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Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 1:23 pm
by Bluejaye
Welcome aboard, and good luck on your first batch!
The Walmart item was probably for batch priming. Something you will probably eventually want to explore, but is something you don't need to worry about with yoru first brew.
Did your starter kit come with a bottling wand? If not, I'd recommend you get one. They are super cheap ($3 maybe?), and worth every penny.
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:22 pm
by FrozenInTime
Welcome to the forum!
Feel free to ask away, we love to help newbies as well as old timers looking to tweak recipes. We have guys that stick to recipe kits as well as some serious all grain brewers. All love to help!
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 1:23 am
by Yankeedag
It seems as if you've struck a gold mind of Brewing Information here.
As already said, there is a wealth of information here... feel free to ask.
Run your ideas past us, and if there isn't a newb mistake in it, we'll let you know. and if there is one, we'll tag that for you as well.
So welcome to the BeerBorg.
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:45 am
by Chuck N
wollffy wrote:
Hi Thanks,
I purchased a 1 galllon kit from the american hombrewer. I thought it was a great price for what was included. I also just read that the walmart container would help in bottling, but I will have a bottling bucket already. I am just curious as to which is more efficient or productive if those terms fit, 1 or 2.5 gallon brewing. what do you reccommend?
Thanks, AB
Stick with the bottling bucket. It is much easier to clean than the container from wally-world.
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:54 am
by haerbob3
Chuck N wrote:wollffy wrote:
Hi Thanks,
I purchased a 1 galllon kit from the american hombrewer. I thought it was a great price for what was included. I also just read that the walmart container would help in bottling, but I will have a bottling bucket already. I am just curious as to which is more efficient or productive if those terms fit, 1 or 2.5 gallon brewing. what do you reccommend?
Thanks, AB
Stick with the bottling bucket. It is much easier to clean than the container from wally-world.
I apologize in advance if I come across as a smart ass. I had very little squelch control to begin with and my new meds took care of that
For me 5 to 10 gallons. 1 or 10 it is the same time frame to brew. For me it is not worth the effort to brew small batches. Excepting recipe construction. What does a 1 gallon kit yield? 10 or 12, 12oz bottles?
What are you looking to achieve? Brew at a lower cost? What type of brewing are you going to do? when I started I thought the MR B system was perfect. That did not last long. After 2 batches I was not happy with the resulting beer. Then I came across this crew. I started modifying the MR B kits so I was brewing good beer. I was doing full volume All-Grain within a year. So my recommendation is give this hobby some thought as to your equipment purchases. Upgrading your equipment every month or so gets expensive
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 10:48 am
by BigPapaG
Welcome to the forum!
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 8:35 pm
by Wings_Fan_In_KC
Wollffy, I was a nOOb in April of 2012 and stumbled across the Borg (that's what we call this "Collective" as in you will be assimilated, resistance is futile...).
Never in my life have I found such a helpful group (who turned me into a solid brewer) each of whom gives selflessly to further the cause of homebrewing.
Welcome!
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 8:43 am
by wollffy
Wings_Fan_In_KC wrote:Wollffy, I was a nOOb in April of 2012 and stumbled across the Borg (that's what we call this "Collective" as in you will be assimilated, resistance is futile...).
Never in my life have I found such a helpful group (who turned me into a solid brewer) each of whom gives selflessly to further the cause of homebrewing.
Welcome!
I hope to be "solid" as well. Thanks to all you who've welcomed me.
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:26 am
by Banjo-guy
Welcome aboard! This is a great ,friendly board. We love new brewers. I'm just a year into brewing.
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 11:21 am
by wollffy
Sweet, thanks Banjo-Guy. I am just one batch in..
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 12:24 pm
by JimH
Welcome! I am late to the thread, but I will attempt to provide you a little guidance in reference to some of your questions. You have a 1 gallon all grain kit, correct? I have one as well, Brooklyn Brewshop to be precise. I only made one of their recipes, as its quite expensive to brew their kits. I don't know about the one you have, but it may be cheaper in the long run if you move up. Depending on your setup and situation, you may not be able to go 5 gallon right away. I have a small electric stove and a small pot, so it would be hard to do 5 gallon boils, and I don't have the room for a 5 gal fermenter anyway. I use my 1 gal fermenter mostly for ciders, and a brew in a bag experimental batch (BIAB, Northern Brewer has a good video if you want to learn more). I think I make pretty decent beer using a Mr. Beer 2.5 gallon fermenter. I steep some specialty grains for flavor and color, and a 3 pound bag of DME and some hops, and boom a 2.5 gallon batch. I would however look into the Brew Demon Conical. I don't have one, but feedback on here suggests it is much easier to clean, and some other benefits. If you feel like you want to make more beer, and it has been pointed out that it really takes about the same amount of time to brew 1 gallon as it does 5, look into the kit. You can start out with the HME to get you familiar, then you can start modifying the HME or if you are like me jump to formulating DME recipes. Lots of knowledge here, and we are willing to help!
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 1:18 pm
by wollffy
JimH wrote:Welcome! I am late to the thread, but I will attempt to provide you a little guidance in reference to some of your questions. You have a 1 gallon all grain kit, correct? I have one as well, Brooklyn Brewshop to be precise. I only made one of their recipes, as its quite expensive to brew their kits. I don't know about the one you have, but it may be cheaper in the long run if you move up. Depending on your setup and situation, you may not be able to go 5 gallon right away. I have a small electric stove and a small pot, so it would be hard to do 5 gallon boils, and I don't have the room for a 5 gal fermenter anyway. I use my 1 gal fermenter mostly for ciders, and a brew in a bag experimental batch (BIAB, Northern Brewer has a good video if you want to learn more). I think I make pretty decent beer using a Mr. Beer 2.5 gallon fermenter. I steep some specialty grains for flavor and color, and a 3 pound bag of DME and some hops, and boom a 2.5 gallon batch. I would however look into the Brew Demon Conical. I don't have one, but feedback on here suggests it is much easier to clean, and some other benefits. If you feel like you want to make more beer, and it has been pointed out that it really takes about the same amount of time to brew 1 gallon as it does 5, look into the kit. You can start out with the HME to get you familiar, then you can start modifying the HME or if you are like me jump to formulating DME recipes. Lots of knowledge here, and we are willing to help!
Thanks Jim, I have already taken that advice and orderd a Brewdemon signature kit last night. I did a partial biab as my first 1.25 gallon batch. I am ready to dive right in, no fear. What the heck its just beer..
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 3:52 pm
by Funky Skunk Brewing
Very, very late to the party here just offering you a welcome to the Beer
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:12 pm
by Inkleg
Wings_Fan_In_KC wrote:Wollffy, I was a nOOb in April of 2012 and stumbled across the Borg (that's what we call this "Collective" as in you will be assimilated, resistance is futile...).
Never in my life have I found such a helpful group (who turned me into a solid brewer) each of whom gives selflessly to further the cause of homebrewing.
Welcome!
Damn........*wipes tear from eye*.......I think that's the nicest thing Wings has ever said.
Welcome Wollffy glad to have you here.
Re: Greetings/Questions
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:20 pm
by Brewbirds
Inkleg wrote:Wings_Fan_In_KC wrote:Wollffy, I was a nOOb in April of 2012 and stumbled across the Borg (that's what we call this "Collective" as in you will be assimilated, resistance is futile...).
Never in my life have I found such a helpful group (who turned me into a solid brewer) each of whom gives selflessly to further the cause of homebrewing.
Welcome!
Damn........*wipes tear from eye*.......I think that's the nicest thing Wings has ever said.
Welcome Wollffy glad to have you here.
Yeah what's up with Wings being all businesslike, sentimental, and stuff. He must be making a lot of Brown Ales and Porters lately.