Any brewers in the Conway Area?

[BowAholic]

you have been busy... All I have done is drink lots of beer... LOL. I did bottle the April Fool's IPA a week ago and brewed two 5 gallon batches at the same time. You know I don't have a clue about beer contests...???

 

[JPennington]

Newbie from the Searcy area here! I've got one bottle left out of my first batch of homemade root beer in the fridge. I used an extract for flavoring with a mix of white and brown sugar, and bottle conditioned it using Lavalin EC-1118 dry champagne yeast. Once I figure out what tweaks I want to make it won't be long till I start working on Batch #2, I'm sure. Then I'll work on different flavors. ^^

Eventually, I'll move from sodas to low-gravity beers, but I think I'll need some more space to work with first. The kitchen of a small 1-bedroom apartment just doesn't seem practical for full-fledged homebrewing, I'm afraid.

 

[estricklin]

Newbie from the Searcy area here! I've got one bottle left out of my first batch of homemade root beer in the fridge. I used an extract for flavoring with a mix of white and brown sugar, and bottle conditioned it using Lavalin EC-1118 dry champagne yeast. Once I figure out what tweaks I want to make it won't be long till I start working on Batch #2, I'm sure. Then I'll work on different flavors. ^^

Eventually, I'll move from sodas to low-gravity beers, but I think I'll need some more space to work with first. The kitchen of a small 1-bedroom apartment just doesn't seem practical for full-fledged homebrewing, I'm afraid.

Brewing in a bag doesn't require much space, or equipment.

Sure is good to hear from you. I haven't made a batch of root beer in years but I used to do the same thing and mix brown and white sugar. I always wanted to buy the ingredients and make my own extract but never got around to it.

Keep us updated, and if we can answer any questions would sure love to help you. I can't say for 100% sure where it's going to be at, but our official/unofficial club brew day is going to be at the end of this quarter. I think Bob said we could do it at his house. A bit of a drive for you but a good chance to learn about homebrewing, and take home some free beer.

 

[estricklin]

Ok, I have confirmed our Club brew day is going to be Saturday, July 1st. Bob has decided to host it, if anyone is interested in coming you can send him a PM for more info. I'll have plenty of homebrew to give away. I'll be brewing an IPA, and am really looking forward to it!

Don't be shy, even if you don't want to bring your own equipment and brew, at least come out, sample some homebrews and enjoy the day.

I'm drinking a potato beer right now, and have a Scotch Blonde Ale fermenting along with a Belgian Blonde that I plan to dry hop with 4 oz of Willamette because I'm crazy that way.

I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day, Cheers!

 

[estricklin]

Hello all!

Anyone found any gruit here in AR? Bob was curious.

I'm bottling an IPA tomorrow night, hope everyone is well!

 

[Lamrocks]

Hey everybody - I've been brewing for a few years and moved to Little Rock a couple years ago. I usually brew by myself but would love to brew with some likeminded folks. How often does everyone brew? And what do people enjoy brewing/drinking?

 

[BowAholic]

Hey everybody - I've been brewing for a few years and moved to Little Rock a couple years ago. I usually brew by myself but would love to brew with some likeminded folks. How often does everyone brew? And what do people enjoy brewing/drinking?

welcome to the thread...
I live about an hour out of Little Rock and typically brew twice a month, if I do two 5 gallon batches at a time...otherwise I brew more often. I make a 'yellow beer' for my wife and usually an IPA for myself, but make some Irish, Scottish, Belgians, and just starting to get into Gruits. I live in the hills on my farm north of Morrilton and you are welcome to brew here anytime.

Bob

 

[Lamrocks]

Nice! Thanks for the welcome Bob. Question - what's yellow beer?

 

[BowAholic]

Nice! Thanks for the welcome Bob. Question - what's yellow beer?

"Cathy Beer" is 9# of 2 row/pale ale (whatever's cheapest), 8 oz. of cara/crys 40L or 60L (whichever I have the most of), 152 degree mash, 1 hour boil, 1 oz. of Goldings or Willamette @60 minutes, and good old US-05 yeast (slurry)@ 67 degrees... it makes a 6% beer that my wife likes...

 

[estricklin]

Hey everybody - I've been brewing for a few years and moved to Little Rock a couple years ago. I usually brew by myself but would love to brew with some likeminded folks. How often does everyone brew? And what do people enjoy brewing/drinking?

Hey man welcome, sure are glad to have you. Sorry it's taken so long for me to respond, glad Bob pays attention haha. We've been trying to brew every 3 months as a group but it's usually just me and Bob that get together. Bob what do you think about brewing in the next week or 2?

I brew a lot of strange stuff, Irish beers, fruit beers, pumpkin beers and even lite lagers. I'm not prejudice though, I love all beer.

Not sure how much you read through our thread, but we sort of have a club I guess. The website is www.arkansashillbillyhomebrew.com and you should be able to access it so long as the wife isn't tieing up the internet watching Orange Is The New Black. We also have a group on facebook, look us up and I'll add you if your interested. I'm Eric, by the way.


Anyway on a side note, I bought this earlier and made sure no one seen me! Anyone ever tried it? Tastes like all the other mega schwill to me. $1.25 haha.

I plan to drink some good beer tonight, so I have some homebrewed IPA in the fridge, unfortunately if I poured out this Frio I'd be violating a "club rule".............what's a guy to do?

 

[BowAholic]

Eric...that's just nasty... but I'm glad that you didn't pour it out! I have a trad archery club deer hunt the weekend of the 14-15th, but no other plans... I brewed last weekend, but I will brew any time.

 

[estricklin]

Brewing with special ingredients today! You can't use too much spice in pumpkin beer, I added 1/2 tbsp at 45min, and 1.5 more at 15 min. May add another tbsp at bottling time depending on the taste. I've learned I like the combination of the spice flavor that has been boiled in conjunction with fresh added at bottling time.

I hope everyone is doing well, and staying warm tonight.

 

[estricklin]

Merry Christmas everyone! I'm opening a bottle of mead I made in 2013 here in a little bit.

 

[BowAholic]

nothing lasts that long around here...

 

[estricklin]

To be fair, we kinda found it.

Anyway I started a new batch of mead, mixed with apple juice. Starting out at 1.137, not sure how that's going to work.

 

[BowAholic]

1.137 should definitely do the trick !

 

[Jcbassman]

Hey guys, I moved to Greenbrier a few years ago. I have a ton of brewing equipment but no time to use it so I'm selling out. I have a complete set up to brew a 20 gallon batch. Blichmann Hellfire burner, 26 gallon stainless pot, a dozen or so brew buckets and a lot of accessories. I also have several corny kegs.

Here is the craigslist ad link:

https://littlerock.craigslist.org/for/d/complete-home-brew-set-up/6452864016.html

If someone is interested let me know. Hopefully someone can use these to make something great to drink!

 

[BowAholic]

I hate to hear that you have to let it go... we were looking forward to sharing a brew day.
You have some nice equipment...much nicer than what I use.

 

[Jcbassman]

Yeah it hurts to sell it! I only hope it all finds a good home!

 

[BowAholic]

best of luck to you...

 

[501irishred]

Yeah it hurts to sell it! I only hope it all finds a good home!

Great meeting you today, and I’ll do my best to provide that “good home” for a few items. Good luck selling the rest and going forward with your new endeavors!

 

[estricklin]

Hope everyone is well, I'm going on a cruise next week, I'll drink a beer for ALL of you....don't worry!

Looking to brew an IPA soon, maybe Saturday.

 

[BowAholic]

cool...have fun! I brewed an IPA last week and will brew something soon to try the new UK yeast.

 

[iblandford]

It's been quite a while since I brewed, laat summer I think. Anyway, glad to get some brewing in today! A porter that I've brewed a few times and enjoy a lot. I'm thinking about adding coffee in the secondary. Does anyone here have experience with coffee in their beer? Don't know if I should grind it or add whole beans, or something else all together.

Also, may brew an IPA tomorrow and bought some lemon drop hops. Thinking about dry hopping it with them and citra hops. Anyone used the lemon drop hops?

And I have a new brew buddy! Lol

 

[estricklin]

He isn't old enough............to add the hops yet. They need to be at least 3 before that.

For coffee in the porter, I would just add the coffee. It takes heat to get anything out of the coffee beans. You could add some grounds at flameout and they would settle out.

Never used any lemon drop before, better use a lot of it so you can really taste it.

 

[mmmooretx]

Been a while since I checked in, so updating. My Brewtroller died so I am moving to a PID HERMS system, parts ordered. Should be able to brew next month. I use 5 gallon Sanke kegs (fewer seals), and currently only have a 2 tap kegerator. I have gone to Fermentables & Homegrown Hobbies, and would like to know if the group near Conway recommends it or others.
Thanks.
Mike

 

[iblandford]

I go to fermentables. The only other store I know of is the water buffalo in LR.

 

[mmmooretx]

I go to fermentables. The only other store I know of is the water buffalo in LR.

Thanks, saw it but have not gone there yet.

 

[501irishred]

I live in Benton, and use Fermentables almost exclusively. There is nothing "wrong" with the Water Buffalo, but I will say I have to drive past it and continue driving for another 10min to get to Fermentables. From Conway, it seems like a no brainer. Straight down 40 with an easy on/off at MacArthur to end up at a well stocked shop with a knowledgeable staff.

 

[mmmooretx]

I live in Benton, and use Fermentables almost exclusively. There is nothing "wrong" with the Water Buffalo, but I will say I have to drive past it and continue driving for another 10min to get to Fermentables. From Conway, it seems like a no brainer. Straight down 40 with an easy on/off at MacArthur to end up at a well stocked shop with a knowledgeable staff.

Been there and like it, just wanted to what others thought.
Thanks

 

[estricklin]

I like either place, but end up ordering a lot of stuff online.

What do ya'll think about this cheap stainless table for a brew stand? Currently ordering everything I need to get this electric setup going, will be supporting about 250 lbs max.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/24-x-72-St...811789?hash=item2caa1126cd:g:4tQAAOSwwpdW72tk

 

[mmmooretx]

I like either place, but end up ordering a lot of stuff online.

What do ya'll think about this cheap stainless table for a brew stand? Currently ordering everything I need to get this electric setup going, will be supporting about 250 lbs max.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/24-x-72-St...811789?hash=item2caa1126cd:g:4tQAAOSwwpdW72tk

I like it. I looked at one similar, used, and talked to a friend. Basically with electric, like me, the stainless soaks up heat so put some wood under them (NO paint or sealer or it will stick to your pot). Mineral oil should be fine. My friend went high end with a soapstone top.

 

[mmmooretx]

Just finished ordering 2 BrewPi Sparc3's to set up my 2 fermentation chambers (I used the original Brewpi and loved it). Should have them in ~10 days, rewiring my temperature sensors (my units have heat and cooling with constant air circulation). My PID controllers arrive tomorrow and rewiring from Brewtroller is in process, for brewing. Will do an IPA for profiling, then a Urquell clone second.

 

[mmmooretx]

Picture of my fermenter.

 

[estricklin]

Picture of my fermenter.View attachment 563340

I am wanting to build a brewtroller from a Pi, just need to get off my ass and write the code, I have most of the hardware and everything else for this electric brewing project.

 

[mmmooretx]

I am wanting to build a brewtroller from a Pi, just need to get off my ass and write the code, I have most of the hardware and everything else for this electric brewing project.

I ordered 2 BrewPi' s and they are shipping from Netherlands today. I have my Raspberry pi ready to install Docker once my toyz arrive ~ 6 days via FedEx.

 

[estricklin]

I read up on the Brew Pi and noticed it's mainly for fermentation but they are working on a full brewing system. It looks really slick though.

I just noticed your a ham?

 

[mmmooretx]

I read up on the Brew Pi and noticed it's mainly for fermentation but they are working on a full brewing system. It looks really slick though.

I just noticed your a ham?

YES on the Ham, Extra. Elco has had ups and downs over the last 3-4 years. I will be glad to see him get the brewing system up and running, for distribution. My first issue was that if you are fermenting and want to brew it won't work. But once he gets it running you will only need 1 BrewPi Sparc 3 and one Raspberry pi dedicated to brewing (cannot use the same system for both). Also he already has the one wire interfaces for valves and SSRs. In all fairness he was a one man shop for a long time, so I will be glad when he finds a full time code pounder he is happy with. When I had my BrewPi ver. 1 running it was so sweet to check both chambers with a browser. Also you can program your cold crash to 2 degrees a day without going out to tweek the temperature controller.

 

[estricklin]

I may end up just cobbling together some code together for now. I am probably going to start with the Arduino and a serial interface, then as I have time I'll write some code for the Pi. I'm still going to try the Craftbeer Pi but am not sure about the support/documentation on it.

The STC 1000+ has the ability to ramp up or down ferm temps. It's super easy to flash one, but of coarse the Pi setup is way better and can be done remotely.

Maybe I noticed you were a ham before? I'm the webmaster for the Arkansas Diamond Amateur Radio Club, and I try to stay active although I haven't been on the air much lately. Punched my extra ticket a couple of years ago, was KF5WHN before the short call.

 

[estricklin]

Hope everyone is well.

I tried the Sweetwater sampler over the weekend, love the Pineapple IPA.