Back at it after 5 years

Hello all! Glad to be back.

After many life changes it is time for me to get back into brewing!

It's been 5 years since I've brewed and am looking for some advice on what to start back up with. Here are some information about my equipment:

Looking to brew this Sunday and have no current ingredients.

2 Glass Carboys
2 pails
3 bungs
Syphon
Capper
Burner and 7 gal kettle
No wort chiller (any tips on quick, chilling appreciated.

Extract recepies with steeping grains preferred to get back into it that are fairly basic for one that hasn't brewed in years and can probably find ingredients in Chicagoland brew stores.

Thanks!

Welcome back! How much did you brew did you stopped? were you a pro? or just a guy who enjoyed hybrid extract or easy-ish all grain/BIAB like the rest of us?

I can recommend two recipes right off the bat to try that are simple and very tastey:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/simple-blonde-ale-extract-54953/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/blood-moon-ipa-471019/ (use less than a pound of carepils, though)

As for easy chilling, if you have an easy source of inexpensive ice I'd put your kettle in an ice bath and stir periodically, or buy a wort chiller (~$35-$50) and use that.

Happy Brewing!

Welcome back, I am back at it as well. Have three under my belt already.

Amber Ale
Brown Ale
Irish Red Ale

Doing one of Palmer's Porters this weekend.

Welcome Back! I also took a long break from brewing.

Casual brewer, usual hybrid extract brews. I have done AG only once, and that was with a more experience brewer and his equipment.

ZebulonBrewer said:

Welcome back! How much did you brew did you stopped? were you a pro? or just a guy who enjoyed hybrid extract or easy-ish all grain/BIAB like the rest of us?

I can recommend two recipes right off the bat to try that are simple and very tastey:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/simple-blonde-ale-extract-54953/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/blood-moon-ipa-471019/ (use less than a pound of carepils, though)

As for easy chilling, if you have an easy source of inexpensive ice I'd put your kettle in an ice bath and stir periodically, or buy a wort chiller (~$35-$50) and use that.

Happy Brewing!

Click to expand...

If you don't have them, hydrometers & thermometers will come in handy too. I like the good old fashioned floating thermometers myself. One for the mash & one for the sparge water.
E/SG kits can be pretty good. Like Morebeer's ESB-E/SG kit. Spot-on color & great malt-hops balance.

I do have a hydrometer and thermometer. I don't know if my hydrometer is broke or not at this point, but I have one. Its nice to know the gravity readings although it isn't necessary to taste, good for record keeping.

I also have a pretty good size funnel, need to find my plastic tubing in case of blow over.

Thanks for the tips.

unionrdr said:

If you don't have them, hydrometers & thermometers will come in handy too. I like the good old fashioned floating thermometers myself. One for the mash & one for the sparge water.
E/SG kits can be pretty good. Like Morebeer's ESB-E/SG kit. Spot-on color & great malt-hops balance.

Click to expand...

100 ml graduated cylinder, extra bungs and airlocks, stirring paddle, etc...

Welcome back! I also took a break for several years with one reason being that I hate bottling. I now have three kegs and have brewed four batches this year. I got my feet wet again with two different partial mash kits from Midwest Supplies. This forum has a ton of recipes to choose from as well. I now have the equipment to do All Grain and just this week I ordered grains and hops to get my first AG batch going. For cooling, I use an ice bath in the kitchen sink if I'm brewing on the stove, and I use a wort chiller if I'm brewing outside with my turkey fryer. Looks like you have most, if not all of the equipment that you need.

I know this is late but if you are still looking for kits with steeping grains and extracts Brew and Grow has 2 locations in the city.