Any Home-Brewers Here?

[mgerst1]

Just curious to see if there are any home brewers here. This weekend I will be brewing a Nut Brown Ale. Why homebrew you ask?
1. You get the satisfaction of making your own beer
2. You can customize the recipe for your own taste
3. It is fun
4. After the initial cost of equipment it is a pretty cheap hobby
5. Home-Brews taste better than store bought because it is fresher
6. Home-Brews tend to have a higher alcohol by volume content than store bought beer
7. It costs about $35.00 to brew five gallons of beer (about 48 bottles) (drunk)

[johnnyB5646]

Nut brown ales are a favorite of mine. What goes into intial setup and where do you get the ingredients? Sounds like a perfect hobby for me, or it could be the final straw to send me into deep alcoholism, either way I'M IN!

[mgerst1]

Nut brown ales are a favorite of mine. What goes into intial setup and where do you get the ingredients? Sounds like a perfect hobby for me, or it could be the final straw to send me into deep alcoholism, either way I'M IN!

Supplies can be bought online or at homebrew supply shops. Do a google search and I am sure you will find one around you. I would reccomend starting out with extract brewing as a beginner. this allows you to learn the proper techniques. After mastering extract I would reccomend going to parial-mash brewing, then you can do all grain brewing. I must warn you, this is a fun hobby. There are many different beers to make including clone kits (clones of popular brands) they even have a kit for a brandy-wine style of beer that takes a year to ferment but yields 22% alcohol by volume. Another plus of homebrewing is the beer tastes better and usually has a higher alcohol content.

This is the kit I would reccomend starting with. (You will still need a brew kettle, can be copper or stainless steel (cheaper) and should be at least five gallons.)

Equipment Kit:
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=6874
(there are others that include more, this is the one I got but feel free to look at them all)

Brew Kettle:
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4702

Bottles:
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4293

Hex Nut Brown Ale Kit
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=3538

While on their website request a free catalog so you can see everything they have to offer

[Kain]

Let me know when you need a taste tester. I can swing by Forest Hill.

What types of beer are you looking to brew? I've been on a mission lately to find a light, crisp beer that goes well with seafood (sick of just having white wine, and B&Ts and wheats are too rich for fish). Clipper City (local Baltimore brewery) makes a fantastic ale that accents shellfish very well. I think if I were to home brew, I'd try to emulate it.

[mgerst1]

do you know the name of the ale? I like to make dark ales, i havent made lagers yet. i can do blond ales as well. I hope to bring some of the nut brown with me for the carlisle show for the forum members to enjoy. (i have to see how it turns out, sometimes if you mess up one small thing or get bacteria in the beer it doesnt turn out well.)

[mgerst1]

I would say any light ale would be right up your alley. If you like a light crip beer try Chimay Trappiste Ale. Good crisp taste

[mgerst1]

coincidentally that is the beer I will be making after the nut brown is a trappiste ale.

[Kain]

do you know the name of the ale?

It's their Pale Ale found here (http://www.ccbeer.com/beerlist/Clipper+City+Brands).

[mgerst1]

I will look to see if there is anything similar on the site i order my supplies from

[mgerst1]

If you liked that beer you will like the trappiste ale, the brand that sells it is CHIMAY

[mgerst1]

I guess i am the only home-brewer

[johnnyB5646]

Thanks for the info. I really think I could get into this.
--goes to check mail for income tax check--

[mgerst1]

Let me know if you get started

[mgerst1]

Nut brown ales are a favorite of mine. What goes into intial setup and where do you get the ingredients? Sounds like a perfect hobby for me, or it could be the final straw to send me into deep alcoholism, either way I'M IN!

so did you start into homebrewing?