Home Brewing

[aMillionDreams]

Here's what I've come up with, Hawkeye.  a 12 pack is 1.125 gallons of beer.  For a five gallon batch you would normally use 3/4 cup of sugar for bottle conditioning.  3/4 cup is 12 tbsp.s.  A 12pack is one quarter the normal batch (5 gallons=48 beers).  Therefore you need one quarter the sugar dissolved in 1.125 gallons of beer to bottle condition a 12 pack.  12tbsps divided by 4 for is 3 tbsps.  So, you need 3 tbsp.s of sugar for a 12er.

[Crispy]

Great stuff, guys! I'm jealous of the kegerator setup Dylan...I have almost everything I need, just lacking a tap and the wherewithal to do the work on my garage fridge. My next project is building a mashtun using a beverage cooler, ala flyguy's advice.

Time to get another batch into the fermenter, but I haven't decided what to do yet -- something hoppy, for sure. I also look forward to seeing those recipes here!

[aMillionDreams]

dogfishhead 90 minute IPA

Ingredients:
2oz amarillo hops
1oz simcoe hops
1oz magnum hops
8 pounds dry malt extract, spraymalt extract, plain light, 10 EBC color
1.5 pounds crystal 40 specialty grain
Pitchable yeast for five gallons, 1099 whitebread

Steep specialty grain for 25 minutes
Add Dry Malt extract and bring to a boil
Boil for 90 minutes
Over the course of the boil you will use 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.  Mix the hops together.  You will add a pinch of the mixture every seven minutes until you run out of hops (probably with 20 minutes or so left).  THis is what dfh calls "continuous hopping"
Cool wort, bring to 5 gallons
Pitch yeast
Leave in primary for about 7 days.
Rack to secondary and dry hop with same mixture of hops: 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.
Leave in secondary for 10-14 days.

[jones]

dogfishhead 90 minute IPA

Ingredients:
2oz amarillo hops
1oz simcoe hops
1oz magnum hops
8 pounds dry malt extract, spraymalt extract, plain light, 10 EBC color
1.5 pounds crystal 40 specialty grain

Steep specialty grain for 25 minutes
Add Dry Malt extract and bring to a boil
Boil for 90 minutes
Over the course of the boil you will use 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.  Mix the hops together.  You will add a pinch of the mixture every seven minutes until you run out of hops (probably with 20 minutes or so left).  THis is what dfh calls "continuous hopping"
Cool wort, bring to 5 gallons
Leave in primary for about 7 days.
Rack to secondary and dry hop with same mixture of hops: 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.
Leave in secondary for 10-14 days.

Okay, I'm coming out of retirement (6 months) for this one.

[aMillionDreams]

dogfishhead 90 minute IPA

Ingredients:
2oz amarillo hops
1oz simcoe hops
1oz magnum hops
8 pounds dry malt extract, spraymalt extract, plain light, 10 EBC color
1.5 pounds crystal 40 specialty grain

Steep specialty grain for 25 minutes
Add Dry Malt extract and bring to a boil
Boil for 90 minutes
Over the course of the boil you will use 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.  Mix the hops together.  You will add a pinch of the mixture every seven minutes until you run out of hops (probably with 20 minutes or so left).  THis is what dfh calls "continuous hopping"
Cool wort, bring to 5 gallons
Leave in primary for about 7 days.
Rack to secondary and dry hop with same mixture of hops: 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.
Leave in secondary for 10-14 days.

Okay, I'm coming out of retirement (6 months) for this one.

Nice!  I edited in the yeast, I left it out originally, make sure you get that in there.  ;)

[jones]

dogfishhead 90 minute IPA

Ingredients:
2oz amarillo hops
1oz simcoe hops
1oz magnum hops
8 pounds dry malt extract, spraymalt extract, plain light, 10 EBC color
1.5 pounds crystal 40 specialty grain

Steep specialty grain for 25 minutes
Add Dry Malt extract and bring to a boil
Boil for 90 minutes
Over the course of the boil you will use 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.  Mix the hops together.  You will add a pinch of the mixture every seven minutes until you run out of hops (probably with 20 minutes or so left).  THis is what dfh calls "continuous hopping"
Cool wort, bring to 5 gallons
Leave in primary for about 7 days.
Rack to secondary and dry hop with same mixture of hops: 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.
Leave in secondary for 10-14 days.

Okay, I'm coming out of retirement (6 months) for this one.

Nice!  I edited in the yeast, I left it out originally, make sure you get that in there.  ;)

Got it.

[Hawkeye]

dogfishhead 90 minute IPA

Ingredients:
2oz amarillo hops
1oz simcoe hops
1oz magnum hops
8 pounds dry malt extract, spraymalt extract, plain light, 10 EBC color
1.5 pounds crystal 40 specialty grain

Steep specialty grain for 25 minutes
Add Dry Malt extract and bring to a boil
Boil for 90 minutes
Over the course of the boil you will use 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.  Mix the hops together.  You will add a pinch of the mixture every seven minutes until you run out of hops (probably with 20 minutes or so left).  THis is what dfh calls "continuous hopping"
Cool wort, bring to 5 gallons
Leave in primary for about 7 days.
Rack to secondary and dry hop with same mixture of hops: 1oz amarillo hops, 1/2 oz simcoe hops, and 1/2 magnum hops.
Leave in secondary for 10-14 days.

Okay, I'm coming out of retirement (6 months) for this one.

Nice!  I edited in the yeast, I left it out originally, make sure you get that in there.  ;)

Ha!  Good one.  Yes.  Do not forget the yeast!  Can't wait to try that DFH 90!

[Crispy]

Wooo! I just ordered the above ingredients for the DFH 90 from High Gravity! Free shipping in June for anybody else here that uses them (enter "JFS" in the coupon box if it's not there already).

Hawkeye will never forget the yeast again!   :D

[aMillionDreams]

Here's what I've come up with, Hawkeye.  a 12 pack is 1.125 gallons of beer.  For a five gallon batch you would normally use 3/4 cup of sugar for bottle conditioning.  3/4 cup is 12 tbsp.s.  A 12pack is one quarter the normal batch (5 gallons=48 beers).  Therefore you need one quarter the sugar dissolved in 1.125 gallons of beer to bottle condition a 12 pack.  12tbsps divided by 4 for is 3 tbsps.  So, you need 3 tbsp.s of sugar for a 12er.

I asked the guy at the homebrew store about this and he said it'd probably be easier to carbonate it in the keg then bottle it from the keg, skipping the priming sugar altogether.  He said he tested it on a batch that's over a year old and it still has it's carbonation so he does all of them that way now.

[Hawkeye]

Interesting idea aMD.  I may try that next batch.  Maybe not using the priming sugar will keep me from getting SUCH a thick head.

[aMillionDreams]

So I'm way into the homebrew by now.  Here's what I've got going on:

On deck: Ommegang Hennepin Clone, Bells Two-Hearted clone, Raspberry Melomel
Fermenting: Bells Oberon Clone, Apfelwein
Carboy #1: Belgian Trippel
Carboy #2: air
Tap #1: Robust Porter
Tap #2: dfh 90min IPA Clone

The two taps on the kegerator have handblown glass tap pulls.  I'm definitely liking the homebrew.  

[Crispy]

So I'm way into the homebrew by now.  Here's what I've got going on:

On deck: Ommegang Hennepin Clone, Bells Two-Hearted clone, Raspberry Melomel
Fermenting: Bells Oberon Clone, Apfelwein
Carboy #1: Belgian Trippel
Carboy #2: air
Tap #1: Robust Porter
Tap #2: dfh 90min IPA Clone

The two taps on the kegerator have handblown glass tap pulls.  I'm definitely liking the homebrew.  

Holy SHIT, Dylan, slow down! You're making the rest of us amateurs look bad!

[YouAre_GivenToFly]

So I'm way into the homebrew by now.  Here's what I've got going on:

On deck: Ommegang Hennepin Clone, Bells Two-Hearted clone, Raspberry Melomel
Fermenting: Bells Oberon Clone, Apfelwein
Carboy #1: Belgian Trippel
Carboy #2: air
Tap #1: Robust Porter
Tap #2: dfh 90min IPA Clone

The two taps on the kegerator have handblown glass tap pulls.  I'm definitely liking the homebrew.  

What recipe are you using for apfelwein, if you don't mind sharing?

[aMillionDreams]

Here's the recipe for Apelwein.  I'm on the homebrewtalk.com forums and it seems like everyone over there is brewing so I thought I'd give her a whirl.
EdWort's Apfelwein

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Red Star Montrachet
Yeast Starter: Nope
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: Nope
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.066
Final Gravity: 0.998
Boiling Time (Minutes): None
Color: Champagne
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): At least 6 weeks at 74 degrees
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): None



Apfelwein (German Hard Cider)

This took 1st Place at the 2007 Alamo City Cerveza Fest BJCP sanctioned competition for the Cider and Apple Wine Category and 2nd Place for Best of Show for Meads & Ciders!

Ingredients

5 Gallons 100% Apple Juice (No preservatives or additives) I use Tree Top Apple Juice
2 pounds of dextrose (corn sugar) in one pound bags
1 five gram packet of Montrachet Wine Yeast

Equipment

5 Gallon Carboy (I use a Better Bottle)
Carboy Cap or Stopper with Airlock
Funnel
1.      First sanitize the carboy, airlock, funnel, stopper or carboy cap.
2.      Open one gallon bottle of apple juice and pour half of it into the carboy using the funnel.
3.      Open one bag of Dextrose and carefully add it to the now half full bottle of apple juice. Shake well.
4.      Repeat Steps 2 and 3, then go to step 5.
5.      Pour in the mixture of Apple Juice and Dextrose from both bottles into the carboy.
6.      Add all but 1 quart of remaining 3 gallons of apple juice to the carboy.
7.      Open the packet of Montrachet Yeast and pour it into the neck of the funnel.
8.      Use the remaining quart of juice to wash down any yeast that sticks. I am able to fit all but 3 ounces of apple juice into a 5 gallon Better Bottle. You may need to be patient to let the foam die down from all shaking and pouring.
9.      Put your stopper or carboy cap on with an airlock and fill the airlock with cheap vodka. No bacteria will live in vodka and if you get suckback, you just boosted the abv.
There's no need to worry about filling up a carboy so full when you use Montrachet wine yeast. There is no Kreuzen, just a thin layer of bubbles (see here). I'm able to fit all but 4 oz. of my five gallons in the bottle. Ferment at room temperature.

It will become cloudy in a couple of days and remain so for a few weeks. In the 4th week, the yeast will begin to drop out and it will become clear. After at least 4 weeks, you can keg or bottle, but it is ok to leave it in the carboy for another month or so. Racking to a secondary is not necessary. It ferments out very dry (less than 0.999, see here)

If you want to bottle and carbonate, ¾ cup of corn sugar will work fine. Use as you would carbonate a batch of beer.

Remember to reserve judgment till after 3 glasses. It grows on you.


GENERAL QUESTIONS
compiled by Dammed Squirrels from the first 37 pages of this thread. Thanks DS!

How does it taste?
It ferments quite dry. Some people have tried different yeasts in order to achieve a sweeter taste. It may take you a few glasses to get a feel for the flavor. It is very reminiscent of a sort of apfelwein produced locally in Germany. There really is no comparable product in the United States. It's drier and less sweet than commercial hard ciders.

What is the difference between Apfelwein and hard cider?
EdWort says, "Most ciders are a bit sweeter. Ciders and Apfelwein are about 6% abv, but I like the little boost I give it with 2 pounds of Dextrose. It adds no body or flavor and still tastes like Possmann's Apfelwein, only it will kick your butt much quicker."

Is this like Apfelmost / Apfel Korn?
No. Apfel Korn is a german liqeur made from wheat spirits. Apfelmost is spontaneously fermented with fresh-pressed apples or apple juice. It is probably similar, but the results may vary as a result of the spontaneous fermentation. Either way, Apfelmost is most certainly has a lower alcohol content since the initial gravity is not increased by the use of concentrate or corn sugar.

What's the difference between apple juice and cider?
Cider is made by pressing apples. Juice is then filtered to remove all of the stuff that makes it cloudy.

Can I use apple cider instead?
Sure! You can use whatever you want. However, there is not enough information in this thread to give you any better details as to how it will turn out. I recommend starting a new thread or ask more experienced cider-makers.

What kind of Apple Juice should I use?
Ideally, you want to use 100% natural apple juice with no preservatives. The only acceptable preservative is ascorbic acid, which is a source of vitamin C and does not affect fermentation. Pasteurized juice is preferred, since it will have less bacteria.

How much will this recipe cost me?
5 gallons of Apfelwein can be made for between 20 and 25 dollars.

What else can you do with this recipe?
EdWort says, "this makes a great Grog in the winter time. Take a quart in a sauce pan, add some rum, turbinado sugar, and float a cinnamon stick in it and simmer for a while. Serve hot in mugs. It'll warm you right up."

[Crispy]

That looks really interesting, I'm going to try it. One thing though, that guy has some nerve saying this: "Recipe Type: All Grain"...maybe "All Juice" would have been more appropriate...  ;D

Speaking of which, I just bought a 10 gallon beverage cooler that I am going to convert to a mash tun for actual all-grain brewing. Can't wait to try that, but I've got these stupid summer vacations to go on...

[jones]

It's good to see all of this homebrew talk, but unfortunately my brewing has been in neutral for a while now.  Keep it up!

[Hawkeye]

Mine too Flyguy, don't feel too bad.  I made a batch in April, and I still have half of it left!  It's been sitting right next to the kitchen table since then, in the keg.  Occasionally I'll eat at the table and take a pull for kicks.  Been waiting to have a party so I can put it on ice and share!  I really need to get a kegerator.  I have the tap and all the fittings, just need the actual refrigerator.  Been living vicariously through aMD these last few weeks :)

Also, and this is a lame excuse, been kinda hung-up without a hose at my new place.  I usually like to rinse out all my brewing supplies outside so as not to get any big chunks of yeast or whatever going down the drain.  The landlord has been dragging his feet on getting the spigot put in.  I'm about ready to ask him if I can do it myself, although I'm definitely no plumber.  But how hard can it be, right?

Anyway, keep those recipes coming!  And hopefully I'll be doing some actual brewing and sharing soon.

[YouAre_GivenToFly]

Here's the recipe for Apelwein.  I'm on the homebrewtalk.com forums and it seems like everyone over there is brewing so I thought I'd give her a whirl.
EdWort's Apfelwein

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Red Star Montrachet
Yeast Starter: Nope
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: Nope
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.066
Final Gravity: 0.998
Boiling Time (Minutes): None
Color: Champagne
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): At least 6 weeks at 74 degrees
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): None



Apfelwein (German Hard Cider)

This took 1st Place at the 2007 Alamo City Cerveza Fest BJCP sanctioned competition for the Cider and Apple Wine Category and 2nd Place for Best of Show for Meads & Ciders!

Ingredients

5 Gallons 100% Apple Juice (No preservatives or additives) I use Tree Top Apple Juice
2 pounds of dextrose (corn sugar) in one pound bags
1 five gram packet of Montrachet Wine Yeast

Equipment

5 Gallon Carboy (I use a Better Bottle)
Carboy Cap or Stopper with Airlock
Funnel
1.      First sanitize the carboy, airlock, funnel, stopper or carboy cap.
2.      Open one gallon bottle of apple juice and pour half of it into the carboy using the funnel.
3.      Open one bag of Dextrose and carefully add it to the now half full bottle of apple juice. Shake well.
4.      Repeat Steps 2 and 3, then go to step 5.
5.      Pour in the mixture of Apple Juice and Dextrose from both bottles into the carboy.
6.      Add all but 1 quart of remaining 3 gallons of apple juice to the carboy.
7.      Open the packet of Montrachet Yeast and pour it into the neck of the funnel.
8.      Use the remaining quart of juice to wash down any yeast that sticks. I am able to fit all but 3 ounces of apple juice into a 5 gallon Better Bottle. You may need to be patient to let the foam die down from all shaking and pouring.
9.      Put your stopper or carboy cap on with an airlock and fill the airlock with cheap vodka. No bacteria will live in vodka and if you get suckback, you just boosted the abv.
There's no need to worry about filling up a carboy so full when you use Montrachet wine yeast. There is no Kreuzen, just a thin layer of bubbles (see here). I'm able to fit all but 4 oz. of my five gallons in the bottle. Ferment at room temperature.

It will become cloudy in a couple of days and remain so for a few weeks. In the 4th week, the yeast will begin to drop out and it will become clear. After at least 4 weeks, you can keg or bottle, but it is ok to leave it in the carboy for another month or so. Racking to a secondary is not necessary. It ferments out very dry (less than 0.999, see here)

If you want to bottle and carbonate, ¾ cup of corn sugar will work fine. Use as you would carbonate a batch of beer.

Remember to reserve judgment till after 3 glasses. It grows on you.


GENERAL QUESTIONS
compiled by Dammed Squirrels from the first 37 pages of this thread. Thanks DS!

How does it taste?
It ferments quite dry. Some people have tried different yeasts in order to achieve a sweeter taste. It may take you a few glasses to get a feel for the flavor. It is very reminiscent of a sort of apfelwein produced locally in Germany. There really is no comparable product in the United States. It's drier and less sweet than commercial hard ciders.

What is the difference between Apfelwein and hard cider?
EdWort says, "Most ciders are a bit sweeter. Ciders and Apfelwein are about 6% abv, but I like the little boost I give it with 2 pounds of Dextrose. It adds no body or flavor and still tastes like Possmann's Apfelwein, only it will kick your butt much quicker."

Is this like Apfelmost / Apfel Korn?
No. Apfel Korn is a german liqeur made from wheat spirits. Apfelmost is spontaneously fermented with fresh-pressed apples or apple juice. It is probably similar, but the results may vary as a result of the spontaneous fermentation. Either way, Apfelmost is most certainly has a lower alcohol content since the initial gravity is not increased by the use of concentrate or corn sugar.

What's the difference between apple juice and cider?
Cider is made by pressing apples. Juice is then filtered to remove all of the stuff that makes it cloudy.

Can I use apple cider instead?
Sure! You can use whatever you want. However, there is not enough information in this thread to give you any better details as to how it will turn out. I recommend starting a new thread or ask more experienced cider-makers.

What kind of Apple Juice should I use?
Ideally, you want to use 100% natural apple juice with no preservatives. The only acceptable preservative is ascorbic acid, which is a source of vitamin C and does not affect fermentation. Pasteurized juice is preferred, since it will have less bacteria.

How much will this recipe cost me?
5 gallons of Apfelwein can be made for between 20 and 25 dollars.

What else can you do with this recipe?
EdWort says, "this makes a great Grog in the winter time. Take a quart in a sauce pan, add some rum, turbinado sugar, and float a cinnamon stick in it and simmer for a while. Serve hot in mugs. It'll warm you right up."

Haha thats the one I thought it might be. I'm on that forum too every once in awhile. That might be the most famous recipe over there for anything, beer included.

[aMillionDreams]

Youaregiventofly- yeah, like I said it seems like everyone at that place is either brewing it or already has some in bottles. I figured I'd see what all the brew-ha-has about  ;)

I've got a brew clone book and a really cool magazine with a ton of clones.  If anyone's looking for something specific let me know and I'll see if I have a recipe for it.

[YouAre_GivenToFly]

Youaregiventofly- yeah, like I said it seems like everyone at that place is either brewing it or already has some in bottles. I figured I'd see what all the brew-ha-has about  ;)

I've got a brew clone book and a really cool magazine with a ton of clones.  If anyone's looking for something specific let me know and I'll see if I have a recipe for it.

If you've got anything for a Marzen or Oktoberfest I'd like to try that. Also, DFH's Shelter Pale Ale seems like a nice "safe" beer to get other people to drink and appreciate home brews.