Posts
2164
Joined
2/19/2018
Location
Washington, PA
US
Edited Date/Time
2/24/2018 6:19pm
Has anyone dabbled in home brewing/moonshine making? I wouldn't mind trying it and was looking for opinions on certain kits that are good to use, technique's one needs to master, etc?
thanks
thanks
I never went the full mash route as I had very good results with extracts plus grains.
I am actually thinking of taking it back up again. Really enjoy home brewing beer.
Now, liquor disstilation, that for sure would be Hillbilly's area of expertise.
The Shop
He's got a pimp setup going on, I'm sure he will pop-in when he's not fighting off the homeless in Ft Worth.
The very basic process is to extract sugar from grain to create a sugar water, boil the "sugar water" and add hops, get it from boiling to a cool temp very fast, throw yeast in, let it sit for 2-4 weeks, then carbonate it. After the boil, sanitation is the most important thing that can ruin your beer if you're not extremely careful.
I have found that I don't want to waste time on a one gallon batch. When we brew a light beer, we do 10 gallons at a time and if we brew a higher ABV beer we do 5 gallons. I give most of it away. Just enjoy the process and enjoy drinking it.
Startup materials are relatively expensive, and there is a learning curve. But once you get your process down, 10 gallons of a light beer (100 bottles of beer) costs me around $40 in ingredients and I like it better than anything you can buy at the store.
Moonshine has a few other pieces of equipment that add to the startup and it's a little more time consuming. Also a small risk of explosion that doesn't exist with beer. I haven't gone this route but plan to sometime this year.
Here is a 10% doppelbock.
We started with a one gallon kit to understand the process, then decided to buy the equipment.
For first starting out, I can give you a recipe of something we like, or you can buy a kit that is made for homebrewing. I'd avoid a lot of the bigger name stuff.
This is what you need to get started - you can probably find the stuff used for cheaper but we bought all new.
Brew kettle - $200
Ice chest with a few modifications and fabricated parts, nothing too crazy. Maybe $50
Propane burner and propane - $100
10 gallon water ice chest - $30
Crash cooler (this is optional but highly suggested) - $100 or you can make your own for half the price.
Here is our setup.
Looks good!
Pit Row
I recently bought a Robobrew; cheap version of a Grainfather. They let you do all grain in one vessel. I really like it and you can distill with it. Give them a Google search. Robobrew is about $400 and Grainfather a little over a $1000.
I like a good bourbon stout. How many uses do you have on your barrel? We've been debating whether we want to buy a barrel and give it a go, but they're a little steep for a barrel especially if you only get a couple of uses before you lose the effect of the barrel aging.
We have added bourbon and oak chips to a stout. Overdid it on the bourbon on one and the last one probably under-bourboned it but I like a hint of bourbon. Not overpowering.
It may not be my best, it was my second beer on the Robobrew and I had some issues that were my fault. It smelled and tasted decent prior to going in the barrel. My old setup is a 3 kettle HERMS with pumps. I
There is distillery in Richmond,VA that sells freshly dumped whiskey barrels on occasion and sometimes you can get them for $30. I usually only do 2 batches. One strong beer and then a sour that I age for long time. Then use the wood in the smoker.
For fruit, I use puree from Amorretti. Had good luck with them, but the cherry did smell slightly medicinal so waiting to see on it.
I tweaked the grain amounts a little bit to fit the capacity of the Robobrew and I used Hopshot instead of the Columbia hops. I was busy when I transfered to the barrel so I forgot to get a FG reading. It wouldn't have been totally accurate though because I am sure the beer picked up some of the bourbon.
I couldn't figure out to post the Beer Smith print out so I just copied and pasted.
Cherry Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout Imperial Stout (20 C)
Type: All Grain Batch Size: 6.08 gal
Boil Size: 7.40 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.41 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.55 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Est Original Gravity: 1.112 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 12.6 %
Bitterness: 62.2 IBUs
Est Color: 76.8 SRM
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Sparge Water: 3.45 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE
Est Mash PH: 5.25
Measured Mash PH: 5.20
Ingredients
10 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 40.8 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.2 %
2 lbs BlackSwaen©Coffee (330.0 SRM) Grain 3 8.2 %
1 lbs 12.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 4 7.1 %
1 lbs 4.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.1 %
1 lbs Black Barley (Briess) (500.0 SRM) Grain 6 4.1 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 7 4.1 %
1 lbs Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 8 4.1 %
3 lbs DME Golden Light (Briess) (4.0 SRM) Dry Extract 9 12.2 %
1 lbs Molasses (80.0 SRM) Sugar 10 4.1 %
1.75 oz Columbia [10.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 11 30.4 IBUs
1.50 oz Columbia [10.80 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 12 20.0 IBUs
1.25 oz Columbia [10.80 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 13 11.8 IBUs
2.0 pkg Bourbon Whisky Yeast (White Labs #WLP070), 1200mL starter
Post a reply to: Home Brewing