It's time...

[dallasdb]

The past few years have flown by. I can't believe we are almost in 2017.

The last time I brewed was probably June 2013.

After a divorce and in the midst of a career change I sold 95% of my equipment including a Brutus 10, a three tap keezer, and the most efficient 15 gallon mash tun I've ever witnessed.

This December I'll be officially licensed as a CPA and I'll be done with night classes and no more studying for a long time!!!

Which means... drum roll please... I'm going to start brewing again

:rockin:​

Now the bad news... I have to collect the few items I kept from my buddies who have been using it for the past few years.

Sorry guys but I'm going to need my march pump and therminator back!

 

[Yooper]

Glad you're getting back into the obsession with the rest of us!

It's great to hear that the hard work put into your CPA is about to pay off, as I know what a long hard road that is with trying to work and go to school and keep it all together.

So.............what is the first batch going to be?????????

 

[dallasdb]

Yooper!

You know you were the first person that came to mind when I logged back into the forum.

I actually searched for you to see if you were still active and saw your Q&A.

I think my buddies still have the temp controller that you and I traded years ago.

I haven't decided what I want to brew first. I'm probably going to start slow before the addiction returns with full force and stick with extract brewing for a bit.

Any suggestions?

 

[jcav]

Good job on pursuing the CPA license and good luck getting back into brewing!

John

 

[dallasdb]

Thanks John!

It's been a hellish journey to get the license.

I feel like a little excited kid now that I'm thinking about brewing again.

What's changed over the past few years?

Is everyone going electric?

Is the brutus 10 still a popular rig?

 

[jcav]

Funny you asked. I started building a Brutus and then I changed my mind and ended up going electric and made a Kal clone from the Electric Brewery. If you haven't checked that site out it's here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/
You can see my rig in the link in my signature. I love it and it makes great pub quality beer. There are a lot of Brutus rigs still in use and many out there are still making them as they upgrade from their other systems.

A lot of people are going electric but many still use gas. A lot are also going the BIAB route which is "brewing in a bag" and you only need one large vessel. You can check out that type of system here on the forums to which is becoming very popular and also makes great beer. No one really uses secondary fermentors anymore (at least a lot of us don't) for regular ales and they just keep the beer in the primary fermenter for the whole time. There are a lot more varieties of liquid yeasts available than there were six years ago and more hop varieties also. So some things have changed but all the basics are the same. You will love some of the new hops and if you like IPA's and pale ales, some of the hop combinations that have evolved are incredible!

John

 

[dallasdb]

I remember the Kal clone, his man cave is amazing!!!

Your rig is AWESOME John!!!!!

I actually did BIAB before going all grain. I really like that method and even sewed my own bag from materials at the fabric store.

I stopped using liquid yeast and was almost exclusively dry yeast when I stopped brewing. It was more cost effective and fermentation was always faster and more aggressive with dry yeast.

I think SMaSH (Single Malt Single Hop) beers were just starting to be a thing when I stopped brewing.

I did a few SMaSH beers that were pretty terrible and some that were pretty tasty.

I am intrigued by electric but know nothing about working with electricity. I'd like to learn it someday.

 

[Homercidal]

Yooper!

You know you were the first person that came to mind when I logged back into the forum.

I actually searched for you to see if you were still active and saw your Q&A.

I think my buddies still have the temp controller that you and I traded years ago.

I haven't decided what I want to brew first. I'm probably going to start slow before the addiction returns with full force and stick with extract brewing for a bit.

Any suggestions?

IPA. Duh!

 

[dallasdb]

I'm trying to get SWMBO to like brewing with me so it'll most likely be a blonde ale or some wheat beer. Not my fave but hey I'm brewing again and can't complain!

I saw another post that somebody cloned Dale's Pale Ale. That'd be a beer I'd love to be able to clone.

 

[dallasdb]

I'm trying to get SWMBO to like brewing with me so it'll most likely be a blonde ale or some wheat beer. Not my fave but hey I'm brewing again and can't complain!

I saw another post that somebody cloned Dale's Pale Ale. That'd be a beer I'd love to be able to clone.

 

[jcav]

I remember the Kal clone, his man cave is amazing!!!

Your rig is AWESOME John!!!!!.

Hey I just saw this, thanks! I had a lot of fun building it and I love brewing on it!

John

 

[skraeling]

getting divorced too.. so im building myself a keezer to celebrate.