New member with some experience

[Abysssarim]

I'm a new member here at HBT. I've been brewing since 2022. Did a lot of reading of this forum without an account and have a number of different meads and ciders that I have done. A few repeat recipes and a number of experimental ones. I always like to learn something new with brewing or get some new ideas and hope either later this year or sometime next year to get my first beer started.

 

[lumpher]

Welcome. A lot of knowledge here to draw on.

 

[TexasTea]

Welcome to the forum from a Texas member.

 

[Snuffy]

If you aren't really into beer, the experience will be mostly academic. But beer can be rapid and rewarding. If you are into beer, it's mui gratifying. Cider is quick too, but it's kind of like making Kool-aid in comparison. And I like Kool-aid so don't read anything insulting into that. I'm talking about processes, not persons.

 

[Abysssarim]

If you aren't really into beer, the experience will be mostly academic. But beer can be rapid and rewarding. If you are into beer, it's mui gratifying. Cider is quick too, but it's kind of like making Kool-aid in comparison. And I like Kool-aid so don't read anything insulting into that. I'm talking about processes, not persons.

Snuffy, I enjoy many beer's usually from one of my local breweries and haven't been disappointed. I want to try making my own because I've been doing research into the SMASH style beers to get a feel for different malts and hops. After I've made a few of them I want to try crafting my own recipe. Been dialing in a mead recipe for a strawberry rhubarb mead and with my most recent batches I think I'm happy with the ratio of honey and fruit flavor. So I want to try making my own recipe for beer (Maybe not strawberry rhubarb since with my reading adding fruits and fruit flavors to beer can be a bit advanced.)

 

[An Ankoù]

If you aren't really into beer, the experience will be mostly academic. But beer can be rapid and rewarding. If you are into beer, it's mui gratifying. Cider is quick too, but it's kind of like making Kool-aid in comparison. And I like Kool-aid so don't read anything insulting into that. I'm talking about processes, not persons.

I think you're doing cider down, there, Snuffy. I don't know what (hard?) cider is like States-side, but in merry England it's truly nectar if the godless.
I'm drinking from a 10 litre bag-in-the-box of The General by Sandford Orchards. It's completely still (flat), room temperature, 8.3% and delicious.
I'm not sure that I don't prefer cider to beer.
But: the cider-making season is quite short- when the apples are ready
and: the process is entirely different to making beer
and: in France, I haven't access to the apples I need to make West-Country still cider. French cidre bouché is quite different and uses apples with insufficient tannins for my liking.

But making good cider is no doddle.

 

[Snuffy]

Snuffy, I enjoy many beer's usually from one of my local breweries and haven't been disappointed. I want to try making my own because I've been doing research into the SMASH style beers to get a feel for different malts and hops. After I've made a few of them I want to try crafting my own recipe. Been dialing in a mead recipe for a strawberry rhubarb mead and with my most recent batches I think I'm happy with the ratio of honey and fruit flavor. So I want to try making my own recipe for beer (Maybe not strawberry rhubarb since with my reading adding fruits and fruit flavors to beer can be a bit advanced.)

You know, SMASH brewing to start is probably a great approach. I kind of wish I had done something like that. Worked my way thru learning the characteristics of grain and hops. I just knew a beer style I liked and went for the first recipe that was close to it. I think that method gets you mostly yeast knowledge to start since that begins to be the variable over time.

 

[Snuffy]

I think you're doing cider down, there, Snuffy. I don't know what (hard?) cider is like States-side, but in merry England it's truly nectar if the godless.
I'm drinking from a 10 litre bag-in-the-box of The General by Sandford Orchards. It's completely still (flat), room temperature, 8.3% and delicious.
I'm not sure that I don't prefer cider to beer.
But: the cider-making season is quite short- when the apples are ready
and: the process is entirely different to making beer
and: in France, I haven't access to the apples I need to make West-Country still cider. French cidre bouché is quite different and uses apples with insufficient tannins for my liking.

But making good cider is no doddle.

Again, my only comment was on the process, not the results. I love a good cider. The few times I have attempted it I was surprised at how simple and quick the process is. It was literally like pour stuff together, stir, wait 2 weeks. Thus the Kool-aid reference. Not knocking cider. Just tend to over simplify a bit after my second HB.

 

[An Ankoù]

Again, my only comment was on the process, not the results. I love a good cider. The few times I have attempted it I was surprised at how simple and quick the process is. It was literally like pour stuff together, stir, wait 2 weeks. Thus the Kool-aid reference. Not knocking cider. Just tend to over simplify a bit after my second HB.

Ah, ok.
Sourcing, picking, mixing, washing the apples then scratting (reducing to pulp) pressing and then deciding whether to allow natural fermentation or use a proprietary yeast. Keeving if you want sweeter cider.
I think cider is more labour intensive, but you're right - the process parameters are not nearly so critical as beer making.

Of course, buying apple juice from the supermarket and fermenting it is no more cider-making than pouring a tin of pre-hopped extract to a bucket of water is brewing. Not knocking the latter, must of us started there, but it's not brewing.

 

[Snuffy]

Ah, ok.
Sourcing, picking, mixing, washing the apples then scratting (reducing to pulp) pressing and then deciding whether to allow natural fermentation or use a proprietary yeast. Keeving if you want sweeter cider.
I think cider is more labour intensive, but you're right - the process parameters are not nearly so critical as beer making.

Of course, buying apple juice from the supermarket and fermenting it is no more cider-making than pouring a tin of pre-hopped extract to a bucket of water is being. Not knocking the latter, must of us started there, but it's not brewing.

My experience was with kit cider, so that may explain why I thought it so simple. The only equipment needed was a sterilized carboy and a funnel. No mash, no boil, no pumps, no chill, no cleanup. I would love to start at the apple and work that out. I actually have an Italian fruit press somewhere I've only used with muscadines. May not work that well with apples tho. I would want to try natural fermentation. Adds mystery and intrigue. And risk.
I think the best cider I can remember was a slightly dry pear cider that an old neighbor traded me for a bottle of muscadine wine years ago.

 

[szap]

I don't know what your beer tastes are but I have a SMASH IPA that we like so much that I always have on tap. It is a clone of a Texas beer and is pilsner and mosaic. Look for Yellow Rose clone.

 

[An Ankoù]

I don't know what your beer tastes are but I have a SMASH IPA that we like so much that I always have on tap. It is a clone of a Texas beer and is pilsner and mosaic. Look for Yellow Rose clone.

Sounds great.. I love Mosaic and since you sat it's a SMaSH and a Pilsner, the rest must be easy to figure out. I've got a pile of Mosaic in the fridge and it;s time I got them moving.

Edit:
Ok. found a clone recipe. Wasn't expecting 6.8% abv, but that sounds really good and rich. Mosaic needs something to hang on to otherwise it's just grapefruit. I'm going to have a good look at this one tomorrow. I can almost taste it already.

 

[szap]

This is the recipe I use.

 

[An Ankoù]

Thanks for that. I see your version is a bit lighter in abv than the 6.8% version. I don't understand why the recipe published by AHBA uses pale instead of pilsner, but I'll be going with the pilsner.
Just looked at the Lone Pint website. What a rabbit hole that is: Jabberwocky looks interesting, as does the Double Yellow Rose! Too strong for this swiller of pints though, but I'll be looking at some of their other beers.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.

I've got an Irish pilsner malt which is a bit richer than most of the European continental malts. I think it's crying out to be made into Yellow Rose. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Abysssarim]

This is the recipe I use.

View attachment 881967

this recipe looks like a good place to start for me. I do enjoy me a good IPA or APA just about anytime