Brewyear's Resolutions.

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McKBrew

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Sure, I could wait until January. But in a world where we are already planning the 10-10-10 beer, I figured I'm not too far out of line. Besides, October 1st is the start of the fiscal year so I'm going for it. Plus it will give some of you a few months to think about it.

Topic: What do you plan/want to do differently next year in regards to brewing.

1) Fermentation temperature control. I definately need to get another old refrigerator or freezer, pop in a Love controller and have a place for consistent fermentation.

2) Better batch planning for certain beers. For example an Oktoberfest that is actually ready to drink by October. A pumpkin beer that is ready by halloween. You know what I am talking about.

3) Barley Crusher.
 
Lets see.... this upcoming year I'd like to..

#1. Get a bigger kettle for boiling!
#2. Get a wort chiller.
#3. Do a butt load of all grain brewing!
#4. Do a high gravity brew, I'm shooting for 15% or higher.
 
1. Finish the Kegerator.
2. Finish the Kegerator.
3. Finish the ....

4. Make the jump from Partial Mash to All-Grain.
 
1) Build up a yeast bank that contains all my most commonly used liquid strains.
2) Source several keggles for a tiered system.
3) Devote a larger refrigerator for temperature controlled fermentation.
4) Overcome my general disdain for lagers. :)
 
Convert to all-grain (missing IC, need to build manifold for the cooler)
Do a few meads
Not have Limited Edition Wines (which come out from Jan through April) unfinished in September
Start buying bulk grain and a Barley Crusher to increase efficiency (I already have the drill to motorize!)
Buy a freezer and transform to keezer, thus using the fridge as a lagerator
Make more beer and less wine (11 kits made in 2008, probably another 8 from now to Christmas)

And finally, if I don't get to do it this year, I want to start 4 batches of Apfelwein at the same time with different yeasts (Munich, Nottingham, maybe T-58 or a belgian and EC-1118 as a control)
 
These aren't necessarily resolutions - more like goals for next year.

1. Brew at least once per month.
2. Along with #1 and just like McKBrew, better batch planning for certain beers.
3. Build a fermoire.
4. Try my hand at making wine.
 
1) Add another fridge for fermenting/yeast banking.
2) Build a brew stand
3) Would say finish kegerator, but that is really a MUST for before the new year. Hopefully have beer flowing in October. Only need to build tap box for on top (think jesters keezer, minus "The Ritz" status)
4) Schedule special Brews for certain events/holidays
5) Try (brewing) a Barley Wine
6) Start designing my own beers (with the help of Mr. Daniels)
7) ..and of course brew far more often. The preggo and introduction of the boy kind put brewing's priority down there.
 
Finish the Brewhaus
Finish the Biergarten
Brew my first lager

Wow, Ed. You've never brewed a lager? Actually a bit suprising. Good Luck. Hope to be in a position in a few years where I can travel down your way and drink lagers in the Biergarten.

Edit: I'm guessing it was you that caught that SPAM thread before I could respond and report it.
 
1. Refine my new brewing skills
2. Start using Carboys
3. Increase the operation
4. Come up with my own (good) recipe
 
Wow, Ed. You've never brewed a lager? Actually a bit suprising. Good Luck. Hope to be in a position in a few years where I can travel down your way and drink lagers in the Biergarten.

Edit: I'm guessing it was you that caught that SPAM thread before I could respond and report it.

Yeah, my ales are pretty tasty and I don't want to tie up my fermenter freezer any longer than I have to.

I toasted that spammer before he knew what hit him. :D
 
1) Build a proper brewstand.
2) Brew a beer over 1.70, probably parti-gyle
3) Temp controlled Fermenter, Brew a Lager.
4) Enter a competition
 
1. Do my first lager (will probably do this before the new year, but whatever :D)
2. Restock the pipeline
3. try a decoction mash
 
1. Build fermentation cabinet for my conicals
2. Install Love controller in fridge for lagers
3. Build keezer
4. START KEGGING!!
5. Brew my 200 gallon limit.
 
1. Get a 60QT boil kettle and burner.
2. Refine AG processes. Maybe through SMaSH brews.
3. Make a damned Apfelwein I've heared soooooo much about (wink wink, EdWort).
4. Get SWMBO fully behind the obsession she got me into originally.
 
1. Barley Crusher, grain Storage, and bulk buying
2. 10 gal batches of the house beers (Fat Tire, Double, Triple, Aphelwine)
3. Starters & yeast harvesting
4. Brew 199 gallons
5. Grow my own hops
6. Mead & wine making (will start 12/27)
7. COntinue to scour Craigs List for the best buys
 
  • Frame and peg board the brewshop walls.
  • More shelving...I've got to have more shelving.
  • More fermentation capacity. (35 gallons at a time just ain't gonna cut it)
  • Brew that damn Belgian Dark Strong Ale I've been threatening to do for 7 months.
  • Go to some club meetings.
 
1. better brew kettle
2. start all-grain operations
3. better fermentation temp control. (i.e. get a fridge with Love for the basement)
 
1. MORE sour beers
2. Barley Crusher/Bulk Grain
3. Bulk Hops (almost set for next year)
4. 10 gallon batches
5. Harvest yeast
6. MORE sour beers
 
1. I gotta start kegging. These bottles are getting ridiculous.
2. Brew a saison and a barelywine.
3. Try a decoction mash.

Otherwise, just keep doing what I've been doing. I've been brewing for almost a year and I've done 13 beers and 4 ciders. I still got a lot to learn, so I'll keep brewing and keep reading. It'll be interesting to see where I am in another year from now.
Oh yeah, we got a club here that I keep meaning to join.
 
1. Brew the oatmeal stout recipe that my girlfriend has her eye on. This will be her first brew session and she is pretty excited.
2. Finish the kegerator (it has actually been working for a month, I just need to find a cheap co2 tank)
3. Brew more
4. Start building up all grain equipment
5. start partial mashing and smash brewing to prep more for all grain and expand my knowledge.
6. get a membership to HBT and join the brewclub in mil (beer barrons)
 
1. Barley Crusher, grain Storage, and bulk buying
2. Brew and perfect an IPA
3. Get my hands on at least 2 or 3 corny kegs
4. Brew a 10 gallon batch
5. Never run out of homebrew
6. Introduce a friend to the hobby and help them along with some equipment I no longer need
7. Just LOVE every moment of brewing.
 
1. Kegerator for Christmas, so always have at least 1 (if not 2) beer on tap at ALL times.
2. Average at least 1 batch per month
3. Finish the cooler mashtun conversion
4. Brew better beer!!!
 
In no particular order:

1. Get a bigger brew pot.
2. Start partial mash brewing
3. Get a wort chiller
4. Beg brother-in-law, who works at a brewery, for some hops every time I visit him.
 
1: finish my kegerator

2: Start planing ahead so i can actually do yeast starters

3: make a 10 gallon batch in my cranberry juice barrel i got from work
 
1. Take advantage of cold winter/ build temp control
2. Invest more each batch to make most flavorfull
3. Brew big long term projects
4. Keep a month buffer so that every batch can age well into prime
 
1. Build my new fermentation chamber
2. Finish the kegerator
3. Buy a March pump
4. Build a natural gas burner and stand
 
I'm adding one. Head and head retention. I'm talking about Sierra Nevada style. A Bigfoot barleywine several months old.... long lasting, rocky head. Fresh Hop Ale.... Long lasting, beautiful rocky head. How the fxxk do they do it? I want the secret formula now. (Yes, I'm a bit buzzed from the 24oz of Fresh Hop). Still, That head rocks.
 
1. Update equipment and buy more fermenters
2. Find THE Recipe for THE house beer
3. Brew, Brew, Brew!!!!
4. Work on efficiency and consistency:rockin:
 
1)Make a cooler, probably counterflow
2)Build a bigger mash tun
3)Get another propane burner so I can use my keggle
4)get all 6 kegs in the fridge
5)refine my technique and system
6)Join a club
7)keep enough in stock to do a brew anytime I have time and feel like it
8)help someone start home brewing
9)Get some holiday brews done in time for the holiday thet're intended for
10)Get the basement organized and the bar room at least well started
 
-aquire a keg, convert to keggle, insulate it for a direct fired MT.
-aquire another burner
-Make a somewhat modular 3 tier or make it out of crap I can throw away (plan on moving out of my rental and buying a house in the first Q of 09)
-bottle more beer or finish the kegerator.
 
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