brew my own beer?

RoadRunner

Hi. After a recent holiday to Oregon in the US with the GF I really got the taste for american micro-brewery beer. Especially their pale ales/india pales ales. I can and regularly buy bottles of sierra nevada here, which I've only ever seen near the family home in Kilbarrack at McHuges Off licence. It's such a nice beer but Unfortunately McHuges have to buy that stuff in along with the rest of their foreign beer, so it's pricey.

So I was thinking of attempting to brew my own stuff. Something similar to that.

I have never brewed anything before and am an absolute beginner. Anyone got any pointers?

RoadRunner

oooops..

I just saw the homebrew sticky up there ! I'm sure that will answer my questions!

BeerNut

I'd recommend starting with this. If it's too complicated, try this first, and do a couple of practice kits. Browse the recipes here. And ask lots of questions.

I see dry-hopping with Cascade and/or Amarillo in your future

RoadRunner

BeerNut wrote: »

I see dry-hopping with Cascade and/or Amarillo in your future

I don't know yet what that means.. but I like the sounds of it!

BeerNut

And, of course, you'll likely need something along the lines of this or this.

donaghs

Lots of people here have given it a go with various kits and ingredients if you've questions.

wobzilla

i'd recommend starting with a kit. It means you won't have to fork out as much on equipment like a mashing tun or boiler.
try this http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_17&products_id=35

I remember using this brand's imperial stout kit and it turned out lovely

BeerNut

If doing a kit in an English style, I'd recommend buying some additional Cascade or Amarillo or Simcoe hops and bunging about 20g in o the bucket a week before bottling. That should Oregonise it a bit

oblivious

BeerNut wrote: »

If doing a kit in an English style, I'd recommend buying some additional Cascade or Amarillo or Simcoe hops and bunging about 100g in o the bucket a week before bottling. That should Oregonise it a bit

100g a bit ott

BeerNut

Oh yeah

20g, then.

Anoeta

Has anyone used that Muntons IPA. Was thinking of getting this for my 2nd brew.

RoadRunner

So I ordered this set of gear and the Muntons IPA yesterday.

Thanks for the pointers. It'd be great if I can get a brew going for the christmas period, and even better if I dont make a balls of it

BeerNut

Well I doubt you'll get anything resembling an American IPA out of the Munton's kit, but it's a start. Happy brewing!

RoadRunner

Thanks. I figured it'd be best to start with a kit to learn the brewing process. I'll work on not spoiling the brew early on and hopefully by christmas I'll have some good news. I'm really looking forward to this!

oblivious

RoadRunner that kits is going to be an English IPA, but you could dry hop with 20-30g of something like cascade hops,to give it that west coast aroma!

http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_78&products_id=174&zenid=a4694dc32329439981c17df03c27fef8

RoadRunner

I just added that onto my order. I'll give that shot. Thanks.

I'm thirsty now

RoadRunner

Arrived today and I started the process. It's a couple of hours old and no head yet to speak of.

By the way is the circled tube supposed to contain water?

marceldesailly

yes.otherwise its just a tube and not an airlock!happy brewing

RoadRunner

Dry hopping with cascade now. Nearly ready to bottle. It smells nice !

My next brew will be an extract. I have some new ingredients on the way. I bought a kettle today, smashed it and then started cutting holes in one of my two fermenters. The GF thinks I'm loosing it

henryporter

Great thread - I'm in the same position you were about a month ago Roadrunner - ready to take the plunge, buy a kit and get brewing - IPAs and Stouts being the desired outcome. Let us know how things turn out, with the ale and the kit.

RoadRunner

Hi Henry.

I fully bottled the first batch. I also bottled a few, about two weeks ago, before I added the cascade hops, so I could be able to taste both and tell the difference. Anyway, I tried one of these bottles well before it was ready and it didn't taste great. Not infected or anything, just not a great taste. Obviously I'll need to leave them sit a lot longer.

In the meantime I made a boiler and started a new extract brew. Something on the style of an American amber ale. After boiling for an hour the smell in the kitchen was crazy! That batch is fermenting nicely now and I should be able to bottle that next week. I'm excited to see how that tastes.

RoadRunner

UPDATE:

Okay so the first attempt, muntons english ipa kit -dry hopped with some cascade turned out great. It got better as it matured and I'm about to finish the last of it.

I made a boiler out of a plastic fermenter and some kettle elements. I am making some decent beer with this and haven't even been electrocuted once.

I've made 3 batches of extract beer with the boiler. The first, Amber's Rack, is nearly gone and was damn good. It didn't age so well. It's starting to taste a little acidic now, probably because I didn't cool the wort quick enough after the boil. But it's still infinately drinkable. The second batch is kegged and has to mature for another two weeks or so before it's ready, but it tastes pretty good already. The third batch is just finished fermenting. It already tastes decent and smells great. I used gelena and amarillo on this one. I think this third batch is going to be the one!

This is a bottle with the label the GF made up for ambers rack (named after a chesty friend)

guildofevil

Sounds like you are taking to brewing like a duck to water. Welcome to the obsession.

That's a classy label by the way.

RoadRunner

guildofevil wrote: »

That's a classy label by the way.

I'm glad someone likes it. My mother wasn't so fond of it when I brought a few over at christmas.