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Offline Evil_Conservative

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Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« on: May 04, 2013, 11:32:07 PM »
My husband is a huge craft beer guy and wants to do his own home brewing.  I know Sparky does this, but does anyone else?  I'm trying to figure out what to buy him as a starter kit for Father's Day.  I'm not big into beers and I am totally lost.
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You may call me Jessica or Jess.

Offline RobJohnson

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2013, 02:16:44 AM »
This place has very good reviews.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/vegas-homebrew-las-vegas
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2013, 09:45:03 AM »
Yeah, see if someplace does "DIY" brewing before you buy the equipment.  He might find he likes making it there better.  Me, I started at places like Brewbakers (Huntington Beach) and the like before Scoobie got me a home brewing kit for Christmas. 

You'll spend a couple to a few hundred on equipment and bottles, and the kits I get from Brewer's Best go about $40-50, depending on what you're making, and that gives you 5 gallons, or about 2 cases by the time you get done with wastage, etc.

She doesn't care for the smell when I'm brewing very much, but damned if the beer doesn't taste MUCH better than the stuff you get in the stores, provided you keep everything sterile from start to finish and follow the directions carefully.

Personally, see if he's interested in trying home brewing with a couple of buddies who enjoy the hobby as well, and makes it easier to ensure all the beer gets drank before it goes bad.
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Offline Wineslob

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2013, 09:53:13 AM »
I've been brewing beer since the early 80's  Ask me anything........
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2013, 11:48:26 AM »
There ya go...and I'm sure he can help you out with MUCH cheaper grains, etc., than I could do.  I'd like to get a recipie off the 'Net, but not really sure how available stuff is locally and what would be an acceptable substitute would be if a certain type of grain or hops or yeast was unavailable.
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Offline Karin

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2013, 12:26:49 PM »
I did it several years ago, just using one of those Mr. Beer kits.  It was fun, like cooking, not hard.  IIRC it was pretty inexpensive.  Beer turned out pretty good.  Not 100% consistent batch to batch, but perfectly drinkable. 

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Offline Wineslob

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2013, 12:59:27 PM »
Quote
I'd like to get a recipie off the 'Net

Here is my all-grain "ale" or, as I call it, Newcastle on steroids.


10 lbs of 2 row pale malt. 1 lb crystal malt. The crystal is for color and body.

4oz flavoring hops, (put in during the boil) can be Kent Golding, Cascade, etc.....

2 oz Cascade hops at the end of the boil for the "nose".

This should hit around 6% alc.

Any "Ale" yeast for the fermentation. I also do a secondary fermentation. Nothing more than transferring the beer out of the first fermenter and into a second sealed container after about 24 hours to get it off the sediment.

You can do the same with a syrup based beer, just hit the specific gravity to get around 6% alc.  The only issue with syrup beer is getting any kind of body. They usually have a "thin" mouth feel.

That's a really simple synopsis, there's a bit more to making beer.................well.
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“The national budget must be balanced. The public debt must be reduced; the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled. Payments to foreign governments must be reduced, if the nation doesn't want to go bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.”

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"Practice random violence and senseless acts of brutality"

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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2013, 01:20:03 PM »
Quote from: Wineslob on May 06, 2013, 12:59:27 PM
Here is my all-grain "ale" or, as I call it, Newcastle on steroids.


10 lbs of 2 row pale malt. 1 lb crystal malt. The crystal is for color and body.

4oz flavoring hops, (put in during the boil) can be Kent Golding, Cascade, etc.....

2 oz Cascade hops at the end of the boil for the "nose".

This should hit around 6% alc.

Any "Ale" yeast for the fermentation. I also do a secondary fermentation. Nothing more than transferring the beer out of the first fermenter and into a second sealed container after about 24 hours to get it off the sediment.

You can do the same with a syrup based beer, just hit the specific gravity to get around 6% alc.  The only issue with syrup beer is getting any kind of body. They usually have a "thin" mouth feel.

That's a really simple synopsis, there's a bit more to making beer.................well.

Jeez, how much you making here, 20 gallons?  I'm looking for a 5-gallon batch...
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Offline Evil_Conservative

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2013, 04:23:53 PM »
Well, I'll find out what he wants to do.  I'll probably just have him pick out what he wants to make sure I get the right products.  I'm not sure what else to ask right now, but will definitely bother both of you (Sparky & Wineslob) if I need a bit of assistance.  :)
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Offline Wineslob

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2013, 04:25:50 PM »
Quote from: NHSparky on May 06, 2013, 01:20:03 PM
Jeez, how much you making here, 20 gallons?  I'm looking for a 5-gallon batch...



 :rofl:


It is for 5 gallons.
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“The national budget must be balanced. The public debt must be reduced; the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled. Payments to foreign governments must be reduced, if the nation doesn't want to go bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.”

        -- Marcus Tullius Cicero, 55 BC (106-43 BC)

The unobtainable is unknown at Zombo.com



"Practice random violence and senseless acts of brutality"

If you want a gender neutral bathroom, go pee in the forest.

Offline IassaFTots

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2013, 04:26:53 PM »
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Offline Conservative Libertarian

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2013, 06:59:17 PM »
I used to brew my own beer. 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes. I gave all of my stuff away. If I still had it, I would send it to you for the shipping price.

I had been doing it for a couple of years when the doctor dropped the bomb on me. I was to the point where I was taking the ingredient kits and starting to tinker with them some. The next batch was going to be my first non-kit based batch.

I have seen good tips for beginners in this thread.
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: Home brewing Kits (craft beer)
« Reply #12 on: May 07, 2013, 01:27:41 AM »
When I was back visiting Illinois and Iowa I learned that a local popular brew pub opened a second location with a drive up window in which you can purchase beer to go. You simply pay a deposit on the container and return it when you are done or need another.

http://bentriverbrewing.com/pages/year-round-brews
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