BeerBorg

A little amusement walking down memory lane today. Since the old site is working pretty well now, you can search back to the beginnings of time. I was hitting some old posts to harvest some recipes and such, but soon I found myself searching on my name as author, and ascending post date as criteria. Uh, oh... Let's see what kind of nonsense I was posting back in the day...

Posted 29 December 2009 - 12:23 AM

Also got from the wife for Christmas. A nice compromise, as I was interested in getting into some homebrewing, but don't really have the room to go all out (as my friends/co-workers have done). The smaller size of the setup makes this a very appealing option for me, and besides the fact that I'm the only beer drinker in this homestead (20ish bottles should be a good size batch for me). Followed the directions to a T on the basic Pale Ale that is in the starter pack. Don't intend to base my whole experience on this basic starter pack (though I expect to get a tasty brew out of it), as I plan to move to the premium mixes next (and/or start some major experimenting with some additional ingredients)...
Wish me luck...

Whew... that wasn't that bad. I'm sure I can find some embarrassing comments though. Interesting that a few of our posters here have first posts at that same time (some in the same thread). I had early talk of Three Floyds (duh!), Yazoo Sue (duh!), and buying Miller/Coors plastics for bottling (d'oh!). Also noticed that I was trying to dole out advice to n00bs while I myself was a n00b (pretty full of myself, eh?). Mostly it was simply pointing people to other posts where people had already answered their question and the like, but I did seem ahead of myself ...

For all the talk of "start basic" and "don't experiment" that I've likely stated over the years, my second recipe after the basic WCPA with booster that came with the kit was:

Recipe Gravity: 1.094 OG
Recipe Bitterness: 37 IBU
Recipe Color: 13° SRM
Estimated FG: 1.023
Alcohol by Volume: 9.1%

Ingredients
-----------
Crystal 10L 0.25 lb, Grain, Steeped
Honey 0.75 lb, Sugar, Other
MrB. Booster 0.81 lb, Sugar, Other
MrB. High Country Canadian Draft 1.21 lb, Extract, Extract
MrB. Octoberfest Vienna Lager 1.21 lb, Extract, Extract
Muntons DME - Light 1.00 lb, Extract, Extract
MrB. High Country Canadian Draft 1.00 oz, Pellet, 5 minutes
MrB. Octoberfest Vienna Lager 1.00 oz, Pellet, 5 minutes
Ale yeast 1.00 unit, Yeast,
Notes
-----
Recipe Notes:
get a pound of light DME (or LME), a quarter pound of Crystal 10 (crushed not stirred).
To Brew:
Bring a quart of water up to 160 F and thrown in the grain. Hold that temp for 30 minutes. Strain out the grain. Throw in the booster. Whisk until dissolved. Throw in the DME (or LME). Whisk until dissolved. Bring to a boil. Watch carefully and constantly for boil over. Then cut heat add HME (a HCCD and an OVL) and honey (1 c). Put pot in sink filled with cold water to cool. Once cooled add to keg with cold water and pitch yeast.
Ferment 3(ish) weeks...

Sham Addams talked me into that grain steep on my second go (remember that guy?) and I never looked back. By memory, that was one tasty brew. Wonder if it actually was?


Anyone else want to post their first post(s) and make fun of themselves? I'm sure it will result in much laughter and frivolity...

I just went back to the MrBeer Forum for the first time in eight months, the second time in 16 months. Back to the meltdown I guess. But when I checked my posts, they only listed back to May2013. I know I was on before that from those posts, and from my log. Looking back at the log, I recall my first frankenbeer. Aztec Light+Wheat DME+Smooth LME+Citra. It flopped. I also remember that the LHBS owner told me that "it didn't matter" what type of extract I added. I knew that had to be wrong, and after hearing some other curious, I decided to disregard any further suggestions from him. Two batches later I made a Maris Otter/Cascade SMaSH that was pretty good.

I was able to click on the gear next to the search box, enter my username as author, and set the sort as post date (ascending) and get back to the beginning of time...

Okay, that worked.



Hi, I'm John. I live on Long Island, and drink beer every night. Not wanting to run out in the End-of-the-World Beer Crisis, I've started brewing my own. OK, really the kids got me MrBeer for Christmas. (The drinking every day part is true!). I started with Czech Pilsner, it did what it should in the keg. I bottled it today. What should I look for now? Are there visible changes? Is it okay that the sugar mostly stayed on the bottom of the bottles? (I did "gently turn them over') I couldn't find this info in the FAQ or other instructions. I did see the two FAQ about exploding bottles. If that happens on the dining room sideboard, I'll also have an exploding wife, and I might be living on a boat. But Mr Beer would fit on the boat too. I'm really excited about brewing, thanks in advance for your advice.

There it is. See? I'm just as fun as ever!
Makes me smile to see those that welcomed me: BeerLord, Screwy Brewer, RickBeer and YankeeDag, among others. Thanks guys! It worked!

Oh so that's how you do it. Now Mine go all the way back. Thanks swen

Found mine, but I'm piecing a couple into this post covering my first full month as a brewer. My first brew was Dec 27 2013. WOW what I have learned in these 13 months thru the MB Forum and The Borg!!!!

Posted by Dawg LB O.I.C. on 04 January 2014 - 04:03 PM in New Brewers and FAQs

Gift for Xmas, also 1 week in on Powerful Patriot Ale, bought another kit last night and started the Classic American Light today. Curiosity got the best of me and I poured of a shot glass full taste of the PPA! YUM, can't wait for the next six weeks to taste the finished product!

Posted by Dawg LB O.I.C. on 12 January 2014 - 05:19 AM in New Brewers and FAQs

Getting ready to bottle first beer, Powerful Patriot Ale, will be checking SG again today. 11 days in I read SG it was at 1.020, cloudy, had a nice smell, tasted a little like a wine. I want to rack it to the slimline to minimize the trub transfer. The real question is, am I good if I use a bubble of sanitized cheesecloth at the end of the racking hose to filter will there be enough yeast to bottle carbonate, or will the cheesecloth filter out the yeast? The cloudy thing kind of bugs me.

Posted by Dawg LB O.I.C. on 14 January 2014 - 06:28 PM in New Brewers and FAQs

New to the home brew scene myself, from what I have read throughout the community it sounds like fermentation was a little heavy but it happens from time to time. Not to worry, the rule of thumb is leave in the LBK( fermenter ) for 3 weeks before bottling. I just finished bottling my first batch, Powerful Patriot Ale, about 20 minutes ago. If you take a little taste and it is sweet it needs more time, if it tastes like flat beer it's time to bottle. I'm already hooked bought another kit and have 2 brews going at staggered times.

Posted by Dawg LB O.I.C. on 26 January 2014 - 08:38 AM in New Brewers and FAQs

Couldn't have been put any better, Rick. Just thinking back the whole month that I have been brewing here, noob myself, I found that there is plenty of time to read and learn from these forums from the time the wort is added to the LBK and time to bottle! My first taste of the Powerful Patriot Ale is due to be had next Sunday, week 4 of conditioning and from there I will be able to see the taste difference as it conditions further!

Ok here's mine;

Posted 31 December 2012 - 11:13 AM


If you were to add LME robust to a cervesa. I understand what it'll do to the color and a little of what it'll do to the taste. what I want to know is this: a cervesa is not a real bitter beer so what will this do to the IBU? it's only a 13 to start will it drop a little, a lot, or not at all? What would happen if it was smooth rather than robust? I know it'll be generalized but just lookin' to get a "feel" for it. Redgardless of the answer I intend to do it(nothing ventured...). I just want to know what to expect when I taste it, roughly. That way I'll know if I messed it up or not.

From 13 August 2011, looks like the beginning.

Thanks for the replies from those who have come before me. I hope I can follow in your foot steps.
FD I can see now that one can prep everythig while waiting for the primer to cool, makes sense.
I have two sphynx cats who are always giving me advice (wrong advice) so I think I'll call this place The Naked Cat Brewery.

Here's mine, I didn't realize it was that long ago. Sometimes it feels like it was just last year that I started:

Posted by BlackDuck on 29 December 2011 - 11:02 AM in New Brewers and FAQs

Hi Folks...I, like many, have received a Mr Beer for Christmas. I've been reading through this forum for the last couple of days. I must say, you all seem very knowledgeable, and this seems like a fun forum to be a part of. I currently make wine, but this is the first attempt at beer. Right now, my 3 carboys of wine are in my basement which is stable at 63/64 degrees. The directions that come with the kit say to ferment at 68 to 76 degrees, but I've read on this forum that the ambient temp can be cooler. But how much cooler, will my 63/64 degree basement work to get the West Coast Pale Ale going?

Here's mine. I watched from afar until I got two under my belt. Interesting that some of my replies are categorized as by the System Admin. Gymrat was first to respond (thank you), next name I recognize is Mashani (also thank you).

Guidance on how long to bottle - when is it 2 long
Posted by RickBeer on 06 September 2012 - 09:24 AM in New Brewers and FAQs
I'm a new brewer, done two batches so far. The initial West Coast Pale Ale came out ok - but I'm not a Pale Ale lover. In the keg for 3 weeks, bottles for 2 - 3. I next tried Bewitched Red Ale. In the keg for 3 weeks, initial two bottles were 3 weeks then in the frig. First bottle was over carbonated big time and not very strong. I'm coming up on 4 weeks in the bottles tomorrow (not yet in the frig).
Placed a big order last week taking advantage of some great prices on the site and some coupons. I ordered a few Firecracker Red Ale, a new Cherry Wheat, a Raspberry Lager, a Bewitched Amber Ale, a Winter Dark Ale, and an Oktoberfest Lager. I also have another Bewitched Red Ale, as well as a West Coast Pale Ale. I have enough bottling for 4 batches, and have two Mr. Beer kegs (bought cheaply).
My intent is to have a selection of types to try at any given time. So, I'll start two batches this weekend, and when they are done should still have some of the Bewitched Red Ale left. As I get a set of bottles available, I'll brew another batch.
My plan - which I'm hoping someone shoots holes into - is to brew in the keg for 3 weeks or so (unless the directions specify longer), and put in bottles for at least 3 weeks (unless the directions specify longer). What I'm hoping is to be able to leave bottles unrefrigerated for longer than 4 weeks - so that I can keep an inventory cold but also have a selection in the closet. Probably have a few bottles every week. Throughout everything I plan on trying to keep notes on how things came out, to help for the future. I know what I like - but am learning how to put that into proper terms to be able to modify things going forward.
So the ultimate question is - how long in the closet in bottles is too long? The closet is around 72 degrees right now. I can move things to the basement where it's in the high 60s now and will be in the mid to low 60s in the winter. I want to have a selection at all times, but can't fill the frig with beer - probably no more than 12 bottles at once (I have 16 one liter bottles and 32 1/2 liter bottles). And I don't want things to go bad of course.
Thanks for the input.

Found this post make 6 months later asking a question about BeerSmith. How quickly I was assimilated.

"OK Borg a little help please. I'm going to search the Beersmith forum for an answer, but yall feel more like Family."

"Yes one main thing the Borg has taught me is to make notes of my note taking :"

Just found this reply from Beer-lord(aka Paul) back in May of 2012. We've been hop buddies for sometime now. This was in reference to my Stone Double Bastard clone.

"Me like. Best of both IPA worlds.....very hoppy and nice bodied malt.
1.098 SG? Damn, you da man!
I can't do that much grain in my kettle but I do love Chinook."

My first post on the MB forum 12/5/2010 http://community.mrbeer.com/topic/10679 ... ntry111665
My first post here at the Borg I think in the no-post thread 9/22/13 viewtopic.php?f=7&t=235&p=12805#p12805

Someone needs to find Tabasco's post about his first brew session. You'll pee yourself from laughing so hard.

Inkleg wrote:Someone needs to find Tabasco's post about his first brew session. You'll pee yourself from laughing so hard.

Mr Beer or the Borg!