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Extract is the real stinker when it comes to cost. It helps if you buy bulk though. I got 50 lbs. of DME online for a good deal, and then by the time I'd gone through that, was ready for AG. Washing liquid yeast, or using dry helps a lot too (nothing at all wrong with dry yeast). $60+ is really...

Not a fan of fruit additives, wits, or hefes...will drink them, but far from my 1st choice. I can do BMC is it's cold and fresh.

Depends. SWMBO and I play competitive disc golf, so in the warmer months, the weekends are pretty busy. But I was able to do a 5 gallon batch the last 2 weeks in a row (I know I won't be able to for another 3 weeks at the very least). In general, I probably average ever other week. Kegging has...

My wife claims to like beer-and she likes some lighter ales, sweet lagers, and BMC...but she is far from a beer enthusiast. I've made beers with her in mind, but she still rarely drinks them--'empty calories' blah, blah, blah. I really think that she just doesn't want to give me the...

Luckily, I find myself rarely having to buy beer. I've been able to keep a decent amount of my own on tap, to the point that a 12 pack of commercial goes a long way...also, I seem to accumulate beer without even trying. A buddy of mine gave me a 12 of Christian Moerlein Helles because he didn't...

I had a similar experience with what I assumed was chlorophenols from tap water...but then I still got it from time to time after I filtered my water and/or did full boils. It wasn't until I changed my cooling procedure that I seemed to have eradicated the problem. How are you chilling? I...

1st batch ever: Sanitized carboy before boil, but left 1 gallon of one-step in the carboy. When transferring wort, I was so zealous to get it into the carboy that I neglected to empty it of the gallon of sanitizer water.

I agree on the bitterness...some bitterness is good, but mainly what I look for in an IPA is that feeling that you've had a pine tree glazed in grapefruit juice shoved down your nose. In terms of ABV, this is one of the reasons beer is so great. There is so much variety that you can pick...

Not so much so far...but this year has taught me how important temp control really is. Lately I've based my brew schedule on the temperature of my basement-doing what I can, when I can. This winter, I've done a few lagers with hybrid yeast so as to take advantage of the temp in the low-mid 50s...

I usually use a hop bag for my initial charge...and tend to wait until the break has subsided and the heat has been lowered. A spray bottle is always good to have around!

SWMBO loves Spotted Cow, but I bet she wouldn't if I tried to use cascades (she's an anti-hophead). I don't get too much hop presence in it at all...it actually seems pretty malty for a light beer. If anyone nails a clone for this, I'd love to give it a try.

To echo most comments-I didn't think AG would be so much more satisfying until I did it. I also think the beer is better and has more depth. When I took a whiff and a taste of my 1st batch ever-for some reason I couldn't believe that that sugary, nasty, tea-like wort had changed into actual...

Amen to that. SWMBO and I have our own accounts, as well as our joint one. I try to only spend 'my own' money on brewing, but at times that just doesn't work out, especially this time of year when I'm brewing a lot. I don't stock up too much, but when I can, I'll buy a few extra ounces of hops...

I've been trying to figure this out as well. In my short time (3 batches) kegging, I am loving force-carbing. I'm able to get much more consistent 'pub-like' carbing that is just the right level and leaves nice lacing. I was never able to get that kind of head retention from bottle carbing...

My only experience of dry-hopping with one of these was fantastic. Right into the keg and it just reeked of Amarillos...before I kegged, I'd dry-dry hope by stuffing a muslin bag odf them into the carboy..seemed to work OK

I really do like them-but it's not the ONLY beer I like. A lot of my (non-brewing) buddies will drink only them and little else. I do not like them being bitter/alcoholic just for the sake of being bitter and alcoholic (120 IMO is way too much)...but I do love the flavor of hops, as long as it's...

Blowoff tibes are pretty easy to put together. I use carboy caps with two openings (one straight up for an airlock-the other at an angle-perfect for a blowoff tube). This makes it really easy to switch to an airlock once the kreusen falls. I personally love using glass as the primary-it's fun to...

Here, here. I read Beer Advocate from time to time, just out of curiosity or to get specs on a brew. But when I read those, alot of the time it really reminds me of Paul Giamatti in 'Sideways'...and it's comical really. If the goal is enjoyment, then the product is only half of the equation...

I love Simcoes for that reason...where else but in the beer world can 'cat piss' and 'sweaty horse blanket' be desirable flavors?!?!

For the nearly 2 years I'd been brewing, my chilling method was the same: Cover the BK with foil, and let sit in my basement utility tub with 'ice bombs' until cool enough for pitching. Once I started AG, I did the same thing, but used the immersion chiller as well. That area of my basement...