web analytics

AdventuresInHomebrewing.Beer » Blog Archives

Author Archives: Brewmaster Jerry

Brewing Homebrewing

Brewing Outdoors

Published by:

So part of the fun of homebrewing is being an advocate for the craft.  Sharing the process, sharing the results, and sharing knowledge is always important.  My buddy Sully has enjoyed many of my homebrews across the years.  I love getting Sully’s opinions on my beers.  Sully has always stated he wanted to try brewing.  He has gotten some kits in the past, but never brewed them.  On a “normal” poker night, when we didn’t have poker, Sully and I decided to get our brew on.  Not only was it a first time for him, but it was also MY first time brewing in the great outdoors, aka Sully’s patio. Continue reading

Ask The Brewmaster Homebrew Talk

Interview With Chris From Homebrewfinds.com

Published by:

So Chris from HOMEBREWFINDS.COM agreed to be my first interviewee.  I found his site a while ago, and find myself visiting quite often.  I think it is cool to find out more about the “man behind the curtain”.

 

How long have you been homebrewing?  What got you into it?

I started brewing in 2007. I had been interested in craft beer for a few years and watched a Modern Marvels on the subject of brewing. There was a segment in that show on homebrewing featuring Drew Beechum. It looked like something I wanted to try… so I did. I did a lot of research and decided on a Coopers setup. I thought that one purchase was all I’d ever need. 🙂

What was your biggest homebrewing mistake or let down? Why?

My biggest mistake would have to be the time I dropped a full 6.5 gallon glass carboy down 2 or 3 steps. There’s nothing quite like a hours long brew day that results in – no beer, glass shards in your feet, loss of equipment and a massive mess that you have to clean up with bleeding feet. That incident prompted me to (mostly) stop using glass fermenters. That’s one of the reasons I like my Speidel Fermenter so much. I do still use glass fermenters, but only for aging sour beers. Continue reading

Ask The Brewmaster Brewing Equipment

FastFerment Conical Fermenter Setup and Overview

Published by:

For Christmas, I got the FastFerment Conical Fermenter as well as a few of the accessories.  So I decided to do a quick setup and overview of it as my first video done for the website.  I will do a full review of it after I use it on an upcoming brew.

A few things to note:

  1.  I needed another quarter turn of the main valve assembly, and I found this out during my water test.
  2.  I forgot the carrying strap that I got as well.
  3. I need to boost my audio next time  (sorry)
  4. I should put away the kids’ games before videoing…..I got excited and blasted ahead without cleaning.

 

Ask The Brewmaster Homebrew Talk

Interview Series – Homebrewer Style!

Published by:

One of the best ways to learn about something is get information from people who have been doing it longer, have had more mentors, and have more information available to them.  So, I figured why not check in with some homebrewers on the internet, as well as homebrewers from my local area who have made the jump to commercial brewing.  Thus, the birth of the Homebrewer Interview Series!

As a starting point, I contacted Chris from HOMEBREWFINDS.COM.  You will notice that I mentioned Chris’s site in a past post and I find myself checking it often.  I reached out to Chris to see if he would be willing to chat with me, or type some answers to a few probing questions.  He agreed, so here we go!  The interview will be posted soon!

 

I am working on getting some more interviews set up….so stay tuned!

Brewing Homebrewing

Brew Day – Making Dad Show Brewing Challenge

Published by:

adventuresinhomebrewing.beer

Back in the Fall, I was on the Making Dad With Chip and Zach.  After they tasted my Too Hot Mama, Zach quickly fired out a challenge for my next beer, a cookies and cream beer.  Challenge accepted.  For my first attempt at this challenge, I chose to whip up a “quick” 3 gallon batch.  I did this while NOT watching the State of the Union Address, but rather made my own State of the BREWnion address.  While steeping the grains, I watched a little Moonshiners on DVR and drank some tasty suds. Continue reading

Ask The Brewmaster Brewing Equipment Homebrew Talk

Why Use A Conical Fermenter?

Published by:

In the realm of brewing, there are just a few equipment upgrades that really make a big difference in your brewing process.  The big thing?  A conical fermenter.  When you visit a brewery of any commercial scale, they are not using a bucket brewing system like most home brewers.  They don’t have carboys lined up.  They have large shiny conical fermenters.  These pieces of equipment for homebrewers are like vision of sugar plums dancing in children’s heads.

So on my wishlist for the holidays this year was a conical fermenter.  I knew that a bright shiny stainless steel one was not an option, so instead I asked for a more affordable and movable one.  I went for the FastFerment Concical Fermenter.  I chose this one for a few reasons.  The price point was right on, there were a bunch of add-on accessories,  and it was movable.  I will post a full setup and review of it in the future. Continue reading

Bottling

Bottling Day – Lt. Topper Reports For Duty

Published by:

Today I bottled the Lt. Topper.  It is a Heady Topper clone.  OG 1.080 and FG 1.020 for a abv of 8.1%.  The true Heady Topper rings in at 8%…o not too far off!  The 6.5 gallon pre-boil ended up as 4.75 gallons going into the bottling bucket.  This left about half a gallon or so of trub between the bottom of the carboy and the bottom of the bottling bucket.  It is unfiltered, so there was lots of tasty greens left behind from all those hops additions.  Now to wait a few weeks and see how it carbonates!

  • My latest Untappd badge

    Untappd Derby (2021)
    Badge image for Untappd Derby (2021)
    Cue the bugle...On your mark… get set… go! The inaugural Untappd Derby is here. May the best style win! Follow the winner’s progress. View more

error

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)