Hello from the Mitten!

[True_Sycko]

Hello, My name is Mike. I live about 40 miles north of the D. How I got started with brewing is my mom got me a Mr. Beer kit for Christmas last year (seems like a common story). I loved it. First beer I made was the St. Patty's Irish Stout but added cocoa, vanilla, and some Jamican Blue Mountain Beans to it. It took about a month to condition because of the bitterness from the coffee but once it did everybody liked it. So Then my next beer was a disaster. I didn't understand the process as much and just used 2 HME and tossed in a blood orange, lemon and some spices. Turned out so cidery and let it condition for 3 months and it was still horrible. Ended up dumping it. Then my next kit was the English Nut Brown plus .5lb crystal malt, .5oz fuggles, and S-04 yeast. Thats what I am drinking right now and it and its really good. It just lacking something at the end. I just bottled the Sticky Wicket Oatmeal Stout plus .5oz of Horizon, lactose, cocoa, 2 Whole Vanilla Beans, and the Wyeast American Ale. I really can't wait to open a bottle but I have to wait another 2 weeks or so . I have 2 more premium refill kits left but I am going to wait on those because....

I just ordered the Northern Brewer Deluxe Starter kit with the Dead Ringer IPA. I picked up an Update International Aluminium (wanted SS, but Al cheaper) 40 quart stock pot. Picked up a burner off amazon (had some GC's) and going to pick up a wort chiller from my LHBS. I really can't wait to make this IPA, and try some really good homebrew!


Well thats my short/long story! :rockin:

 

[Homercidal]

Welcome and nice job on the new kit! You're going to love brewing 5 gallons and it sounds like you have a bit of mad scientist going on. There's no shortage of interesting things you can come up with and try.

 

[Xaphoeous]

Giggity goo! Nice story and nice new kit! The Aluminum pot (I have the exact same one from Update Int.) will be just fine. It will be nice for quicker cooling of your wort.

Welcome to the forum and the obsession!

 

[BrewerinBR]

Welcome to Home Brew Talk, sounds to me like you are developing the passion we all share. Good Luck with future brews!

 

[E-Mursed]

We all have to learn to walk before we run.

I have had one infection and one set of bottle bombs in my brewing career.
Failures are where we develop the experience that determines our process of creating quality beer consistently.

Welcome and hope to hear more about your brewing adventures.

 

[mikeysab]

Welcome. I have the 80 qt UI al pot. Great pot, nice and thick and adding a ball valve was a snap. If I could give you one oiece of advice about it, its to take the pot's shape into consideration before buying or building your IC. Those pots are short and wide. If I do less than a 10 gallon batch, half my ic is out of the wort. Just a little something to consider that I wish I would have thought of.

 

[True_Sycko]

Welcome and nice job on the new kit! You're going to love brewing 5 gallons and it sounds like you have a bit of mad scientist going on. There's no shortage of interesting things you can come up with and try.

Yea I guess you can say that. I haven't brewed anything straight up yet. I just have something in my mind and I kind of run with it. I do however research it before adding anything (minus the second batch) and document everything so at I can learn from my mistakes.

Giggity goo! Nice story and nice new kit! The Aluminum pot (I have the exact same one from Update Int.) will be just fine. It will be nice for quicker cooling of your wort.

Welcome to the forum and the obsession!

I was really looking into a stainless steel pot but after reading about Al I felt comfortable using it. Plus the SS I was looking at was around $120, so more then double. I could use that money for the beer kit or equipment. I will be adding a valve and maybe a thermometer later when my cash reserves come back

We all have to learn to walk before we run.

I have had one infection and one set of bottle bombs in my brewing career.
Failures are where we develop the experience that determines our process of creating quality beer consistently.

Welcome and hope to hear more about your brewing adventures.

Yea I chalk it up to learning. I thought of something really good in my head and well it didn't work. So you live and learn by mistakes. That was the only brew I did not research what I was putting in, ah well. I did pick up the "How to Brew" by John Palmer book. Pretty good read. I am up to the AG section. Might skip that one for now and come back to it after I finish reading so that way I can prepare myself for the Northern Brewer Dead Ringer.

Welcome. I have the 80 qt UI al pot. Great pot, nice and thick and adding a ball valve was a snap. If I could give you one oiece of advice about it, its to take the pot's shape into consideration before buying or building your IC. Those pots are short and wide. If I do less than a 10 gallon batch, half my ic is out of the wort. Just a little something to consider that I wish I would have thought of.

Thanks for the advice. I will see if I can find the depth of the pot. Its ordered and should be in next week. I was going to order the chiller online, but decided to buy it from the LHBS to support them. They have been super helpful every time I have come in there.




Thanks everyone for welcoming me!!!