Manhattan Apartment Brewer

[dinertime]

Hi All,

I have been brewing for a few months now and just found this place--so far I have gotten a lot of really helpful information! I have done about 6 extract batches to this point...I want to eventually get to AG but I live in an apartment in Manhattan and I don't have the space/resources for that in my current situation.

I started brewing because I am getting married in September and I decided to brew the beer for the wedding. My father is an amateur winemaker with 30 years experience (the wedding is at his vineyard), so I thought I could contribute in my own way!

I'll probably have questions about logistics of brewing for a large event, any suggestions on which forum to post those in?

Cheers!

 

[arturo7]

Welcome to HBT, dt.

Lots and lots of good info here.

Who says you can't go AG in an apartment? https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/

 

[Revvy]

Hi,

You'll find a lot of threads discussing apartment brewing...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/apartment-brewers-unite-89973/?highlight=Apartment

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/an...partment-my-story-115106/?highlight=Apartment

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/ci...apartment-brewers-111583/?highlight=Apartment

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/apartment-brewer-86092/?highlight=Apartment

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/all-grain-apartment-68911/?highlight=Apartment

 

[Revvy]

Oh and Chefmichael lives out your way and is a Manhattan apartment brewer as well...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f29/brewing-manhattan-89761/

 

[android]

welcome aboard! if you're brewing for a large event, you MAY want to consider kegging, it might make your life a little easier... but bottling will certainly get you there also... i don't think there's anything special for event brewing, just make sure you get the beers brewed in time to let them carb up and age for a while... depending on how large the event is, you may need 3-4 (if not more, my family... 10-12 ) batches if you're counting on that to make up a majority of the drinkables.

 

[dinertime]

Thanks for all the tips and links! I think my major problem is one that others have mentioned--my crappy stove can hardly get 4 gallons to boil, not to mention what a larger batch would require.

Though I guess if I went AG then it would be pretty easy to scale back on the size of the batches...

 

[Revvy]

Thanks for all the tips and links! I think my major problem is one that others have mentioned--my crappy stove can hardly get 4 gallons to boil, not to mention what a larger batch would require.

Though I guess if I went AG then it would be pretty easy to scale back on the size of the batches...

There's two options, do a partial mash where you are still boiling around 2.5-3 gallons of wort on your stove, and topping off to 5 gallons, just like an extract batch....

Or do a bunch of 2.5 gallon AG stovetop batches, with those depending on length of boil you are boiling any where between 3 and 4 gallons down to 2.5. I do a lot of small batches inside my timy apartment that way...with a 4.5 gallon pot and fermcap foam control drops.

 

[McKBrew]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/all-grain-condo-brewing-101-a-49747/

Another good thread with pics.

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome

 

[travestyofnature]

Welcome to HBT!

 

[artbrau]

Been there, done that. I started homebrewing in my 400sq ft. apt. on Ave A. back in 1986. Back in my day, Sonny, we didn't have this newfangled internet as a resource. Partial wort boils were key to getting it done in a small space. My beer was pretty crappy then but, in retrospect, I think dry yeast quality was lousy then.

You've gotten great advice here on brewing but let me suggest going to a "Brew on Premise" place for this large event batch. This joint, The Brewer's Apprentice is an hour away in Freehold. Rent a Zipcar. I haven't gone there so I can't comment on the experience but going full tilt for your first batch is needlessly nerve-wracking. These guys have all the equipment and after two visits you leave with cases of bottles. As the scrolls containing the ancient wisdom say "Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew."

 

[dinertime]

You've gotten great advice here on brewing but let me suggest going to a "Brew on Premise" place for this large event batch. This joint, The Brewer's Apprentice is an hour away in Freehold.

Thanks for the tip! I will definitely have to check this place out.