Hi from another newbie!

BruceH · Nov 3, 2017

Hi, my name is Bruce and I live about 30 miles north of Seattle.

My start into home brewing was making Kvass out of wild harvested yeast a few years ago. It is one of my favorite beverages.

About a year ago I got ahold of barley seed and decided to try malting, roasting, and brewing a small batch of beer with the wild yeast and local hops. The results were so so. One batch tasted like beer but the other two had to be thrown out. I later found out that sanitizing everything is very important with beer.

Late summer this year my first cider was made with juice from our apple and asian pear trees. Lots of work grinding and pressing the fruit but there was a certain satisfaction that came with knowing it's possible to turn the extra fruit into cider.

The first real beer was bottled last week, another batch is fermenting as is an apple/honey cider/mead concoction.

Thanks for taking the time to document all of your experiences. Whenever I search for info on brewing or cider making this site comes up so it's time to join and share my own experiences or seek advice as needed.

Thanks,
Bruce

Cyclman · Nov 3, 2017

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO :mug:

Awesome to grow your own fruit for cider. Yum.

Hoppy2bmerry · Nov 3, 2017

Welcome to the forum, from Long Island, NY.

AkTom · Nov 4, 2017

Welcome from Alaska.

BruceH · Nov 4, 2017

Thanks for the welcomes. FWIW the first brew is now carbonated and it tastes great! It's all DME, just a kit I purchased. 6 lbs of pilsen dme with 5 oz of sazz hops. I only filled the bucket to 4.5 gallons instead of the 5 it was supposed to be.

Anyway, it reminds me of the tap beer in Germany from 30 years ago but it's a little heavier than Bitburger or Kirn from a gasthaus.

Like most beers it is delicious and knowing I can replicate it at home with simple ingredients is just wonderful.

Next we will see how the two bocks that are currently bubbling away ferment out.