OMG, you guys!!!

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:44 pm

So, when I bottled that Brewhouse IPA (on Saturday), I had one partial bottle at the end, so I just put it aside.

Well, I couldn't help opening it to sneak a sip...(I chilled it a bit!)

It's ALREADY AWESOME!!! still not really carbonated, but getting there, and still pretty hazy, but the aroma from the willamettes I dry-hopped with are great. It has a very bitter American taste, but a bit of an English nose...a tiny bit sweet and boozy, but I'm guess because there's still some sugar in there and pretty "green" too, but I'm thinking this can only get better. I swear it tastes a tiny bit like Red Racer!

Anyway, I know this is dorky, because it's just a kit I modified a little, but I'm pretty pumped that I'm going to have this great IPA! I know it's still too early to tell, but it looks like I did an ok job with at least sanitation, fermentation, and bottling, and that makes me feel pretty awesome...not a full on Homebrewer yet, but getting there.

Going to do a few more like this, and then I'm going to ask yous guys advice for "stage 2", if that's ok...I don't mind going slowly...I want to do things right...

Derek, atomeyes, mark, Jeremy, KwaiLo, all you guys...thanks for this...thanks for helping me, for answering my questions (I'm going to have a million more), and for the support and encouragement. But after the first batch that went very wrong, this feels really awesome...I just got home from night class and am gonna crack a Double Hop Head!

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:09 pm

Welcome to the dark side!

atomeyes · Post by **atomeyes** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:39 am

it is a wee bit early (shoot for 2 weeks after bottling), but glad you're enjoying it.
just delay your gratification for another week and stop opening the bottles (and soon, move to grain instead of them dastardly kits!)

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:45 am

ALL grain???

I don't know if I'm set up for that! And probably not ready...

TheBeeraholic · Post by **TheBeeraholic** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:49 am

Congrats Jeff, reading a post like this really encourages me to buy one of these kits which I have been hesistant in picking up. Thanks.

phirleh · Post by **phirleh** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:02 am

JeffPorter wrote:ALL grain???

I don't know if I'm set up for that! And probably not ready...

Don't be intimidated, look now for some of the pieces you need, you could start with a keggle and a burner, build a zapap mash tun out of 2, 5 gallon buckets, and do no-chills with a 7 gallon cube, that's a good start. Then move into getting a grain crusher, and perhaps build an immersion chiller, you'll never go back to extract again.

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:15 am

phirleh wrote: you could start with a keggle and a burner, build a zapap mash tun out of 2, 5 gallon buckets, and do no-chills with a 7 gallon cube, that's a good start.

???

...I'll have to look some of those terms up...

phirleh · Post by **phirleh** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:32 am

JeffPorter wrote:
phirleh wrote: you could start with a keggle and a burner, build a zapap mash tun out of 2, 5 gallon buckets, and do no-chills with a 7 gallon cube, that's a good start.
???

...I'll have to look some of those terms up...

It's a lot of grunt work, but get a keg on kijiji or from a junk yard, cut the top off and add a spigot to the bottom (or get a very large stainless pot, Tap Phong on Spadina has many choices). If you have a spigot on the bottom and a dip tube, it can help in transferring hot liquid.
- the zapap is from Charlie Papazian's "Joy of Homebrewing" book, get 2, 5 gallon buckets, drill as many tiny holes into the bottom of one and put a spigot at the bottom of the other, put the one with holes in the other and you have a mash tun
- you can get one of those blue 7 gallon cubes used for water when camping, google no-chill brewing, many people put their boiled wort in them and chill them overnight or in a laundry sink
- the burner you can get at Canadian Tire or Home Hardware, but if you hunt around, you can find a Bayou Classic which has better output.

I picked up many of those things over about a year before I finally took the dive into all-grain. I've done about 30 all-grain batches without using an immersion chiller and using the zapap (I've finally upgraded to a cooler mashtun)

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:38 am

Does anyone still do the bucket-in-a-bucket?

It seems there are better ways that are fairly cost-effective:
1) Brew-in-a-bag (though personally I'd get a turkey frier and take it outside)
2) Convert a rectangular 'cooler' for simple batch sparging

I made a manifold for my cooler, but basically just batch sparge now. I batch sparge twice, which works well with two pots on the stove top (nice rolling boil).

phirleh · Post by **phirleh** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:06 pm

Derek wrote:Does anyone still do the bucket-in-a-bucket?

It seems there are better ways that are fairly cost-effective:
1) Brew-in-a-bag (though personally I'd get a turkey frier and take it outside)
2) Convert a rectangular 'cooler' for simple batch sparging

I made a manifold for my cooler, but basically just batch sparge now. I batch sparge twice, which works well with two pots on the stove top (nice rolling boil).

I did, only because it cost me $0, I did just procure a free brand new 10 gallon cooler.

Baulz · Post by **Baulz** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:12 pm

Derek wrote:Does anyone still do the bucket-in-a-bucket?

It seems there are better ways that are fairly cost-effective:
1) Brew-in-a-bag (though personally I'd get a turkey frier and take it outside)
2) Convert a rectangular 'cooler' for simple batch sparging

I made a manifold for my cooler, but basically just batch sparge now. I batch sparge twice, which works well with two pots on the stove top (nice rolling boil).

I went with a converted cooler, the problem with the buckets would be heat loss.

Basspro had a $40 turkey fryer set a while ago, can't be any cheaper than that to start.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:19 pm

Converted my cooler for use a mash tun, bought a turkey fryer from Bass Pro, picked up a 30L pot from CT for a boil kettle (doing 25L batches is a bit nervy), bought a 2 roller Crankenstein, fabbed up a sheet metal hopper for the mill and a 25' copper coil for an immersion chiller and I think I was around $250 in startup costs to go All Grain

Baulz · Post by **Baulz** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:10 pm

icemachine wrote:Converted my cooler for use a mash tun, bought a turkey fryer from Bass Pro, picked up a 30L pot from CT for a boil kettle (doing 25L batches is a bit nervy), bought a 2 roller Crankenstein, fabbed up a sheet metal hopper for the mill and a 25' copper coil for an immersion chiller and I think I was around $250 in startup costs to go All Grain

I remember at the time wondering if it was a waste of money to buy all the gear, would I stick with the hobby? Think I've done 17 brews and can't wait for the next one!

KwaiLo · Post by **KwaiLo** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 3:16 pm

There are also lots of folks local that you could check out a brewday with, and see the all grain equipment in action.

I won't be brewing til mid March now with my gear, but you are welcome to come on out, Cambridge isn't too far.

I agree with icemachine's $ estimates, though I would suggest not buying a mill right away. Bring a few beers to another forum member's house and use theirs.

If I was to recommend a course of action, it would be to do a few more kits. Get used to the cleaning and sanitizing functions. They are easily the most important things you totally control.
Buy a turkey fryer kit, and do a few brew in a bag batches, getting used to the control level you have with the grains.
From there, it really isn't too big a jump to a mash tun and another turkey fryer to let you have a hot liquor tank, mash tun and boil kettle ready to go.

If you are even moderately handy, you can make your own mash tun, chiller etc. otherwise, kijiji, this board, CHS etc will be able to sort you out.

This site is great, as it is mostly local people, but homebrewtalk has a huge number of members, and a great diy section.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 3:28 pm

Don't forget the SOB site as a great local group for any questions, help, meetups, etc.

areyouansob.com