The best and only homebrew I've ever had was from a guy who runs a tiny shop an hour and a half drive from me, the only person I've been able to find close by. I drive forever through the middle of nowhere, past the boondocks, out to the sticks, and then I turned left at timbucktoo. I finally get to the driveway, pull up and it's a nice little brick house, well tended, kinda stiff looking. A guy steps out in a button up shirt and slacks and asks if he can help me, I said "yeah, I'm looking for a brew shop" to which he replies, "Oh, you mean The Beerslayer... He's the next house over." So I drive to the next house along what used to be a lawn but looks like it turned into a barely used twin track of dirt to a little trailer with a 12x20 shed near it. Hops growing up some cables 30' in the air and I thought to myself "Now you're in the right place"
The guy comes out "Bob" was his real name, introduces himself and shows me around. Really nice guy, kinda weird but then again I'm pretty weird too in my own way I'm sure. Shows me inside his shop, well lit, 4 beers on tap, he helped me put together a grain bill for a mild I wanted to try and offered to taste what he had on tap. I had barely eaten anything for breakfast and I'm a whopping 130 lbs. His "tastes" were pints. One of them was a mild at 3.5% alc, another was some Raison I think that's the name and it was around 12%, the other two I don't really remember, but they were good. But the English Mild he made was so good I wanted to just take a bath in and drink the tub dry. So on my way home I stopped and bought a huge burger and some coffee... Next time I'm going on a full stomach to help delay the buzz
He gave me the recipe and filled it too haven't had the time to brew either
but hopefully I'll be able to try one of em saturday after next when my primary is free.
English Mild
OG 1.036
TG 1.009
Alc% 3.5
IBU 15.7
SRM 17.9
3 lbs Marris Otter Pale Malt
3 lbs Muntons Mild Malt
1 lb Wyermann Caraamber
0.5 lbs Weyermann Cara Aroma
0.5 lbs Muntons Dark Crystal
0.5 oz Kent-Goldings 5.5% 60 Mins
0.5 oz Kent-Goldings 5.5% 15 Mins Finishing
1 Whirlfloc Tablet
Safale S-04
Boil Time 60 mins
Primary 7 Days at 68 F
Secondary 7 Days at 68F
Mash Procedure
Mash Efficiency 70%
Add 2.60 Gals water at 179 F to heat mash to 158 F
Add 0.73 Gals water at boiling to heat mash to 168 F
Sparge with 3.8 Gals of water to yield 5 Gals to primary
Water absorbed by grain: 0.80 gallons
Water Evaporated during boil: 1 gallon