Female brewers

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Oh, by the way, many of the females on this forum don't have an avatar or a name that says "I am a girl!" on them. Just looking through this thread, one woman has a picture of a car, one has a license plate, one has a dog, and so on.



I think it's great that we're just brewers here, and that gender isn't at all a factor. While many of us have become great friends, the fact is that we all have brewing in common and are at different stages from beginner to expert gives us all a great sense of camaraderie. After all, we're here for the beer! :D


Sure, but like a woman who can talk football or computers, there's something intriguing about a woman who can talk grains and yeast and not be talking about baking or bodily infections..


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Yeah, I have to agree as well. Gender doesn't matter or bother me. My wife picked up on brewing quite nicely. Being a good cook I think helped a lot. She even said that brewing beer was a lot like making soup or something. And the smell doesn't bother her, now that she's learned what it smells & looks like at different stages. Ya gotta love that! :ban::mug::ban:
 
Sure, but like a woman who can talk football or computers, there's something intriguing about a woman who can talk grains and yeast and not be talking about baking or bodily infections..


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Well, the Packers sucked today didn't they? And I just got a new computer................

But as far as bodily infections, um, nah. I got nothin'. :D

Just wait until I start chatting about the debranching of amylopectins in the mash, and that should really excite you. :cross:
 
Well, the Packers sucked today didn't they? And I just got a new computer................



But as far as bodily infections, um, nah. I got nothin'. :D



Just wait until I start chatting about the debranching of amylopectins in the mash, and that should really excite you. :cross:


I'm thinking about starting up my sourdough again..... And I made this cake over the weekend.....
 
Just wait until I start chatting about the debranching of amylopectins in the mash, and that should really excite you. :cross:

You've said before that you're no chemist, but I'm starting to wonder ;-)
 
I love it when a girl starts talking soluble polysaccharides

it's so sweet

bada boom cha. I'll be here all week. try the veal. tip your waitress.
 
Ok ok.... I think that with all this female induced chemistry and science discussion that this thread might belong over in the Boneyard.

Yooper or another mod....?????

We better hope brewmcq or some of the other boneyarders don't stumble upon this thread!!!

Lol


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Not to hijack the thread but where in France are you? My wife is from the south (Aix) and I actually just got back from a visit there. We have been talking about moving there and I was contemplating how my homebrewing would be affected by living there (availability of ingredients mostly)

Bienvenue!


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Hey hey hey! Another female brewer here. Didn't know I was a "brewster" though til I read this thread. Have always referred to myself as "brewmeistriss" but whatevah ya calls me - I still love to brew some beer with KOTC (King of the Castle) - we're pretty good at it by now too, if I may say so myself.

Welcome aboard!
 
Interesting to note that in my research of the history of beer in my latest book, female deities like Ninkasi were like the patron saints of brewing to the Sumerians. Part of one poem to her from 3,900 years ago went, " Ninkasi, you are the one who pours out filtered beer of the collector vat. It is [like] the onrush of Tigris & Euphrates". Women & priestesses brewed them, some beers for religious rites only. So y'all have some history here! :mug:
 
Hello Dont drop the beer, We are in the Charente Maritime, an hour from Bordeaux, so abit a different area. I found this site ccalled bieresdumonde and you seem to be able to buy many different grains there, not a big choice in yeast though. But enough to keep brewing I would think!
 
Hello Temptd2 breiwmeistriss sounds good to me! I hope I will get good at it at some stage...
 
Hello Temptd2 breiwmeistriss sounds good to me! I hope I will get good at it at some stage...

Like anything else - the more you do it, the better you get at it! :D Keep after it and you'll learn so much and make some really good beer. We just started a Moondog Midnight Porter this morning. Can't wait to taste it in 5 weeks! LOL!
 
Oh hey, more female brewers. Brewsters. Whatever. Represent.

I brew with my SO, but I'm every bit as involved as him - we compliment one another's skillsets. He's numerical, I'm artistic. We both love the entire brewing process and we're huge beer nerds.

Tomorrow night I'm going to my first social meetup for our local Barley's Angels chapter, which is awesome. More female brewers and beer-lovers, locally? Yes please.

Though I do dig that thus far, despite being a male-dominated hobby, everyone's helpful, respectful and really awesome regardless of gender. So far, my gender hasn't played any negative role in the hobby or the people we've met. There are male-dominated hobbies where this would not happen. More reason homebrewing is awesome, I guess. :)
 
Hi ther Alliemackie, pleasure meeting you here :) Sounds like you and your hubby have a good brewing partnership there! With us it is more me planning the recipes and process and he helps with the practical stuff :)
I would love to have a brewing club anywhere here, but unfortunately no such luck in the Fench countryside.
I just ordered ingredients for 5 different brews which my partner will pick up in the UK :) Looking forward to brewing again next week! Just in time for a Christmas beer...
 
Yeah, I have to agree as well. Gender doesn't matter or bother me. My wife picked up on brewing quite nicely. Being a good cook I think helped a lot. She even said that brewing beer was a lot like making soup or something. :ban::mug::ban:

Hi, guys! Fellow newbie female brewer here, as well!

Brewing is a LOT like cooking! I think many women make/would make excellent brewers due to their familiarity in the kitchen and knowledge of ingredients and cooking/baking procedures. My overall culinary enthusiasm is actually what got me into brewing. I have a personal motto: "If I can buy it, then I can make it!" I love learning new crafts and the challenges! My brewing/fermenting first started with kombucha and kefir, then moved to meads and wines, and recently into beer. I mean, it doesn't get much cooler than making your own booze! :rockin:

- Claire
 
I always thought that if you can cook, you can brew. I've been cooking for some 51 years. Made wine till age 30 or so, then onto beer. She picked it up quickly, stating that she had a good teacher when I brought it up. So you ladies give it a try if you haven't already. :mug:
 
Hi, guys! Fellow newbie female brewer here, as well!

Brewing is a LOT like cooking! I think many women make/would make excellent brewers due to their familiarity in the kitchen and knowledge of ingredients and cooking/baking procedures. My overall culinary enthusiasm is actually what got me into brewing. I have a personal motto: "If I can buy it, then I can make it!" I love learning new crafts and the challenges! My brewing/fermenting first started with kombucha and kefir, then moved to meads and wines, and recently into beer. I mean, it doesn't get much cooler than making your own booze! :rockin:

- Claire

Exactly.
 
Hello and welcome! I too am a female brewer (brewer seems to be adequate vs brewster). I have been brewing with my brew monkey (husband) for a couple of years now and we have so far made ales & lagers using mini mash technique, hard ciders, and a take on hard lemonade. Have really enjoyed learning from other helpful members on this website as well as those in my local homebrew club and LHBS.

I may graduate to BIAB but frankly I think we make darned good beers with our current method and I don't want to have to add a lot of time to brew day.
 
Hello and welcome! I too am a female brewer (brewer seems to be adequate vs brewster). I have been brewing with my brew monkey (husband) for a couple of years now and we have so far made ales & lagers using mini mash technique, hard ciders, and a take on hard lemonade. Have really enjoyed learning from other helpful members on this website as well as those in my local homebrew club and LHBS.

I may graduate to BIAB but frankly I think we make darned good beers with our current method and I don't want to have to add a lot of time to brew day.

Surprisingly, I found that doing an extract batch with steeping grains takes about the same amount of time as a BIAB batch all grain but the cost is different. If you can get your grains double milled or if you have your own mill you can have full conversion in the time you normally would take for steeping. :mug:
 
Welcome, Geirfuglinn!
I see that you have met many of our lovely ladies!
And as you have already heard...
“Oh, and anything Yooper says is gospel. She rocks!”
 
Surprisingly, I found that doing an extract batch with steeping grains takes about the same amount of time as a BIAB batch all grain but the cost is different. If you can get your grains double milled or if you have your own mill you can have full conversion in the time you normally would take for steeping. :mug:
the cost is different as in less? i will have to find one of my brew club members who can demo a BIAB batch!
 
the cost is different as in less? i will have to find one of my brew club members who can demo a BIAB batch!

To get an idea of the difference in price, check identical recipes for extract and all grain. I'll suggest this site for doing that but any site that has extract and all grain kits priced will do. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/

Now that you know that there is a difference in price, consider the difference when you build your own recipe but buy the base malt in larger quantities. For instance, Midwest Supplies sells Rahr 2-row for $1.49 for a 1 pound package but has 50 pound sacks for $35, less than half per pound than single pound packages. 50 pounds will make quite a few batches of beer.
 
the cost is different as in less? i will have to find one of my brew club members who can demo a BIAB batch!

I don't think you even need a demo. If you have a pot that will hold at least 5 gallons, buy a paint strainer bag (probably 2 bags because they come 2 in a package) and 4 pounds of base malt (called 2-row or pale malt or pale ale malt) and get it milled. Double milled if you can because BIAB can handle the finer milling and your OG and length of mash depend on the milling. Use one of the recipes in this database https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f82/ because they have been tested for quality. Heat about 3 3/4 gallons of water to 161F, put the bag into the pot and then stir in the grains. I use a wire whisk so I don't get "doughballs". Let it sit in the pot, covered, for 30 minutes. Pull the bag out and let it drain some, then into a colander that is sitting in another pan to finish draining. Return any liquid collected to the pot which can be heating during this time. Pour about a quart of water over the bag of grains and return that liquid to the pot too, then squeeze whatever more liquid you can get out and return that to the pot. You are now at the same point as if you were steeping grains and adding extract and it will take you about the same time as extract but at much less cost.

If you try this and hate the process, you have only lost the cost of the paint strainer bags but that will be offset by the lower cost of the batch of beer you made. If you like the process, consider getting your own mill for the convenience and the control of the milling quality. I use a Corona style mill and hand crank it but you might prefer a motorized mill.

This process can be scaled up with larger pots and perhaps larger bags. I can do a 5 gallon batch in a 7 1/2 gallon pot but I have to be very careful when stirring the grains in and when the boil starts as there will be much more "hot break" foam than with an extract batch.
 
That sounds super easy and I think I will try it! My boil kettle is HUGE so all I need is the giant sized bag. Thank you
 
Mashing is normally done for 1 hour. Steeping for 20-30 minutes. Base grains need the extra time for conversion. I do pb/pm biab myself. 1 hour mash in 1 1/4-1 1/2 quarts of water per pound of grain. Temps from about 147F-156F. Mashing is a bit different from steeping, but related.
 
Mashing is normally done for 1 hour. Steeping for 20-30 minutes. Base grains need the extra time for conversion. I do pb/pm biab myself. 1 hour mash in 1 1/4-1 1/2 quarts of water per pound of grain. Temps from about 147F-156F. Mashing is a bit different from steeping, but related.

No they don't. Mashing is usually done for 60 minutes because the grains are crushed coarser for a conventional mash tun where the finer crush would clog up the filter. Since BIAB has a bag for a filter you can crush the grains really fine. An iodine test will tell you when there is no starch left to convert and it comes out negative in less than 3 minutes. That probably does not allow enough time for the beta amylase to work so I usually give it 20 minutes. I also mash in 2.75 qts per pound of grain which is supposed to make the conversion go slower since the enzymes are more diluted.
 
When I started biab, I didn't have a grain crusher & pre-crush wasn't that good. So using a old, small food processor I crushed'em that way. A lot of flour got through the bag. Since getting my barley crusher grain mill, I crush at the factory setting of .039" & get good results with a 1 hour mash @ 1 1/2 quarts per pound of grain. And a lot less floury stuff getting through the bag. I read that th Germans use a rather "watery" mash successfully. I just stick to what works for me in regard to water/grain volumes. While your way is cutting edge, I'm sure many of us get good results the old way with less getting through the bag.
 

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