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 Harry_Ba11sach
cannoisseur
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 11,753
Loc: Nepal 
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 Re: Just Bottled  [Re: RasJeph]
#639134 - 10/03/12 05:49 PM (11 years, 6 months ago) |
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I haven't ever brewed any bocks, but mainly because there's just an overwhelming style of beers to brew  I do like them.
If you're spending the money on a real setup then at least go all grain. I can write you out a list of everything you'll need in the most cost friendly way and even write you up a little tutorial on use if you'd like. You're going to be SO much happier with that than the Mr. Beer kit. I barely even buy commercial stuff anymore except to get ideas for recipes because my all-grain setup is dialed in so nicely that I prefer my homebrew to anything else on the market 
I'm sure Hawk is the same way.
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 RasJeph
Psycho Pete
Registered: 01/14/09
Posts: 11,657
Loc: Bumfuckt Egypt
Last seen: 5 months, 20 days
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That'd be wicked cool of you!
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Of course it's happening inside your head.
Why should that mean it isn't real?
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Hawksresurrection
Registered: 12/04/08
Posts: 13,464
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Re: Just Bottled [Re: RasJeph]
#639152 - 10/04/12 03:22 AM (11 years, 6 months ago) |
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Dude she isn't as young as she use to be.
-niteowl
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Harry_Ba11sach
cannoisseur
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 11,753
Loc: Nepal
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Re: Just Bottled [Re: RasJeph]
#639160 - 10/04/12 09:30 AM (11 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
RasJeph said:
That'd be wicked cool of you!
Ok word. First off what's your budget? We can just shoot for as cheap as possible if you want, but there are definitely certain items where spending some extra cash is a "get what you pay for" sort of thing. My first system was only about $200. My current one is about $3200 or so, and it's so much better than the last one it's almost a joke.
That said, they BOTH make dank beer. It's just easier on me to use the new one, and I get to be nerdy about my automated heat-exchange temperature regulator and basically hands-free liquid transfer.
Hawk if you'd like us to start a new thread or move to  for this just let me know.
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Hawksresurrection
Registered: 12/04/08
Posts: 13,464
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I don't care, teach it up brah!
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Dude she isn't as young as she use to be.
-niteowl
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RasJeph
Psycho Pete
Registered: 01/14/09
Posts: 11,657
Loc: Bumfuckt Egypt
Last seen: 5 months, 20 days
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Well, I already have some stuff (bottles, sanitation equipment, capper, 5 gallon jug) so I'm gonna say around $200 more would be a sick jumping off point. Future expansion is a possibility.
Yeah, a new thread would be best. Feel free to start one. I'm sure that I am not the only one who'd benefit.
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Of course it's happening inside your head.
Why should that mean it isn't real?
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brainsOplenty
ganja farmer
Registered: 05/14/11
Posts: 729
Loc: zion
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Re: Just Bottled [Re: RasJeph]
#639225 - 10/04/12 10:25 PM (11 years, 6 months ago) |
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i'm down for some brew-learnin'
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it's written right here.
it's absolutely clear.
the ganja herb is the healing of the nation.
 
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Harry_Ba11sach
cannoisseur
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 11,753
Loc: Nepal
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Re: Just Bottled [Re: RasJeph]
#639483 - 10/07/12 11:11 AM (11 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
RasJeph said:
Well, I already have some stuff (bottles, sanitation equipment, capper, 5 gallon jug) so I'm gonna say around $200 more would be a sick jumping off point. Future expansion is a possibility.
Yeah, a new thread would be best. Feel free to start one. I'm sure that I am not the only one who'd benefit.
Ok so the most important thing in my opinion is a good pot for boiling. Basically all recipes are 5 gallons at a time, when I did my first batch I thought "oh great, so a 5 gallon pot." I ended up fucking that up because you need to start with about 7 gallons to account for liquid lost during the boil to evaporation. But ALSO, boiling liquid has a turbulent surface, so I was losing a lot over the side too. Get a 10 gallon pot and no smaller. Just trust me, you'll need that. I paid like $35 for one of those ceramic coated iron ones (http://compare.ebay.com/like/140857503575?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar) and it was great, but aluminum would be better and stainless steel would be the best. Once again, paying a bit more is better, but not necessary. Also, a second one (5 gallons works fine for the second one) it good to heat your sparge water and cleaning solutions.
Next you'll need what they call an MLT which stands for "Mash/Lauter Tun." This is where all the magic happens. It basically has a false bottom screen so that the hot liquid can flow over the grains and be drained, but without sucking the grains out. I built mine out of an orange gatorade cooler like THIS motherfucker. There are teks all over the internet about how to build this but basically just have a ball-valve on the outlet, and a hosebarb on the inside to connect to the false bottom and you're good to go. The hardest part was removing the gay little plastic spigot that it comes with.
And I noticed you mentioned a 5 gallon carboy. This is just like the Boil Kettle in that fermenting beer has a big foamy-ass head called a Krausen. You need at LEAST a 6 gallon carboy for a 10 gallon batch, but 6.5 is better. Don't get rid of your 5 gallon though, cause that's perfect for aging the beer or secondary fermentation. If you get your schedules right you can have one batch in primary and one batch in secondary at all times and have a nice rotation going, assuming you drink that much beer.
Then, provided your kitchen stove is good enough to bring 8 gallons of liquid to a boil, you're good to go! You'll want to invest in some small stuff like a stir paddle, floating thermometer and hydrometer, but those are chump change compared to the main pieces of equipment. I have to run for now, but let me sort my thoughts out a bit later and I'll elaborate if I need to. Let me know if you want me to expand on any of those things yet.
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RasJeph
Psycho Pete
Registered: 01/14/09
Posts: 11,657
Loc: Bumfuckt Egypt
Last seen: 5 months, 20 days
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Awesome, thanks 
Yeah, my carboy is bigger than 5 gallon, I just always say 5 because that's usually what I put in it.
Good looks on the other stuff, I'll definitely read into it.
Just out of curiosity, is it possible to ever cut recipes in half? Not that I don't want a lot of beer,I was just thinking it'd be sweet to have a huge variety of half batches going st once rather than a few full sized ones. Then when I find one I really like sticking with that and making a big one. Or two.
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Of course it's happening inside your head.
Why should that mean it isn't real?
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Harry_Ba11sach
cannoisseur
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 11,753
Loc: Nepal
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Re: Just Bottled [Re: RasJeph]
#639506 - 10/07/12 04:29 PM (11 years, 6 months ago) |
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It's as simple as dividing all the quantities in half (grains, hops and water mainly). Keep the mash time and boil time the same and it's super easy.
really though, I think once your friends hear you're brewing, you're going to be surprised how quickly 5 gallons disappears.
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Harry_Ba11sach
cannoisseur
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 11,753
Loc: Nepal
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Here's a pic of my new system before it's finished. Tonight I drilled and tapped the enclosures for my HERMS coil, installed the GFCI heating elements in the hot liquor tank and boil kettle and rotated my pump head to help with priming. What a productive evening 
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Hawksresurrection
Registered: 12/04/08
Posts: 13,464
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How big are those pots? And why didn't you just use kegs?
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Dude she isn't as young as she use to be.
-niteowl
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Harry_Ba11sach
cannoisseur
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 11,753
Loc: Nepal
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Because those pots are 25 gallons each. They don't make 25 gallon kegs. And also I think kegs look dumb on a brew sculpture
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Hawksresurrection
Registered: 12/04/08
Posts: 13,464
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Lol, I was figuring it was because you wanted bigger. I like the keg look myself, but, that's just like your opinion man.
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Dude she isn't as young as she use to be.
-niteowl
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Harry_Ba11sach
cannoisseur
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 11,753
Loc: Nepal
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NO IT'S A FACT 
Just kidding. I actually was going to go that keg route to save a little money, but this system was a step up from 5 gallon batches to ___ and I figured if I went to only 10 then in a year or two I'd just be spending the money all over again to go bigger one last time. This way hopefully I'll be satisfied on this system for years and not have to really do any upgrading anymore.
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RasJeph
Psycho Pete
Registered: 01/14/09
Posts: 11,657
Loc: Bumfuckt Egypt
Last seen: 5 months, 20 days
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My last check was all spent but next Thursday is the day.
We have a hydroponic / homebrew store. It's my favorite place.
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Of course it's happening inside your head.
Why should that mean it isn't real?
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