Big Brew 2019

[Amadeo38]

Who all is doing Big Brew with their club this year? How does it work in other clubs? Do we all have the same recipe bank to choose from, and what did you choose to brew if you’re partaking?

I’m excited about this years group brew event, and I’m hoping the new parts of my system are compatible with travel and brewing elsewhere (mainly that my pump will run off my portable
battery long enough). Our club brews in the huge circular driveway of one of our members, and we have four recipes to choose from. Two from the AHA and two award-wining recipes from club members.

May the 4th be with you!

 

[Amadeo38]

Forgot to put that we were given the option to brew:

TransAtlantic Blonde (AHA big brew recipe)
Battlecow Galacticose (AHA Big Brew recipe)
Raisinette Belgian Dark Strong (local competition winner from a club member)
“Squiddo” Pale Ale (local competition winner from a club member)

 

[Amadeo38]

Wow. Nobody!?

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

The Miami Area Society of Homebrewers will be brewing at Urban Brewers LHBS http://www.urbanbrewers.com/Trans-Atlantic-Blonde-Ale_p_1848.html

 

[Amadeo38]

The Miami Area Society of Homebrewers will be brewing at Urban Brewers LHBS http://www.urbanbrewers.com/Trans-Atlantic-Blonde-Ale_p_1848.html

Nice. So you’re doing the Blonde, then?

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Actually, this year we decided to do whatever we wanted. My understanding is that, in the past, some people didn't like being restricted to certain recipes.

 

[Amadeo38]

Actually, this year we decided to do whatever we wanted. My understanding is that, in the past, some people didn't like being restricted to certain recipes.

I can see that. Our club gives a stipend to brew one of the pre-chosen recipes, so I never even thought of deviating!

 

[cnash]

The Miami Area Society of Homebrewers will be brewing at Urban Brewers LHBS http://www.urbanbrewers.com/Trans-Atlantic-Blonde-Ale_p_1848.html

I'll be there..

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

I'll be there..

Don't forget Elvira!

 

[Andrew Hodgson]

Our club is doing a "Bring your rig and brew" thing but I'll stay home and brew because I'm anti-social and I brew what I want. The woman is away so I'll be getting drunk.

 

[seatazzz]

I'll be staying home as well, brewing up a Czech lager that I hope turns out good enough for competitions coming up. Was going to schlep my equipment down to my buddy's brewpub, but ain't in the mood.

 

[cnash]

Don't forget Elvira!

I doubt she will come. We have something else later in the day into the night... So...

 

[treacheroustexan]

I'm brewing at our clubs event this year (The Brewing Ring in Medina) at the Vine n Hop Shop in Brunswick, OH. I'm doing the trans-atlantic blonde with a belgian yeast.

 

[Amadeo38]

The schlepping of equipment to someone’s house is the worst part, for sure. You take for granted all of the little things you’ve got at home, and forget to pack them up. Last year, for example, I forgot the garden hose to connect to my wort chiller. I also didn’t think about the fact that my portable table is plastic, which didn’t work too great with my hellfire burner, to say the least. Luckily, someone had a sheet of plywood to put on my plastic table.

 

[treacheroustexan]

The schlepping of equipment to someone’s house is the worst part, for sure. You take for granted all of the little things you’ve got at home, and forget to pack them up. Last year, for example, I forgot the garden hose to connect to my wort chiller. I also didn’t think about the fact that my portable table is plastic, which didn’t work too great with my hellfire burner, to say the least. Luckily, someone had a sheet of plywood to put on my plastic table.

Yeah this makes me worried. I only brew away from home maybe once a year and I brew all electric. For big brew day I volunteered to brew on propane with a cooler mash tun. Gonna have to remember a lot of things!

 

[Amadeo38]

Gonna have to remember a lot of things!

Seriously. I started a list on my phone over the past few days of little things I use around the house and might need.

 

[seatazzz]

There are a few breweries around here that are doing group brewdays on Saturday but I'm going to stay home, and possibly invite some friends to enjoy my homebrew and see how easy it is. New WF lager is going to be ready, a few homebrew pals need to see how easy WF lagers are to do with minimal setups.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

First, I have never understood the concept of Big Brew. Why on earth would it be expected that everyone brew from the same short list of recipes. Also, I only brew about once every 6 weeks. The odds of a particular day even coming close to fitting my schedule are pretty small. This year I'm kegging a beer this weekend. I won't need to brew for about a month.

Taking my rig somewhere else to brew? That would involve packing up the following:
Cooler MLT & bag
cooler HLT
Kettle
burner
LP tank
Table (sawhorses and plywood)
Ratcheting block and tackle
pump
fermenter
mill
chiller & chiller hoses
silicone whirlpool hoses
hose for transfer to ferm (with aerator attachment)
pH meter
refractometer
scales (hops and mineral)
minerals
whirlfloc & yeast nutrient
yeast
hops
grains
stirring spoon

That's just a quick list off the top of my head. Some things I might be able to borrow, but the point is that my setup is far from portable. I'd have to rent a truck.

Big Brew is a big non-starter for me. I may go hang with someone else that's brewing if it fits my schedule.

 

[Amadeo38]

Big Brew is a big non-starter for me. I may go hang with someone else that's brewing if it fits my schedule.

Many people brewing the same recipe gives the opportunity, at least in our club, for a specific meeting several weeks down the road where we all get together and try everyone’s version of the same beer. It’s fun to see how little differences people made (e.g. yeast choice) affects the beer.

Milling, weighing hops and mineral additions, and water procuring can all be done the night before. No need to pack a mill and scale. You don’t have to pitch your yeast on site, so no need to bring that either. Just do it when you get home.

And yeah, brewing off site is definitely a bit of work for most people’s systems; some more than others. I’ll be bringing cinder blocks to put my burner on instead of packing a plastic table again.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Many people brewing the same recipe gives the opportunity, at least in our club, for a specific meeting several weeks down the road where we all get together and try everyone’s version of the same beer. It’s fun to see how little differences people made (e.g. yeast choice) affects the beer.

Milling, weighing hops and mineral additions, and water procuring can all be done the night before. No need to pack a mill and scale. You don’t have to pitch your yeast on site, so no need to bring that either. Just do it when you get home.

And yeah, brewing off site is definitely a bit of work for most people’s systems; some more than others. I’ll be bringing cinder blocks to put my burner on instead of packing a plastic table again.

True. We do a competition series with 4 specific styles throughout the year. We get that "many brewed the same style" fun even though it's not the same recipe.

I only do the ones that fit my agenda. I don't brew often enough to brew something I don't want at all or at that time.

I'll stick to brewing at home.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I’m home! Blonde ale was brewed and I just pitched WLP500. All went well. I’m used to my Grainfather. This was my first time using a cooler and propane in like 5 years, but luckily everything went good. Cheers all!

 

[Saunassa]

Not a member of a club yet but hopefully soon. The thought of everyone doing one of say 3 recipes with an included limited hop variety and then comparing results is interesting to me.

 

[Amadeo38]

I’m home! Blonde ale was brewed and I just pitched WLP500. All went well. I’m used to my Grainfather. This was my first time using a cooler and propane in like 5 years, but luckily everything went good. Cheers all!

I wish I could say the same! I had fun, but perhaps too much fun...and made a couple flubs along the way.

1. forgetting to run my whirlpool arm during the boil and only remembering during chill, so I had to bring the temp back up to run the pump and sanitize it.
2. I racked my precious wort on top of about 1/4 cup StarSan in my fermenter yet again. At least it hasn’t been having an ill effect on the beers when I do that...