Albany Area Brewers

[grathan]

If anyone is looking for hops, we had a successful first year and have Vojvodina, Chinook, Tettananger and Glacier hops for sale. They are all natural, hand picked, ambient temp dried, vacuum sealed and frozen in 2oz packages. We are located in Greenwich. We have slowed down our home brewing because we have been so busy with work and don't want to let the hops expire... If interested please message me. Thank you!

Hey, I'm in Greenwich, small world. I could use some Chinook.

Did you see a new brewery is opening in town?

 

[LitK8ie]

I saw that, Argyle Brewing. My boyfriend was in to see them two months ago to snoop around. They are planning on opening this winter, ahead of schedule. How long have you been brewing?

I was wrong, the hops are packaged as 1oz each and are $2 an oz. if you are interested just let me know. Thanks!

 

[grathan]

Sure, I'll try a pound if you got it. I'll message you about my availability.

Been brewing off and on for maybe 15 years. Sometimes I make pretty good beer and sometimes not so good. How about you? I tried growing cascade this year, I think I messed them up. They smelled good mid-summer, but when picked mid September they weren't as aromatic. I think the weather was not so great this year and my spot is not so sunny. Then when I tried drying them in the food dehydrator they developed a burnt smell. Oh well.

Do you guys plan on selling them every year or just too many this year? I don't have any recipes for the hops you grow, but perhaps I will come up with something.

 

[LitK8ie]

Sure, I'll try a pound if you got it. I'll message you about my availability. Been brewing off and on for maybe 15 years. Sometimes I make pretty good beer and sometimes not so good. How about you? I tried growing cascade this year, I think I messed them up. They smelled good mid-summer, but when picked mid September they weren't as aromatic. I think the weather was not so great this year and my spot is not so sunny. Then when I tried drying them in the food dehydrator they developed a burnt smell. Oh well. Do you guys plan on selling them every year or just too many this year? I don't have any recipes for the hops you grow, but perhaps I will come up with something.

Sure thing! We have that... We started brewing a few years ago but like you it's been hit or miss. We have been ruling out things that have made the less than desirable beer, ie well water vs store bought water. We grew these four varieties of hops this year as an experiment, I enjoyed it and am looking at expanding with different, more common varieties in the spring if we can grow a customer base. We have a few friends who are frequent brewers and are looking for fresh hops. We are not 'organic' but we only use Booth's blend as a planting mix and haven't had to treat for pests other than setting up the Japanese beetle bags (the buggers hit us hard but they only got the leaves). We harvested Labor Day which was the tail end of peak but we got them in in time. We had quite the set up in the basement as far as drying goes but it worked out well other than the house was very aromatic!

 

[grathan]

Ahh, I love Booth's Blend. They were so busy this year that they never called me back. I hope you do well. It's weird buying hops over the internet when they can just be grown locally. Hopefully you try some Centennials.

 

[LitK8ie]

Yeah, my boyfriend is a regular customer so we use them regularly. I know what you mean, that's why I decided to grow them. Unfortunately we chose varieties with good shelf life and overall production, plus did some research with the other hop farms popping up and they were concentrated in Cascade and a few others so we went in a different direction.

 

[grathan]

Another great Praxair experience to report. Went there with an out of hydro 10#. They were out of 10# so gave me a full brand new 20# for just the price of the co2. This is awesome after mostly bad experiences with J&R and also Taylor Welding. Gonna drive the extra distance to go there from now on. (Oliver's Beverage is another excuse to make this trip, just discovered this huge beer store )

 

[YukonLT]

Cambridge here!

 

[grathan]

I love Cambridge. My wife is from there. Long ride for beer supplies though.

 

[YukonLT]

Long ride for anything lol

But I love it...

 

[grathan]

Good luck with the Pliny Clone! I did one a couple years ago. Came out awesome.

 

[YukonLT]

Thanks, should be fun. Might be my last extract brew, but not sure yet. Really want to move right to all-grain.

 

[grathan]

The only regret I had rushing to all-grain was tannins extracted from my high bicarbonate well water. It took me a year's worth of bad batches to figure out that mash ph was important.

 

[LitK8ie]

Have you guys been to the places in Saratoga and Latham? I know a friend just got into all grain and he gets his supplies from Saratoga.

 

[brew_ny]

the people down in east greenbush do a thing in the fall and the spring where you can buy two row for 40 dollars a 50 pound bag and specialty grains for 1.50 a pound

they have a news letter they send out

I bought 330 pound in a group buy they did in buffalo for about 39 dollars a 55 pound bag

I talked with the people in Saratoga and they are better then the people in Latham

all the best

S_M

 

[YukonLT]

Have you guys been to the places in Saratoga and Latham? I know a friend just got into all grain and he gets his supplies from Saratoga.

I stop at the Saratoga Zymurgist once in awhile, but have never been to the Latham shop. I think he Latham shop is called Hammersmith...

 

[grathan]

I still haven't bothered to go to Latham.

Saratoga is a great place to shop. Best shop owners you'll ever meet. East Greenbush is great too.

 

[YukonLT]

The only regret I had rushing to all-grain was tannins extracted from my high bicarbonate well water. It took me a year's worth of bad batches to figure out that mash ph was important.

Wow, a year of bad batches, that would be painful!

I want to make the move, but I'm not in a huge rush. Still thinking a few things out on it.

 

[grathan]

By skipping doing extract brews I never developed a good sense of what would be right or wrong. So it took a while to figure out. Overall I am glad I went to all-grain though. It tastes better, is cheaper to make, and the brew-day is more interesting.

 

[buzz1670]

I'm Buzz. I live near Rockwood and work in Fultonville.Just started brewing beer,made some awesome hard cider .Your all welcome to a taste.Wanting to learn.

 

[AJBrewerySupply]

We have some pin lock corny's available if anyone is looking to keg there beer. Contact us and we can give you more information.

 

[sean518]

Hey all, I was in Ace Hardware in Dutchtown Plaza in Palatine Bridge and they're now carrying homebrew supplies. Not a huge selection by any means, but they have all the basics including malt extract and hops. Dry yeast, no liquid.

 

[brew_ny]

so I go to Praxair today to exchange a 20 # tank pay the guy walk out to my car and I am getting ready to drive away

the guy runs out and tells me he gave me the wrong tank so I bring it back in and wait about 15 minutes or so

he comes back and tells me how sorry he is but he does not have any full 20 # tanks

so I ask him what can he do for me he tells me he can give me a 50 # tank for the 20 dollars I just paid him

so I hump this 160 # tank out to my car and drive away then get it home and realize it is almost as big as my full size fridge

so I will need to drill a hole

got to love these folks

S_M

 

[buzz1670]

Utica craiglist soda kegs $35

 

[Ilan34]

I can't believe that no one in this thread actually lives in Albany (or Troy)!

Anyway, I'll represent Troy. I work five minutes from Oliver's, and live ten minutes from Homebrewing Emporium, and five minutes from Hoosick Beverage. I'm in a lucky spot.

I've been brewing for a year now, started out with one gallon all grain batches, doing 2.5 gallons now. Just brewed batch #32 over the weekend (my first Saison) - I've been busy!

I love Homebrewing Emporium. Nice guys over there, well stocked. I've been to the Latham store once, was there for five minutes. It's tiny and has a woeful selection.

I love the beer scene that's growing by leaps and bounds in the past few years: Madison Pourhouse, The Ruck, Finnbar, Brown's, City Beer Hall, The Merry Monk, and tons more I'm forgetting. Anyone have a favorite place?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[grathan]

Hey neat Troy! There used to be a homebrew shop on River st next to a brewery. I don't know if either are still there, it was near a huge white bridge.

 

[brew_ny]

I can't believe that no one in this thread actually lives in Albany (or Troy)!

work in Albany on Sand Creek RD. lived at 123 fourth street in Troy at one time

S_M

 

[Ilan34]

Hey neat Troy! There used to be a homebrew shop on River st next to a brewery. I don't know if either are still there, it was near a huge white bridge.

Wow, really? We've been here since 2004, so they must have been gone by then. The brewery is still there, though: Brown's Brewpub. Fantastic food, right on the river, decent beer with a couple of standouts.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Ilan34]

work in Albany on Sand Creek RD. lived at 123 fourth street in Troy at one time

S_M

Ha, that's a pizzeria now, and not a very good one!

 

[brew_ny]

Ha, that's a pizzeria now, and not a very good one!

it was a comic book store

S_M