Hello from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia!

[Panache]

I'm a chemist and out of kicks I asked for a brew kit for Xmas. I got the Brooklyn Brewshop IPA kit which turned out mediocre, but drinkable. Thanks to the internet and this forum, I quickly learned all the things I did wrong (the awful racking cane included made me suck a lot of trub and air and whatnot).

The whole experiment sparked the scientist and do-it-yourselfer in me, especially as the price of a 12-pack keeps rising. I figured, with the amount of effort involved, a 5 gallon batch with extract would be almost easier. Fast forward two months, I ordered Palmers book, a bucket and 5 gallon stockpot and made his "Cinncinatti Pale Ale" which came out wonderful.

I just did another pale ale brew that's conditioning where I tried to replicate Oregon's Deschutes Brewery Mirror Pond (I went to grad school there and have many fond memories). In one more week I hope I'll know!

Just brewed a Belgian IPA clone that the gf likes (Flying Dog Raging *****) and I hope it will come out good. It blew off the top of the bucket so it better be!

Next on my list is the Blood Orange Hefeweizen many seem to talk about. Can't wait for summer. *Hic*

Cheers!

 

[LesIsMore]

I started out with the Brooklyn Brew Grapefruit Honey Ale myself. I had the same problem with the racking cane. I'd get a little bit out of the carboy, then it would stop flowing. I ended up stirring up the trub and transferred over a ton of it into my bottles. On top of that, I didn't know I wasn't supposed to leave the sediment behind when I poured my beers. It was a year before I ended up brewing again, but I can't get enough now. Have fun brewing! It is addicting.

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO. I love Raging *****, haven't tried to clone it yet, but now it's on my list of future brews.

 

[Panache]

It sure is addicting. I'm glad though the Brooklyn Kits did a good crash course on all grain brewing but I can't believe anyone can get anything decent with that racking cane. I may consider giving all grain a go in a month or two but it does seem more time consuming.