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Author Topic: Second thoughts on brewing  (Read 9062 times)

Offline tom

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #15 on: April 19, 2013, 09:28:33 pm »
You can do a "partial boil" by boiling in the biggest pot you have and then topping up with water.  Your NG stove will be much cheaper than a propane burner.  And SWMBO will learn to appreciate your fine brew and its wonderful aromas throughout its process.
Brew on

Offline majorvices

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Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #16 on: April 20, 2013, 06:32:37 am »
I started out brewing on an electric top stove in a small apartment and used a wet towel and fan to keep my wort cooled. Now I own a 15 bbl brew house and back to back 30 bbl batches and distribute been all over the state. Don't turn the kit back, grow as you allow yourself to grow. The propane burners and copper heat exchangers and temp controlled chest freezers will all come in time.

Offline erockrph

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #17 on: April 20, 2013, 08:03:53 am »
I started out with partial boil extract kits on my glass stovetop, with water baths to cool. I quickly moved to designing my own all-grain recipes after I got comfortable with the process, and I'm still doing it indoors on my stove and chilling in my sink. My wife hates the smell, so I just plan on doing it when she's not around. In other words, it may take some planning but brewing is still doable in your situation. You can still make very good beer even with the most basic setup.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #18 on: April 20, 2013, 08:24:55 am »
As others have said, don't give up.

I started out on the kitchen stove with no chiller.  My wife got a candle hobby out of it.  8^)

I used RO water from the store.  I would buy 6 - 1 gal jugs.  Boil 2.5 gals and put the rest in the freezer for 5 or 6 hours.  Then I'd use the now chilled water to top off the fermentor.  Depending on how close to frozen I got the water in the freezer, I could easily drop the temp into a good range.

Relax man, you'll get there.

Paul
Where the heck are we going?  And what's with this hand basket?

Offline flbrewer

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Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #19 on: April 20, 2013, 09:53:36 am »
Thanks everyone, very reassuring.

Offline garc_mall

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #20 on: April 20, 2013, 09:56:31 am »
I do think that we, as more advanced homebrewers (some more advanced than others), look back at our first few batches, and we look at all of the things we would do differently now and don't want others to make the same "Mistakes" we did. However, We all made beer. And if we are still here, that beer was good enough to keep us making more until we got where we are today. You can be as simple as you would like, or as complex as you would like, it will all make beer. As long as sanitation is good, and fermentation temps are close, it will probably be the best beer you have ever had.

and always remember the homebrewer's motto: Relax, Don't worry, and have a homebrew (you can sub commercial beer in for now).

We will give you all sorts of advice here, don't worry about telling us that we are going too far. This group is a bunch of people who are obsessed with homebrewing, so we can get a little fanatical.

Offline denny

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #21 on: April 20, 2013, 10:35:13 am »
I waited for years to start brewing becasue I thought it would be difficult and I didn't have the space in my small house.  Then my business partner started brewing and I saw just how easy it was.  15 years later, I've brewed 436 batches, I'm a BJCP judge and a member of the AHA Governing Committee and I'm working on 2 books about beer.  Funny how easy and fun it turned out to be.....
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #22 on: April 20, 2013, 11:25:49 am »
Ya just make beer. It will be ok. You will live through it. Lots of help on here when you need it.

"Friends don't let friends drink bad beer"


Offline joe_feist

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #23 on: April 20, 2013, 03:00:42 pm »
I brewed in the kitchen without a chiller for 3 or 4 years. My wife said it stunk up the place, but over time came to appreciate it all. Now she actually likes it. Don't worry about all the stuff you haven bought yet or may never buy actually. Do you have a book. Papazian's Joy of Home brewing is great starter book because its such a relaxed read- in my opinion.
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain

Offline narcout

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #24 on: April 20, 2013, 05:36:09 pm »
I ordered the below kit with the glass carboys. I also ordered a case of 22 oz. bottles.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/beer-equipment-starter-kits/deluxe-brewing-starter-kit.html

That's the same kit I started brewing with 8 years ago in an apartment in Nashville - no burner, no chiller, made excellent beer.

The groundwater here in LA is pretty warm most of the year, but a simple immersion chiller does the job just fine.  An ice bath in the kitchen sink will serve you well for the time being.

I would definitely recommend getting a $7 rubbermade storage bin and using it to keep your fermentor cool though.  Just fill it with water and change out frozen two liter bottles (or refreezable ice packs) twice a day. 
Sometimes you just can't get enough - JAMC

Offline donsmitty

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #25 on: April 21, 2013, 06:18:46 am »
Flbrewer, You will get plenty of help form the guys/gals on this forum.  My son and I started brewing this year after he received a kit for Christmas.  Being new to the hobby, we had a lot of questions and I am getting great advice through the posting here on the forum. 


Offline jimrod

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #26 on: April 21, 2013, 08:45:16 am »
Wait a minute Denny.........."15 years later, I've brewed 436 batches"

Denny, that's 4 beers a day everyday for 15 years.....Okay.......that sounds about right....never mind.
The liver is evil and must be punished

Offline denny

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #27 on: April 21, 2013, 10:46:18 am »
Wait a minute Denny.........."15 years later, I've brewed 436 batches"

Denny, that's 4 beers a day everyday for 15 years.....Okay.......that sounds about right....never mind.

And for the last year, my work schedule has been so screwy that it's not uncommon to go 1-3 weeks with no beer at all!  I don't wanna think about that!
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline tomsawyer

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #28 on: April 21, 2013, 06:27:51 pm »
I'm pretty sure that natgas is going to be cheaper than propane.  My wife likes the smell of boiling wort, maybe yours will also.  Although if she doesn't, the cheapest turkey fryer setup will work just fine.

I chilled for many years by sticking the pot in the sink and just changing out the water every five minutes or so.  Once it gets pretty cool you can add some ice to get it on down, or just add the wort to a fermentor and wait until it cools off completely.
Lennie
Hannibal, MO

Offline niquejim

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Re: Second thoughts on brewing
« Reply #29 on: April 21, 2013, 06:30:39 pm »
It would help if we knew would part of Florida, fellow Florida brewer. If far we can talk, if close we can teach and reassure
Burrowing Owl Brewery----Better things for better living...Through Debauchery and Inebriation