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Author Topic: Near-perfect Brew Day  (Read 3909 times)

Offline tonyp

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Near-perfect Brew Day
« on: April 14, 2012, 09:31:09 am »
I only say near-perfect because i don't want to jinx my next session. :)

Had some friends over on thursday to help me brew because they were interested in the process and may want to start homebrewing themselves. Everything went smoothly and they had a blast. I let them add the grains, stir the mash, vorlauf, etc etc while I instructed them during the whole process, they even helped me clean up!

We spent the whole day brewing, eating bbq, drinking beers and laughing while the kids played in the yard. Such a great day!

btw, the SNPA Clone we brewed is bubbling away and smells great!

I highly recommend having people over to help you brew, it made my brew day just that much better.

Tony
Live from the Jersey Shore!

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Offline tygo

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2012, 09:57:36 am »
Sounds like a lot of fun!
Clint
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Offline Alewyfe

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2012, 11:30:38 am »
I only say near-perfect because i don't want to jinx my next session. :)

Had some friends over on thursday to help me brew because they were interested in the process and may want to start homebrewing themselves. Everything went smoothly and they had a blast. I let them add the grains, stir the mash, vorlauf, etc etc while I instructed them during the whole process, they even helped me clean up!

We spent the whole day brewing, eating bbq, drinking beers and laughing while the kids played in the yard. Such a great day!

btw, the SNPA Clone we brewed is bubbling away and smells great!

I highly recommend having people over to help you brew, it made my brew day just that much better.

Tony


Even if the beer sucks that would still be a perfect brew day in my books. Hangin with people interested in homebrewing is always a perfect day!
Diane
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Offline euge

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2012, 12:03:35 pm »
My friends are definitely not interested in brewing. They will, however suck down all my beer when they are over. I prefer not to have the distraction. 8)

Kudos on the BBQ-Brewing event. Sounds like a good way to keep the wives and kids happy while the brewer(s) gets to working.

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

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Offline tonyp

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2012, 01:54:55 pm »
euge,

The wives did just as much as the husbands during the brew session which made it even better. I also made sure that everyone tried each 'job' (pouring, stirring, measuring, etc etc.) atleast once during each phase of the brew day.

Tony
Live from the Jersey Shore!

Phrases for Creatives, #22:
"I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter."

Offline kgs

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2012, 02:41:52 pm »
My friends are definitely not interested in brewing. They will, however suck down all my beer when they are over. I prefer not to have the distraction. 8)

Kudos on the BBQ-Brewing event. Sounds like a good way to keep the wives and kids happy while the brewer(s) gets to working.

One of the cool things about homebrewing is how well it adapts to so many personality types. I love brewing alone. It's my stay-at-home get-away. I save my brew days for when I can enjoy them all by myself. I've attended other folks' brew sessions where they clearly love having lots of people involved. Those are fun for me, but only because I'm on the sidelines.

kgs
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Offline Wheat_Brewer

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2012, 03:50:19 pm »
My brew days are the days alone for me! Days when I'm away from the corporate rat wheel, away from the office so crammed with people we have to scoot our chairs if somebody needs to get out of their chairs...yep brew days are days with my beer, making my beer, and working with my equipment.
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Offline beersk

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2012, 09:30:16 pm »
I'm with you guys about brewing alone.  It's a solitary endeavory for me.  I never had anyone show me how to do it, so I wasn't taught in a group setting.  I have friends who like to have parties while they brew.  Not me, I like no one to be around.
But it does sound like quite a fun time y'all had, brewing or not.  BBQ, friends, and beer is always a good time.
Jesse

Offline bo

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2012, 09:39:51 pm »
I'm with you guys about brewing alone.  It's a solitary endeavory for me.  I never had anyone show me how to do it, so I wasn't taught in a group setting.  I have friends who like to have parties while they brew.  Not me, I like no one to be around.
But it does sound like quite a fun time y'all had, brewing or not.  BBQ, friends, and beer is always a good time.

Me too. It's my alone time and I tend to make less mistakes that way. Probably why brew clubs never appealed to me.

Now, after the beer is ready, that's a different story.

Offline punatic

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2012, 12:22:55 am »
Tight brewing quarters under the bridge? ;)
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


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Offline bo

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2012, 05:39:18 am »
Tight brewing quarters under the bridge? ;)

Depends on which bridge I happen to be working on brew day. I'm a transient bridge dweller.

Offline rjharper

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2012, 08:55:32 am »
Yeah I fall under the brew alone category.  Yesterday; perfect weather, windows open, the smell of malt and hops wafting from the garage, blending with the rose garden blowing in the kitchen window, a pot of peaberry Kona coffee, and Gypsy Kings on Pandora.  Good brew day yesterday.

Now drinking, dont do that alone...

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2012, 09:23:06 am »
Sounds like you had a lot of fun!

I too am of the brew alone crew. for all the reasons stated above plus the fact that my available time for brewing is between about 6:30 pm and 2:00 AM on friday nights. It's just me, my dog and, around 11:00 PM on the neighbors cat who sits silently in the shadow of the house and watches the kettle boil. (S)he's not a black cat but I figure a cat to watch the cauldren is always a good thing. I think it prevents boil overs.  ;D
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Offline tonyp

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #13 on: April 16, 2012, 10:12:59 am »
snip
for all the reasons stated above plus the fact that my available time for brewing is between about 6:30 pm and 2:00 AM on friday nights.

ohhhhhh that gives me an idea for a night brewing party! that could be fun :)
Live from the Jersey Shore!

Phrases for Creatives, #22:
"I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter."

Offline davidgzach

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Re: Near-perfect Brew Day
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2012, 10:30:33 am »
Like most, I typically brew alone.  However I started a tradition last year called "Man Day".  Several people expressed interest in making a brew so I figured I would have them all at once.  So on the 23rd of December I invited everyone to take a half day and come over to brew.  We made a Steam Beer, smoked cigars, drank some beer and a whiskey tasting even broke out.  There is something about a dozen guys standing around a brew kettle in 30F weather talking smack, drinking and smoking cigars.  They made me promise to do it again this year as everyone had a blast and everyone took turns performing a task like with Tony.  I really enjoyed it as well even though I typically like the solitude.  It was a cool change of pace and it makes you realize just how much you know about homebrewing as you answer the mulitiudes of questions everyone has.
Dave Zach