Fellow INGO Homebrewers!

[JettaKnight]

Fort Wayne Brew Club

For anyone in the area, the Fort Wayne homebrew club - MASH Fort Wayne, meets on the third Sunday of the month at 3:00 at the Trion Tavern in New Haven.

 

[JoshuaW]

I just bought one of these (Mash Tun Parts Kit 60 QT Igloo) mash tun/HLT kits so I can stop doing BIAB. I burned myself trying to pull a bigger (1.068 OG) 5 gallon batch when doing stovetop BIAB last time I brewed, and I vowed never again. I totally over spent on the kit, but I didnt want to spend three hours trying to find parts at Lowes. I think Im going to do it in a cube cooler, since from what I have read people have managed decent results with fly sparging in the cube, and it would still be an easy shape for batch sparging.

Im glad my electric range can bring 8 gallons to a boil, but I really wish I had a burner for outside. Maybe not so much durring the winter, but it is a general PITA to brew in my modestly sized kitchen.

 

[Sailor]

BIAB on a stove is tough I agree. I do 10 gallon batches but do it on a turkey fryer with multiple bags so they are not super heavy.

 

[Khazik]

I've just started out homebrewing. I did my first batch as just plain apple juice and wine yeast, came out to be a kinda dry apple wine. I cant measure the grav w/my hydrometer because I've got nothing to put it in to measure with, so I'm winging it for now. My first batch is still a good drink, quite pleased with it. Mixing some clove and cinnamon makes it pretty tasty.

I guess I"m doing experimental wine making, using Jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) as it's cheap from the local Indian food store at 11lbs for $6, and different ingredients. I've got about a 2 gal batch of pear/raisin in the secondary right now, and looking for ingredients for a 3rd batch. I'm thinking something with cranberries and maybe oranges?

I'm just out to make tasty alcoholic beverages, but something tells me my 2nd batch is gonna be potent...

 

[RyanGSams]

I got a home brew kit for Christmas. I have one batch of IPA conditioning in the bottles. Been there for 11 days now. Next on tap is an oatmeal stout which i should be getting the ingredients on Tuesday.

 

[JoshuaW]

I got a home brew kit for Christmas. I have one batch of IPA conditioning in the bottles. Been there for 11 days now. Next on tap is an oatmeal stout which i should be getting the ingredients on Tuesday.

What kind of hops did you use in your IPA?

I've just started out homebrewing. I did my first batch as just plain apple juice and wine yeast, came out to be a kinda dry apple wine. I cant measure the grav w/my hydrometer because I've got nothing to put it in to measure with, so I'm winging it for now. My first batch is still a good drink, quite pleased with it. Mixing some clove and cinnamon makes it pretty tasty.

I guess I"m doing experimental wine making, using Jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) as it's cheap from the local Indian food store at 11lbs for $6, and different ingredients. I've got about a 2 gal batch of pear/raisin in the secondary right now, and looking for ingredients for a 3rd batch. I'm thinking something with cranberries and maybe oranges?

I'm just out to make tasty alcoholic beverages, but something tells me my 2nd batch is gonna be potent...

Since you are doing wine making, look at mead making. Im going to be doing my first batch, but an acquaintance does a lot of mead, and it is DELICIOUS!


Here is my current planned brews for the next few weeks:
Super Secret IPA with Calypso hops
Super Secret IPA with Centennial Hops
All Centennial IPA (my take on Bell's 2 Hearted)
Centennial/Viena SMaSH
Galaxy/Viena SMaSH
Diablo Rojo Wine Kit
Semi Dry Mead Kit

 

[Noway Jose]

Are there any INGO homebrewers in the area of north Indy? I've been brewing for over a year now and have about 12 solid batches down. So far they've all been steeped grains and extracts. I'm looking to see what is involved with going all-grain or at least mini-mash. When Great Fermentations schedules another All-Grain class I'll sign up, but it would be really helpful to see it done in a more realistic setting.

 

[RyanGSams]

What kind of hops did you use in your ipa

I used centennial and cascade hops.

 

[jetmechG550]

Are there any INGO homebrewers in the area of north Indy? I've been brewing for over a year now and have about 12 solid batches down. So far they've all been steeped grains and extracts. I'm looking to see what is involved with going all-grain or at least mini-mash. When Great Fermentations schedules another All-Grain class I'll sign up, but it would be really helpful to see it done in a more realistic setting.

Go to GFI Friday Night clubs, I think they do it twice a month but don't remember. You're bound to meet someone. Lately they have been pretty good with updates on Failbook if you are on there.

 

[CindyE]

We have a Mr. Beer kit we bought on clearance and our first batch is ferementing now. It's Light Beer, so we probably won't like it much, but that's what came with it. We prefer IPAs and beers with at least some hoppiness to them. Some favorites: Sierra Nevada Torpedo, Celebration and Tumbler, some of the Sam Adams beers, especially IPAs, Fat Tire, and most of the others by New Belgium, occasional wheat beers like Shock Top and Blue Moon. I need to keep it simple at first, too many irons in the fire right now, but would like to get more sophisticated later, maybe even grow some hops. I don't know if I'm all that keen on the plastic bottles that came with it, or even the fermenter for that matter- i just always prefer anything out of a glass. But for $30 it seemed like a way to get started. I'll be following this thread.

 

[indybuell]

Getting ready to brew my beast of a double imperial black IPA this week.

 

[JoshuaW]

Im doing my Galaxy SMaSH this weekend, first brew with my new mash tun and HLT. Its going to be big, Im planning on 17lbs of Viena, and 6oz of Galaxy. If I get good efficiency, it should be mid to upper 8%, and even if I get bad efficiency, it should be mid 7%.

 

[Sailor]

Nice, been meaning to try some galaxy. I am doing a centenial smash next.

 

[Indy574]

Brewing my first batch of beer today, it's a English Plae Ale and came with the kit. The Double IPA I will be doing next is the one I look forward too. I hope all goes well throughout the entire process, but I am nervous like a wh@^e in church.

 

[JoshuaW]

Brewing my first batch of beer today, it's a English Plae Ale and came with the kit. The Double IPA I will be doing next is the one I look forward too. I hope all goes well throughout the entire process, but I am nervous like a wh@^e in church.

Extract Im assuming? As long as you keep everything clean and follow the instructions, it will be fine.

My Galaxy SMaSH went mostly well. I only got 62.5% efficiency, but Im chocking that up to my inexperience with my setup. It was also a larger grain bill, which usually negatively effects efficiency (I only had three gallons for sparge to meet my water targets)

I did have a messy boil over, but thankfully I caught it quickly and got it under control. Those Galaxy hops smelled fantastic. This should be very good!

 

[JettaKnight]

Brewing my first batch of beer today, it's a English Plae Ale and came with the kit. The Double IPA I will be doing next is the one I look forward too. I hope all goes well throughout the entire process, but I am nervous like a wh@^e in church.

As Charlie Papazian says, "Relax. Don't Worry. Have a home-brew."

Some advice on the IIPA - dry hop it a lot. I mean 6 - 10 ounces of hops for four days.

 

[JoshuaW]

As Charlie Papazian says, "Relax. Don't Worry. Have a home-brew."

Some advice on the IIPA - dry hop it a lot. I mean 6 - 10 ounces of hops for four days.

Personally I would do 4-6oz for 10 days. Better yet, do 6-10oz for ten days!

I always use 10 days, and dont have problems with "grassy" flavors, but I know there is a lot of different thoughts on this, so experiment and do what works best for you.

 

[JoshuaW]

My very understanding fiance just sent me a text saying that my Galaxy SMaSH blew the air lock. It hasnt overflowed, but one of the dogs bumped and the air lock blasted off.

Im not sure what it is with me and IPAs, but this happens EVERY single time. I normally only ferment 4.5 gallons in a 6 gallon carboy, and it still happens. Oh well, all is well that ends well.

 

[jetmechG550]

My very understanding fiance just sent me a text saying that my Galaxy SMaSH blew the air lock. It hasnt overflowed, but one of the dogs bumped and the air lock blasted off.

Im not sure what it is with me and IPAs, but this happens EVERY single time. I normally only ferment 4.5 gallons in a 6 gallon carboy, and it still happens. Oh well, all is well that ends well.

Not to sound like a ass but just asking the question, have you tried just doing a low off tube?

 

[JoshuaW]

Not to sound like a ass but just asking the question, have you tried just doing a low off tube?

Its such a hassle... Actually I didnt have tubes that fit my bungs. I do now, so I had no excuse to have it on an air lock. I rigged one together and swore to her that from now on, no matter how small the brew, I will use the blow off tube for the first couple days.

On the plus side, the dogs keep going near the spot where I keep the carboys and growing at them. It is pretty funny.