Hello from NYC

hiphops · Jun 1, 2010

Hello from NYC. I just started brewing my own beer. Its pretty challenging but, like all things, I'm sure it gets easier with time. However, its particularly challenging brewing beer in a tiny NYC apartment! I've been doing one gallon batches. I'd like to join the big leagues and go up to 5 gallons but I don't know how I'd fit all that equipment in my apt and still have a place to sleep!

I got into it b/c I am a real beer conosiour (however that word is spelled). I really like IPA's and Hefeweitzen (however word that is spelled too), so long as they are from Germany (sorry but the Americans can't seem to get it right).

Anyway, I'll be posting questions and requests for advice so thanks in advance for your help.

Keep Drinking!!!

Brew - Drink - Repeat

chrispykid · Jun 1, 2010

Welcome. I'm guessing you bought a kit from the people at Brooklyn Flea? I think their one gallon kits are interesting, but for anyone that really wants to drink/brew it's a frustratingly small yield. I'm brewing 5 gallon batches on a stovetop in my one bedroom apartment and while it's not completely ideal it's very doable.

Go down to Brooklyn Homebrew, in Park Slope/Gowanus - 163 8th street by 4th avenue and they can sort you out with beginner extract equipment kit that takes up exactly one square foot of floor space when not in use (everything fits inside a bucket). Here's their website: http://www.brooklyn-homebrew.com/

hiphops · Jun 1, 2010

I'm guessing you bought a kit from the people at Brooklyn Flea?

- Your guess is correct. It was my first and it seems to me its a good starter.

I definitely want to go to the 5 gallon sizes. I guess i'm gonna need to pick up at least a 5 gallon size pot as well? Seems huge!

chrispykid · Jun 1, 2010

The way extract brewing work is instead of starting with malted grain you start with a concentrated powder or syrup malt extract. It's a bit of a shortcut, but you're still making your own beer and exerting an enormous amount of control over the final product. In this process instead of boiling all of the beer you can boil a concentrated version of your beer (about 3 gallons) and then after you cool it and pitch it into your fermentation bucket you dilute it to normal strength and a final volume of 5 gallons.

So you will want a 4 or 5 gallon bucket to boil your wort but you're not going to fill it to the very brim. It might sound really daunting but it's super easy. Pick up an equipment kit and a recipe kit from Brooklyn Homebrew and they'll break it all down for you. You can also pick up "How to Brew" by John Palmer which is a great book for the begining brewer.

Later as you get more experience you might want to step up to full volume boils and all-grain, but for the beginning brewer extract is the way to go.

sprocketmaker · Jun 1, 2010

Welcome hiphops, I just started in april, and have 3 batches (15 gals) going... all at different phases, and have not even sampled a bottle yet... so be warned, if you like the brewing process, and really love beer, you'll need to jump upto a 5 gallon batch capacity.
everything I've read, says it takes the same steps and time to do one gallon vs. 5, so you might as well make as much as possible.

Richabt · Jun 1, 2010

Best of luck with the limited space! I agree it can be done.

When not in use, I was able to store my extract setup by stacking my two buckets and a 5 gallon aluminum pot together.
If you were to go to all grain, you would be adding an MLT(cooler) and maybe a bigger brew pot. There is also Brew in A Bag (BIAB), which takes little space. Cheers!