Newbie

[garvinator70]

Can I make home brew with potatoes, sugar ,water & yeast?

 

[jbaysurfer]

Google "potato beer". I've never done, nor would I, but there's recipes out there.

 

[JonM]

You can make better stuff with malt extract and hops.

 

[garvinator70]

Can I make home brew with potatoes, sugar ,water & yeast?

thanks

 

[garvinator70]

You can make better stuff with malt extract and hops.

thanks Jon

 

[jro238]

I have been curious for a while about trying a sweet potato beer (possibly doing something like a pumpkin ale but with sweet potatoes in addition to pumpkin). This would still have grains in it though.

Per your question, yes you could. It would probably taste like alcoholic water though. I don't think you could get enough body from the potatoes especially with the sugar addition.

 

[garvinator70]

I have been curious for a while about trying a sweet potato beer (possibly doing something like a pumpkin ale but with sweet potatoes in addition to pumpkin). This would still have grains in it though. Per your question, yes you could. It would probably taste like alcoholic water though. I don't think you could get enough body from the potatoes especially with the sugar addition.

well thanks going to try it but I'm using a malt extract and hops next time.

 

[Cyclman]

Here's an article on it: http://byo.com/ingredients/item/323-brewing-with-potatoes-techniques

Sounds like potatoes alone will not be delicious.

 

[garvinator70]

Here's an article on it: http://byo.com/ingredients/item/323-brewing-with-potatoes-techniques Sounds like potatoes alone will not be delicious.

sounds good thanks.

 

[unionrdr]

Sounds more like the mash they use to make some vodkas. But sweet poptatoes in a beer with spices would be fine. Just sub the sweet potatoes for pumpkin.

 

[garvinator70]

Sounds more like the mash they use to make some vodkas. But sweet poptatoes in a beer with spices would be fine. Just sub the sweet potatoes for pumpkin.

My wife is already complaining about the smell! I love the smell of yeast myself.

 

[freisste]

Sounds more like the mash they use to make some vodkas. But sweet poptatoes in a beer with spices would be fine. Just sub the sweet potatoes for pumpkin.

My thoughts exactly. I kind of thought that it would taste like watered down vodka with a little potato flavor.

I suppose (like anything else) the key is balance. Adding potatoes to a beer might actually be really good, but JUST potatoes (no malt or hops) I would think would be terrible.

Same goes for pumpkins. Adding a little to a beer can be great, but to ferment only pumpkin and add no hops, spices, or malt would probably not turn out favorably.

 

[garvinator70]

My thoughts exactly. I kind of thought that it would taste like watered down vodka with a little potato flavor. I suppose (like anything else) the key is balance. Adding potatoes to a beer might actually be really good, but JUST potatoes (no malt or hops) I would think would be terrible. Same goes for pumpkins. Adding a little to a beer can be great, but to ferment only pumpkin and add no hops, spices, or malt would probably not turn out favorably.

My dad made it when I was a kid , it was better with malt and hops . But not bad plain. My next batch is going to be with a real recipe .

 

[freisste]

Cool. Now I'm a little intrigued. This is what I love about the hobby.

 

[jro238]

Let us know how it comes out.

What yeast are you using?

 

[garvinator70]

Let us know how it comes out. What yeast are you using?

I used Flesh mans yeast , will let you know .

 

[garvinator70]

Let us know how it comes out. What yeast are you using?

I used Fleshmans yeast , I'll let ya know in about 13 days.

 

[hou_me]

Throw some butter, cheese,and bacon bits in there too!

-ben

 

[JonM]

I think this has been covered in some of the links, but just to be clear: we need something with diaststic power or some other source of the enzymes needed to convert the potatoes' starches into sugars, right? Without that, we're just talking about trying to ferment starchy potato water with a little sugar in it, aren't we?

 

[unionrdr]

Yes. I imagine even potato vodka has base grains in it to convert the starches?...

 

[jro238]

I'm pretty sure sweet potatoes are able to convert themselves without grain, but I've never heard anything about white potatoes.

 

[unionrdr]

White potatoes are def more starchy & need enzymes from something to convert them to sugars.

 

[garvinator70]

White potatoes are def more starchy & need enzymes from something to convert them to sugars.

I checked my home brew this morning and it is not working as strong , I believe yeast may have been old so I'm going to pitch more yeast.

 

[JonM]

This might have something to do with my last post - unless you added some enzymes to the potato water to convert the starches to sugars, then there might not be much of anything to ferment, other than the sugar you added. In other words, the yeast might have fermented The added sugar, and, since the yeast can't do anything with the unconverted potato starch, it's done.

 

[garvinator70]

This might have something to do with my last post - unless you added some enzymes to the potato water to convert the starches to sugars, then there might not be much of anything to ferment, other than the sugar you added. In other words, the yeast might have fermented The added sugar, and, since the yeast can't do anything with the unconverted potato starch, it's done.

Ok thanks for your advice! I will pitch that in the drain and start over with malt extract and hops ! I want a good pale ale what ingredients do you recommend ?

 

[unionrdr]

Or maybe toss in some amilase enzyme to convert the starches. Some moon shiners use that to convert corn meal starches to sugars.

 

[JonM]

Check out pale ale recipe kits from places like Northern brewer, Austin homebrew supply, midwest, etc. Some have 1-gallon recipe kits if you dont want to do a whole five gallon batch.

 

[garvinator70]

Check out pale ale recipe kits from places like Northern brewer, Austin homebrew supply, midwest, etc. Some have 1-gallon recipe kits if you dont want to do a whole five gallon batch.

Thanks Jon I will see !

 

[garvinator70]

Or maybe toss in some amilase enzyme to convert the starches. Some moon shiners use that to convert corn meal starches to sugars.

Thanks union dr I may try that if I knew what amilase is I guess it's a spice ?

 

[freisste]

Amalase is the enzyme (found in grain) which breaks down starches into sugar. Normally, this happens in the mash. Since you didn't mash, you would add it to your brew to break down the starches from the potatoes. I think I heard this is what makes beano (the fart reducer) work. Not sure about that. At any rate, I'm sure your LHBS sells it, or any of the online homebrew retailers.

 

[MaxStout]

Potato beer, huh? I hope you and your fellow inmates enjoy it. :cross:

Seriously, sounds interesting. How did you prepare the potatoes? Did you boil them and collect the runnings? Did you take a gravity reading?

 

[garvinator70]

Potato beer, huh? I hope you and your fellow inmates enjoy it. :cross: Seriously, sounds interesting. How did you prepare the potatoes? Did you boil them and collect the runnings? Did you take a gravity reading?

No to both I'm just trying something my dad did when I was a youngster Lol!!

 

[garvinator70]

No to both I'm just trying something my dad did when I was a youngster Lol!!

Guys I threw out my potato water and went and got the real stuff ! I was going to try my first brew but I dropped my hydrometer and it shattered . So I will have to wait until 1:00 o'clock tomorrow for another one ! Any suggestions ? Pure malt extract 3.3 lbs Czechs Saaz 1 oz. hop pellets 11 .5 grams dry ale yeast.

 

[unionrdr]

You're gunna need more than 3.3lbs of that extract for 5 gallons. Might be light even for 3G.

 

[MaxStout]

Another 3.3lb. container of that Pilsen light extract and you should be good to go.

Don't forget to add to the broken hydrometer thread, and join the masses who have done that.

 

[garvinator70]

You're gunna need more than 3.3lbs of that extract for 5 gallons. Might be light even for 3G.

They said that would make 2 1/2 gallons, I dropped my hydrometer . I can get another one tomorrow at 1:00 can I still brew tonight and take the gravity reading tommorow ? I threw out the tater water !

 

[garvinator70]

Another 3.3lb. container of that Pilsen light extract and you should be good to go. Don't forget to add to the broken hydrometer thread, and join the masses who have done that.

and it didn't take long to break it . When I go get my Hydrometer tomorrow I may buy another 3.3 lbs is that enough hops and yeast for 5 gal. ?

 

[unionrdr]

It'll be fermenting by then,so too late for an OG reading.

 

[garvinator70]

It'll be fermenting by then,so too late for an OG reading.

I'll take a sample and save until tommor to take my gravity reading.

 

[garvinator70]

I'll take a sample and save until tommor to take my gravity reading.

man this home brewing is a lot of work !