The nearest home brew store for me is almost an hour away. 

Quote from: Speedbag on December 20, 2010, 04:33:49 AM
Here's one good place:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/

That seems like a good site and the prices are very reasonable.

Quote from: Adamm3406 on December 20, 2010, 09:58:42 AM
The nearest home brew store for me is almost an hour away. 

Try one of their starter kits and post any questions you might have.  One of us should be able to help.   

Quote from: The Architect on December 20, 2010, 06:27:27 PM
That seems like a good site and the prices are very reasonable.

Try one of their starter kits and post any questions you might have.  One of us should be able to help.   

Great folks to deal with at Midwest. Place is huge (basically a warehouse), everything's in stock.

And for me it's local. 

Questions:  I just bottled my first batch of lager.  Primed each liter bottle with 2 drops.  Currently stored in a 70 degree dark closet.

How close to the final product should the beer taste at this point?  Final product with no carbonation or does the secondary fermentation add body/complexity to the beer?

You'll be surprised what carbonation does to a beer.  Plus, your beer is still probably pretty green.  Give it time.

The wife made fun of me when I told her I'm going to make another batch.  She asked why I don't wait until I finish the ones I have.......

ah..........yeah.

Because if you wait till you finish the ones you have to make more, then you wont have any to drink while you make more!  Not to mention the terrible beer shortages that would undoubtedly come about while you waited for it to ferment.

I was actually forced to drink a green beer last night.....in the name of science of course (and I ran out of Dogfish....) 

Ok...  So, I got a couple extra dollars for Christmas and my birthday.  I'm thinking about getting me a basic brewing kit from Midwest Supply.  Those of you in the know, please help me out in selecting what I really need to begin beer brewing.  Lets assume I'm not going to attempt to use my ancient earthen crocks and go with the basic buckets in several of the beginners kits.

Thanks for any input!

JM

Mead, started end of August, bottled today.  Racked into two different ferment stages.

13 bottles!


Very very clear, and a nice golden color


JM

Quote from: the_Journeyman on December 31, 2010, 08:03:31 PM
Ok...  So, I got a couple extra dollars for Christmas and my birthday.  I'm thinking about getting me a basic brewing kit from Midwest Supply.  Those of you in the know, please help me out in selecting what I really need to begin beer brewing.  Lets assume I'm not going to attempt to use my ancient earthen crocks and go with the basic buckets in several of the beginners kits.

Thanks for any input!

JM

This seems like a nice starter kit.  I like that it includes a carboy. 

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-starter-kit.html

I was looking at that one, and the one that came with the bottles too.  I might just have to order soon.

Taste test:


Dry, citrusy finish.  

Just has a bit of a yeast taste/smell, but I'm thinking that will age out considering it is much less noticeable than when I tried it at the 2nd racking.

Also seems to be time to transfer the pumpkin spice mead I started Dec 1st.  There are almost zero bubbles coming up.

JM

I've seriously been wanting to for a while but my garage doesn't look like it can afford another hobby. How about this, if you brew your own beer, I'll make you a damn fine pairing dinner to go with it? deal?

You are in austin/Houston right? My latest batch will be tapped in a month and a half down in corpus...

Quote from: Punx Clever on January 02, 2011, 12:08:55 AM
You are in austin/Houston right? My latest batch will be tapped in a month and a half down in corpus...

I hear they have some mighty fine beaches round those parts