Snow days, why you need to keep an ingredients inventory

[SoonerMike]

Well, this is what I've come up with for my trip to the LHBS tomorrow: 2-row, 10L, 20L, Carafoam, light DME,dark DME, wheat DME, Amber DME, crisp Maris Malt, choc. Malt. Hops: fuggles, Willamette, citra, centennial, Kent goldings, cascade, hallertau. Yeasts: Wyeast smackpacks: American ale, American wheat, Belgian wheat, safale-05.
I'll also pick up any additional ingredients needed for my next couple of brews, a honey wheat, and an American Amber if I can find a good extract recipe.
Thanks again for all the input. You all have been a great help.

[BeerRust]

Guess I am lucky LHBS is only 15 mins away. Only problem is they usually don't open til 230 during the week and 12 pm on the weekend. Trying to get there when I am home is a challenge they are completely the opposite direction from work. When I do get there I am going to restock, especially yeast.

[Brewbirds]

I've been watching our local home brew club's user group the last few days.

They are organizing a bulk buy, everything in 50 pound bags. So far no one has ordered 50 lbs of Chocolate or Black Patent.

[Inkleg]

So far no one has ordered 50 lbs of Chocolate or Black Patent.

What I've seen with grain you don't need 50lbs of is that folks will split a bag.

As you dwell deeper into your brewing Mike, you'll get a fell for what to keep on hand. Your initial list looks good. Just remember to use the liquid yeasts as soon as possible if not making a starter. Though it's almost always good practice to make a starter with liquid yeast. Yeast Calculator

[BigPapaG]

Yeasts: Wyeast smackpacks: American ale, American wheat, Belgian wheat, safale-05.

Just a heads up Mike...

If the American Ale Smack Pack you are contemplating is the Wyeast 1056, be advised that it is the same Chico strain as the US-05 dry yeast from Fermentis.

If that is the case, might want to grab a different strain of liquid... Maybe a Belgian strain like 3787 or 3522 to change things up (I see you chose a Belgian Wheat so I figured you don't have an aversion to Belgian styles) or a British strain like London Ale or something different...

[SoonerMike]

Well, the trip to T-town was great. My new nephew,Carson, is a big, healthy boy. Definitely will be a lineman when he starts playing football. The trip to the brew store was good also, though I did scale my list back a bit. I priced my list last night, and definitely would have spent an arm at least. Picked up a couple fermenters, another carboy, 10# -2 row, light, dark, and Amber DME, pale malt, wheat malt, 10L,15L,20L, choc. Malt, rice hulls,centennial, cascade,Nottingham, s-04,and s-05. Also, picked up the other ingredients for the honey wheat we're brewing tomorrow. The plan is to age it until June. I'm not sure what to brew up after that. Gotta do some research. Thinking something "summery".
I checked into Midwests situation. They say it's been corrected, so I may begin ordering from them online. My hour drive is 60 + miles one-way. Fine for trips like today. Not so good for specific trip to the LHBS. At least it's another option to filling up.the the gas tank. Using both should enable me to keep enough ingredients on hand that I can brew and bottle at least every other week.
Thanks again for all the valuable input. Y'all are awesome!!

[FedoraDave]

Sounds good, Mike. I think this is a good starting inventory. In time, you'll have a better grasp of what you brew and how you brew, and what you plan to brew, so you can refine this a little better.

Just a note on aging the Honey Wheat until June -- It's my understanding that wheat beers are actually better when consumed young. Same with highly hopped beers. Just FYI.

[SoonerMike]

Yeah Dave, that's my goal. Start with basic inventory, and build it up. I'll learn to adjust it as I progress. I still have a lot to learn about brewing, but I absolutely love it! Not as much as coaching football, as much as BBQing, and now more than golf (most frustrating game ever, but still love it!). I've been reading a lot, but still much I don't understand. I'll get there, eventually. Figuring out that's where the joy in this hobby lies. I've got 12 years to retirement, and have always said the biggest decision I'll make is whether to play 18 or 36 holes. Now, the biggest decision will have to be whether to play golf, brew, or which one I do first that day.
Thanks for the advice on the honey wheat, Dave. I'm fixing to brew it up. I'll adjust it down to like 6 weeks from brew to drinking and see how that works. The boss is a fan of this style, so I know I'll make it again.

[BeerRust]

Well, the trip to T-town was great. My new nephew,Carson, is a big, healthy boy. Definitely will be a lineman when he starts playing football. The trip to the brew store was good also, though I did scale my list back a bit. I priced my list last night, and definitely would have spent an arm at least. Picked up a couple fermenters, another carboy, 10# -2 row, light, dark, and Amber DME, pale malt, wheat malt, 10L,15L,20L, choc. Malt, rice hulls,centennial, cascade,Nottingham, s-04,and s-05. Also, picked up the other ingredients for the honey wheat we're brewing tomorrow. The plan is to age it until June. I'm not sure what to brew up after that. Gotta do some research. Thinking something "summery".
I checked into Midwests situation. They say it's been corrected, so I may begin ordering from them online. My hour drive is 60 + miles one-way. Fine for trips like today. Not so good for specific trip to the LHBS. At least it's another option to filling up.the the gas tank. Using both should enable me to keep enough ingredients on hand that I can brew and bottle at least every other week.
Thanks again for all the valuable input. Y'all are awesome!!

Looks good! I actually got up to me LHBS yesterday, to increase my stock. I realized I should have twice as much yeast around. I had plenty of ingredients but needed more yeast. I have at least enough ingrediants around now for 4-6 brews.

[FedoraDave]

Mike, you're so right (and very wise) when you say there's much you don't understand, but you'll get there eventually.

I started with Mr. Beer kits, which were, essentially, Campbell's soup for beer. Heat the water, open the can, mix it in, cool it, pitch the yeast, wait, drink beer. They were good, and I'll always be grateful for them as an introduction to homebrewing. But in the intervening years, I've progressed to creating all-grain recipes and entering competitions. Even so, it's amazing how much I don't know about this whole thing.

Before I even had a chance to brew my first Mr. Beer batch, I bought a book, "Radical Brewing" by Randy Mosher. I started reading it, and realized quickly it was way over my head.

Jump cut to two years later, or so. I picked it up and started reading it again, and lo and behold! It made sense to me! And there's still much I don't know, but at least I'm comfortable enough to realize that I either don't have to worry about it (I'm not real concerned about my water chemistry, for instance), or I'll pick it up eventually.

[SoonerMike]

A lot of people seem to use the Mr. BEER KITS. Not available at my LHBS. They sell the Brewer's Best, which have been very good, but a little expensive. Anxious to move to AG for quality and costs. Slowly but surely. Doing this honey wheat in an extract. Smellin gooood!

[BeerRust]

Couple of other things to consider keeping some stock of. Bottles and sanitizer .