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Thanks for the replies and for all the great information. I realize this is not the ideal way to grow hops, but I'm interested to see what comes of it. I might try two or three varieties in the pasture just to see what works best. I'd like to try at least one bittering variety and one...

I want to grow my own hops! Sadly, I live in a rented house with a tiny yard, and my landlord says I can't plant anything in the ground. On the other hand... my parents have 40+ acres of land in upstate South Carolina which they are doing absolutely nothing with. My grandfather used to raise...

Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine

My grandparents have an old hotpoint in their basement. Want to say its older than this one, and still runs like a top. I doubt it has ever been unplugged since it was brand new. They certainly made stuff to last back then (before business knew that "quality product" = less repeat busines)...

This thing is beautiful! Can't wait to see it finished!

Welcome! I'm hoping to build something similar in the next few weeks. I ordered a 2-tap conversion kit from KegConnection a few months ago. Picked up a CO2 tank last week. I have 1 keg already, and a few more on the way. Now all I need is the freezer! I have a spare analog johnson...

Just keep it and use it for your next starter (for something darker than the typical wheat beer). Or just throw it in whatever batch you brew next, for a few extra gravity points.

Welcome to homebrewing! I've been in for a little over a year, and I can tell you the waiting and worrying never gets any easier. Its usually worth the wait though. Look at it this way. By the time you're waiting and worrying over your next batch, you'll have about 50 bottles of this batch...

You can re-use barrels. Its not possible (or necessary) to take them apart to clean them between uses though. There are ways to sanitize them if you need to. The whole point of barrel aging (for me) would be for sour beers. There, the draw is for the bacteria and wild yeasts to innoculate...

I tend to brew more often at club gatherings than I do at home... so I'm usually dressed to travel. Jeans or overalls (shorts in the summer), tennis shoes, and a t-shirt. I keep a pair of Ove Gloves in my back pocket at all times on brew day. Never know when someone is going to need a hand...

Was looking for a 5-gallon barrel on Barrel Source, and I found several smaller ones. Considering buying this combo deal when I get my tax refund. The 5-liter barrels could hold a little over 1 gallon each... and I could use the bonus little guy to age some whiskey or something.

Forgive me if this has been discussed already in the previous 256 pages of this thread... but is anyone doing any barrel-aging with 1-gallon batches? I've seen some 2liter and 5liter oak barrels for sale lately (not too expensive). Might be good for aging small batches.

Welcome, from a former NC home brewer! I lived in Statesville for a while. Relocated to southwest GA a few years ago. I'm trying to get back up there now though... either Charlotte or Asheville.

Now that all is well... RDWHAHB :D

Ditto. I'm sure I've seen a thread on it before, but I cant find it. I have an analog Johnson controller for mine, but would love to use something like yours. Great looking build, by the way.

Temp control is huge - not only for reducing lag time, but also for controlling the flavors contributed by the yeast. If you have a heat belt go ahead and throw it on now. If you insulate the bucket by wrapping it in a blanket without doing anything to warm it up, you're just going to hold...

I have made brownies and home made ice cream with my Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout. I watched an entire batch disappear in a single evening once, when I had friends over for beer brownies, beer ice cream, and the beer itself. Here are the recipes I used...

I did a "cheap beer tasting" for about 20 people last month. Everyone brought over a 6pack (or 72 ounces) of their favorite cheap beer ($6 or less). We did the whole double-blind thing. Randomized the selections and had one person pouring and another person serving. Guests had pre-printed...

Sour beer is definitely an experience. Like others have said though - there's a big difference between intentionally brewing a sour beer and getting an accidental infection. Intentionally brewed sours are inoculated with specific wild yeasts and "bugs", aged for a specific period of time, and...

If anyone was curious... this beer was an EPIC failure. Everyone in our local brew club tried it. Their notes compared it to everything from dish soap to pinesol to insect repellant. We still have about 3 gallons of it in a keg at a friend's house. Might marinate some chicken in it, when...