait
 
C-Rider said:
Question! Are you guys using extract kits, partial mash, or doing all grain? I do 1.75 gallon batches so I'm pretty much in the same game as you guys, but I do AG and make up my own recipients.
Click to expand...

Mostly all grain.. But because its cheaper and easier for me to make all my different brews. If a kit goes on sale that I like at Morebeer and its an extract recipe or partial mash, i get it. their extract is super fresh and I can save a little time on it.
 
dadshomebrewing said:
Yeah... In Chicago we have to deal with stuff you like don't see much of in NorCal.

I grew up in the Bay Area, and moved to Chicago in February many years ago.

Oh boy, what a surprise.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean ... Grew up in Boston and moved here after I got discharged. I don't miss the snow. Other than high rent, I like being near ocean and snow within 2-3 hours.... And LHBS within 45 minutes :)
 
C-Rider said:
Question! Are you guys using extract kits, partial mash, or doing all grain? I do 1.75 gallon batches so I'm pretty much in the same game as you guys, but I do AG and make up my own recipients.
Click to expand...

i have the gear for AG, and have done that, but i mostly do extract with grain.

a little bit of partial mash if i feel like doing something squirrelly, or making something i can't easily do with simple extract with steeping grains.
 
I had a pound and a quarter of grain left and wanted to ferment something, so I made a kind of English mild/bitter. Toasted some malt and mashed high so I could add some sugar and not be left with a thin body. Decided to add a half ounce of Horizon and two thirds of an oz. of EKG with thirty seconds left in boil to make a hoppy but not bitter beer. Hydrometer is broken so no SG but gotta guess its 1.025-1.030, 5L batch. It was a nice rainy day and was listening to bluegrass, so named it Bluegrass Mild.


You guys should try making different session beers, fun to experiment in one gallon batches
 
I just brewed yesterday a "German" IPA using unfortunately domestic Munich Malt and imported German Magnum and Perle hops and K-97 German Ale yeast.

I have two recipes listed under my Avatar that have proven to be very good and brewed a number of times each.
 
Bottled up the first bourbon dubbel. I threw in a tad of simcoe and Citra during the last few minutes and wow I like the taste of this so far. It is very different and packs a punch. Got 9 bottles.
 
Been away from the thread for awhile, but I just have a quick question for y'all. It's just about bottling time for my first brew (the stout I posted about a few weeks back) and I'd like to take the usual three hydrometer readings before actually bottling, but I'm not sure how to go about it.

I ended up with a tad less than a gallon in the fermentor, so I'm really, really not looking forward to pulling and subsequently discarding three full sample vials of beer for these tests. How many of y'all pull samples at testing time and then return 'em to the rest of the beer when you're done? I'd like to think that I'm one of the more diligent ones when it comes to sanitation, but if it's really a bad idea I suppose I'll just have to suck it up and deal with less finished product this time around.
 
I can't speak for everyone on here but taking a hydrometer reading...let alone three, is really going to eat up your batch. You could try to carefully return it to the batch to bottle or bottle one beer with the sample but I just do a refractometer and use the online calculators to adjust...if at all.
 
@Calichussets: That's my point. I want to make sure it's done fermenting, but all I have is a hydrometer to test with. I will be looking into getting a refractometer, but right now it's not in the budget until after the holidays. What I'm wondering is the best way to go about it from here on out. I'd like to get at least one sample, just so I can see where my gravity ended up. This is my first batch, and there were issues at the start with my efficiency, so going without a reading at all seems a bit unwise.

So given that all I have is a hydrometer, what would you suggest my best plan of action to be?
 
I used to take that many hydrometer readings and returned the sample back to the fermenter. I never thought it was a big deal until seeing information from home brew websites. With that in mind, I never really had any issues with returning the sample.

Now, I really don't bother taking that many readings...I take a reading in the brew kettle and the next one, the day I plan to bottle. I usually wait 5 weeks before bottling...just my way.

EDIT: Oops you asked another question before I was done typing.
 
C-Rider said:
I just brewed yesterday a "German" IPA using unfortunately domestic Munich Malt and imported German Magnum and Perle hops and K-97 German Ale yeast.

I have two recipes listed under my Avatar that have proven to be very good and brewed a number of times each.
Click to expand...

I bottled your Kona Chocolate Coffee Stout yesterday...the sample tested amazing. My wife really noticed the chocolate...I noticed the coffee more. We both thought it was very good. Can't wait until its done carbing...
 
Well, I made a significant error in schedule a Christmas beer gift. I started a brown ale for my dad on Dec 2nd, and it's still fermenting! In planning on bottling it on Friday and just telling him to wait a few weeks...

But the lesson here is that beer takes time, so plan ahead! Way ahead!
 
@BigRock947: On the 19th it will be three weeks in the primary. I think it's probably done - there's been virtually no activity, either in the airlock or visually within the beer itself for quite awhile now. However, I know that's not a surefire indicator of whether it's done or not, which is why I want to make sure before I bottle. I'm also really curious to see where my final gravity ended up.

If the general concensus is "it's good to go" I suppose I'll just take a reading to ascertain where my FG is at, then bottle it up.
 
I'm guessing its done....myself. I wait 4 or 5 weeks before I bottle. 1. To make sure its done. 2. To let the yeast finish its job. 3. Lets the beer clear. 4. My schedule seems to work out that way.

Ps: Last month, I bottled a barley wine...long story short. The OG was like 1.100 and when I transfered to secondary it was 1.016 after only 10 days.

So my point is. Your probably good to go. Get your bottling stuff together and take a FG on bottling day. Good luck and RDWHAHB.
 
Just scored 4 2 gal buckets w/ lids from the local bakery. One is being turned into bottling bucket. Debating what to brew in them first.
 
BattleGoat said:
Been away from the thread for awhile, but I just have a quick question for y'all. It's just about bottling time for my first brew (the stout I posted about a few weeks back) and I'd like to take the usual three hydrometer readings before actually bottling, but I'm not sure how to go about it.

I ended up with a tad less than a gallon in the fermentor, so I'm really, really not looking forward to pulling and subsequently discarding three full sample vials of beer for these tests. How many of y'all pull samples at testing time and then return 'em to the rest of the beer when you're done? I'd like to think that I'm one of the more diligent ones when it comes to sanitation, but if it's really a bad idea I suppose I'll just have to suck it up and deal with less finished product this time around.
Click to expand...

don't discard the samples you take for your hydrometer readings, or there won't be any beer left to drink.

here's what i do.

1. I have measured EXACTLY how much beer it takes to fill the hydrometer flask, so I know how much i lose every time i sample.

2. I wait a little longer for fermentation than absolutely necessary (like 15 days instead of 14, or 22 days instead of 21), before i take my first reading.

3. sanitize the heck out of the hydrometer tube, hydrometer, and turkey baster.

4. take my sample, record the result, and put the sample back in. record the results.

almost always, when i wait a little longer i'm at my target FG when i take that sample.

5. wait one (or two, or three) more days, and just plan on bottling it. I take another reading to be sure it's stable (also using an uber-sanitized flask, hydrometer, and baster)

i use a cup of water when i mix my priming sugar, and my hydrometer flask takes half a cup, so i figure that if i take 2 readings and dump them out i break even, if I take two readings and put them back i'm a little ahead.

and, don't get freaked out by dumping the samples back in. just sanitize the heck out of it.

for what it's worth, i've been making a "study" on how to squeeze every drop out of a one gallon batch, and this is the best approach i've come up with.
 
BattleGoat said:
@BigRock947: On the 19th it will be three weeks in the primary. I think it's probably done - there's been virtually no activity, either in the airlock or visually within the beer itself for quite awhile now. However, I know that's not a surefire indicator of whether it's done or not, which is why I want to make sure before I bottle. I'm also really curious to see where my final gravity ended up.

If the general concensus is "it's good to go" I suppose I'll just take a reading to ascertain where my FG is at, then bottle it up.
Click to expand...


you said it's your first home brew, which means you are about ready to eat the carboy because you want to get your beer into bottles, right?

and the 19th is 3 weeks, and today is the 17th.

and, since it's your first beer you have a little bit of the nervous first daddy thing going, right?

well, it's probably not recommended, but if it were me i would sanitize the crap out of my gear, test it today, put the beer back in the fermenter, and test it again on Wednesday to be sure.

if you hit your FG today, you should be absolutely good to go on Wednesday.

you will probably be good to go, on Wednesday, if you don't mess with it, too, but we all understand what it's like waiting for that first brew.

:)
 
hey battlegoat... since you are bottling later in the week, here's something for you to be aware of.

you need to do a little math on how many FULL bottles you want (or expect) to get, and plan accordingly.

somehow try to estimate how much beer you currently have in your carboy. then add one cup to that amount (for the priming solution).

if you fermented in a carboy, you will probably have a little less than 3 quarts left, after you get it off the yeast and trub.

divide by the size of the bottles, and what is your yield, in bottles?

3 qts is 96 oz, and assuming you use 12 oz bottles, that is an 8 bottle yield.

if you have total volume of less than 96 oz, then you have a 7 bottle yield.

if you have total volume of 108 oz, then you get 9 bottles.

don't do partial bottles or fractions. the fractions are for the hydrometer (or for the brewer).

so, you probably have about half a cup of beer to waste anyway.

so, don't freak out over the half cup for a hydrometer reading
 
dadshomebrewing said:
don't discard the samples you take for your hydrometer readings, or there won't be any beer left to drink.

here's what i do.

1. I have measured EXACTLY how much beer it takes to fill the hydrometer flask, so I know how much i lose every time i sample.

2. I wait a little longer for fermentation than absolutely necessary (like 15 days instead of 14, or 22 days instead of 21), before i take my first reading.

3. sanitize the heck out of the hydrometer tube, hydrometer, and turkey baster.

4. take my sample, record the result, and put the sample back in. record the results.

almost always, when i wait a little longer i'm at my target FG when i take that sample.

5. wait one (or two, or three) more days, and just plan on bottling it. I take another reading to be sure it's stable (also using an uber-sanitized flask, hydrometer, and baster)

i use a cup of water when i mix my priming sugar, and my hydrometer flask takes half a cup, so i figure that if i take 2 readings and dump them out i break even, if I take two readings and put them back i'm a little ahead.

and, don't get freaked out by dumping the samples back in. just sanitize the heck out of it.

for what it's worth, i've been making a "study" on how to squeeze every drop out of a one gallon batch, and this is the best approach i've come up with.
Click to expand...

This...

Oh....excellent write up.
 
hey bigrock

i'm a little obsessive with total yield of a batch of beer.

can you imagine what the big-batch brewers would be like if they dumped 10% of their batch down the drain every time they took a hyrdometer reading?

:)
 
dadshomebrewing said:
hey bigrock

i'm a little obsessive with total yield of a batch of beer.

can you imagine what the big-batch brewers would be like if they dumped 10% of their batch down the drain every time they took a hyrdometer reading?

:)
Click to expand...

I imagine it would involve a lot of crying. ;)

So glad I bought a refractometer...3 drops and I'm good.
 
Hoping for a giftcard or some grains from NB for Christmas. Any thoughts? I was thinking maybe 10 pounds of 2 row, and a few one pound specialty grains to play around with.
 
dadshomebrewing said:
don't discard the samples you take for your hydrometer readings, or there won't be any beer left to drink.

here's what i do.

1. I have measured EXACTLY how much beer it takes to fill the hydrometer flask, so I know how much i lose every time i sample.

2. I wait a little longer for fermentation than absolutely necessary (like 15 days instead of 14, or 22 days instead of 21), before i take my first reading.

3. sanitize the heck out of the hydrometer tube, hydrometer, and turkey baster.

4. take my sample, record the result, and put the sample back in. record the results.

almost always, when i wait a little longer i'm at my target FG when i take that sample.

5. wait one (or two, or three) more days, and just plan on bottling it. I take another reading to be sure it's stable (also using an uber-sanitized flask, hydrometer, and baster)

i use a cup of water when i mix my priming sugar, and my hydrometer flask takes half a cup, so i figure that if i take 2 readings and dump them out i break even, if I take two readings and put them back i'm a little ahead.

and, don't get freaked out by dumping the samples back in. just sanitize the heck out of it.

for what it's worth, i've been making a "study" on how to squeeze every drop out of a one gallon batch, and this is the best approach i've come up with.
Click to expand...

Excellent explanation dads!

Truthfully I use to dump samples back in after following good sanitizing but.....

There is one more trick. If you can find one of the long skinny single rose type vase, you can sub it for a a sample tube or check your sample tube to see how much beer you will have to use to get a 12'oz sample. I found one that if I filled it with 12 oz beer, my hydrometer would work. So, sanitize, pull sample and leave it in the vase. Stick foil over the top sanitized. It will still ferment if not ready. Wait two days and when it's the same, bottle it. I'd you sanitization sucks, you wasted one sample. If you did good, you saved a bottle. Now I have refractometer.
 

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