New to the game!

[ZAZusmc03]

Hey everyone! I'm Gus, and I'm addicted to brewing and wine making and haven't yet ordered my kit yet, or any supplies! I'm 25 and live in the Pittsburgh, Pa area, and decided this is a great hobby to start now and continue on for many years. I've been reading over the forums for a few weeks now, and have decided I HAVE to become a part of this world of "science". I'm always traveling for work, home every other Thurs-Sunday. I'm hoping that this schedule allows me adequate time to produce good wines and beers. I'd like to start a batch of Ed's Apfelwein as well as a batch of NerdyMarie's mango pulp wine on the 4th of April when I get home. With this type of schedule, how limited will my options be in the wine and beer making world? And I'd like to go ahead and thank all of you for so much great information on these forums, it's a gold mine!

Gus

 

[Homercidal]

Welcome! Yes, you are in great shape for brewing. Most of the time you just spend a few hours with the cooking, chilling, and setting up the fermenter. Once that is done, you sit back and wait 2-3 weeks for the fermentation to complete. Then you can bottle or rack to secondary (your choice) and if you bottle you just wait 3 more weeks (maybe less) and drink beer!

The nice thing is, people have proven that you can leave your beer in the primary for several weeks without detriment. As long as you have pitched the right amount of healthy yeast and kept the fermentation temps where they ought to be. (These are important things to do in any case.) So you can be very flexible with your schedule!

Good luck!

 

[noiz2]

Yes the schedule can be pretty flexible. I often start drinking young (you can do that if you keg) but I have been out of town for a month and a half and we have a party in three days so I brewed 20 gall before I left and will keg when I get home tomorow.

We did this last year and it worked out really well. Wine and cider sit longer so that should be fine.

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome. I have found that beer (and wine) are not time delimited. You can always leave it in the fermenter an extra week, with no detectable issues. About the only exception I can think of is using wood, but even if a beer is too woody, you can age it and it'll mellow. I travel 110+ days per year, this is a great stress reliever, both brewing and drinking your own product.