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Brewed me a batch of homemade stout this weekend. Now to wait the 6-10 weeks to drink it

Anyone else here on the forums a home brewer ? Any favored recipes ?

I took up home brewing back in the 80's, when the only beer you could buy in the supermarket was American Ales and lites. I like my beer meaty and flavorful. Double Stout sounds perfect. When the micro brew revolution hit in the 90's and I could spend $7-$8 for an excellent 6-pack, I gave up brewing my own.

No recipes to share, but the best tip anyone ever gave me was using 1-litre, screw-cap, plastic bottles instead of bottling in glass. Easy to find, easy to clean, much faster to bottle liters instead of 12-ounce bottles and 1-litre was the perfect quantity. I could finish one over a few days and not have it go flat, or it was plenty enough to share with a friend or two.

Oh... and... You'll get 80% of the finish quality after about 1-2 weeks.
I liked to bottle a few smaller bottles for sampling during the aging process. Strictly for scientific purposes.

Have fun!

RoyGBiv wrote:I took up home brewing back in the 80's, when the only beer you could buy in the supermarket was American Ales and lites. I like my beer meaty and flavorful. Double Stout sounds perfect. When the micro brew revolution hit in the 90's and I could spend $7-$8 for an excellent 6-pack, I gave up brewing my own.

No recipes to share, but the best tip anyone ever gave me was using 1-litre, screw-cap, plastic bottles instead of bottling in glass. Easy to find, easy to clean, much faster to bottle liters instead of 12-ounce bottles and 1-litre was the perfect quantity. I could finish one over a few days and not have it go flat, or it was plenty enough to share with a friend or two.

Oh... and... You'll get 80% of the finish quality after about 1-2 weeks.
I liked to bottle a few smaller bottles for sampling during the aging process. Strictly for scientific purposes.

Have fun!

I still enjoy myself some micro/craft brews - but 30 bucks of ingredients for approx 50 bottles of quality beer is well worth it. And yes, the beer is ready to drink after about 2 weeks in the bottle( and I will sample 1 or 2 for scientific purposes as well ) - but it is recommended to let it rest/finish for 4-8 weeks.

Are you interested in a trade? I have spare 9mm ammo.

I haven't started brewing any of my own (yet) but I always look for out of the ordinary micro brews. I've come across some really good Porters and Stouts at the gas station down the road from my house...shocker. My hubster always pokes fun of me and tells people that I like to "chew my beer" while he leans more toward the blonde end of the beer spectrum. There is a really good micro brewery over in San Antonio, The Busted Sandal, we went there for a tour a while ago. Very good beer! Their Pumpkin Porter was the best I've had.

Pariah3j wrote:Brewed me a batch of homemade stout this weekend. Now to wait the 6-10 weeks to drink it

Anyone else here on the forums a home brewer ? Any favored recipes ?

I'm a big fan of the Java Stout from the Santa Fe Brewing Co. I find it at Specs here in the Houston area. Also really like the Real Ale Coffee Porter. For a Chocolate Stout, the Chocolat from Southern Tier (NY Brewer) is exceptional, but only as a rare treat of a dessert beer and it's in a 22oz bottle that you'll want to share with a friend.

I haven't gotten into home brewing as a hobby but have known several avid home brewers. Always liked their offerings.

FYI, Pariah, if you have seen Texas Beer Refinery in your local HEB or elsewhere in the area, the started as a hobby homebrewer and went into business about two years ago. You oughtta check them out. They were in a homebrew club in the Clear Like City area several years ago that a friend of mine used to be a part of.

I've have had the Java Stout from Santa Fe - I really enjoy it, just wish they had it in a bottle. My favorite stout right now is 'Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout' - its what led me to try making the double chocolate stout. The Samuel Smiths can be found at Specs(only place I've found it around here so far).

I'll have to keep an eye out for the TBR stuff, google image searched them and I don't recognize any of the labels, so I don't think I've seen them at my local HEB yet.

Do you know if the homebrew club is still around ? That sounds like that could be interesting/fun.

aCoffeejunky wrote:I've come across some really good Porters and Stouts at the gas station down the road from my house...shocker.

My favorite place to browse for beer is at a Valero station in Colleyville. "Great Minds..."
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4183/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/halls-grocery-colleyville

Pariah3j wrote:I've have had the Java Stout from Santa Fe - I really enjoy it, just wish they had it in a bottle. My favorite stout right now is 'Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout' - its what led me to try making the double chocolate stout. The Samuel Smiths can be found at Specs(only place I've found it around here so far).

I'll have to keep an eye out for the TBR stuff, google image searched them and I don't recognize any of the labels, so I don't think I've seen them at my local HEB yet.

Do you know if the homebrew club is still around ? That sounds like that could be interesting/fun.

I think they were with the Mashtranauts club.

ETA: The TBR stuff comes in a growler. I know they sell it at the HEB on HW96 and the one on 646. I've never tried it, but they have events at the brewery that I've always wanted to attend. It's hard to do those type things with kids at home.

allisji wrote:
I think they were with the Mashtranauts club.

ETA: The TBR stuff comes in a growler. I know they sell it at the HEB on HW96 and the one on 646. I've never tried it, but they have events at the brewery that I've always wanted to attend. It's hard to do those type things with kids at home.

Thanks - I'll have to look into the Mashtranauts Club.

I'll have to keep an eye out for the TBR stuff, I typically don't look at the growlers very often.

RoyGBiv wrote:

aCoffeejunky wrote:I've come across some really good Porters and Stouts at the gas station down the road from my house...shocker.

My favorite place to browse for beer is at a Valero station in Colleyville. "Great Minds..."

The stop and robs with walk in coolers are starting to stock a better selection then just Bud and Silver bullet, but they still don't have a huge selection(at least none of the ones around my house). If you haven't been there and there is one nearby, Spec's has just about anything you can want, and if they don't alot of times they will order it for you.

Pariah3j wrote:

RoyGBiv wrote:

aCoffeejunky wrote:I've come across some really good Porters and Stouts at the gas station down the road from my house...shocker.

My favorite place to browse for beer is at a Valero station in Colleyville. "Great Minds..."

The stop and robs with walk in coolers are starting to stock a better selection then just Bud and Silver bullet, but they still don't have a huge selection(at least none of the ones around my house). If you haven't been there and there is one nearby, Spec's has just about anything you can want, and if they don't alot of times they will order it for you.

There are a handful of gas stations around my neck of the woods but there is 1 that stocks some really good micros, I've found Scottish IPAs, Belgium Porters, local brews...it is astonishing that a hole in the wall gas station cares so much for their beer drinking clientele LOL

I agree with those here who like the darker end of the scale. I can't stand it when all you can get is Coors Light or Bud Light. Shiner Black Lager, Stone Sublimely Self Rightous and Arrogant Bastard all come to mind right now.

I'm thirsty.

Caribe wrote:

Pariah3j wrote:Brewed me a batch of homemade stout this weekend. Now to wait the 6-10 weeks to drink it

Anyone else here on the forums a home brewer ? Any favored recipes ?

When is it ready ?? I'll bring the cigars !!!

Just racked it to secondary fermentation tonight... Should be bottling in the next 2 weeks and its supposed to be ready 4-8 weeks after that.

Pariah3j wrote:

Caribe wrote:

Pariah3j wrote:Brewed me a batch of homemade stout this weekend. Now to wait the 6-10 weeks to drink it

Anyone else here on the forums a home brewer ? Any favored recipes ?

When is it ready ?? I'll bring the cigars !!!

Just racked it to secondary fermentation tonight... Should be bottling in the next 2 weeks and its supposed to be ready 4-8 weeks after that.