Home brewing [Booze]
2012 Nov 23
I recommend you run, don't walk over to barleyment.wort.ca/ and join the mailing list
The best local shops are Defalcos and Hop 'n' Vine.
What are you starting out with? Extract brews? I would recommend you start out wtih a FestaBrew kit from either of the above stores. It gets you started with the basics of sanitation and fermenting, and will make fantastic beer.
Be careful taking advice from local stores ... some of them are far more knowledgable in the area of wine than beer. See the above mailing list for advice. Or post here :-)
The best local shops are Defalcos and Hop 'n' Vine.
What are you starting out with? Extract brews? I would recommend you start out wtih a FestaBrew kit from either of the above stores. It gets you started with the basics of sanitation and fermenting, and will make fantastic beer.
Be careful taking advice from local stores ... some of them are far more knowledgable in the area of wine than beer. See the above mailing list for advice. Or post here :-)
2012 Nov 23
Zym was kind enough to teach me to brew many years ago now and I would suggest finding someone to brew with the first time or two. Depending on schedules I can have you over as I need to brew in the next week or so.
Also check out www.howtobrew.com and order the book. it is $$ well spent.
Also check out www.howtobrew.com and order the book. it is $$ well spent.
2012 Dec 16
Well if you are using a kit you are not making your own wort. I really can't recommend any of the concentrated canned kits if that is what you are referring to - the beer they make is just not terribly great no matter what brand you get. That's why I recommend Festa because it has never been concentrated.
2012 Dec 17
Recipes are easy to come by. If you want to make a decent extract beer the surest way is to use dry malt extract. Liquid extracts are hard to judge freshness - you can never really be sure. This is why the canned kits are so iffy. Liquid extract will oxydize a lot sooner than dry, which tastes horrible and makes the beer a lot darker. Unfortunately dry malt extract is a lot more expensive.
What type of beer do you want to make? For a light lager type beer I'd recommend 3 or 4 pounds of dry malt extract, boiled an hour with an ounce or two of hops. For the last 10 minutes put in 2 lbs of the lightest honey you can find.
Cool, pitch your yeast, and ferment.
One of the biggest factors in making good beer at home is controlling the fermentation temperature. Or at least keeping it below 20C/70F. If you get much higher than that your yeast is going to produce a lot of really nasty off flavours as well as fusel alcohols which give you nasty headaches
This is why starting with a Festa kit really is a good idea. It lets you work on one of the most important factors first without worrying about the other stuff.
What type of beer do you want to make? For a light lager type beer I'd recommend 3 or 4 pounds of dry malt extract, boiled an hour with an ounce or two of hops. For the last 10 minutes put in 2 lbs of the lightest honey you can find.
Cool, pitch your yeast, and ferment.
One of the biggest factors in making good beer at home is controlling the fermentation temperature. Or at least keeping it below 20C/70F. If you get much higher than that your yeast is going to produce a lot of really nasty off flavours as well as fusel alcohols which give you nasty headaches
This is why starting with a Festa kit really is a good idea. It lets you work on one of the most important factors first without worrying about the other stuff.
2012 Dec 17
I was thinking about making a pale ale. I really like the link that krusty gave me, so I'm thinking about trying their recipe:
Recipe
Cincinnati Pale Ale
Ingredients for a 5 gallon batch
3-4 lb. Pale malt extract syrup, unhopped
2 lb. Amber dry malt extract
12 AAU of bittering hops (any variety) For example, 1 oz. of 12% AA Nugget, or 1.5 oz. of 8% AA Perle
5 AAU of finishing hops (Cascade or other) For example, 1 oz. of 5% Cascade or 1.25 oz. of 4% Liberty
2 packets of dried ale yeast
I'm curious about your addition of honey - why would you need more sugar??
Recipe
Cincinnati Pale Ale
Ingredients for a 5 gallon batch
3-4 lb. Pale malt extract syrup, unhopped
2 lb. Amber dry malt extract
12 AAU of bittering hops (any variety) For example, 1 oz. of 12% AA Nugget, or 1.5 oz. of 8% AA Perle
5 AAU of finishing hops (Cascade or other) For example, 1 oz. of 5% Cascade or 1.25 oz. of 4% Liberty
2 packets of dried ale yeast
I'm curious about your addition of honey - why would you need more sugar??
2012 Dec 17
I would also suggest an extract kit from Northern Brewer. Honey provides sugars to ferment and also flavor.
The beauty of homebrewing is there is not enough time in life to try every possible recipe! Unlike Zym I do not worry about fermentation temps too much. Unless I am going for the purist lager where I condition it for 6 months at 0C I find little difference in results when using dry yeasts.
The beauty of homebrewing is there is not enough time in life to try every possible recipe! Unlike Zym I do not worry about fermentation temps too much. Unless I am going for the purist lager where I condition it for 6 months at 0C I find little difference in results when using dry yeasts.
2012 Dec 17
I don't worry about fermentation temp either as long as it is below the numbers I gave above :-) (OK a bit higher than that)
I recommended honey simply because it is light and getting light in your beer when using extracts can often be difficult, and it is yummy.
I'd also recommend ditching anything but the palest malt extracts if you really want to make your own wort. In the above recipe use pale malt extract instead of amber, and get some medium-coloured crystal malt to crush and steep. It will give you the same colour but more flavour and will be more DIY
I recommended honey simply because it is light and getting light in your beer when using extracts can often be difficult, and it is yummy.
I'd also recommend ditching anything but the palest malt extracts if you really want to make your own wort. In the above recipe use pale malt extract instead of amber, and get some medium-coloured crystal malt to crush and steep. It will give you the same colour but more flavour and will be more DIY
2012 Dec 17
Yes if you add enough malt extract it provides all the sugars you need. As I mentioned, my recommendation was based on the common desire to make a light lager type of beer. Even the palest liquid malt extract is darker than dry malt extract, and as such it is almost impossible to make a light coloured beer with 100% liquid malt extract. Replacing 1/3 of it with honey can make a really nice beer that still gives you a light colour.
But you want to make a Pale Ale which is not that light, so not really something you have to worry about. But I'd still ditch the amber malt extract as mentioned above.
But you want to make a Pale Ale which is not that light, so not really something you have to worry about. But I'd still ditch the amber malt extract as mentioned above.
2012 Dec 20
How big? Russell Equipment has good prices on larger SS pots. Canadian Tire has 2 different size aluminum pots from a place near Montreal. I started with the bigger 64 litre one - I think the smaller one is about 40 litres. You only need about 30 litres for a full wort boil of a standard 20L batch, or 20L for less than a full wort boil with dilution.
Or join the Members of Barleyment mailing list and ask whether someone is selling off some old gear.
Or join the Members of Barleyment mailing list and ask whether someone is selling off some old gear.
2012 Dec 29
Last sunday I started my first batch: a pale ale
a mix of light LME and amber DME, northern brewer and cascade hops.
yesterday I took a gravity reading and tasted. it's tasting pretty good already, and gravity is already at 1.012. I'll just stick to the primary fermenter for my first batch. The "how to brew" book has been my guide through all this and so far so good!
a mix of light LME and amber DME, northern brewer and cascade hops.
yesterday I took a gravity reading and tasted. it's tasting pretty good already, and gravity is already at 1.012. I'll just stick to the primary fermenter for my first batch. The "how to brew" book has been my guide through all this and so far so good!
2012 Dec 29
I am guessing you have pretty much fermented out. If you get a bubble through the airlock less then once every 15 seconds it is done. I would rack to another carboy and leave the yeast cake in the first fermenter. I also always fine my beers. One cup of boiling water and mix in a packet of gelatine. Mix real well and then pour into the secondary fermenter and give the carboy a few swishes.
Should be clear in a day or so after that. Also some of us just drink the flat uncarbonated room temperature beer straight from the secondary. Especially a nice english bitter! Could not get much better :)
Should be clear in a day or so after that. Also some of us just drink the flat uncarbonated room temperature beer straight from the secondary. Especially a nice english bitter! Could not get much better :)
2012 Dec 29
I think you and I are amongst the very few who are known to drink their beer right out of the fermenter krusty :-) But I agree, it does not get much better!
2013 Jan 2
my first batch might be cloudy.. but it's only a cosmetic thing right?
so everything is bottled.. will try one in a week.
I've decided that I will move on to small batches next. Not sure how small but I'm thinking 4 l jugs. maybe 11.5 l carboys. I like variety and experimenting. I am also thinking of starting to use specialty malts in my next batch.
ps: i did drink the beer I used to take my FG reading, but I bottled everything else!
so everything is bottled.. will try one in a week.
I've decided that I will move on to small batches next. Not sure how small but I'm thinking 4 l jugs. maybe 11.5 l carboys. I like variety and experimenting. I am also thinking of starting to use specialty malts in my next batch.
ps: i did drink the beer I used to take my FG reading, but I bottled everything else!
2013 Jan 2
Zym: I think drinking out of the fermenter is like coming out of the closet! Once you are out, it is kind of liberating and you realize more people are doing it too but were too afraid to admit it :)
Tourist: cloudy has yeast in suspension and will affect taste. Not always in a bad way but you will have a very different beer that is clear over something that is not. A cloudy lager just seems wrong to me but a cloudy ale is a delight. If you think you will get into this as a multi year activity I would suggest jumping straight into 5 gallon batches that are all grain and keg them instead of bottling. You will kick yourself for not doing this in the end if you stick with it.
Tourist: cloudy has yeast in suspension and will affect taste. Not always in a bad way but you will have a very different beer that is clear over something that is not. A cloudy lager just seems wrong to me but a cloudy ale is a delight. If you think you will get into this as a multi year activity I would suggest jumping straight into 5 gallon batches that are all grain and keg them instead of bottling. You will kick yourself for not doing this in the end if you stick with it.
2013 Jan 3
Soda Kegs...
I did 2 full batches with bottles... then bought growlers... did one more batch with them.
Then I got soda kegs and gave away all that other non-sense. Drying racks, bottle brushes, capers, caps and liners, filling wands, carbonizing yeast and a dozen other things.
Soda Kegs are the only way if you love beer.
Luckily I did this way back in the 80's - haven't ever regretted it - except for not starting sooner!
I did 2 full batches with bottles... then bought growlers... did one more batch with them.
Then I got soda kegs and gave away all that other non-sense. Drying racks, bottle brushes, capers, caps and liners, filling wands, carbonizing yeast and a dozen other things.
Soda Kegs are the only way if you love beer.
Luckily I did this way back in the 80's - haven't ever regretted it - except for not starting sooner!
2013 Jan 4
I could be wrong, but you don't need a fridge for your keg. If you want your beer chilled, just immerse the serving hose in ice water. It will cool the beverage before it reaches your glass. ;)
I've tripped over enough of Zym's kegs over the years to know that they're most definitely not all kept in a fridge (though that's a pretty slick serving method, if you go that route).
I've tripped over enough of Zym's kegs over the years to know that they're most definitely not all kept in a fridge (though that's a pretty slick serving method, if you go that route).
2013 Jan 4
The Danby 4.4 CF bar fridge mentioned in the recent fridge thread will hold 2 of the taller, narrower ball lock kegs ( but only one of the shorter, fatter pin locks ).
You can also put a cooling coil in-line as refashionista suggests, though this is not ideal because the beer is still stored at room temp. So for one, you won't get the natural clearing of chill haze that occurs when it is stored at serving temp. You would also have to put your cooling coil in a bucket of water in the fridge for maximum effect - air chilling would have a much slower heat transfer.
You can also put a cooling coil in-line as refashionista suggests, though this is not ideal because the beer is still stored at room temp. So for one, you won't get the natural clearing of chill haze that occurs when it is stored at serving temp. You would also have to put your cooling coil in a bucket of water in the fridge for maximum effect - air chilling would have a much slower heat transfer.
2013 Jan 21
Here's an update...
My first batch turned out to be very good! The flavours really developped nicely, perfect carbonation and good head. The only problem I had was drinking too many young beers which caused my digestive system to act up... that yeast!!
I brewed a second batch just over a week ago, this time an IPA using extract and crystal malts, galena and goldings hops. Fermentation was vicious and couldn't contain the krausen. It was quite the mess, and took about 36 hours to settle down, just in time because I had to head out of town for the week. I'm thinking I need a blowoff valve! Yesterday, FG was where I wanted it so I racked into secondary and added more golding hops. Will dry hop for a few days to a week.
My first batch turned out to be very good! The flavours really developped nicely, perfect carbonation and good head. The only problem I had was drinking too many young beers which caused my digestive system to act up... that yeast!!
I brewed a second batch just over a week ago, this time an IPA using extract and crystal malts, galena and goldings hops. Fermentation was vicious and couldn't contain the krausen. It was quite the mess, and took about 36 hours to settle down, just in time because I had to head out of town for the week. I'm thinking I need a blowoff valve! Yesterday, FG was where I wanted it so I racked into secondary and added more golding hops. Will dry hop for a few days to a week.
2013 Jan 21
I'm following your thread with a certain vicariousness, wistfulness, and envy, tourist, enjoying a Dominus Vobiscum Triple, but kinda wishing I was enjoying a tourist Pale Ale as I've grown to love pale ales. I've never brewed at home (did brew at BYOB years ago) and kinda wish I had at some point. Maybe drinking the 6 cases of beer from BYOB from each batch cured me of the brewing urge, I dunno. More power to ya- I hope you enjoy the brewskis!
2013 Jan 21
That yeast does a great job however it's a pain in the butt.
Get a few carboys - honestly who doesn't need at least a half dozen?
Pitch and then pour the single batch into 2 separate carboys to ferment. Much less mess but I still place them in the downstairs shower stall just in case.
If you don't have a downstairs shower stall I have used these... www.homedepot.com
cheap and easy to hook to a drain... or bucket
2013 Jan 22
thanks andy! didn't know this thread would produce those kinds of emotions...maybe it'll motivate you to start brewing!
MichaelGA: that's a good tip. i recently bought 2 carboys from an ottawafoodie, so i have 3 total. it would not only reduce the chance of overflow, it would also allow me to experiment with post-fermentation additions like hops and fruits and extracts. do you brew regularily? if so, what are you brewing these days?
MichaelGA: that's a good tip. i recently bought 2 carboys from an ottawafoodie, so i have 3 total. it would not only reduce the chance of overflow, it would also allow me to experiment with post-fermentation additions like hops and fruits and extracts. do you brew regularily? if so, what are you brewing these days?
2013 Mar 10
Hi tourist,
I plan on following the same recipe (Cincinnati Pale Ale) very soon and have a few questions...
- Where did you buy the malt extract? I'm looking at DeFalco's online store and the weights they sell by are a little off from the recipe. e.g. recipe calls for 1.5 kg liquid malt extract, DeFalco's sell it at 1.3 kg. Should I worry too much about that?
- What yeast strain did you use? Liquid or dry?
- How did you dry hop in the secondary? Did you put the hops in a bag? How did you weigh it down?
I recently bottled beer from a FestaBrew kit and it turned out really good. Looking to up my game next time. Thanks.
I plan on following the same recipe (Cincinnati Pale Ale) very soon and have a few questions...
- Where did you buy the malt extract? I'm looking at DeFalco's online store and the weights they sell by are a little off from the recipe. e.g. recipe calls for 1.5 kg liquid malt extract, DeFalco's sell it at 1.3 kg. Should I worry too much about that?
- What yeast strain did you use? Liquid or dry?
- How did you dry hop in the secondary? Did you put the hops in a bag? How did you weigh it down?
I recently bottled beer from a FestaBrew kit and it turned out really good. Looking to up my game next time. Thanks.
2013 Mar 11
Hi ollie
I ended up making the lady liberty pale ale instead of the cincinaty pale ale. Very similar recipe, from the same book.
4 lbs. of Pale Malt LME
2 lbs. of Amber DME.
3/4 oz of Northern Brewer (9%) at 60 min.
3/4 oz of Cascade (7%) at 30 minutes
3/4 oz of Cascade (7%) at 15 minutes
I added another 1/2 oz Cascade at 5 min just to use up the whole package. I used dry yeast, i believe it was the Safale US-05. Didn't dry hop this one, but I did for my IPA. I just threw the pellets in the secondary, not sure if this is how it should have been done though. I did find a few bottles with bits of hops inside.
I purchased everything at the defalco's store on Gladstone.
good luck, let me know how it goes.
I ended up making the lady liberty pale ale instead of the cincinaty pale ale. Very similar recipe, from the same book.
4 lbs. of Pale Malt LME
2 lbs. of Amber DME.
3/4 oz of Northern Brewer (9%) at 60 min.
3/4 oz of Cascade (7%) at 30 minutes
3/4 oz of Cascade (7%) at 15 minutes
I added another 1/2 oz Cascade at 5 min just to use up the whole package. I used dry yeast, i believe it was the Safale US-05. Didn't dry hop this one, but I did for my IPA. I just threw the pellets in the secondary, not sure if this is how it should have been done though. I did find a few bottles with bits of hops inside.
I purchased everything at the defalco's store on Gladstone.
good luck, let me know how it goes.
2013 Mar 11
Thanks tourist, I had my eye on that recipe as well. But now I think I'm going to order an extract recipe kit from Ontario Beer Kegs.
www.ontariobeerkegs.com
Either the West Coast IPA or one of the single hop options.
www.ontariobeerkegs.com
Either the West Coast IPA or one of the single hop options.
2013 Mar 12
I know Zym may disagree with me but adding specialty grains to an extract kit is not worth the effort. You can do so much with either light or medium DME and then focus on your hop selection and yeast choice. If you want a fab IPA/APA 90% is in the hops, 9% in the yeast and 1% in the specialty malt.
I would put it out there that an IPA/APA with Crystal malt added to it will not have any discernable (sp?) flavor difference. Color will be altered of course.
K,
I would put it out there that an IPA/APA with Crystal malt added to it will not have any discernable (sp?) flavor difference. Color will be altered of course.
K,
tourist