New Brewer from Lancaster, PA

[Broadbeer]

Zamial,
You're awesome!
Printing.....now.
Doesn't sound FUBAR to me!

 

[1990dtgl98]

Whomever stated that Mr. Steve's was an awful store has no reason to state this, and that is VERY misleading. It is obviously his opinion, which he is entitled to, but Mr. Steve's stocks pretty much everything you could ask for, AND is very reasonably priced. Plus, sometimes he'll throw something in free or cheap for you. He's very customer focused and a great all around guy.

I highly recommend his stores to anybody in the area.

Opinions.

I'm not denying he has great selection, and some prices are lower than LHB, but I got some shotty service the only time I was at the Lancaster store. Never went back after.

I might have to try the York store sometime though.

Man, I wish I was anywhere near you guys....But since I am not, I will give up some appropriate "beerbq" recipes and ideas of mine.

Fubar chicken and 'shrooms.

Good luck!

Sounds pretty good to me!

 

[pava]

A cookout/festival sounds great. Depending on the timing (summer weekends are already filling up fast) I would definitely be interested in getting together with a bunch of local fellow HBers.

As for the LHBS's I am just thrilled to finally have 1 let alone 2 to choose from in Lancaster. I have been to Mr. Steve's once and had a fine experience, then LHB opened and it is a bit closer to me and Mark is a great guy. Always greets me by name when I come in, always up for a chat about all things homebrew, and if he doesn't have what you need he will gladly order it for you. All in all though, like I said, I am just thrilled to actually have a LHBS in Lancaster. Let's keep supporting them so that they will both be in business for years to come!!

 

[smokinghole]

It is nice to have so many at my disposal. I haven't been to Mr Steves in Lancaster but I have been to the one in York. Nothing to complain about. I find that one store might be cheaper on certain things but not on others. They all for the most part carry the same stuff, but the Scotzin Bros store in Lemoyne has an overwhelming selection of pretty much anything you want concerning wine/beer. The only thing is they have weird hours. Plus it's more convenient for me to go to LHB.

 

[Krrazy]

Welcome Broadbeer -- your post title caught my eye. I'm from Lancaster as well (Landisville to be exact) now living in Tucson. It sounds like you already got a lot of the advice you were looking for...and a cookout scheduled as well! Lancaster's a great place.

I used honey for priming on the first batch I ever brewed (a Belgian Tripel) and had a few lessons learned. I would say that based on my experience, dissolving it in some boiling water to sterilize and make it less viscous would definitely be helpful. I was going by the instructions since it was my first time and it just said to add the honey to the bottling bucket. I knew this was probably not a great idea from the get go but I figured I'd just follow the directions and take notes for next time. I tried to swirl and stir gently with the racking cane but I was left with about 25% of the honey in the bottom of the bucket after bottling. The beer turned out fine and was actually a bit over carbonated -- I couldn't really detect any flavor from the honey, but maybe without it it would have tasted different and I just didn't realize its impact. I plan on doing some more experimentation with this in the future.

Good luck and say hello the the Red Rose city for me!

 

[jturie]

Semi-nearby youse guys. I didnt know that there was a good homebrew store in LANKaster

Since it's a good 30-40 minutes to Keystone Homebrew in Montgomeryville, I might pop over to your store instead. About the same ride given the traffic.

 

[Zamial]

I would say that based on my experience, dissolving it in some boiling water to sterilize and make it less viscous would definitely be helpful... I plan on doing some more experimentation with this in the future.

I just want to point out a few things. I have read, been told and practice, that when brewing with honey, you should never boil it! I have made a honey ale as well, my last batch, and plan to use honey to prime it and possibly every beer I make going forward. (I also have some other "experiments" that I will be working on...) I bring however much water to a boil, remove water from heat and mix in the honey, then add this to the beer for priming.
When adding it into the wort (during boiling)I use a glass, sanitized measuring cup that has the honey I want to add in it. I wait until 60 min has past, turn off my flame, stir the wort and wait just a few seconds for the boil to stop, Then carefully hold/dip the cup into the hot wort and use the cup to re-stir the wort.

There are just a few qualities of honey that I want to also share. I use 100% natural, unpasteurized, bought from Amish bee keepers honey. I buy it in bulk and late in the season so it is cheaper! This is the ONLY honey I will use (not just in beer). Honey will separate but never go bad (If this happens just add the glass jar to warm water and it will melt and remix into all liquid.), it acts like a natural preservative and a sugar. It does not need to be pasteurized but honey in the store is. Pasteurization will kill natural, good for you enzymes in the honey! Honey in the store can be diluted up to 20% with water and still be labeled as pure. Never brew with anything labeled as "honey sauce" it is a unnatural.

Most recipes will call for a weight of honey in lbs. the conversion since I have no way to weight it is: 1 lb is 8 liquid oz or 1 cup. In any recipe that you want to sub honey into in place of sugar I use this formula: Anything under 1/2 a cup sugar use equal parts. Anything over 1 cup of sugar use 2/3 of a cup of honey because it tastes sweeter than sugar!

Disclaimer: I am a brew noob here, but I am well read and just trying to be helpful.

 

[Jaysus]

Semi-nearby youse guys. I didnt know that there was a good homebrew store in LANKaster

Since it's a good 30-40 minutes to Keystone Homebrew in Montgomeryville, I might pop over to your store instead. About the same ride given the traffic.

there is a place in Downingtown now too.

 

[jturie]

there is a place in Downingtown now too.

Thanks!!!! Artisan Homebrew in "downtown" Downingtown. I think I'll pop over there after having lunch at Victory Brewing....or maybe I should go there before

 

[jturie]

Just went there today. Proprietor (Mike) is a good guy. Nice selection and good prices for a new store. They are having a homebrew festival on May 1 behind the store.

Of course, afterward I drove the 3 minutes to Victory and had a nice glass of Hop Wallop with a burger. Today is a good day.

 

[johnnyo1977]

Welcome to HBT.
I live just over the border in chester county. Dude i just about live in that store. if you go take a hb with you. We are always sampling someones hb or some type of micro brew. I will be set up for the brewday in back of the store.

 

[aphex732]

Cookout in Lancaster sounds good to me! I live downtown....