Any brewers out their??

Troller · 01-28-2004, 10:19 AM

I was wondering how many of you make your own beer and wine. I have been brewing for 20 years on and off. Just got done brewing and all grain batch of german pilsner.

Woody · 01-28-2004, 10:27 AM

I've been brewing on and off for about 15yrs, currently off. I used to be the president of the Oregon Brew Crew, the largest homebrew club on the west coast. I really have to get back at it. Fun hobby.

[ 01-28-2004, 09:17 PM: Message edited by: Woody ]

Hoosier Daddy · 01-28-2004, 02:28 PM

Off currently. Should pick it back up soon. Last batch made me sick for some reason and I've been a little nervous since then.

HeavyMetal BankFisherman · 01-28-2004, 02:35 PM

Years ago I made few batches at one of those U-Brew places. I tried several recipes that they already had and the beer always turned out just fine.

I have had some pretty awful home brews and I am not afraid to spit it out if it is bad. I have had some great home brews as well.

I would like to get the equipment to brew at home. I think before I spend any money on equipment and e ingredients, I will get a book on home brewing.

greenbuttskunk · 01-28-2004, 02:55 PM

my wife and I brew, although she's more of the brewer. so good that she does routine beer judging, and had studied for national certification test. She is quite talented. She's on me to set up a permanent brewery in the garage, but the boat is stored there. It's a touchy subject let's just say.
GBS

lost_sailor · 01-28-2004, 04:12 PM

I've been brewing for about 17 years.

All-grain pilsner - been there, done that - ambitious! It was good, though. I usually go with the extract with some added grains to make it interesting.

I don't keep up with it, though. I still have last summers hop harvest in the freezer, need to get a batch going.

Silver Hilton · 01-28-2004, 05:02 PM

I used to, gave it up when the kids came along. I like making stuff, but only when I can make something at least as good as commercial stuff. I found that Mr Red Hook does a consistently better job than I can. Though we had a few that were notable...

happybrew · 01-28-2004, 07:58 PM

Yep, although it's been over a year since I brewed last. It's hard to brew with kids running through the kitchen. Anyone tried an all-grain hefeweizen? That was probably the hardest beer I ever did because of all the gluten in the wheat mucking up my lauter tun. Another interesting note is that if you use Chinook for your bittering hops, then add another oz. of Chinook for the last five minutes of your boil for flavoring, you'll end up with a brew that tastes much like pine. Strangest beer I've ever tasted. I prefer cascade hops in large quantities throughout the boil. Saaz is my other favorite.

happybrew

Woody · 01-28-2004, 08:13 PM

Oh, yeah!!! The smell of the mash, the carefull tweaking of the temperatures to get just the right conversion, the smell of the hops in the boil, the reasuring blub, blub of the airlock.

I think I feel a recipe coming on.........just in time for Spring Chinook season........

How's a nice Springer American Pale Ale sound? OK, for starters..... Chinook early on for bittering and finished with Willamette.

Let's build a recipe here on ifish and get together for a group Ifish brew session!!! I'll dust off my kettles and fermenters.

[ 01-28-2004, 09:17 PM: Message edited by: Woody ]

pearl · 01-28-2004, 08:19 PM

Woody,

You brew it and I'll handle the sales and marketing. We will probably need to go catch a springer to use as a picture on the label.

Pearl

Troller · 01-29-2004, 05:30 AM

Sounds like fun we should make up a recipie and brew it. To bad I live up near seattle but we could come up with a style we want to do and create a recipe. Then brew it at our own homes. Then run a label contest to get a great lable made we could put on our bottles. What do you think of a oatmeal stout. We could call it Ifish Springer breakfast stout. I have done a dozen batches of hefe all grain never had a problem with a stuck mash. But did try a all wheat batch that was nearly a disaster. Should have put more rice husks in it to help with lautering.

Bait O' Eggs · 01-29-2004, 06:42 AM

Back in College (early 80's) I dabbled around and made some home brew. The last batch made you hallucinate so we decided we had better stick to buying it. :shocked:

I have always had a desire to make moonshine. Not sure if it is legal and should probably do some research because some day I am gonna make a still (sp) and brew up some moonshine. Even if I have to go do it in the hills while those revenuer boys look for me

Anybody ever attempt hard alchohol?? As a kid I remember my grandpa having some copper coils behind the door to the woodshed and he would tell us those were from his days of making whiskey and selling it to the indians when you werent suppose to

Woody · 01-29-2004, 07:13 AM

Roy you have mail

El-Kabong · 01-29-2004, 10:01 AM

I used to brew a lot in chicago (where good beer was scarce), since moving to Oregon I have not brewed much. I miss it, but finding time is hard. I really miss having mead in the celler

gees GBS,

to have a wife wanting you to add a brewery.
we should all be so unfortunate!

clearly you should add an outbuilding for a brewery! or better yet. Get a slip for the boat!

[ 01-29-2004, 11:03 AM: Message edited by: El-Kabong ]

skeet · 01-29-2004, 10:16 AM

Ive been brewing for about 6 years off and on, currently off. But Im about to inherit around 10 carboys so I guess I better start brewing again.

Drakeblake · 01-29-2004, 10:41 AM

I did some wine brewing this year at school. I got the recipe from a friend that spent the summer in Alaska. The closest town away was a 40 mile jetboat ride so you could say he had to do some improvising. All you need is Welches grape juice, water, sugar and yeast. It tastes like crap but the saying is true It does get sweeter with time. I doubt any of you want the whole recipe but if you do just email me. It makes about 3/4 of a gallon for less than two dollars.

-blake

Salmon Loser · 01-29-2004, 10:43 AM

Just drank my last beer from my last batch need to make anouther. Springer fishing is just around the corner and have to have some for that celebration after landing a fish. I love the recipe I have for a dark beer it's like black butte porter. Never had a bad batch and been brewing for 10 + years.

SL

float2ber · 01-29-2004, 02:26 PM

Brewing since 1984. Won some state competitions in the 80's but now I just relax and have a homebrew.

Cutter · 01-29-2004, 11:54 PM

I started brewing a couple years ago, I mainly brew beer now, but started with cider. I've made mead also.

Beerbelly · 02-01-2004, 11:12 PM

Started brewing in 1980 retired and still brew some at home all grain. Just kegged a Winter Portor.

Raven1 · 02-02-2004, 10:14 PM

Brewed for a while, kegged some great Ambers & Lemon Hefeweizen. Then ran out of time to play with all of my toys. So, it's back to Widmer's docks. :smile: :smile:

iwanttofish · 03-22-2008, 06:45 AM

Anyone in the Beaverton area that does home brew, I am thinking about trying it.

Mike

AyeFish · 03-22-2008, 11:43 AM

I started looking in it: the equipment, the process, the time involved, and decided to wait till I'm an "old tinkerer."

Right now too many other hobbies taking my time.

Bobberman · 03-22-2008, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AyeFish

I started looking in it: the equipment, the process, the time involved, and decided to wait till I'm an "old tinkerer."

Right now too many other hobbies taking my time.

if you get a nice system, five hours and you have fermenting wort in the tank! I hear ya though, I would rather be fishing

ampersat · 03-22-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobberman

if you get a nice system, five hours and you have fermenting wort in the tank! I hear ya though, I would rather be fishing

Then there's sanitizing everything, which can take a while. I stepped up to a keg system after deciding that bottling is for suckers. It helps cut the time down a bit, but there's still some work to it. It's really nice pulling my own beer out in the garage. Seems that Sunday evening is always brew day for me. I've gotten some good IPA's but can't seem to get anything darker to ferment properly.

Bobberman · 03-22-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampersat

Then there's sanitizing everything, which can take a while. I stepped up to a keg system after deciding that bottling is for suckers. It helps cut the time down a bit, but there's still some work to it. It's really nice pulling my own beer out in the garage. Seems that Sunday evening is always brew day for me. I've gotten some good IPA's but can't seem to get anything darker to ferment properly.

What are you using for yeast?

Woody · 03-22-2008, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampersat

Then there's sanitizing everything, which can take a while. I stepped up to a keg system after deciding that bottling is for suckers. It helps cut the time down a bit, but there's still some work to it. It's really nice pulling my own beer out in the garage. Seems that Sunday evening is always brew day for me. I've gotten some good IPA's but can't seem to get anything darker to ferment properly.

Interesting Doug. The color shouldn't have anything to do with the way the beer ferments.