Hey Homebrewing Bassists....

[Smokin' Toaster]

What are you brewing or have recently brewed? What's on tap at your house right now?

I brewed a Pilsner in early November, and it turned out nicely. I usually brew a big dark malty spiced holiday brew, but I decided to go the opposite direction this year.

Also there's some of my "hunt for big Oktoberfest", a double Oktoberfest that came out at about 8% and very malty, and a bit of Hefeweitzen that I brewed in the summer is still hanging around.

Prosit!!! And happy Brew Year!!

[spade2you]

I don't know if there has been an official thread or club, but they pop up from time to time.

This winter, I made a pumpkin spiced portert that was a hit with everyone.

Thought about a spiced christmas beer, but didn't have the time.

[TJ55]

I always tell myself that I am going to brew more seasonal brews this time of year but somehow the house IIPA ends up in the fermenter. It's crazy...

[Phalex]

I've got this thing in a bucket I made with fresh hops from my back yard. I dunno what the heck I did, but it's been working for close to 10 weeks now, and the gravity just keeps dropping. It smells fine, but it just won't quit. Maybe a couple of pounds of fresh hops slows things way down?

I'm still drinking a cherry stout I bottled in August. That stuff is pretty strong. (about 12% abv)

[Ripper]

Well we've got a batch of sugar water working right now that should be ready to get distilled by about mid week.

Next up is some rum, and then not sure what wine is in the plans.

I've never done beer, but I'm looking to do a batch within the next few months.

[billiam5billion]

I've got a black IPA with 18 oz of apollo hops called "Apollo Creed." It's been in primary for about 11 days, and the yeast is still chugging away. Tapped in the fridge is a Red ale, good balance and running out fast. Me and my partner just won a bronze medal at the 2010 Fugetaboutit competition in Chattanooga for our Imperial IPA.

No pics, no bronze medal-

[Smokin' Toaster]

Way to go BillIam. I'd like to test drive a pint of that award winning brew. Congratulations!!

[mkandolf]

I've been out of brewing for a couple years now. Got tired of all the bottles. I had brewed too many 5 gallon batches too for too few people to drink. Had bottles sitting in every nook and cranny in the house and garage. Still have some around.

Got a fridge for kegging and need to finish setting it up to get back into brewing. Figured it out for 5 kegs, 3 beer, 2 soda for the family.

I've been missing my Brown Ale recipe for a while now as well as the infamous Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter and American Wheat. I've got to get back to it.

[rr5025]

So I am bottling my first batch ever today and I am looking for a recipe for batch #2. Right now this is the equipment I have:

Mr.Beer - beer kits, home brewing systems, and microbrewery supplies - Beer Kits

I want to start going by recipes now and not relying on a kit. Pretty much I want to get my feet wet in doing things the right way but with the equipment I have.

So anyone have any suggestions of what I should make next?

[UncleFluffy]

Originally Posted by rr5025

So I am bottling my first batch ever today and I am looking for a recipe for batch #2. Right now this is the equipment I have:

Mr.Beer - beer kits, home brewing systems, and microbrewery supplies - Beer Kits

I want to start going by recipes now and not relying on a kit. Pretty much I want to get my feet wet in doing things the right way but with the equipment I have.

So anyone have any suggestions of what I should make next?

Well, it depends ... what sort of beer do you like to drink?

General advice for your first few brews is not to try anything too extreme, too complicated, or too delicate. Read this when you get the chance, and re-read it every 3-4 brews you do because it'll make a bit more sense each time.

This is one of my favourite easy summer beers. It's dry yeast and there's some extra flavouring addtions (black pepper, orange peel, coriander) that can hide any minor screwups.

I'd also advise moving up from the Mr Beer stuff as soon as your budget and interest allows. It's a great intro to homebrewing, but very limited.

[rr5025]

Originally Posted by UncleFluffy

Well, it depends ... what sort of beer do you like to drink?

General advice for your first few brews is not to try anything too extreme, too complicated, or too delicate. Read this when you get the chance, and re-read it every 3-4 brews you do because it'll make a bit more sense each time.

This is one of my favourite easy summer beers. It's dry yeast and there's some extra flavouring addtions (black pepper, orange peel, coriander) that can hide any minor screwups.

I'd also advise moving up from the Mr Beer stuff as soon as your budget and interest allows. It's a great intro to homebrewing, but very limited.

That was plan, I'm going about it slowly though as spare cash isn't exactly around right now.

As for styles pretty much everything except Lagers (never really been that incredibly big on them). I was thinking maybe trying a belgian (something in the St Bernadus, Wesvleteren, Chimay vein) though I'd imagine that might be a bit beyond my reach now. Also a Saison or IPA would be nice.

[UncleFluffy]

Good call on the lagers, they're a lot more work to get right due to the fancy mashing and extra cooling. If you get the urge, try a Kolsch first.

Big Belgians can be very tasty but are also expensive because of the amount of malt/sugar needed. Not something you want to be pouring down the drain, so good call on doing the IPAs first.

Try having a look around the Northern Brewer site, especially their beer kits. You can read the recipes online without buying the kit and see if it's something you feel you're up to. They also do equipment kits - their Deluxe Beer Starter kit is excellent. If that's too much of a stretch $-wise right now, you can start with just the 6 gal bucket, fermentation lock and bung.

[Skitch it!]

How about Stout? Saying that I'm reminded of the of the last one a friend brewed, I didn't know what the gravity was but after 3 pints the place started to resemble a chimpanzee's tea party, be warned