About to deploy for a year

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dantastic01SS

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I've been brewing for a little less than a year now and am completely hooked. I'm in the Army and about to deploy for about a year and want to start a few batches before I leave. I'm not setup for all grain so will be brewing 4 batches of... something. I know I'm going to do a barleywine... any good extract recipes that come to mind? Any suggestions of brews that'll last the year with little attention. I'm going to have a hell of a party when I get back. :mug: :cross:
 
Hey man you can make room for a 1 gallon fermenting jug cant you TAKE THE HOBBY WITH YOU!!! LOL

p.s. a big thank you for doing the service that most of us (including me) are to much of a coward to do.
 
An imperial stout would work well. A year would give it plenty of time to mellow the flavors.

I'm not sure if you're into fruit beers, but a true lambic would be a great idea. Those are supposed to age around 1 year before they're drinkable.

Good luck with whatever you choose!!! Be safe.
 
id say go with a high gravity ale, that will be a nice welcome home at the end of your tour
 
id say go with a high gravity ale, that will be a nice welcome home at the end of your tour

I'm not sure that taking the hobby with me would be such a good idea. A guy got busted on my first trip over there with some booze and got busted way down... they tried to court martial him. On the other hand.. they were nice enough to let us have 3 beers in Ireland on our way back... I got drunk on 8 beers for the first time since I was 16. Gotta get caught to get in trouble. :mug:

Would it hurt to leave the beer in the secondary all year? I don't think I'm going to have time to bottle it.
 
are you using glass carboys or plastic bottles or buckets, i wouldnt trust anything plastic for a year, it'll oxidize the beer
 
Honestly,

Brew a few really good simple brews to hold you over when you get home ! I think that trying to hold something in a carboy for a year might not work out to good!!

If you want something to age, I would do most of it in bottles that way you don't need someone watching your carboys all the time !
How long do you have before you ship out ?

PM me I have a few suggestions for you,

Welcome to HBT.

-Jason

I return from the middle east in AUG!
 
I brewed the 999 Barleywine and started a strawberry mead before I left. I've been over here since September so I am getting close to getting home and enjoying them.

Just like Cheeto, PM me if you have any questions. Where are you located in IL? I live right next to Scott AFB.

-Matt
 
Another thing to keep in mind is that they won't really check your bags on the way over here and they sell apple juice by the gallon here at the PX in Iraq. A couple dry packs of good Ale yeast over here and..... hint hint

Start a good imperial stout and a 5gal Apfelwein, will both age nicely while gone.
 
I think if you can get a batch (any style) brewed and bottled (you have 3 week yet?) would be best for long term.

It looks like you're going to avoid taking anything to get busted, going dry for a year isn't the end of the world and not worth the risk. Take care of yourself and stay safe. :mug:
 
I'm not sure that taking the hobby with me would be such a good idea. A guy got busted on my first trip over there with some booze and got busted way down... they tried to court martial him.


What? Are you going to Afganistan? Why can't you have booze?
 
I drink alot of beers but going dry for the year is my plan... I'm not risking the past 11 yrs in for a drink. I was planning on just leaving them in my glass carboys and making sure someone keeps an eye on them.. anything wrong with that? I haven't made any mead yet and will probably try one along with a badass stout.
 
yeah- mead is what I was gonna say too- but are you talking about a secondary for a year? or the primary? b/c thats' a long time for beer to be sitting on it's original yeast!
 
dantastic01SS- I hear you on not thowing away the 11 years you have invested. During Operation Desert Shield/Storm, a couple of guys that I knew made some hooch in thier commo van and got caught...busted BIG time and it was during a time that wasnt so bullsh&#t PC as today.

I would say do up a couple of barleywines and a couple of apfelweins and let em set in CONUS until you rotate back. Make sure you give your squad one.

As it was stated before, thank you for your service, one veteran to another. One of my good friends is gearing up to get sent over as well right now. Keep your head on a swivel and your eyes open. When you get home and if you ever get out this way, let me know.


syd138- Any sort of vice is illegal over there, especially for our troops. Being that is a muslim region of the world and with alcohol being prohibited by Islam, they are rather sensitive to alcohol, porn, and all the other things that make life worth living. I this current climate of being Politically Correct and sensitive and other bullcrap, our government has deemed it illegal for our troops to have even beer over there. Heck, even in the 'Nam you could have some Old Mils or PBR!!
 
yeah- mead is what I was gonna say too- but are you talking about a secondary for a year? or the primary? b/c thats' a long time for beer to be sitting on it's original yeast!

No I was going to secondary it before leaving. Would that be fine?

Dutch101st... just taking a stab in the dark but were you in the 101st Airborne? Best unit I've ever been in. I deployed with them during the initial invasion into Iraq.

I'm thinking right now that a barleywine, a stout, an apfelwein (which would NEVER make it a year without me drinking it if I were around), and a mead. I've already began searching through the extract recipes on here and have many ideas. I might even do a few more brews than I planned.
 
I wish I had some advice for you on the brewing side of the house but I don't. I do want to say thanks for what you do. I am currently active duty Coast Guard and can say that I am damn proud of all the soldiers and saliors out there doing there best to serve our country. Good luck, shoot straighter than the bad guy and brew some damn good beer to come back to. And most of all be safe, come home to and for your family!!!!!!

Damage Controlman Second Class
Active Duty
USCG

CI
 
@OP
When I was over in Iraq in 06-07, alcohol wasn't a huge deal. I was Army, on a Marine FOB, and we were specifically authorized 2 beers (your choice of Bud or Hein) on Nov 10th, the USMC birthday. I'm told that Gen. Odierno authorized 2 more this year for the Super Bowl. We weren't "allowed" to drink other than on that day, but I'm pretty sure every soldier we had (save the Mormons) did.

My platoon acquired a Mr. Beer from an EOD unit we worked with when they rotated out... we had that b*tch on a schedule. We'd drain it, fill it up, go out on mission, and two weeks later when we came in, she was ready to drain again.

As far as brewing prior to leaving, I'd second the above... barley wine and apfelwein. Might do a good dark stout to condition while you're gone as well.
Hit this thread, too, and sign up to get some beers from HBT when you come home: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f38/official-whmbp-thread-72369/

Being that is a muslim region of the world and with alcohol being prohibited by Islam, they are rather sensitive to alcohol, porn, and all the other things that make life worth living.

I'm calling BS. Not on you... on General Order #1.
If the purpose of vice prohibition is avoiding offending Muslims, then why do we have thousands of Muslim KBR contractors serving bacon, eggs and pork sausage every morning for breakfast? Why does Baghdad tolerate an entire block of liquor stores over in the Christian district? Why are muslims supposedly offended by American drinking, but not French, British, German or Spanish (before they left)?
 
I picked up an Imperial IPA Extract Kit from Midwest Supplies and in the instructions it says to leave it in the Carboy 4-12 months for aging and bottle for a min of 4 months.

Higher gravity and hoppy beers are good options. Something like a Hopslam type beer so when you come back and it's bottle conditioned you can enjooy it.
 
We've had a couple people busted for alchohol here in our Battalion. Its not pretty and not worth the risk. +1 to the batch of Apfelwein for you and another to share with the unit when you get back. A mead would also do very well with a years bulk aging. Cheeto did a cider that a few of us "tasted" while out on leave. Keep that in mind too. Where ya headed? If you're coming to Balad or a base we service, PM me and i'll make ya a deal on fridge and tv and stuff.
 
Just wanted to say thanks for your service! I would think leaving in a secondary (kept out of light) should be OK provided air lock is maintained. I might recommend a blowoff tube into a healthy pail of water or someone to check airlock for evaporation regularly or maybe one of those silicone stopper/check valves. I had a dark abbey that ended up sitting over a year in a corny (due to surgery and travel) and was just fine (in fact it is on tap now).
+1 for the Barleywine I haven't done one yet, and I personally would have a hard time waiting the proper time.

Be safe and thanks again!
 
Thanks for all the suggestions! My date got pushed back a couple months so I'll be able to get everything bottled before I go... I should have a nice stockpile of aged booze upon my return. I'll probably do a barleywine, that IPA, a mead and an apfelwein. Should hold me over for a good bit. Thanks again guys! :mug: :rockin:
 
I'm already planning a barleywine for the next time I get deployed. I know I don't have the self-control not to drink it if I'm not away from it for a year! :D
 
Buy 4 cornies. They are great for long-term storage.

1. Wee heavy
2. Belgian Dopple
3. Imperial Stout
4. Barleywine
 
Try doing a Belgian Trippel too.. that is easy to make and will be fantastic by the time you get back.
 
I need to start planning for this as well. Uncle Sam is sending me on an all-expenses paid vacation to an undisclosed location next year.
 
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