Hello from Ohio!

[thedirtychemist]

Hello everyone!

I wanted to take some time to introduce myself to the community!

I began homebrewing about 8 months ago. It all started when I saw a curious item called Mr. Beer on the shelf at a Sears store while doing so e Christmas shopping! I didn't buy the kit then, but I joked with my wife about becoming a master homebrewer. Heck, I didn't even drink much beer at that time beyond a few brewskies at get-togethers!

I've always been a DIY kinda guy so the thought stuck to my head. I found a Mr. Beer kit on sale on Amazon... And I bought it thinking is would be a nice experience. Well.. Lo and behold.. Here I am!

It became my 4th love- next to my wife and 2 kids.

I immediately switched to all grain and 5 gallon batches in a few months after I have used up all of the recipe kits that I had purchased with the kit. I think 4-5 total.

Im currently getting a kick out of BIAB and have had a lot of success with it including some bigger recipes such as a pliny the elder clone. I didn't think BIAB would take me this far, but I'm going to keep going until this bag rips then it will be time for a mash tun. Hehe.

I soon developed a reflex avulsion to bottling and started kegging. Even went with a 3 tap kegerator and there is no going back!

I've recently dove even deeper with the homebrewing Borg and made a few meads and sake. Sorry wines, we don't get along. Ha!

When not brewing or waiting on a brew, I keep busy with just about everything else! I work as an MD which keeps me on my toes! I am a gym rat which helps minimize the effects of avidly enjoying the fruits of the yeast's labors. I also play a mean racquetball. And I lurk like a stalker on these forums like a stalker.

I have learned so much from all of you! Thanks for having me!

 

[pannell77]

Welcome and enjoy. The addiction only gets worse...

 

[mtnagel]

Welcome from a fellow Ohioan! What city are you located and are you actually a chemist?

 

[unionrdr]

Seems like there are a lot of Ohioans on here! Must be the fact that too many breweries have shut down over the decades. I got into this after making wines for years...this may sound weird...but I wanted to learn to make brews with that "real beer flavor" I remember from those now-extinct brewers. Welcome home!

 

[thedirtychemist]

Please pardon my shotty typing on my intro. iPhone typing has it's pros and cons.. Ha!

Thank you for the very warm welcome friends!

I am from Wilmington, Ohio - about 45 mins north of Cinci , between Cinci and Columbus.

I have much to learn and I have only begun to start feeling comfortable with the brews. I have about 20 brews under my belt.. Just kinda copying other peeps recipes, but hoping do dive into some of my own soon.

In a way, I am a chemist! I did undergrad in physical chemistry, but went into medicine after that!

I would love to hear everyone's brewing beginnings and backgrounds! Please do share!

 

[unionrdr]

I used to stop at this old,kinda run down lookin honky tonk in Willmington,OH on my way home up by Lake Erie from the Ford plants in cinci & Batavia. I made wine from 15 to about age 30,then family & job took center stage. Retired in '07 & started brewing beer in January '11. Just took my 2nd FG sample from my Traditional Stout PM kit. I like to use kits to try new beers I haven't brewed yet,unless I find a recipe for a commercial one I like. Like Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA. My version will start being fridge ready 11/1.
So search around for recipes you figure you'd like,or info from the brewers of commercial beers you enjoy. Just a couple places to start.
By the by,I'm into PB/PM BIAB atm myself.

 

[NervousDad]

Welcome! How is the brewing and home brew scene in Ohio? My wife is always on the fence about moving there (Chagrin Falls/Cleveland Area)

 

[thedirtychemist]

Hi nervousdad,

Well, to be honest, I wouldn't be able to adequately comment on the scene in Cleveland. Where I am at, there's not a whole lot.

My lhbs which is about 45 mins away and there's a really nice community there. My crazy days inhibit my sessions with the club.
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I love the BIAB process! I get pretty good efficiencies.. Say.. 75 percentish. I mash for 90 minutes and mash out at about 10.

I ordered a specialized bag which is quite durable. When I breaks, I get to splurge on a mash tun!

Currently, 3 of my 4 fermenters are farting away. In there are a joes ancient orange mead, a spiced chai mead, and a libertines imperial red ale clone.

Those are my first meads and I used ale yeast instead of wine yeast hoping to get something tasty. Did the no boil method thing... Will see how it goes!

For my ales, I have resorted to filtering using 1 micron tube filters. I tell you what, those things rock for me as my time schedule seem to always be stretched thin. Great effects on clarity and some noticeable benefits with the flavors as well. By no means are they a substitute to aging, but they sure do hurry things up if ya need brews in a timely manner.

The sake was tough to do. I may do it again, but the temps are not as forgiving. Too low and you're taking forever. Too high and you have vinegar sake. Turned out well 8 months out but it was so harsh and sour at 2 months.

I may try making a braggot or a hydromel. And maybe before I die, a wine. Next up are lagers.

I depend on this liver to continue and to stay strong with its regenerative capabilities. Lol.

I just wanna ferment everything! Any suggestions!?

 

[unionrdr]

Cleveland has Great Lakes,Fat head's,Hoppin Frog,Thirsty Dog,& many other craft breweries with tours & brewpubs & food. Fat Heads is over in North Olmstead,about 30 minutes from me. We have several bottle shops &/or stores that stock many craft beers,& Bell's is coming soon. JW Dover LHBS is about 10-15 minutes up I90 from me,& houses Black Box Brewing as well. There are other home brew shops around cleveland Chagrin,etc. Scads of resturants national & local. Even have an Aston Martin dealer right next to Porche & Mercedes. You want it,we got it. And Rt 39 off 71S is like our own little bit of Der Nordschleiffe.

 

[NervousDad]

Cleveland has Great Lakes,Fat head's,Hoppin Frog,Thirsty Dog,& many other craft breweries with tours & brewpubs & food. Fat Heads is over in North Olmstead,about 30 minutes from me. We have several bottle shops &/or stores that stock many craft beers,& Bell's is coming soon. JW Dover LHBS is about 10-15 minutes up I90 from me,& houses Black Box Brewing as well. There are other home brew shops around cleveland Chagrin,etc. Scads of resturants national & local. Even have an Aston Martin dealer right next to Porche & Mercedes. You want it,we got it. And Rt 39 off 71S is like our own little bit of Der Nordschleiffe.

Thanks for the info!

 

[prohl84]

Hello from Toledo! Been brewing about a year and a half or so- started with wine... couldn't wait that long. I also strongly prefer beer. I like making it easily as much as I like drinking it!

Seems like there are a lot of Ohioans on here! Must be the fact that too many breweries have shut down over the decades. I got into this after making wines for years...this may sound weird...but I wanted to learn to make brews with that "real beer flavor" I remember from those now-extinct brewers. Welcome home!

We are hurting for breweries in these parts compared to Cleveland. We have several good breweries but sadly not quite of Great Lakes' caliber. Though I have been increasingly pleased with some of Maumee Bay Brew Co. and Great Black Swamp Brewery's most recent offerings.

Plus... Ohio's got that good ol' American DIY spirit!

 

[unionrdr]

The good thing is,the northern counties of Ohio along Lake Erie are littered with breweries,big & small. Not like the old days when I was a lil kid in the 50's,but growing again. So nervousdad should bring his wife over here from PA to check us out in Akron/Canton,Cleveland,Toledo,...just about anywhere in the Northern counties. Then Columbus is growing with more breweries,bottle shops & home brew supplies. Cleveland,Columbus & Cinci all have brewfests. I just found another one of those German beer garden type resturant/bars in Cleveland,not too far up SR 480 from Ford. Can't wait to check that out. Looks like an Austrian hunting chalet or other.
**Here's a PDF of breweries in Ohio for those interested. It's accurate as of 8/8/12. http://www.ohio.com/polopoly_fs/1.384353.1364302210!/menu/standard/file/beerfix0313map.pdf

 

[Melana]

Welcome!

 

[progmac]

Hello from Toledo! Been brewing about a year and a half or so- started with wine... couldn't wait that long. I also strongly prefer beer. I like making it easily as much as I like drinking it!



We are hurting for breweries in these parts compared to Cleveland. We have several good breweries but sadly not quite of Great Lakes' caliber. Though I have been increasingly pleased with some of Maumee Bay Brew Co. and Great Black Swamp Brewery's most recent offerings.

Plus... Ohio's got that good ol' American DIY spirit!

I had heard that a brewery opened in Holgate, Ohio, of all places. This is a little farm town not too far from where I grew up.

I have sampled beers from Maumee Bay Brew Co. at an event down here in Cincinnati and they were pretty good. The most remarkable to me was a cherry stout.

 

[prohl84]

I had heard that a brewery opened in Holgate, Ohio, of all places. This is a little farm town not too far from where I grew up.

I have sampled beers from Maumee Bay Brew Co. at an event down here in Cincinnati and they were pretty good. The most remarkable to me was a cherry stout.

If you are referring to Flatrock Brewing in Holgate then I have heard of them. Denny's Craft Beer and Wine Cave down the street carries them. I tried their German Black Ale- pretty damn good and reasonably priced.

Toledo should be getting a couple more breweries soon, hopefully. Here's one that looks promising.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1398622540/black-cloister-brewing-company