Home brew

[Dartgod]

I know there are some other home brewers on here; Bwana and TJ for starters.

I'm brewing my first batch ever today. It's a German wheat. Looking forward to tasting this bad boy in about a month!

[KCUnited]

If you're extract brewing, Northern Brewer sells a 5 gallon Zombie Dirt kit which is a Zombie Dust clone; a 100% citra pale ale.

EDIT: Holy balls. I just looked it up and that kit is $60! Had no idea extract kits were that spendy.

Anyway, just pick up John Palmer's How To Brew. You can probably find the online version by googling it. Watch some Youtube videos and google specific questions which should lead you to a homebrewing forum full of info. Maybe pick up a magazine like Brew Your Own that has recipes listed in both all grain and extract versions.

[Indian Chief]

Good timing. I brewed last night. A bourbon vanilla porter for the winter. I knew I would have to let it bottle condition for several months so I had to plan ahead.

I'm still trying to decide which bourbon to soak the oak cubes in for secondary. Considering Bulleit, Elijah Craig 12, Maker's, and Woodford. Any suggestions would be welcome.

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

If you're extract brewing, Northern Brewer sells a 5 gallon Zombie Dirt kit which is a Zombie Dust clone; a 100% citra pale ale.

EDIT: Holy balls. I just looked it up and that kit is $60! Had no idea extract kits were that spendy.

Anyway, just pick up John Palmer's How To Brew. You can probably find the online version by googling it. Watch some Youtube videos and google specific questions which should lead you to a homebrewing forum full of info. Maybe pick up a magazine like Brew Your Own that has recipes listed in both all grain and extract versions.

I'm going to do my first batch with extract, then eventually try out all grain brewing. I've got a couple home brew books on order at the library that I'll check out for a couple weeks. Btw your beers look terrific in color.

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by Indian Chief

Good timing. I brewed last night. A bourbon vanilla porter for the winter. I knew I would have to let it bottle condition for several months so I had to plan ahead.

I'm still trying to decide which bourbon to soak the oak cubes in for secondary. Considering Bulleit, Elijah Craig 12, Maker's, and Woodford. Any suggestions would be welcome.

I really like Buffalo Trace, but aim for a quality whiskey that's rich in flavor imo.

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by KCrockaholic

I'm going to do my first batch with extract, then eventually try out all grain brewing. I've got a couple home brew books on order at the library that I'll check out for a couple weeks. Btw your beers look terrific in color.

Thanks. That was only my 12th batch. I started with an extract brew and moved to all grain. I'm still a n00b but my best advice would be to not over complicate things early on and just learn about your equipment and focus on keeping everything clean and sanitized and have some fun.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Indian Chief

Good timing. I brewed last night. A bourbon vanilla porter for the winter. I knew I would have to let it bottle condition for several months so I had to plan ahead.

I'm still trying to decide which bourbon to soak the oak cubes in for secondary. Considering Bulleit, Elijah Craig 12, Maker's, and Woodford. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Not a huge Maker's or Buffalo Trace fan.

Depends on what you want to spend or if that's not a concern. Regular Bulleit doesn't compare to EC 12 or Woodford, IMO. Bulleit 10 year on the other hand is great and actually distilled by 4 roses. 4 roses always knows what they are doing.

[KCrockaholic]

I'm doing my first home brew tomorrow evening. I have a Chinook IPA recipe but I want to be a little more creative with it and make this more of a hoppy citrus IPA.

My current plan is

1oz Chinook at 60m
1oz Chinook at 30m
1oz Cascade at 15m
1oz Chinook at 5m

Dry hop after 5 days days with 1oz Citra.

I'm also wanting to add orange zest at the end of the boil.

Any advice is appreciated. I'm wanting to raise the abv of this up from about 6% to closer to 7%. Any advice on how to do that as well?

[KCUnited]

A fermentable sugar (turbinado, corn) at 15 left in the boil will bump the OG. Or up your grains/extract to make it bigger.

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

A fermentable sugar (turbinado, corn) at 15 left in the boil will bump the OG. Or up your grains/extract to make it bigger.

Ok, I have an 8 gallon kettle, but it's for a 5 gallon batch. Would .5lb of corn sugar be enough to bump it up 1%?

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by KCrockaholic

Ok, I have an 8 gallon kettle, but it's for a 5 gallon batch. Would .5lb of corn sugar be enough to bump it up 1%?

No idea. There may be a calculation out there on the Internets though.

[KCrockaholic]

Looks like roughly .75lb of cane sugar should do the trick. I have a hydrometer, so I'll see how it turns out.

[Zebedee DuBois]

To raise abv, you add more sugar. If you are doing an extract batch, add more malt extract. If you are doing all-grain, add more 2-row. Cheers!

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by Zebedee DuBois

To raise abv, you add more sugar. If you are doing an extract batch, add more malt extract. If you are doing all-grain, add more 2-row. Cheers!

It is indeed an extract kit. I grabbed some white cane sugar from the store.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by KCrockaholic

I'm doing my first home brew tomorrow evening. I have a Chinook IPA recipe but I want to be a little more creative with it and make this more of a hoppy citrus IPA.

My current plan is

1oz Chinook at 60m
1oz Chinook at 30m
1oz Cascade at 15m
1oz Chinook at 5m

Dry hop after 5 days days with 1oz Citra.

I'm also wanting to add orange zest at the end of the boil.

Any advice is appreciated. I'm wanting to raise the abv of this up from about 6% to closer to 7%. Any advice on how to do that as well?

1lb of sugar will bump ABV without doing damage.

My advice is take the 15min and 45 minute additions and add them at flame out (sometimes called steep or whirlpool). When you stop the boil put the lid on your pot and let it set for about 5 minutes.. Put those 2oz of hops in and then let it set for another 20 minutes, then proceed as usual.

You will get way more hop flavor using 2oz at flame out than you will get adding them at 15 and 5.

I would also recommend 2oz for dry hop in 5gal of beer.

I have been making some fantastic IPA's lately with my only hop additions being 60, 30, and flame out, then a 5 day dry hop in primary after 7 days of fermentation.

Also for anyone who plans to get beyond kit brewing, I highly recommend BeerSmith software.

Well worth the $30.

www.beersmith.com

[ChiefGator]

I admit I like the taste of hops, but putting hops in at 60 minutes seems like a huge waste. Fifteen minutes before the end of the boil is generally as early as I will add them.