Anyone else here do this as a hobby?
Or are all you knuckledraggers still chugging down Bud Light instead?
Anyone else here do this as a hobby?
Or are all you knuckledraggers still chugging down Bud Light instead?
-91 240SX -- CA18 Power...SOLD, now terrorizing the streets of Alabama
I have been thinking about doing home brew. Can you recommend a good kit for a beginner?
Well, I stumbled upon a book at Books-A-Million titled "Make Your Own Brewskis" and I bought it despite the 'yeah-brah' title. It's got a pretty good bit of info. It gives out recipes for making various brews from scratch, which may be a bit much for first timers (milling grain, raw hops, etc). But, while I was reading through it, my fiance got me the Mr. Beer kit and lemme tell ya...it's easier to mess up oven-baked pizza, which means it doesn't give you the full effect. But, if you go onto their website and look into the other stuff they have, it seems to branch the gap between newb and seasoned pro. So if you're looking to break into it as a hobby, I think it's worth checking out the Mr. Beer kit.
Distilling is on a whole different level...Making your own brew and wine is one thing, but distilling alcohol is where the Fed usually gets its' panties in a twist.
That being said, the stuff I used to get from Toccoa is top notch.
-91 240SX -- CA18 Power...SOLD, now terrorizing the streets of Alabama
I've thought about putting a still together for a while, it always gets shuffled to the back burner of projects. You got some home brew you need someone to sample?
That's what I have been sipping on lately. I really wanna build a 2 gallon mini still and make my own personal shine. Nothing illegal about that. It's the same as making your own beer. It's when you sell it is when you get in trouble.
But if you wanna know how to make beer, there is a guy with a home brew store on the corner of killian hill and 29. On Sundays he teaches a class and basically just makes a batch then you get to get drunk on what he brewed the week before.
'82 TE72 SR5 Sport Coupe
3tc
From my understanding, homebrewing and producing your own wine in low numbers for personal use is allowed...but distilling your own spirits is where they draw the line.
Moonshine itself is not illegal, as long as the distillery is paying taxes. But if I were to make my own whiskey/rum/vodka, that would be illegal since my still is not taxed by the govt.
-91 240SX -- CA18 Power...SOLD, now terrorizing the streets of Alabama
My brother in law gave me one of those Mr. Beer kits for christmas, haven't gotten around to trying it, figured it was kind of gimmiky and would just end up with some skunky beer but I may have to give it a try. What have you made in yours?
I got some peach not too long ago, usually not a fan of anything fruity but you could just barely taste the peach and it was smooth as hell.
The basic kit comes with the American Light Lager...in other words, typical Bud/Miller/Coors Light. But, when you register the kit, you get a coupon for 15% off and a few useful tools for brewing. And they're doing a New Years sale right now for 15% off on all items on the site. So I ordered their IPA recipe kit, and the IPA HME (hopped malt extract) with bottling kit, and a 25 pack of sanitizer (which was basically free after all the coupons). I'm gonna do the HME kit first since it's more simple, then I'll work up towards doing the full blown recipe.
I've actually got a lot more supplies for in depth home brewing (turkey fryer, carboy, etc) but since I'm still waiting on this house thing to go through, I'm limited with what I can do in an apartment.
-91 240SX -- CA18 Power...SOLD, now terrorizing the streets of Alabama
Yea the flavored moonshine is deadly, so smooth and tasty that you are drunk before you know it!
'82 TE72 SR5 Sport Coupe
3tc
I think mine came with the Aztec Mexican Cervesa and Grand Bohemian Czech Pilsner, I'll probably try the mexican one first and see how it turns out before I start ordering more.
nah, I dont have the patience for it. Its like growing your own vegetables when i can go down the street to Whole Foods and buy the best money can buy.
I drink harpoon, pretty satisfied with that.
If someoen wants to brew up a Jalapeno IPA, count me in to taste
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Mr. Beer produces mediocre beer at best. Consumer reports I believe did a test on it. You'd spend less just drinking PBR....
Here is the review (credit goes to Consumer Reports)
How did home brew do?
We asked three staffers to brew Classic American Light beer using Mr. Beer Premium Edition Home Brewing Kit. Prices vary; we paid $40. The kit includes a plastic keg, bottle, hopped malt extract, sanitizer, and yeast. You add the malt extract to boiling water; put cold water in the keg, add the malt/water mix, stir, add yeast, close the lid, and store the keg in the dark for about two weeks. You then sanitize the bottles, add sugar, fill the bottle with beer mix (yeast consumes the sugar and creates CO2, and therefore fizziness), cap the bottles, and store them for a week or two. The process wasn't bad, but the beer wasn't good. It had a yeasty, cidery character and would have been at the bottom of the Ratings.
I got free clear tails with my ride.....
-91 240SX -- CA18 Power...SOLD, now terrorizing the streets of Alabama
I looked into it before I think I found a few classed never got around to taking one! I mean most I have ever done is help out fam with stillin off moonshine.
^^ YEa I figured though it can't be that bad....I've actually was looking into one of those kits...LOL something is better than nothing. I'll drink any beer myself. From piss water to $20 a bottle beers. But I've grown quite fond of those Belgians. Fin Du Monde, Duvel, Mauditus, Delirium etc.
I got free clear tails with my ride.....
partial grain is the easiest....its a baby bit more complicated than making tea, of which i know most of this forum is capable of. I've got most of the supplies to pull off full grain mashes, but am waiting til I have everything in 5-8 gallon capacity to start playing.
as for distilling high gravity ethanol, just be smart about it. its similar to selling drugs, don't be an idiot & just consume yourself instead of attempting to distribute.
Just bottled my first run with the Mr Beer kit this afternoon, couple of weeks to carbonate and I'll try it out. I'm not expecting anything exceptional but I could see making a hobby of it if this comes out decent.
Slightly related, anyone ever had delirium tremens? Apparently supposed to be some exceptional beer.
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That is all.