pipemakersforum.com

Timely thread--I'm planning to try my first home brew next week over Spring Break. Fun to see these set ups. I'm just starting to pull together an equipment list. My son gave me a bunch of stuff that will help. He was making hard cider with it. I just need to fill in the gaps.

I've been brewing beer for about 4 yrs now. I've developed a honey pale ale recipe that I'm quite proud of. Haven't taken the plunge into all grain brewing yet. Maybe after I buy my first house this summer and have the space for it.

Brewed a batch yesterday. We hit our targets and hoping it will be a good one. American IPA with cascade and nugget. Sure tasted good out of the pot.



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Here is somewhere I can finally contribute. I've been lurking here for about 5 years, read almost every gallery post, and I'm finally getting some kits done up by VT freehand to take a crack at making some pipes. But, I've been brewing all grain for a few years now, and due to budget constraints, 99% of the beer I drink (1-2/day) is beer I've made myself. I'm no expert, but I'm improving and very pleased with the beer I make.

Kurt, if you think your setup is low-brow, guess again. I grind my grain with a $30 flour grinder rigged into a 5 gallon bucket. I don't even have a turkey fryer--I brew on the stove-top (but gas is included in rent, so I make full use of it!). Stove-top brewing means I boil in 2 pots, a 3 gallon and a 4 gallon. I mash in an extra bottling bucket, and use another bottling bucket as a HLT that drains onto a plastic lid with a bunch of holes drilled into it. With all this, I consistently get between 80 and 90% efficiency, though, so I'm happy.

I have been upgrading my yeast handling. I have a computer-fan stir-plate that I've been using for a while, but I've recently added electronic temp control ($20 eBay unit) which is rigged into my smaller, ghetto version of a SOF chiller, and direct oxygen from disposable bottles through a .5 micron scintered stone. With all that, I want to really hone my belgain brewing skills until I can make the equivalent of a $20 bottle of Chimay for $2.

There's nothing wrong with brewing on a stove, all the same things get done. I made some fantastic beers before I got all of my equipment. Your brew day may be longer but the beer will still taste good. I kind of draw the line where the automation takes over too much, and there's no hands on with the equipment. I want to fiddle with draining the tuns at the right speed and trying to get the flame just right on the burner. My buddy has a super fancy automated system and it just isn't as much fun to brew on. The fear of messing up a batch adds quite a bit to the experience.

I have a turkey fryer that we use once a year to fry a turkey

I still brew on my gas stove. It makes the house smell great all day

Gonna be 70 degrees here today!

I'm thinking that brewing a whitbier will probably be on my schedule for the afternoon.

This is all dangerously interesting. I need another hobby like I need a hole in the head.

I think there is a brew store here in OKC, hmmm...

Tyler wrote:This is all dangerously interesting. I need another hobby like I need a hole in the head.

I think there is a brew store here in OKC, hmmm...

Do it, Tyler! I'm having a blast with it!

Hey guys (and Scottie too, if not especially her), Tyler's won't be ready in time, but any of us that have something drinkable by Chicago should maybe consider bringing some. It would be great fun to sample a bunch of pipemaker homebrews along with a pipe! I did a Belgian IPA that should be more or less done conditioning this Wednesday. Preliminary tastes were pretty encouraging...

Can't wait to taste it chilled and carbonated! So hard to wait

I just bottled a mango IPA and would be happy to bring some to Chicago but am I allowed to bring that on a plane?

Yup, just put it in your check bag. My mom takes beer back home for my step dad every time she leaves.

I've been brewing for almost 10 years now. Usually brew English style ales and brew/blend sours. I tend to buy and drink a lot of hoppy American beers, but hardly ever brew them for some reason.

I belong to a group of homebrewers who do barrel aging projects. We decide on a recipe, acquire a barrel and each brew a 5 gallon batch to age. We've made a couple fantastic Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stouts. We also have a two barrel Lambic solera - every 6 months we pull about half of each barrel (about 30 gallons) and replace it with fresh wort.

Have not had much time to brew this year though. Need to get back to it - kegs are getting low.

Wish I had more in the cellar. I could bring a bottle or two of Bourbon Barrel RIS and/or Brandy Barrel Belgian Dark Strong to the Chicago show.

Anyone else brew a lot of session beer? I've really gotten into that for my daily drinkers, and bigger Belgians and such for more special occasions.

sethile wrote:Hey guys (and Scottie too, if not especially her), Tyler's won't be ready in time, but any of us that have something drinkable by Chicago should maybe consider bringing some. It would be great fun to sample a bunch of pipemaker homebrews along with a pipe!

Great idea. I intend to have some homemade spirits to bring.

wdteipen wrote:

sethile wrote:Hey guys (and Scottie too, if not especially her), Tyler's won't be ready in time, but any of us that have something drinkable by Chicago should maybe consider bringing some. It would be great fun to sample a bunch of pipemaker homebrews along with a pipe!

Great idea. I intend to have some homemade spirits to bring.

Chicago may be more debaucherous than usual this year.

Thomas Tkach wrote:Anyone else brew a lot of session beer? I've really gotten into that for my daily drinkers, and bigger Belgians and such for more special occasions.

I have an Mild English Brown recipe that I make a couple of times a year. It's one of the few extract beers I make. Most of my beers run around 5-6% but I keep a few Saisons and Bocks on hand too. I always have a cider on tap and they usually run around 10% abv. I don't regularly drink super strong stuff. I'm also a whisky/whiskey collector so I grab a cask strength/barrel proof when I want a kick in the pants.

wdteipen wrote:Great idea. I intend to have some homemade spirits to bring.

You may know this, but there's a new push for hobby distillers to organize and lobby for permission to distill limited amounts at home, much like the AHA does for home brewers.

Website: http://www.hobbydistillersassociation.org

I'd love to distill at home but three of my neighbors are cops and an AFP permit seems like a huge hassle.

Thomas Tkach wrote:Anyone else brew a lot of session beer? I've really gotten into that for my daily drinkers, and bigger Belgians and such for more special occasions.

I've been thinking about doing just that! I drink a lot of Founder's All Day IPA, and love it! I've been checking out some clones and have seen some promising sounding all grain recipes, but I'm not ready for that yet (hope to be sometime this summer). If I can come up with a good extract/specialty grain version I'll give it a try. Any suggestions?

Oh, my Belgian IPA is beer! Had one the other night a little ahead of schedule and it was very decent. Hoppier than I thought it would be, but it has a lot of late hops, including one addition right at the termination of the boil, and a dry hopping after transferring to the secondary. It's bordering on too much for me. I think I'd forgo the dry hoping next time if I brew it again. I've got some more chilling now, and if it passes muster over the next few tastings I'll definitely bring some to share in Chicago.

I'd love to try to make spirits once I get the beer happening solidly, but we're in an area that had (and still has) a lot of shine. I'd have to check on if they go after hobbyists. My guess is they don't unless it is in their face...

From my understanding based on talking to folks in the alcohol business, you CAN own a still, but it must be registered with the BATF. One of the conditions of having a registered, thus legally owned, still is that you agree to unprovoked search and inspection of any property you own, at any time. No notice,reason, or warrant required. I have not personally looked up the law, only spoken to people in the business, so do your own research. Either way, make sure you are well informed should you proceed down this road.

mightysmurf8201 wrote:One of the conditions of having a registered, thus legally owned, still is that you agree to unprovoked search and inspection of any property you own, at any time. No notice,reason, or warrant required.

Which is why very few hobbyists actually register.