Beer thread

[Raavak]

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It probably takes like shit, but makes me think if I drink enough a hot blonde sex me up.

[azeth]

Last night I picked up:

Rogue - Dead Guy Ale

Pretty Things - Baby Tree

Stone - Ruination IPA

Once again, Pretty Things destroying the competition. The Stone IPA was kind of sharply bitter, but settled and finished nicely, sort of reminded me of a scotch sipping experience.

[Harrison]

Had the Rogue and Stone before (most of their line, actually) they're nothing special as far as commonplace microbrews go.

[Aadill]

Homebrews, bros. Sup.

[azeth]

^ i've told myself to start brewing a few times now, there's even a brewing supply place a few minutes down the street from my condo.

question though, it seems you'll really need to research the types of ingredients to determine the proportions to flavor it. I understand a lot of kits come with a pre-mixed season pack, but ideally I'd buy my own hops. I'm just wondering if most home brewers go that route? If not, what makes your brew unique?

[quellren]

Originally Posted by azeth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

^ i've told myself to start brewing a few times now, there's even a brewing supply place a few minutes down the street from my condo.

question though, it seems you'll really need to research the types of ingredients to determine the proportions to flavor it. I understand a lot of kits come with a pre-mixed season pack, but ideally I'd buy my own hops. I'm just wondering if most home brewers go that route? If not, what makes your brew unique?

PM me if you wanna chat about homebrew. I've been making it for a few years now. Probably 25 5-gallon batches. I can try to answer any questions you have.

[quellren]

Double post:

azeth, It's (for me) not as much about 'unique brew' so much as it's about saying "I made this in my kitchen and its fucking good."

If you really wanna try cooking up a batch, I'd first identify a style you enjoy, and think you'd be happy drinking 5 gallons of, and then I'd suggest getting a kit for your first attempt. It makes the process easier to get a feel for, everything is laid out and pre-measured. They are largely uninspired (kits are usually a generic 'amber ale, ESB, stout, etc.), but have quality ingredients, and taste good. If it comes out good, then talk to your local brew shop and tell him 'I want to make a _____, what do you suggest I use to get this?" Internet research is pretty cool too. There's alot of homebrew forums out there with guys sharing recipes for clone brews and made up ones too.

Still PM me.

[Aadill]

Disclaimer: I'm still new at this so totally disregard anything I say as fact but more of observation~

The biggest issues do arise from trying to unlock flavors and do so without causing a major cockup in the fermentation process. To ease the pain and suffering I tend to use heavy malts and light hops (bittering hops) to make darker, heavier beers (stouts, porters). Those don't rely as much on grains to have specific proportions because you tend to cover that up more with heavy flavors from the malt. I don't end up with a bitey beer like an IPA or a floral beer like wits, but you honestly can do whatever the hell you want. I'd suggest starting out with a kit just to get a feel for not only the proportions but also the brewing and bottling process. I have a friend that didn't start with a kit only to find out he didn't even have all of the equipment. I helped him bottle beer right from the carboy.... poor guy, it's going to have a layer of yeast at the bottom of every bottle [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I just employed my 16 oz Grolsch bottles of cream ale (a type I haven't tried before) to entertain guests and it did end up a bit flat because I lost some of my grains like an idiot. Everyone said it was still good, and that's what really matters. When first tasting it I ran into the problem of figuring out why it was flat and finding ways to mask it. Best bet: pair it with food or snacks. Taco and Beer night was born. $$$ On the flipside, I made a stout that everyone loved, even my family (none of which drink beer).

Uniqueness, at this point, hasn't been something I can put my finger on but I'm enjoying the fact that it's a process I am doing myself with a pretty damn good result. Kits or bulk ingredients will both net you a drink that has a decent ABV. One thing I've noticed is that the homemade beers tear through my roommate and I. We can usually drink a lot of IPAs, black lagers, or stouts but we can't handle more than a few of these... it's not even from the standpoint of wanting to savor each bottle... we just can't consume them at a fast rate. The brewing experience itself is entertaining and rewarding. At this point I've made a beer so clear (sometimes this isn't easy) that had a great head that just stuck there in the glass for a while. The flavor wasn't all that but the overall drinking experience of it has been perfect for summer nights. Too bad I'm almost out [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Originally Posted by quellren [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

azeth, It's (for me) not as much about 'unique brew' so much as it's about saying "I made this in my kitchen and its fucking good."

This, but you eventually run into a unique taste/flavor. ALWAYS write your recipes down.

EDIT: Next up on the list: buying or making a wort cooler (for even clearer beers both visually and flavor wise!) and looking at a black lager (I might require refrigeration for this.. which sucks), an IPA/APA or darker ale (still living on the edge of needing refrigderation), or another stout. This fall I want to focus on seasonal ales or possibly a toasted coconut stout (late summer/early fall). I might eventually look at getting a second carboy so that I always have a batch coming in. Right now I have about a 1 or 2 week lead time depending on how fast the previous batch gets consumed~

[azeth]

thanks pickle & quellren.

per your advice i'm going to buy a kit, make a batch then hammer down how to really get the process going on my own.

[Aadill]

Originally Posted by azeth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

thanks pickle & quellren.

per your advice i'm going to buy a kit, make a batch then hammer down how to really get the process going on my own.

attaboy! There's a few tips and tricks I'm sure one of us or many of the other beer snobs/slobs on here could point out to you if you do start brewing. Just ask!


Also: I actually like Rogue Dead Guy but a lot of people complain it tastes like copper. I've never noticed it and therefore assume it's a very fine taste that not everyone is capable of tasting (much like cilantro or other flavors that people loathe or love with no grey area)