Anyone brewing their own beer?

danieljames · #1 11/09/2006, 04:03 PM

I've been interested in this for awhile, and think i'll start with one of those kits they have at bed bath and beyond. Anyone here brewing their own that could give me some advice? I'm interested in brewing a nice IPA.

crumbletop · #2 11/09/2006, 04:13 PM

I haven't done this myself, but I've also thought about doing it some time. There is a local club here:

http://musiccitybrewers.com/

And there is a supply store that I have been to that would probably be a much better place to start and ask questions that Bed Bath and Beyond. Kind of like an LFS for homebrew:

http://www.allseasonsnashville.com/

I have purchased a float valve and buckets of various sorts from them for my RO/DI setup and for my aquarium.

mmmm. IPA

ol'salty · #3 11/09/2006, 04:58 PM

danieljames...should have mentioned this when you were up here the other day...I have been brewing my own beer for many years now. It's one of my favorite hobbies. I do all me brewing from scratch using malted grains. Be careful of some kits though as you would be better off buying vinegar and at the least 12 cases of toilet paper!! IPA, Bitters, Stouts and Brown Ale are my favorites. However, I brew an awesome Marzen (October Fest) Lager.

Dave

killereef · #4 11/09/2006, 06:31 PM

I uses to brew all the time. I love it. The only thing is that you have to make sure that everything is clean and sanitizes really well.

coral_reefer_25 · #5 11/09/2006, 08:55 PM

I'm a winemaker myself...haven't tried beer yet. Mostly, I make wine to give away around Christmas time.

In addition to All Seasons, check out the Lil Ole' Winemaker Shoppe. They don't have a website anymore, but that sell both wine making and beer brewing supplies. They're on Charlotte Pike about 1/10th of a mile past White Bridge Road. 352-6301

DMBillies · #6 11/09/2006, 08:58 PM

I've been interested in doing it and have a few books about brewing that I've read. I just was afraid that the equipment to do it right would cost more than I wanted to invest in case I sucked at it... so, instead I started a cheaper hobby... reefing

KafudaFish · #7 11/09/2006, 11:36 PM

You could get started with less than $100 including your first batch. Don't buy the beer in a barrel kit. It is on the level of cheap beer at a New Orleans strip joint.
There is also BYO magazine that is pretty good but they recycle the same articles/pictures about every five years.
Good luck.

fish tanked · #8 11/09/2006, 11:47 PM

I'll second that you should go to all seasons in Green Hills.
My roomate makes Honey Mead and gets all his stuff from there.

RUPE · #9 11/10/2006, 09:42 AM

I't really not that hard. The hardest part is just doing it, well and not drinking it all befor the batch has had time to matur. Just don't expect your first batch to be the best. Be peasant, and befor you know it you'll be growing you one hops in your back yard, as I do.

killereef · #10 11/10/2006, 11:19 AM

There is a store on Charlotte, that I get my equipment from. There is a home brewing club that you have to join. The name is Music City Brewing. I was a member for a while. They will have meetings at members' home or at the local resturants/brewery.

doodoobrown · #11 11/10/2006, 06:19 PM

all seasons is a great place in green hills. i use to brew my own all the time. they have a good selection of grains and hops. you can pick up clone brew books there too if there is a particular kind you like. i used to make my own version of guiness a lot and also new castle. its also a fun hobby and a little cheaper than reefs

turboex901 · #12 11/10/2006, 06:21 PM

id love to try youre guys brews. my wife is a "beer tender" at the flying saucer downtown and ive tried all 313 beers. my favorite is kirin ichiban and murphys irish red. if you sell home brews pm me, im always up for something new unless its a heffen weisin (sp?).<~~~~steve

danieljames · #13 11/11/2006, 01:14 AM

Thanks alot gent's. I plan on having some IPA brewing here in the next week or so. I read that the more ingredients in the beer, the more it takes to brew. Some upwards of 6 months. Not sure how long an IPA will take, but i shall see.
Turbo..i'd be glad to turn you on to some IPA when it's done. Some friends and I go to the saucer on monday's for pint night. Love the outfits on the servers. Almost as good as the beer there.

gflat65 · #14 11/11/2006, 08:21 AM

Who makes the dank dark? I've been kicking around the idea for years, just haven't made the leap.

turboex901 · #15 11/11/2006, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by danieljames
Thanks alot gent's. I plan on having some IPA brewing here in the next week or so. I read that the more ingredients in the beer, the more it takes to brew. Some upwards of 6 months. Not sure how long an IPA will take, but i shall see.
Turbo..i'd be glad to turn you on to some IPA when it's done. Some friends and I go to the saucer on monday's for pint night. Love the outfits on the servers. Almost as good as the beer there.

im usually there mondays as well, we should set something up to meet one week. my wife can wait on us....all the shot glass tasters you could want.her name is lauren, perhaps youll recognize her at the meeting tonight. she usually works monday nights.the tasters are a better alternative to buying a beer you may or may not like before you drop the money on it

also id be quite excited to taste an ipa from you. also im gonna retract my previous statement about heffe weizens; i drank a hoegaarden last night from belgium and it was spectacular. see you guys soon>~~~steve

danieljames · #16 11/12/2006, 01:22 AM

I've never heard of dank dark Gary. Is it like a stout?
I'm definately in for pint night steve. The weather is perfect for the couches. I don't usually drink Hefe's, as i like a bitter finish. Pyramid makes an IPA that i used to be able to get at broadway brewhouse on tap, but they stopped carrying it for some reason. It was/is the best i've tasted. Sweetwater has a really good IPA as well. I'll have to research a bit on the recipe, but the more bitter the better for me. More hops i suppose.

turboex901 · #17 11/12/2006, 02:44 AM

pint night it is gents. see everyone on monday? pm me if you want to turn it into concrete plans and well def. go

also the saucer just started carrying youre pyramid ipa i believe, ill have to ask the wife in the morning but i know they carry pyramid curve ball and a few others. <~~steve

danieljames · #18 11/12/2006, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by turboex901
my favorite is kirin ichiban

There is a chinese place here in pleasantview man...all day every sunday they have $2.50 ichiban bottles and $9.00 all you can eat snow crab.

ol'salty · #19 11/12/2006, 06:10 AM

danieljames...got your pm, I'll give you a call later today. It would be easier to talk to you, than to try and type all the info..

Dave

gflat65 · #20 11/12/2006, 10:35 AM

Daniel,

The dank dark is just a general terms for 'give me a meal in a bottle;

. Once I went dark, I can't bring myself to come back...

One I think everyone in the world should try is Rogue Hazelnutbrown Nectar. It is truly of the gods. My fav of all time is Sammy Smith's Oaties, but the Rogue Nectar is a close second.

doodoobrown · #21 11/12/2006, 10:44 AM

i like the samual smiths to gary. i have a recipe for the oatmeal stout and there tadycaster too.

turboex901 · #22 11/12/2006, 10:45 AM

gary, as we were talking about earlier, most american beers suck. i guess the one exception is rouge......maybe oregon is the only state that has figured it out

<~~~steve

p.s-daniel they dont have pyramid ipa but they do have harpoon ipa on tap,white hawk ipa, stone ipa, samuel smith ipa, highland kashmere ipa, rogue imperial ipa ($28 a bottle...yikes!) and a few others. the wife also reccomended a red seal due to its super hoppy taste, although considered an ale, its nearly an ipa.

Pickupman66 · #23 11/12/2006, 11:24 AM

man, all this beer talk is making me thirsty!!! I have always been a Bock fan myself being from Texas. grew up on Shiner and Ziegenbock. I have a buddy over in NC who brews his own. his name is Harold birdyshaw and calls his beers Birdweisers! pretty good if you like a good stout. has bottling eqpt and everything. I remember a friend getting one of those beer of the month club deals and we had some beer that tasted like a cedar 2x4!

DMBillies · #24 11/12/2006, 05:10 PM

Well, as I said before I've been reading on how to do it for a while and so last night I broke down and bought some equipment. I'm brewing up an American amber right now. I know it isn't anything real spectacular, but I figured I'd keep it simple (and hopefully less likely to screw up) for a first batch.

I'm usually with Gary on the dark stuff and I'll be looking that way next time.

danieljames · #25 11/12/2006, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pickupman66
I have always been a Bock fan myself

samuel adams makes what they call a "double bock". It's a winter release back home, but I haven't been able to find it up here. This stuff was heavier than guinness extra. Incredibly thick and delicious. ABV was about 8.5%.

Brian..what kit did you go with?