new brewer in Delaware

[KellyHopkinsville]

I've been lurking (and learning) a lot on this site and I wanted to check in officially and say hello.

I recently moved to a house in northern delaware and the whole time I was looking and finding a place to live I was thinking, "I want to start homebrewing". Now I have the space to do it!

As of now I have brewed three one-gallon kits:

• American Pale Ale (Brooklyn Brew Shop)
• American Wheat (Northern Brewer)
• American Red Ale (Brewer's Best via LHBS)

The first two were "shakedown" projects where I threw myself into them to get my feet wet and learn basic (really basic) skills. Results were imperfect but inspiring and very VERY motivating.

Now that I'm doing things like tracking temps and specific gravities, I have great hopes for the American Red Ale (brewed 5 days ago).

But I'm taking it slow. The American Pale Ale was an all-grain kit which I wasn't really ready for. The next two were extract kits (the Red Ale including steeping grain in a bag) and when I've got a handle on getting flavor and carbonation in the ballpark, I'm looking to move on in quantity (3-5 gals?) and complexity.

I also made ginger beer (based on the recipe here: https://selfreliantschool.com/how-to-brew-alcoholic-ginger-beer/) and a sparkling wine type thing from frozen concentrate. I'm enjoying the heck out of this learning curve!

Here's to the future!

KH

 

[MaxStout]

Welcome to the hobby, and HBT, from Minnesota!

I might have to try that ginger beer recipe.

 

[KellyHopkinsville]

Thanks, Max

Welcome to the hobby, and HBT, from Minnesota!

I might have to try that ginger beer recipe.

Take it from me, it is DEFINITELY gingery! Next time I believe I'll backsweeten it a little.

 

[MaxStout]

Take it from me, it is DEFINITELY gingery! Next time I believe I'll backsweeten it a little.

Good tip, thanks. I like some ginger heat, but not burning hot like some of the Jamaican ginger beers.

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from Colorado

 

[nDub]

Welcome

Wife and I are looking for a new home and I'm also on the look out for a "homebrewery" location

 

[KellyHopkinsville]

Hi nDub

I'm sure it's possible to homebrew in an apartment but it has got be easier when you have more room. I was excited to finally have a basement and lots of closet space for fermentation and storage.

I still wish my kitchen was about twice as big as it is. Brewing and bottling seems to use every square inch of counter space plus some floor space as well!

Another thing: I'm thinking of planting strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, rhubarb... for making fruit wines and maybe flavoring beer. The property already has a thriving mint patch that I'm hoping will provide raw materials for mint wines!

 

[jschein]

Welcome from Long Neck, LSD

 

[ncbrewer]

Welcome from NC.