Do you make your own beer (or want to)?

Just curious who all on here is into homebrewing?

Was thinking it might be nice to put together a group brew day or something this summer, also allowing those who are curious to come see what it is all about.

So, I guess if you do, feel free to add to the thread. If there are enough of us, maybe we could set up some tasting events, etc.

Jamie

While it sounds like fun, I've always found it tough to brew with other people. I'll typically do a triple infusion mash, which usually takes at least three hours, but only tending to the mash for maybe five minutes at most each hour, to adjust temps. Then. my boils are usually two hours or so (yeah, a little long, I know, - I like the quality of the hop extraction I get), but again without much tending. Bottom line, there's a lot of downtime, which is fine for me when I'm home with other things to do around the house or errands to run, but when I've tried brewing with others, they get bored with all the downtime.

Do you have a way around that?

nr706 wrote:Do you have a way around that?

Xbox 360 and beer?

While a group brew may be a stretch, I figured it might be nice to atleast get together with some local homebrewers. Maybe come up with some interesting recipes we could all make on our own and compare once ready.

But if we did a group brew I have a massive Igloo marine cooler that is screaming for a "super batch sparge mashtun"!

Jamie

Maybe a sampling event?

It may not surprise you to find out that I am also a homebrewer. The actual process though, as Tom noted, is somewhat unexciting for the observer. A homebrew-sharing event sounds like a lot of fun though.

I'd be willing to give it a shot though. My equipment is not fancy and my technique is less scientific than it should be but my beer turns out pretty darn good. The main problem I've had with demonstrating a brew session for non-brewers (beside flagging attention caused by long periods of time spent doing essentially nothing) is the inevitable question, "when do we get to drink it?" I suppose having plenty of previously-brewed beer on hand can help cushion the disappointment of finding out that it will be weeks before the beer is ready for drinking.

nr706 wrote:Maybe a sampling event?

Yeah I think a sampling event would be a great idea. Maybe sometime in July? Would give anyone interested time to get some beers ready.

I could probably host.

Jamie

A friend of mine and I started to make an inaugural batch of beer a few weeks back but we quickly hit a roadblock in the form of a broken thermometer and a resulting contamination of the water with lead. Oops!

That being said, I'm keen to learn more about the process, and certainly so at the small-batch level (I've taken the tour at FFF more times than necessary, but I'm always a fan to see the process in action). While I can't bring any homebrew, or home-brew know-how, to share, I can bring some of the beer that I've been aging/hoarding at home. I don't have much that's too special, but I do have some of that elusive Dark Lord Stout...

It's one of those things that I've wanted to do, but the conditions at my current domicile just don't lend themselves to brewing.

SSDD

In case folks here don't already know, or find it hard to believe, the Chicago Beer Society is a homebrew club. Sure, they hold a lot of commercial beer (and food) tasting events but there are homebrewing events (Big Brew Day meeting, Spooky Brew competition, etc.) too.

Monthly meetings are held at the Lincoln Park Goose Island (1800 N Clybourn) on the first Thursday of the month. Folks are encouraged to bring homebrew for drinking and/or critique along with any questions they might have. Those without homebrew can bring commercial beers to share; just no Goose Island products, please.

There's also a social night on the third Wednesday of each month at the Map Room (Armitage @ Hoyne).

Both meetings get rolling around 7:30.

I brew, although it's been about a year since I last brewed a batch. It would be nice to get a group together, might get me off my ass and back to the homebrew store. I typically brew IPAs. One thing I've always wanted to do is make multiple batches of the same basic ale, and then hopping each batch with only one type of hop, equalizing them for IBUs, and dry hopping them to get a clearer understanding of what each component hop tastes and smells like.

jpreiser wrote:In case folks here don't already know, or find it hard to believe, the Chicago Beer Society is a homebrew club.

I'm a member but I've never gone to a meeting; I really should remedy that.

With regard to a beer swapping event, I have a very good brown ale that's in the bottle now, an oatmeal stout that I'll be bottling this weekend, and I'm also planning to brew an ordinary bitter this weekend that would be ready for a mid-to-late July event. I don't brew the volume some people do; I don't have the space for my brewing setup at my apartment so I keep it at a friend's house in the south suburbs and only get down there once a month or so.

And when I said my methods aren't scientific I should have clarified. I don't mean to scare anybody off; I definitely follow sanitary procedures and I keep good notes, etc. I have just now gotten back into all-grain brewing after switching back to extract for a while and I'm doing simple infusion mashes, nothing fancy.

Binko wrote:I brew, although it's been about a year since I last brewed a batch. It would be nice to get a group together, might get me off my ass and back to the homebrew store. I typically brew IPAs. One thing I've always wanted to do is make multiple batches of the same basic ale, and then hopping each batch with only one type of hop, equalizing them for IBUs, and dry hopping them to get a clearer understanding of what each component hop tastes and smells like.

Time to get off your ass and dust that equipment off (though the hop prices may scare you now)! I agree with your idea Binko, thinking it would be helpful to set up some brews like that and compare them when they are ready.

My tastes vary in what I brew but I tend to like Belgian/German/USA styles the best, with a strong preference for Belgian. Haven't brewed much in the English/Scottish/Etc styles, so would be nice to find local brewers who prefer those styles, maybe open me up a bit more to try some new things.

Pretty much took the winter off from brewing and since I started back I am drinking a Hefeweizen I bottled recently, just bottled a Double IPA and Dunkelweizen last night, am bottling my Belgian Pale Ale this eve, have an Orange Blossom Cream Ale and an Amarillo Pale Ale fermenting and have the supplies to make a Wit and Roggenbier this week or next. On the horizon is a Saison and a second batch of Delirium Tremens as the first one was amazing.

Waiting on my first batch of kegging supplies (2 corny kegs, regulator, qd's, etc) to arrive and am trying to find inspiration for the fridge/freezer on Craigslist. Just can't decide if I want huge chest freezer, or small chest freezer....

Jamie

I also have made beer in the past and would be interested in a swap/share.

Any thoughts on where would be best to have a tasting? Would someone's house or a BYOB type restaurant be preferred? I think the weekend of July 12 or 26th would work for me. Feel free to post or PM your thoughts and we can get something set up on the events board (if at a public place).
Jamie

One issue with July 12th itself is that it's the date of AleFest here in Chicago. I have no idea what this event is, but I've put it on my calendar and am looking forward to updates from the organizers. Point is, if there's ever an event that would be attractive to this crowd of beer enthusiasts, this might be it.

And speaking, briefly, of beer events, I understand that the Sam's Grand Beer Tasting will feature some beers not-yet-available here in Chicago. While I feel I got burned by the Fat Tire release (too much hype for what is, IMHO, a fairly un-spectacular beer), one of the breweries set to be present is Magic Hat, a company I'm familiar with and looking forward to enjoying more here in Chicago.

Hi. I am a member of Club Wort. We are a homebrew club in the suburbs. We meet monthly at Durty Nellies’ in Palatine. Our web site is ‘clubwort.net’.

We regularly have group brew-ins. They are thinking about having one in July. We typically brew 50 – 60 gallons at these events. Check the web site for the calendar, but I have to admit it is not always updated as timely as it should be.

Best is to call someone, I think contact info is on the web site, but if not ask on this board and I can post a reply. Guests are welcome at our meetings and our brew-ins.

D.

danimalarkey wrote:One issue with July 12th itself is that it's the date of AleFest here in Chicago. I have no idea what this event is, but I've put it on my calendar and am looking forward to updates from the organizers. Point is, if there's ever an event that would be attractive to this crowd of beer enthusiasts, this might be it.

I haven't been to any of the AleFests yet since they tend to conflict with other happenings but I do know a little about the event.

It will be a craft beer tasting. Members of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild will be have a big presence at the Chicago event. I also understand there will also be folks from various distributors and/or importers providing samples of their wares as well.

My understanding is that admission will provide the attendee with a tasting glass and a certain number of tasting tickets. In the past, once you ran out of tickets that was it. I believe this year, you will be able to buy additional tasting tickets.

BTW, many of the ICBG members have or will soon have tickets for the event.


Also, to mention another suburban homebrew club with easy access to a train, there's the Urban Knaves of Grain (UKG) that meets at John's Buffet in Winfield on the last Thursday of the month (except holidays). John's Buffet is across the street from the Metra station in Winfield.

To follow-up with AleFest information, it seems that they have updated the website:
AleFest Chicago 2008
Admission is $40
Admission includes 20 samples of craft beer, commemorative tasting glass, AleFest stainless opener, and tasting guide. Additional sampling tickets available 3 for $5.

Though it's no doubt subject to change, the breweries invited make up a great list. In particular, I'm excited that a lot of non-bottling breweries will be there.

So hey, is anyone still interested in doing a homebrew swap? I now have 3 batches in bottles, an ordinary bitter, a northern english brown ale, and an outstanding oatmeal stout that frankly, I'm guarding fairly jealously. Maybe the best beer I've ever brewed. Certainly in the top 3 batches.

Yeah I am totally still interested. Only issue is that I only have a Double IPA in bottles and the rest is kegged. Just need to get my bottling from keg procedure down to be able to have anything to share (unless we did it at my house and then people could just sample from keg).

I currently have my first four beers kegged and on tap: Orange Blossom Cream Ale, Belgian Wit (horrible sulfur so I am cold aging it right now), Amarillo Pale Ale and a "Trappist" Pale Ale. Nothing too spectacular, mainly just beers brewed for drinkability anticipating the kegging set-up. I do have a Roggenbier and ESB fermenting that will be kegged next that should provide a bit more excitement. I am also culturing Delirium Tremens yeast from the bottle to brew a clone that was amazingly spot on last time I brewed it.

Jamie

I'm in. I've got a basic ESB (might be an IPA - I'll see how it comes out before I decide what to label it) in the secondary now. Can we wait a few weeks to schedule it? (I don't keg, so it needs time to bottle condition.)

I love beer and love the idea of home brewers getting together and letting me taste their beers and talking to me about how I could start my own home brewery.

So, this fell by the wayside, huh?

What has everyone been making? I have a cider, dubbel and a "bigger" amber ale (west coast red) all in primary. Just kegged an Amarillo Saison and just put a Patersbier into my kegerator to carb along with the Oatmeal Stout, Delrium Tremens clone and Lagunitas IPA clone that are serving now.

Think next up is an ESB and a Saison Noire with the 3711 French Saison yeast.

Jamie

My ESB behaved strangely in the secondary, but it's bottled now, and I'll crack open a bottle around Nov. 1.

nr706 wrote:My ESB behaved strangely in the secondary, but it's bottled now, and I'll crack open a bottle around Nov. 1.

Behaved strangely?

Spent way too long bubbling away, without the highly floculent WPL002 settling as it should.

Currently I have:
Primary1: Cider
Primary2: Black Saison
Secondary1: Sweet Oatmeal Stout
Secondary2: Belgian Pale Ale
Bottle Aging: Saison

An Amarillo Saison sounds interesting, I brewed an IPA with Amarillo and really loved it. I'd like to do a homebrew swap still, although I fear my <1 year experience won't quite hold up to you veterans =). Would love input regardless.

Wheattoast wrote:Currently I have:
Primary1: Cider
Primary2: Black Saison
Secondary1: Sweet Oatmeal Stout
Secondary2: Belgian Pale Ale
Bottle Aging: Saison

An Amarillo Saison sounds interesting, I brewed an IPA with Amarillo and really loved it. I'd like to do a homebrew swap still, although I fear my <1 year experience won't quite hold up to you veterans =). Would love input regardless.

What was your Black Saison recipe? I have one I built in Beersmith but can't remember all of it. Was getting my color from CarafaIII and was going to use the 3oz of Strisselspalt hops and a slurry of 3711 I have.

I could have some folks over one day for a beer swap/sampling if interested. Could also probably swap yeast slurries as I always seem to have a ton in the fridge.

Mine is actually just an extract/specialty grain kit from Northern brewer:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/limited-e ... -kits.html

* 1 lbs. Belgian Caramunich
* 0.5 lbs. Belgian Carafa III

* 6 lbs. Pilsen Malt Syrup
* 1 lbs. Pilsen Dry Malt Extract

* 2 oz. Argentina Cascade (60 min)

* Wyeast #3711 French Saison Yeast

Was reminded of this thread by another interesting beer thread. Anybody still interested in a homebrew sampling get-together? I have a dubbel and an oatmeal stout in bottles, and a witbier about to be bottled. Had to replace some equipment recently so I haven't been brewing as much as I'd hoped this summer.