Anyone around Chicago

[Quixoticosis]

Hello!

Just joined (obviously). I'm a new transplant to the Chicagoland area, living in the northwest suburbs and working as a veterinarian out in Skokie. I'm looking to make new friends.

Anyone in the area?

I'm a new brewer. My first batch is sitting in my garage, doing its thing, and my second is getting brewed up tomorrow. It was either take up home brewing or cheese making, and, well, beer has alcohol in it. So, well, hi!

 

[Glynn]

welcome to the hobby and hbt but unless your garage is in the 60 right now id move it to some place cooler. ales need to keeped at around the mid 60 and lagers much cooler otherwise they will have some off flavors

 

[Quixoticosis]

I actually live in a townhouse, so thanks to the unit above the garage, the garage is cooler than the house. Add a swamp cooler and a lot of ice bottles, I actually managed to keep the fermenter below 72 degrees during that god awful heat wave a week ago.

Sadly, in my enthusiasm, I didn't really get a handle on temperature and just how important it was until about 4 hours after the yeast were throwing a party at a balmy 78 degrees.

Oh well. It'll be great. Or if not, well, I'll just have to make more, right?

 

[quantumbeer]

Say hi to my college roommate for me. He lives in Chicago.

 

[stalmage]

Hey Quixo! Great handle, Don Quixote If you are interesting in learning-playing- sharing w/ like-minded home brewers there's a great group in Evanston (Evanston HomeBrew Club, yeah, we need a better name) that meets every third Thursday at Prairie Moon. Last Thursday was excellent because we had the head brewer from Temperance which is the 1st brewery in Evanston since prohibition, times are a changing. Anyhow, I've been brewing for about 7 years and really enjoy making the weird beers.

Cheers!

 

[Quixoticosis]

That would Dona Quixote, but close enough.

What time do y'all meet? I may have to come check y'all out, especially since if it's around 7-7:30, that's right around when I get off work.