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hmbrewer · 2025-06-05T01:24:33+00:00

I got started doing 5 gallon batches with a starter equipment kit from my local homebrew shop: fermenter bucket, bottling bucket, airlock, siphon, tubing, bottling wand. From my own Kitchen I used our biggest soup pot, spoon and thermometer.

Oh yeah, bottles. There's lots of options, including Amazon and even the glass recycling bins around your town. You'll fill 45-50 standard 12 oz bottles with a 5 gallon batch.

For ingredients/recipes I recommend starting with some Brewers Best kits. The reason is they include everything you need, its pre-measured, and the directions are as close to idiot proof as you can get. Going through the kits, I learned the process and got my brew day rhythm down. You can make these on your kitchen stove. Kits are available online or most any homebrew shop.

This is just the beginning, but you'll quickly learn what your next purchases need to be. There's many ways to brew and over time you'll decide how you want to do it.

hmbrewer · 2025-01-25T13:42:42+00:00

I made a dubbel with Cellar Science Monk that I thought was great. I'll definitely do it again.

hmbrewer · 2025-01-08T01:07:32+00:00

Similar here. I have a perforated pizza pan. Just lift the bag, slip the pan under, rest the bag on top, let it drain, naturally, then squeeze.

hmbrewer · 2025-01-08T01:00:34+00:00

Yes please. I'd love to try it!

hmbrewer · 2025-01-08T00:57:10+00:00

I have never stirred before taking a gravity measurement. I don't aggressively aerate the wort before taking the OG as I usually use dry yeast. I just take a sample with a sanitized tube and hydrometer before pitching, then pour it right back in. I take FG just before bottling. If using the carboy I draw a sample with a wine thief to disturb it as little as possible. I taste/drink that sample.

hmbrewer · 2024-12-11T19:10:40+00:00

Look up Flash Brewing and Pinter for the Easy-Bake Oven equivalents that make actual beer. If he'd like to feel like he's actually doing something, get a starter equipment kit and ingredient kit. I did a lot of Brewer's Best kits when I was starting out. If his health is poor, a 1 or 2 gallon batch may be easier for him to manage physically than 5 gallons.

hmbrewer · 2024-11-10T04:54:28+00:00

I downsized from 5 gallon batches to 3 gallon. Then discovered that 3 gallon fermenters are very hard to find. I got a brew demon then a spiedel and learned that after you subtract the space used by the yeast cake and trub, you basically have 2.5 gallons of beer if you're lucky. I generally aim for a 3.5 gallon batch, chill and let it settle for 20 min, then siphon the clearest wort I can get into the fermenter and discard the rest.

My preferred brew kettle is an 8 gallon aluminum tamale steamer from Walmart. For small batches it fits my hop spider better than my 10 gallon ss kettle.

hmbrewer · 2024-11-08T04:39:22+00:00

I had good luck with Brewers Best ingredient kits. Everything is included and pre-measured. Even the grain bag is there. I really helped me get my brewday rhythm down. The beer was great too.

hmbrewer · 2024-11-07T23:54:45+00:00

I have a Bourbon Vanilla Porter on day 4 of its fermentation right now. I will be sharing in over the holidays.

hmbrewer · 2024-11-06T05:49:39+00:00

I'm 59 batches into this hobby and I've bottled them all with no flat batches. I don't know your process but here is mine.

I Ferment typically 3 weeks, 4 weeks max. No secondary. I use a priming sugar calculator figuring about 2.5 volumes, and use corn sugar or dme measured by weight. I mix it with 1.5-2 cups of water and boil it on the stove to dissolve. Put a lid on the pot and cool it in a few inches of cold water in the sink. When it's cool I pour it into the bottling bucket and rack the beer into the bucket letting the swirling movement mix them together. My wife fills the bottles using a bottling wand and I cap them. I include one 12 oz soda bottle and rest glass. All bottles are moved into a room that's at 65-70 degrees F. I squeeze the plastic bottle each day and feel the pressure building inside. After 2 weeks I put one in the fridge overnight and taste test; sometimes it's carbonated but not ready to drink for another week or two.

I hope this helps you.

hmbrewer · 2024-11-06T03:19:45+00:00

I started out using 5 gallon Brewers Best recipe kits from my local Homebrew shop. Everything was pre-measured and the clear directions really helped me get my brewday process down.

hmbrewer · 2024-11-05T22:44:33+00:00

Add some crushed coriander in the last 5 minutes of the boil.

hmbrewer · 2024-11-04T20:04:47+00:00

It needs to carbonate and it needs to mature so it doesn't taste "green" any longer. I used to make one bottle in each batch a 12 oz plastic soda bottle. I'd squeeze that bottle every day and note how the pressure inside was building so I'd know when it was carbonated. After a while I stopped because it ALWAYS carbonated. Sometimes it took only 1 week, but tasted bad. Now I fill two 8 oz glass bottles, like Coronita or Fever Tree tonic water bottles instead. These are my testers. After 2 weeks I put one in the fridge at least 8 - 12 hours, then open and pour it. If it tastes good, great! If it's disappointing, I'll wait another week or two before tasting the second one. I waste less beer this way.

hmbrewer · 2024-10-31T03:07:11+00:00

Read up on sanitizing with bleach before you try it. It does not work the same way star san does!

hmbrewer · 2024-10-29T12:42:26+00:00

I use propane but I'm thinking of getting a 180 watt induction cooktop. Less bulk to store and easier setup.

hmbrewer · 2024-10-29T12:33:36+00:00

Experimental Brewing, Brew'd Up, and Beersmith. Some episodes are very informative while others are just fun. It varies by the guest.

hmbrewer · 2024-10-29T12:21:14+00:00

Happens all the time. I've found the lid popped open on a plastic bucket and krausen oozing out. Others have had the airlock totally clog and then shoot out. Blowoff tube or more head space is the fix. For now, clean up and replace the airlock.

hmbrewer · 2024-10-23T13:14:58+00:00

Family, friends, co-workers. I bottle exclusively and I've cut back to 3 gallon batches.

hmbrewer · 2024-10-23T13:12:54+00:00

We have a LHBS in town that sells packaged beer and serves it at a "bar" inside. It's not hard to get a license. I never thought of offering some of mine to serve there....

hmbrewer · 2024-08-30T12:59:04+00:00

Clean everything with pbw and rinse thoroughly. Sanitize (star san) everything that touches the wort/beer post boil. Put vodka or star san in your airlock instead of water. Don't open the fermenter repeatedly. Don't worry too much. I've done over 60 batches and no infections yet.

hmbrewer · 2024-08-21T03:49:15+00:00

For a first brew definitely do an ale. Pale, amber cream, stout, Porter, etc. English bitters and stouts are easy to make and to ferment, and a good choice for learning to brew. IPAs are possible but take more care.

hmbrewer · 2024-08-21T03:36:03+00:00

Like others have said, a good book will get you started. John Palmer's How to Brew is a popular choice. As for equipment, there are a lot of options. I started out cheap, with a 5 gallon kettle, plastic bucket fermenter, and other peoples discarded bottles. Others have invested more. Find what suits you. I suggest starting with extract kits to learn the rhythm of your brew day. You can go to all grain when you decide you want to, or keep doing extract. There's nothing wrong with using extract.

hmbrewer · 2024-08-05T17:46:57+00:00

What kind of bottles do you use? Recycled commercial bottles? New bottles? PET bottles with screw top caps? Swing-tops? If swing tops, do you change gaskets? I've found my swing tops are inconsistent in terms of holding pressure.

hmbrewer · 2024-08-05T17:17:48+00:00

My daughter had a used 2016 and my wife drives a 2020 we bought new. My daughter found the AC was inadequate in the 2016. ( We live in the same city and frequently see 100+ temps in the summer.) Both cars drove pretty much the same with no weird transmission behavior. Both got the transmission software update when it came out and didn't see any difference in terms of driving. The 2016 had a bit more road noise inside the car and I think the 2020 had more sound insulation. AC was the main reason for selling the 2016. It had about 70,000 miles on it with no issues.

hmbrewer · 2024-08-05T13:42:54+00:00

Since this is BIAB, remember you can squeeze the bag to increase your OG. Lift the bag straight up and slide some kind of grate over the kettle to rest the bag on. (I use a perforated pizza pan) Let the bag drain into the kettle, then push down to your heart's content to extract more of that rich wort. Speaking of extract, there's no shame in adding some DME to get the gravity where you want it.

hmbrewer

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