Just made my first batch of homebrew

[HKDan]

So,

This summer I was in the US for a wedding and while there I got myself a MR. Beer homebrew kit. Mr.Beer - beer kits, home brewing systems, and microbrewery supplies - Home I thoroughly pissed off my wife in the process, but managed to get it in one of our suitcases and bring it back to China with us. It wasn't hard to use, but like any new recipe when cooking, you never really know until its in your mouth. Tonight, after dinner I mentioned to my wife's nephew who is visiting, that I had made a batch and it was ready to drink. He was a lot more excited than I thought he would be, and so we threw a few bottles in the fridge and cracked open a few a couple of minutes ago. Its great! I highly recommend to any Wabbits who are interested in trying making their own brew. This time I made a very basic blonde ale, but I have the ingredients for a more complicated IPA that I am trying next. I am thrilled to have a hobby that I can drink.

[bigross86]

Well done! I've got a friend that also has a bit of a beer fascination, he's channeled it into a microbrewery/pub and he also bottles and delivers to a couple other bars in the area

[Red Seven]

Someday there will be a Nobel Prize for people like you.

[HKDan]

Well done! I've got a friend that also has a bit of a beer fascination, he's channeled it into a microbrewery/pub and he also bottles and delivers to a couple other bars in the area

He must love his job.

[HKDan]

Someday there will be a Nobel Prize for people like you.

Working my way through the second quart of my prize right now

[dave lukins]

Working my way through the second quart of my prize right now

When you have got to the fifth quart you know you've had to much Good luck with the IPA

[gunnut]

Nice! Home brew is not regulated in China? The only contribution Jimmy Carter did for this country was to loosen the home brew laws.

[HKDan]

Nice! Home brew is not regulated in China? The only contribution Jimmy Carter did for this country was to loosen the home brew laws.

You know, I haven't got the slightest idea. There are a couple of brewpubs in Shanghai, but maybe they have some kind of permit. I was a bit worried that they would take it off me in customs, but then since we were travelling with a baby they basically just waved us through. I can't imagine getting in any trouble for it though.

[bonehead]

When home brewing read all the directions first. My college buddy made a honey mead one time. After bottling it he turned the last page. ".........keep in the bottle for 1 year before drinking...." Like that was going to happen.

[USSWisconsin]

I used to brew quite a bit - my favorite IPA recipe

5 gal water
5# extra light DME (dry malt extract) - note extra DME makes it stronger - about 1% ABV per # of DME
7 oz noble hops pellets - 4 oz in boil, 1.5 oz steeping, 1.5 oz dry hopping in bag
2 cups apple wood chips (boiled to sterilize)
yeast cultured from Blanch de Bruge (bottle conditioned Belgian White Ale) with 1 liter starter culture ( 1 cup DME with 1 liter brewing water - boil for 30 min) pitched into wort after brewing
ferment for 4-6 days until it settles down - transfer to secondary fermentor (removing as much trube as possible)
add wood chips and dry hops bag to secondary
ferment another 3-4 days in secondary
add bottle conditioning wort (same as starter culture w/o yeast)
rack to bottles when it pretty much stops bubbling
this will be around 5% abv
age about 2-4 weeks - it will keep for years
makes about two 24 bottle cases of 12 oz bottles

variation: use maple sap instead of water for the boil water (not syrup - the raw juice from the trees) - this will make barley wine ~ 8% ABV - this stuff puts me to sleep - but it is very good

[Red Seven]

The only contribution Jimmy Carter did for this country was to loosen the home brew laws.

And that, my friends, is the real reason behind his Nobel prize.

[tankie]

Home brew , the secret is follow the destructions and



STERILISE EVERY TOOL AND AND IMPLEMENT USED THOROUGHLY