The Beer Thread

[sweetcell]

Also name me the best one or two beginners homebrewing books.

The Complete Joy of Homebrewing: this book is the equivalent of your goofy uncle teaching you to brew.  the science/techiness is kept in check (not to say that there isn't any science, just not as much as other books).  the emphasis is on getting you brewing, vs. making you a theoretical expert.  this book is the origin of the expression "relax, don't worry, have a homebrew" - the author's advice to brewers who get hung up on small details.

How to Brew: aka "The Bible."  the tagline says it all: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time.  it starts off slow, but does eventually get into the scientific details.  the author does a great job explaining to you why you should care about those details.  current edition is the 3rd, the author has been working on the 4th for some time now but no publication date yet.  the first edition is online, but it's dated.  i would invest in the newest edition.

my suggestion: start with the joy of homebrewing.  that will keep you happy for many months, then you can get how to brew to answer the questions you will inevitably build up.  i started off with the joy, but i haven't touched that book since my 3rd or 4th months of brewing.  how to brew, however, is a reference book you go back to no matter how long you've been brewing.

and if you're more visual/less literate: consider these DVDs (or online video rentals).  get the "with extract" version first.

and looks like there are some simple videos in YT like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgPdttvbhU4.  they seem to only cover the mechanics ("add X to Y, stir, then pour") and provide little explanation as to why you're doing something. 

i'll answer pasteurization=improved? later...

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

^excellent... was asked for some reasonably priced items for the xmas list!
I personally think 1 gallon is a good way to start (although I've yet to graduate)

$15-20 worth of ingredients and you get almost two six packs
the variety you can make is off the charts
there are limitations and your refined pallet would have little patience
but it's far better than $50 worth of materials on a batch that sucks


Not beer....but, I did go with the Apfelwein in a five gallon carboy for xmas gifts this year.
been in there since before halloween

[hutch]

Natty-bo.. tell me its not owned by a nazi

I'm also drinking the Port City IPa from Alexandria.. I'm not impressed..

[sweetcell]

I personally think 1 gallon is a good way to start (although I've yet to graduate)

$15-20 worth of ingredients and you get almost two six packs
the variety you can make is off the charts
there are limitations and your refined pallet would have little patience
but it's far better than $50 worth of materials on a batch that sucks


Not beer....but, I did go with the Apfelwein in a five gallon carboy for xmas gifts this year.
been in there since before halloween

tough debate.  making 5 gallons isn't much harder, or longer, than making 1... so many are tempted to go for the larger batch.  a definite benefit of 1 gal batches is that you need little to no additional equipment.  for 5 gals, you need a carboy or bucket, ideally a larger pot (to do a full-volume boil), a bottling bucket etc.

there is even more variety in 5-gal kits than in 1 gallon.

sidehatch, have you made a batch that was undrinkable?  i've made some lackluster beers, but in all my brewing (100 batches?  more?), only 2 have been dumpers... and neither were in my first year of brewing.

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

have you made a batch that was undrinkable?  

sadly my standards are low...I would say I've had maybe 2-3 that were bad to meh
Most I've thought were pretty damn crushable

but it's like your kids art, it always has some sentimental value as you injest it
10 beers is doable even if it's meh
I remember 2 decades ago making 2 cases that I held my nose and powered through against my better judgment

[hutch]

have you made a batch that was undrinkable?  

sadly my standards are low...I would say I've had maybe 2-3 that were bad to meh
Most I've thought were pretty damn crushable

but it's like your kids art, it always has some sentimental value as you injest it
10 beers is doable even if it's meh
I remember 2 decades ago making 2 cases that I held my nose and powered through against my better judgment

geez.. not much of a sales job...

[Yada]

I think sidebeer is about two years late on hooking me up with his epiQ home brew.

[Space Freely]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I once owned the Joy of Homebrewing, but it seems to be gone from my bookshelves. I bought the How to Brew book even before posting my question, so good to know I was on the right track with that one.

A friend expressed an interest in possibly doing it with me. And my hophead wife is always up for new creative kitchen adventures. So we'll see if it goes anywhere in 2017. I can't imagine myself ever brewing beers well enough that I'd stop buying well priced gems like Lagunitas Born Yesterday or hitting a new brewery when possible, etc.

[Yada]

interesting marketing... #klanbeer

[walkie,talkie]

Now sold at every bar at every Trump Hotel.

[sweetcell]

interesting marketing... #klanbeer

clearly this a fake, klan been would never be black...

[sweetcell]

A friend expressed an interest in possibly doing it with me. And my hophead wife is always up for new creative kitchen adventures. So we'll see if it goes anywhere in 2017.

happy to help!  maybe we should start a homebrewing thread?

check out homebrewtalk, a great online community for homebrewers.  best part is the forum where you'll get an answer to any question you might have.  check out the Beginners Beer Brewing Forum thread for "brewing 101" discussions.

I can't imagine myself ever brewing beers well enough that I'd stop buying well priced gems like Lagunitas Born Yesterday or hitting a new brewery when possible, etc.

anyone who thinks that they'll spend less on commercial beer once they start homebrewing is delusional.  knowing the process just make you more curious.  you'll want to brew a new style but of course need to taste it first, you need to compare your beer to a commercial example, you buy a sour for the bugs, etc etc etc...

[Yada]

if you're feeling generous this holiday season, donate to a great cause and win some killer beers.

check out @beersnobbin on Instagram for details. This guy gives away killer beer on a weekly basis even when not raising money for children. 

[hutch]

if you're feeling generous this holiday season, donate to a great cause and win some killer beers.

check out @beersnobbin on Instagram for details. This guy gives away killer beer on a weekly basis even when not raising money for children. 

good tip

[walkie,talkie]

The, pipeline.

Edit.  Wow, I feel embarrassed.  My above post was done while sitting at a stoplight after I think it was getting close to dark after I read the news that the protesters had won.

Im too lazy, to move this post to the dropping like flies thread.