TopDog
Well-Known Member
Been lurking here a few weeks. Figured it was time to introduce myself.
I started brewing way back in the early nineties while living in northern Virginia. Ordered a starter kit complete with the obligatory 6-gallon plastic bucket and prehopped extract. Brewed up a pretty yeasty, but drinkable, ale. Quickly moved to a 7 gallon canning pot and a cajun cooker, but kept with the extract kits for a few more months. Graduated to all-grain and kept it up off and on for four or five years, but never really brewed more than 5 or 6 batches a year. My setup was makeshift and labor intensive and I really hated bottling. (Still do.)
Moved to a bigger house and other priorities made me set brewing aside for a while, although I tried to stay with it. I even bought a kegging setup, but lost interest after a year or so. Can't really figure out why, although it may have been that I never really fell in love with my results.
In 2003, I was able to move my family back home to Austin. In Jan 2007, after drinking a few Dogfish Head 120's, I got bit by the brewing bug again. This time I was determined to do it right. I went to AHBS where Edward and JB hooked me up with a 15 gallon SS brewpot and an Avery IPA mini-mash kit. Scored my dad's turkey fryer burner. Also got the motherlode of carboys and corny kegs on Craigslist, along with two 5lb CO2 tanks a regulator and some taps. Within six months I'd progressed to all-grain and by the end of the year, I'd built myself a stand, gone to 10 gallon batches on all but the biggest beers, upsized my keezer to 4 taps, and was pushing the legal annual limit. It's now considered my obligation to provide the adult beverages for all family gatherings throughout the year.
For Christmas this year, I treated myself to a March pump, a Love controller, and a 20 gallon Boilermaker complete with false bottom. (I'll never make another 5 gallon batch!) Ran my first recirculating mash two weeks ago (only real labor was trying not to drink too much while waiting for the mash to finish
) and will be dryhopping 10 gallons of double IPA in a few days.
This time, the brewing bug bit me good. I love my results and am having a blast brewing them.
JJ
I started brewing way back in the early nineties while living in northern Virginia. Ordered a starter kit complete with the obligatory 6-gallon plastic bucket and prehopped extract. Brewed up a pretty yeasty, but drinkable, ale. Quickly moved to a 7 gallon canning pot and a cajun cooker, but kept with the extract kits for a few more months. Graduated to all-grain and kept it up off and on for four or five years, but never really brewed more than 5 or 6 batches a year. My setup was makeshift and labor intensive and I really hated bottling. (Still do.)
Moved to a bigger house and other priorities made me set brewing aside for a while, although I tried to stay with it. I even bought a kegging setup, but lost interest after a year or so. Can't really figure out why, although it may have been that I never really fell in love with my results.
In 2003, I was able to move my family back home to Austin. In Jan 2007, after drinking a few Dogfish Head 120's, I got bit by the brewing bug again. This time I was determined to do it right. I went to AHBS where Edward and JB hooked me up with a 15 gallon SS brewpot and an Avery IPA mini-mash kit. Scored my dad's turkey fryer burner. Also got the motherlode of carboys and corny kegs on Craigslist, along with two 5lb CO2 tanks a regulator and some taps. Within six months I'd progressed to all-grain and by the end of the year, I'd built myself a stand, gone to 10 gallon batches on all but the biggest beers, upsized my keezer to 4 taps, and was pushing the legal annual limit. It's now considered my obligation to provide the adult beverages for all family gatherings throughout the year.
For Christmas this year, I treated myself to a March pump, a Love controller, and a 20 gallon Boilermaker complete with false bottom. (I'll never make another 5 gallon batch!) Ran my first recirculating mash two weeks ago (only real labor was trying not to drink too much while waiting for the mash to finish
) and will be dryhopping 10 gallons of double IPA in a few days. This time, the brewing bug bit me good. I love my results and am having a blast brewing them.
JJ
