Hey Everyone!

[Path]

Long time lurker, first time poster. My name is Path and I'm from Morgantown, WV. My brother and I are getting into home brew (Thanks tax returns!) and this site has been a god-send. I've actually been sitting here for HOURS reading up about corny kegs amongst other things. I actually found this site when I did a search for Apfelwein and saw EdWort's recipe. We are picking up our Brewer's Best Kit sometime this week and starting an extract and an apfelwein, since it seems pretty hardy and noob friendly. I can see this site becoming invaluable in the coming months!

 

[Mustangj]

Welcome!!

Apfelwein =

 

[Path]

That's what I've heard, and that's why I want it!

 

[JetSmooth]

Awesome use of the tax refund! Next year, you can use it for rehab for homebrewing addiction!

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome

 

[GroosBrewz]

God, sometimes I love Uncle Sam.. I bought a new barley crusher with mine.. Welcome to the forum!

 

[meddin]

Welcome!!!

 

[Path]

I was at my LHBS today to pick up my first brew kit, and they sold it, so now we wait til they get another, cause the price was just too good to pass up. It was the only kit I've seen with a glass carboy and all the various parts to get started for only 68 bucks. I did have a question as to something I saw there. They had a lager kit, pre-hopped LME, all-in-one style can. I read over the directions and it said nothing about lagering. I was wondering if that is possible? or do they just not have the lager characteristics just the ingredients?

 

[BennyN]

Hi, I'm new too and lurking through this site got me through my first batch!

 

[GIusedtoBe]

I was at my LHBS today to pick up my first brew kit, and they sold it, so now we wait til they get another, cause the price was just too good to pass up. It was the only kit I've seen with a glass carboy and all the various parts to get started for only 68 bucks. I did have a question as to something I saw there. They had a lager kit, pre-hopped LME, all-in-one style can. I read over the directions and it said nothing about lagering. I was wondering if that is possible? or do they just not have the lager characteristics just the ingredients?

They can call themselves anything they want but you probably would not be pleased with the end result. There may be some lager strains available now as dry yeasts but the only real difference between lager and ale is that a true lager is fermented cold (below 55 F) and then it is stored cold to age for various lengths of time. If I was you I'd steer clear of any lager until you have a few batches under your belt (pun intended) and have a dedicated fridge or freezer with a temperature controller that you can ferment and lager in.

I brewed my first batch in nearly a year last week so I was looking through my recipe/log book and I looked at some of the better ones I'd done when I used extract and I always did the late addition for the bulk of the DME. You can find out more about this by doing a search. THe other two tips I would give are: Get a plastic pail large enough to hold your carboy and several gallons of water. Find a spot where the temp is most consistently close to what you are shooting for and then try to keep the temp under close control during fermentation. You can cool it with frozen 20 oz. bottles. The other is to keep a log book and take notes on all the pertinent facts about each batch you make.

Good luck
Alan

 

[Path]

Yea, I knew lagers were fermented well below the temps of an ale. As it stands now, I have a kegerator, 14 corny kegs, and nothing to drink. I just thought it was interesting that there was no mention of lagering on the directions for the all-in-one LME. Just waiting on that call to get my brew kit. Until then I'm salivating over the thought of some Apfelwein... mmmm I might just go buy a 5gal carboy, bung and airlock just to get the ball rolling.