Craft Beers, Microbreweries and Homebrewing

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The discussion highlights a strong appreciation for craft beers and microbreweries across the U.S., with specific mentions of popular locations like Rock Bottom Tavern, Stone Brewing Co., and Oak Pond Brewery. Participants share their favorite brews, including unique ales and lagers, and discuss the brewing process, particularly the use of top and bottom-fermenting yeasts. The conversation also touches on the evolution of American brewing since the 1980s, noting the rise of craft breweries and their growing international recognition. Overall, the thread reflects a vibrant community of beer enthusiasts eager to explore and celebrate diverse brewing styles.
  • #91


I'm normally not a complainer, but when I got back home after filling my two growlers Sunday, one wasn't my favorite Golden Wheat.

So I went back yesterday to get that one refilled and mentioned that since they were very busy Sunday a simple mistake was made and I had no problem paying for another refill.

The bartender said "I'll take care of you" and sent me home with two full ones for free. Needless to say, $10 went into his tip jar.
 
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  • #92


dlgoff said:
I'm normally not a complainer, but when I got back home after filling my two growlers Sunday, one wasn't my favorite Golden Wheat.

So I went back yesterday to get that one refilled and mentioned that since they were very busy Sunday a simple mistake was made and I had no problem paying for another refill.

The bartender said "I'll take care of you" and sent me home with two full ones for free. Needless to say, $10 went into his tip jar.

Mmmm... smart bartender... smart customer.

Yum.
 
  • #93


I want to start brewing beer, and I want to start off easy. So, I just want to buy a beer kit. The one I chose was Munton's American Light.:wink:
 
  • #94


smoothie12 said:
I want to start brewing beer, and I want to start off easy. So, I just want to buy a beer kit. The one I chose was Munton's American Light.:wink:
If you want to brew beer, start haunting garage sales and estate sales. You need a 20 gallon crock. It can take a long time to brew a batch of beer depending on the method, so you'll want to have enough capacity to get ahead of the game.

Cold weather and bottom-fermentation can slow down your process. In the winter, I'd start another batch of brew as soon as the last one was bottled.
 
  • #95


turbo-1 said:
If you want to brew beer, start haunting garage sales and estate sales. You need a 20 gallon crock. It can take a long time to brew a batch of beer depending on the method, so you'll want to have enough capacity to get ahead of the game.

Cold weather and bottom-fermentation can slow down your process. In the winter, I'd start another batch of brew as soon as the last one was bottled.
I would try it if I thought I could keep production up with consumption. And consumption would probably increase as a result.

BTW I found one liquor store in Lawrence that sells my favorite microbrewery Golden Wheat in six packs. I'm going there today.
 
  • #96


turbo-1 said:
If you want to brew beer, start haunting garage sales and estate sales. You need a 20 gallon crock. It can take a long time to brew a batch of beer depending on the method, so you'll want to have enough capacity to get ahead of the game.

Cold weather and bottom-fermentation can slow down your process. In the winter, I'd start another batch of brew as soon as the last one was bottled.

I second that motion. I lucked into a garage sale a few years ago, the old gent who lived there used to brew beer/wine, I was able to purchase everything for $25 USD. Included copper immersion chiller, 2 5-gal glass carboys, plenty of other small equipment, more then enough caps for years plus more. The chiller alone is probably $70. I sat down and figured it out once, figured I got $200 worth.

I've been able to get some carboys free too, just got to look around.

dlgoff said:
I would try it if I thought I could keep production up with consumption. And consumption would probably increase as a result.

BTW I found one liquor store in Lawrence that sells my favorite microbrewery Golden Wheat in six packs. I'm going there today.

I just brew at lot at once and often. I brewed 50 gallons before winter. Your limit in production is the number of fermenters you have, and the size of your boil kettle. Brewing a 15gal batch is not much harder then a 5gal. Plus if you brew it, you control the ABV, a if you get it high, a little goes a long way.
 
  • #97


dlgoff said:
I would try it if I thought I could keep production up with consumption. And consumption would probably increase as a result.

Insanity said:
I just brew at lot at once and often. I brewed 50 gallons before winter. Your limit in production is the number of fermenters you have, and the size of your boil kettle. Brewing a 15gal batch is not much harder then a 5gal. Plus if you brew it, you control the ABV, a if you get it high, a little goes a long way.

Don't get me started. As easy as it sounds, I'd probably be drunk all the time. :biggrin:
 
  • #98


Nah, found that when my brews are rarely below 8%, anything lower is water. Can't get drunk off water can you?
 
  • #99


dlgoff said:
I found one liquor store in Lawrence that sells my favorite microbrewery Golden Wheat in six packs. I'm going there today.

I just got back with a couple of six packs and will give it a try as soon as I finish my last growler.

Insanity said:
Nah, found that when my brews are rarely below 8%, anything lower is water. Can't get drunk off water can you?

8% or greater? Are you close to Kansas? If so, I'll be right over. :!)
 
  • #100


dlgoff said:
I just got back with a couple of six packs and will give it a try as soon as I finish my last growler.



8% or greater? Are you close to Kansas? If so, I'll be right over. :!)

Dogfish Head (Boston) tends to run on the high proof end; they make a raisin porter that's about 8.5%, and it's DELICIOUS.

I think they also make a 35% brew... yeesh. I'll drink vodka or "The Blue *****" when I want to get THAT drunk. :-p
 
  • #101
I changed the title, which is now more on-topic.

I'm going to join a friend making some homebrew this weekend - probably a Porter.
 
  • #102
Astronuc said:
I changed the title, which is now more on-topic.

I'm going to join a friend making some homebrew this weekend - probably a Porter.

A porter! Ooooohh... what kind of profile are you looking for? Agressive hopping, or more malt and nut/coffee flavor? Porter is SOOOOO good (Otter Creek StovePipe Porter being an example)
 
  • #103
Astronuc said:
I changed the title, which is now more on-topic.

I'm going to join a friend making some homebrew this weekend - probably a Porter.

Have one for me Astronuc. Good idea on the title.
 
  • #104


dlgoff said:
8% or greater? Are you close to Kansas? If so, I'll be right over. :!)

Relatively close I suppose yes, if Michigan is close. Waiting to thaw out to brew again.
my barley wine is 11.5% I've made mead at 12.5%
want to attempt an all-grain to get over 20%.
 
  • #105


Insanity said:
Relatively close I suppose yes, if Michigan is close. Waiting to thaw out to brew again.
my barley wine is 11.5% I've made mead at 12.5%
want to attempt an all-grain to get over 20%.
This is outstanding info. You might have actually convinced me to look into this. Heck, I live near two grain elevators where you can get almost every kind of grain you want (Kansas grown). Since I like the Golden Wheat State microbrewery stuff, I wouldn't need barley. Or would I? Seems like I remember hearing you need both (wheat and barley)?

I'll do a little internet research in the meantime. I do have some pumps, solenoid valves, etc that might come in handy. My problem will be the space to do the process.
 
  • #106


dlgoff said:
This is outstanding info. You might have actually convinced me to look into this. Heck, I live near two grain elevators where you can get almost every kind of grain you want (Kansas grown). Since I like the Golden Wheat State microbrewery stuff, I wouldn't need barley. Or would I? Seems like I remember hearing you need both (wheat and barley)?

I'll do a little internet research in the meantime. I do have some pumps, solenoid valves, etc that might come in handy. My problem will be the space to do the process.
Room shouldn't be a problem. I always cold-brewed my beers using Blue Ribbon barley malt and sometimes an admixture of Blue Ribbon corn malt. You need to boil some of the water, in order to dissolve the sugar and malt, then combine that mix with more water, yeast (after the water cools), hops, etc in your crock. It's easy, consistent, and rewarding.

If you want to get 'way back to the basics and start milling and cooking your own grains, etc, then you might need more resources, but if you start with sugar, canned malts, yeast, and hops, you can keep it simple.
 
  • #107
nismaratwork said:
A porter! Ooooohh... what kind of profile are you looking for? Agressive hopping, or more malt and nut/coffee flavor? Porter is SOOOOO good (Otter Creek StovePipe Porter being an example)
I don't know yet. My friend, who is also an officemate, has already picked out the recipe and ingredients. His last porter was really good.

I'd like it to be like Anchor Porter or Samuel Adams Honey Porter.

The other night, we had an after hours business development and beer tasting meeting.

We compared Smuttynose Robust Porter, Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Anchor Porter and Guinness Stout. The Smuttynose was hoppy, the Stovepipe was smooth, the Anchor was sweeter than the other two, and the Guinness rounded out the meeting, and was the last one.

At the moment, I'm testing Saranac Imperial Stout which has a nice taste and creamy texture.

We will be doing more testing this weekend.
 
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  • #108


dlgoff said:
This is outstanding info. You might have actually convinced me to look into this. Heck, I live near two grain elevators where you can get almost every kind of grain you want (Kansas grown). Since I like the Golden Wheat State microbrewery stuff, I wouldn't need barley. Or would I? Seems like I remember hearing you need both (wheat and barley)?

I'll do a little internet research in the meantime. I do have some pumps, solenoid valves, etc that might come in handy. My problem will be the space to do the process.

beer can be made from almost any grain, so long the starches are converted into sugars somehow.

Barley and wheat I know have enough enzymes in the grain itself for it to convert when mashed in hot water. Other grains may need extra enzyme for the conversion, which you can get from a liquid extract or from mashing it with a grain that has enough enzymes, such as barley.

Of all the grains, barley, I believe, is the most desirable, due to starch content, enzyme content, and the husk.

A brew can be 100% barley or 100% wheat or any ratio in between and you can add other grains as well. There is what is called the grain bill, which the % that each type of grain makes the brew. Most brewing supply stores carry specialty grains, which can be a grain other then barley or wheat, or a variation of those two.

Pumps and valves maybe to much initially, everything that comes in contact with the beer before fermentation should be sanitized. The more little things you have, the more you'll need to sanitize, and the more complicated a thing it is, the more likely it may break.

I get along fine with ball valves on my kettles, just open it and it flows. Gravity does the work.

Unless the grains you get are already malted, you'll have to do that too, and that's challenging. I'd suggest buying malted grains from a brewing place, then from a grain elevator. Unmalted grain won't ferment, or very poorly if it does.

The Golden Wheat is about 25% wheat, and is fashioned after a Koelsch, very light colored beer, prominent hoppiness.
 
  • #109
My first experience with microbrewery beer was from this place last month:
http://www.thepublicanhouse.com

Since I live pretty close to it for school and in the dorm we were interested in trying something new so we bought a growler. It was pretty decent not going to lie.

I want to get into homebrewing but don't have the funds or time atm. Maybe over the summer.
 
  • #110


turbo-1 said:
Room shouldn't be a problem. I always cold-brewed my beers using Blue Ribbon barley malt and sometimes an admixture of Blue Ribbon corn malt. You need to boil some of the water, in order to dissolve the sugar and malt, then combine that mix with more water, yeast (after the water cools), hops, etc in your crock. It's easy, consistent, and rewarding.

If you want to get 'way back to the basics and start milling and cooking your own grains, etc, then you might need more resources, but if you start with sugar, canned malts, yeast, and hops, you can keep it simple.

I can see it all now. Remember... I use to work for a pharmaceutical company. I remember those large stainless steel vessels. Should I check if there's a law in how much I can make? Oh wait. I'll drink it all so I won't have to worry about storage.

Insanity said:
beer can be made from almost any grain, so long the starches are converted into sugars somehow.

Barley and wheat I know have enough enzymes in the grain itself for it to convert when mashed in hot water. Other grains may need extra enzyme for the conversion, which you can get from a liquid extract or from mashing it with a grain that has enough enzymes, such as barley.

Of all the grains, barley, I believe, is the most desirable, due to starch content, enzyme content, and the husk.

A brew can be 100% barley or 100% wheat or any ratio in between and you can add other grains as well. There is what is called the grain bill, which the % that each type of grain makes the brew. Most brewing supply stores carry specialty grains, which can be a grain other then barley or wheat, or a variation of those two.

Pumps and valves maybe to much initially, everything that comes in contact with the beer before fermentation should be sanitized. The more little things you have, the more you'll need to sanitize, and the more complicated a thing it is, the more likely it may break.

I get along fine with ball valves on my kettles, just open it and it flows. Gravity does the work.

Unless the grains you get are already malted, you'll have to do that too, and that's challenging. I'd suggest buying malted grains from a brewing place, then from a grain elevator. Unmalted grain won't ferment, or very poorly if it does.

The Golden Wheat is about 25% wheat, and is fashioned after a Koelsch, very light colored beer, prominent hoppiness.

Thanks for the information Insanity. I might have to give it a try.

I was joking with turbo about storage. How do you do it?

I noticed you saying "my barley wine". I have made wine from home grown strawberries before, I used a 5 gallon water jug. I wish it was that easy.
 
  • #111
You should check into the laws for the state you live in. Michigan used to limit how much you could brew in a year and how much you could give away to friends, but recently they did away with the annual production limit.

Every state is likely different. I think this link will help.
Code: 
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/government-affairs/statutes
Kansas, correct? Looks like no limit on volume, but cannot distill.

Barley wine is made from malted grains, so it is a beer, but its ABV is as high or higher then wines, so its called a barley wine.
 
  • #112
Astronuc said:
I don't know yet. My friend, who is also an officemate, has already picked out the recipe and ingredients. His last porter was really good.

I'd like it to be like Anchor Porter or Samuel Adams Honey Porter.

The other night, we had an after hours business development and beer tasting meeting.

We compared Smuttynose Robust Porter, Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Anchor Porter and Guinness Stout. The Smuttynose was hoppy, the Stovepipe was smooth, the Anchor was sweeter than the other two, and the Guinness rounded out the meeting, and was the last one.

At the moment, I'm testing Saranac Imperial Stout which has a nice taste and creamy texture.

We will be doing more testing this weekend.

Good man... you taste so that we may live. *sniffle* This is a terrible burden I know, but remember that this information *burp* will not go to waste! :biggrin:

Oh, and Smuttynose anything is just terrific; that citrusy POW in the kisser with the malt goes so well.
 
  • #113
Insanity said:
Kansas, correct? Looks like no limit on volume, but cannot distill.

Barley wine is made from malted grains, so it is a beer, but its ABV is as high or higher then wines, so its called a barley wine.

Yes Kansas. Outstanding. I only drink beer (well Sherry on special PF chats) so no need for distilling.

I had no idea that you could get those kind of alcohol percentages.

Storage shouldn't be a problem for me once I get a good recipe (from experimentation) and get the timing of the process down.

How do you handle storage? I do know beer has a lifetime.

Regards
 
  • #114
You can bottle homebrew, takes some time as each bottle and cap must be sanitize. I use 12oz and 22oz, but larger are made and I've used 1gal jugs as well.

The soda kegs I've mentioned earlier in the thread work well too, only need to sanitize one thing. I wouldn't use a soda keg for something I plan on keeping around for too long, ideal for easy storage, dispensing for quick consumption. I use it more for my pale ales and such, kinda my house ale, for general drinking.

Beer can be kept anywhere from several months up to several years or more. In general, the higher the ABV, the longer it could be kept. Even the lower ABV is usually good for a few years, so long its kept in a cool and dark place.
 
  • #115
Thank you Insanity. I'm glad you found Physicsforums.

I'll probably have some questions once I get started.

Oh, and thank you Astronuc for starting this thread.
 
  • #116
dlgoff said:
Thank you Insanity. I'm glad you found Physicsforums.

I'll probably have some questions once I get started.

Oh, and thank you Astronuc for starting this thread.

I'm not trying to dissuade you, far from it, just avoid the mistake I (and others) have made: do not over-sugar for the final stage of carbonation. Nothing sucks more than exploding bottles, and while I never brewed again (impracticle given my low consumption), my friend did not.

Any time and effort is worth crafting your own favorite beers, much as bread is best when made with skill and at home.
 
  • #117
nismaratwork said:
I'm not trying to dissuade you, far from it, just avoid the mistake I (and others) have made: do not over-sugar for the final stage of carbonation. Nothing sucks more than exploding bottles, and while I never brewed again (impracticle given my low consumption), my friend did not.

Any time and effort is worth crafting your own favorite beers, much as bread is best when made with skill and at home.
I'll certainly keep that in mind.

As to exploding. Been there, done that. Believe it or not, I started fermenting fruit juices as a preteen. Boy did I get into trouble when a couple of quart jars exploded. Dad made me pour it all out (and there were several gallons) but I snuck a few quarts outside and put them in a snow drift. It was a nice winter. Dad would kill me if he knew that.
 
  • #118
dlgoff said:
I'll certainly keep that in mind.

As to exploding. Been there, done that. Believe it or not, I started fermenting fruit juices as a preteen. Boy did I get into trouble when a couple of quart jars exploded. Dad made me pour is all out (and there were several gallons) but I snuck a few quarts outside and put in a snow drift. It was a nice winter. Dad would kill me if he knew that.

:smile: Excellent! You made Pruno as a kid! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruno
 
  • #119
  • #120
Exploding bottles are likely caused by bottling the beer when it is too young and fermentation has not finished, and/or, as mentioned, too much sugar during bottling.

How to avoid both.

Measure the specific gravity of the beer a few times after about 3 weeks. If it remains about the same, the fermentation should be done. Most of the fermentation takes place in the first 24-48 hours, but the rest can take days or weeks, even months depending on the sugar level, temp and all. A mead I made took 6mos to finish, but was worth the wait.

Rule of thumb is not to use more the 3/4 cup of priming sugar per 5 gallons during bottling. I always boil it in ~pint of water, pour that into a sanitized carboy, rack my beer into it, so it homogeneous, then bottle the beer from that carboy.

I've never had any bottles explode.
 
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