Evan_L
Well-Known Member
So my brother and sister in law are going to drive up to CT from Florida for a visit mid October. They both love good beer and are really interested in brewing. We plan on brewing together when they are up but shipping a case or two back to them seems ridiculous...that and i'm sure that if they got more hands-on at home they would not only enjoy the results more but probably get hooked...my ulterior motive .
So we have a few options, all with pros and cons, and I can't decide what's the best course of action. Making decisions when you are biased and the outcome depends heavily on the circumstances is not such a good spot to be in...so help me out. Anyone have any similar experience with any of these options?
1. Brew together, I finish it and ship it down.
Pros: They get to see the process through yeast pitching.
Cons: Cost of shipping finished beer, they won't feel like they had much to do with the resulting beer.
2. Mash in CT, boil 1/2 together, send 1/2 of the wort with them to finish (with appropriate equipment; buckets, wing capper etc.. of course)
Pros: They get more hands-on and the result is more than 50% their efforts, cheaper than shipping.
Cons: Oxidation from splashing in a bucket in a car for 1000 miles?, more risk that they have problems with finishing it (though my bro is a pretty smart guy and I feel he could handle it without help), risk of infection..although they would still boil at home so not much of a concern.
3. Mash, boil, and pitch yeast just before they drive off.
Pros: Less worry about them having issues with boiling.
Cons: Uncontrolled temps as they drive back, oxidation as the drive will be so long that it will have started fermentation before they arrive home, increased risk of infection as they need to keep it safe during the drive.
I'm leaning on #2 right now. Can anyone suggest issues I have not thought of , your own experience with a similar situation, or more ideas? Is this even a realistic goal considering the length of the drive?
So we have a few options, all with pros and cons, and I can't decide what's the best course of action. Making decisions when you are biased and the outcome depends heavily on the circumstances is not such a good spot to be in...so help me out. Anyone have any similar experience with any of these options?
1. Brew together, I finish it and ship it down.
Pros: They get to see the process through yeast pitching.
Cons: Cost of shipping finished beer, they won't feel like they had much to do with the resulting beer.
2. Mash in CT, boil 1/2 together, send 1/2 of the wort with them to finish (with appropriate equipment; buckets, wing capper etc.. of course)
Pros: They get more hands-on and the result is more than 50% their efforts, cheaper than shipping.
Cons: Oxidation from splashing in a bucket in a car for 1000 miles?, more risk that they have problems with finishing it (though my bro is a pretty smart guy and I feel he could handle it without help), risk of infection..although they would still boil at home so not much of a concern.
3. Mash, boil, and pitch yeast just before they drive off.
Pros: Less worry about them having issues with boiling.
Cons: Uncontrolled temps as they drive back, oxidation as the drive will be so long that it will have started fermentation before they arrive home, increased risk of infection as they need to keep it safe during the drive.
I'm leaning on #2 right now. Can anyone suggest issues I have not thought of , your own experience with a similar situation, or more ideas? Is this even a realistic goal considering the length of the drive?