kopper
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2013
- Messages
- 38
- Reaction score
- 3
20+ years ago I dabbled with a beer-in-a-bag kit (Christmas present) and had less than stellar results (thanks to this site, now I know why). Never thought about trying again until an add popped up recently somewhere (can't recall what site I was surfing) for a Mr. Beer kit via Amazon and being a Prime account holder it was too good to pass up. So, after placing the order I thought "hey, wonder what sorta websites our out there for beer brewing these days?" Well, first Google search turn up HBT and I soon realized this was the place to be to learn more about homebrewing. After just a few days of reading I was convinced that the Mr. Beer kit that was already on the way was going to need some sprucing and I better get a real "kit" on the way (thanks again Amazon Prime!).
The only change I made to the Mr. Beer kit was to add another can of LME. The brew day went great and I bottled that brew a couple days ago after 2 weeks in the LBK (I picked up on quick and love the acronyms here!). Oh, I also racked it to a bottling bucket with the proper amount (I hope) of boiled corn sugar concoction which was gently stirred in for bottling. The bottles have firmed up nicely after just a few days but I'll wait a couple more weeks before chilling and trying. I have not tasted this brew yet.
In the meantime I've spent a few hundred bucks on bigger/better equipment and last Sunday I cooked up the Northern Brewer's American Wheat extract kit. I love our local wheat brew (Boulevard) so it was an easy decision what to try first as far as full 5g batches go. Everything went great with the brew day. I have saltwater fish tanks and used the wort which was brewed from tap water (we have pretty low TDS tap water) and cut with the RO/DI water from my fish tank system reserves (zero TDS). Pitched dry with Safeale US-05 and within hours had action in the airlock. Strong action for a few days but it has leveled off to a bubble every 2-3 minutes so today I took a sample and it's at 1.012 gravity. I chilled the sample and tasted it tonight. It is delicious! I even squeezed some lemon into it too since that is how the local wheat is often dressed up and it really surprised me. Can't wait to bottle it and try it carbonated!
Needless to say, I'm sucked in - BIG TIME! Thanks to you all for costing me yet another hobby! Luckily I have a SWMBO that is about is great as they get. Not sure how she will react when she catches me moving my shop fridge into the basement to convert to a kegging system though. Stay tuned!
The only change I made to the Mr. Beer kit was to add another can of LME. The brew day went great and I bottled that brew a couple days ago after 2 weeks in the LBK (I picked up on quick and love the acronyms here!). Oh, I also racked it to a bottling bucket with the proper amount (I hope) of boiled corn sugar concoction which was gently stirred in for bottling. The bottles have firmed up nicely after just a few days but I'll wait a couple more weeks before chilling and trying. I have not tasted this brew yet.
In the meantime I've spent a few hundred bucks on bigger/better equipment and last Sunday I cooked up the Northern Brewer's American Wheat extract kit. I love our local wheat brew (Boulevard) so it was an easy decision what to try first as far as full 5g batches go. Everything went great with the brew day. I have saltwater fish tanks and used the wort which was brewed from tap water (we have pretty low TDS tap water) and cut with the RO/DI water from my fish tank system reserves (zero TDS). Pitched dry with Safeale US-05 and within hours had action in the airlock. Strong action for a few days but it has leveled off to a bubble every 2-3 minutes so today I took a sample and it's at 1.012 gravity. I chilled the sample and tasted it tonight. It is delicious! I even squeezed some lemon into it too since that is how the local wheat is often dressed up and it really surprised me. Can't wait to bottle it and try it carbonated!
Needless to say, I'm sucked in - BIG TIME! Thanks to you all for costing me yet another hobby! Luckily I have a SWMBO that is about is great as they get. Not sure how she will react when she catches me moving my shop fridge into the basement to convert to a kegging system though. Stay tuned!
