# Who are the brewers and what do you make?



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I love this idea for a sub-forum. 
Now the posts wont just be randomly placed everywhere else.


My DH and I have been brewing beer for 7 years.
We do all-grain mashing and bottle everything in pint bottles. (no kegging)

I also make wine and mead, but the DH has no part in that. 

At this point I have a pretty good stock of bottled stuff so we never have to drink anything too green. 

What do you make around your place?


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I've made beer and wine, but my passion is the more refined stuff.


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## Maverick_mg (Mar 11, 2010)

DH and I make wine and beer. DH's speciality is pumpkin beer. Everyone who comes over loves it and will ask if we have any more. Lol. We also make hard cider, as that's my favorite.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I've made some really great hard cider the last two years. The first time was by accident


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I have never made pumpkin beer, but I do really like a couple of the commercial ones.
Do you grow your own squash for that, or used canned stuff?


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## notbutanapron (Jun 30, 2011)

Hello thar! I make deliciousness alcoholics, but I can never remember how good they are the next day *hic*.

Cider here is just alcoholic otherwise we call it 'apple juice'. I make that because it's super easy/fun and I am good mates with an apple farmer who once thought it would be hee-larious to deliver a literal PALLETTE of apples to me. I tried to google what that actually is in Apple Delivery terms, but I don't really recommended googling anything with the word apple in it and expecting apples like I did. Whatever one of those giaaaant boxes with the six sides are that need a forklift. Thank goodness I have a forklift. I also scored a wooden weighted vintage cider press from some guy's old papi's farm for a hundred bucks. So, y'know... we may or may not have giant drunken cider parties.

At the moment, there's homebrew honey beer in the fridge. My brewery barrel has a brining pork leg in it though. 

I also have quite a few bottles of wine in the shipping container. Hilariously - I hate wine. Except for food, but what a waste of homemade wine. One year, I was being ultra clever and we have this weed called Lantenna, not poisonous or anything, just... kills everything in site. Horrible stuff. So I made wine from it. It was delicious. The only problem is it was green. Green wine is not appetizing.

One of my friends is ridiculous. She has about 40 homebrew barrels and two stills [for, um, water and scented oils] and she makes these gorgeous brews [of, uh, distilled water].. like... she makes rum flavoured distilled water, tequila distilled water, peach shnapps distilled water... yeah... >_> *shifty*

What's your recipe for pumpkin beer, that sounds exciting! It sounds DELICIOUS.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

notbutanapron,

My DH would flip his gourd if he even thought I was going to be brining pork anywhere near the brewery. LOL

I like to use honey as an adjunct in beer too. The complex sugars always create wonderful results.


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## Maverick_mg (Mar 11, 2010)

gone-a-milkin said:


> I have never made pumpkin beer, but I do really like a couple of the commercial ones.
> Do you grow your own squash for that, or used canned stuff?


Right now we are using canned pumpkin but we are going to try growing some heritage pumpkins and see if we get a different flavor. I know he also uses commercial pumpkin pie spices but I'm not sure on the ratio. I'll have to see if I can get him to tell me. It's a darker beer when all said and done.


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

DH and I have been brewing since 2000, when I picked up a complete homebrewing kit (carboy, bottling bucket, dozens of bottles, capper, hydrometer, racking cane, fermentation locks, etc, etc) at a garage sale for the awesome sum of $7.50!! At that time, the local homebrew store was selling the exact same thing for $150 

To be honest, dh is the brewmaster here, and I'm more of the gopher/assistant, although as his job demands more hours out of him the last several years leaving him with less time to brew, I may become the head brewer.

We don't usually bottle anymore, having switched to cornie kegs and CO2 about 9 years ago. Most of our batches are 10 gallons, boiled in a converted keg on the turkey fryer. We also have been doing all-grain brewing for about 8 years.

DH's favorite is IPA, although the last two batches have been a black ale. I prefer more malty and less hoppy; especially the nut browns.

We've also made strawberry wine and hard cider once each, but since I don't imbibe much and DH prefers beer and grape-based wines, haven't gotten much into fruit wine making.


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## Halfway (Nov 22, 2010)

I'm still pretty new to brewing, but very experienced in BEER. 

I prefer IPAs, especially American IPA's and doubles, but wifey is not a hop-head so my brewing falls along the porter/stout lines with an Irish red and even a brown ale thrown in. 

I am starting to find out the qualities of each finishing hop and may wade into the IPA kiddie pool very soon.

Brew on!!


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## gracie88 (May 29, 2007)

Beer here. We will be starting our first all-grain batch this week.


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## notbutanapron (Jun 30, 2011)

You can't tell me all about all-grain beer and pumpkin beer and not post recipes or photos! If you don't tell me a recipe, the beer keg gets it. :croc:


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

notbutanapron said:


> You can't tell me all about all-grain beer and pumpkin beer and not post recipes or photos! If you don't tell me a recipe, the beer keg gets it. :croc:


I'm not allowed to divulge recipes; at least that's what I've been told. :nono: The brewmaster looks at other recipes then tweaks to make his own. I will say we use lots of Cascade hops, as that is what we have growing best so far. Centennials are coming along, just not quite as prolific. Also, check out books like Clone Brews for ideas. . .


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## Guest (Dec 4, 2012)

Im very interested in buying a kit fir my Dh...have any suggestions? Thanks!


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

You can get a kit that is very minimum. I would suggest getting one that includes a mash tun. With that, you can start easy with extracts, but quickly move on up to mashing grains and hops. From there you can go where you wish.


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

It's nice to see this forum. I'll confess from the start that I do more tasting than brewing: hubby is the passionate brewer, but I do help. 

We do all-grain beers/ales, mostly IPAs (a clone of Three Floyd's Dreadnaught is DH's current favorite). Another regular is a Belgian-style triple. For a break from all the super IBU hoppy ales, we usually also have a more malty brown ale or stout. A chest freezer converted to a kegerator out on our sunporch stores three 5 gallon kegs at a time.

We also make hard cider, which gets bottled rather than kegged. In the summer, we usually make a batch or two of ginger beer.

Another summer brew is tepache, a refreshing and only slightly alcoholic Mexican homebrew made with pineapple peel & cores, dark sugar, cinnamon and cloves. I make this, since DH thinks it's too fruity.

Last year was our first time brewing with homegrown hops. I planted several varieties, but Centennial was the only kind to survive this past summer's high temps and 3 months of drought.


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## "simon says" (Jun 6, 2009)

allgrain beer, just basic beer, malted barely hops water and yeast, and every once in awhile honey or mollasses.. been doning it awhile, got a good system to make 11 gallon batches,,


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## Halfway (Nov 22, 2010)

mythreesons said:


> Im very interested in buying a kit fir my Dh...have any suggestions? Thanks!


northernbrewers have been good to work with and competitively priced.


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## gimpy (Sep 18, 2007)

notbutanapron said:


> My brewery barrel has a brining pork leg in it though.
> .


If it's glass or stainless steel I can deal, otherwise you're a heathen



gone-a-milkin said:


> notbutanapron,
> 
> I like to use honey as an adjunct in beer too. The complex sugars always create wonderful results.


Honey doesn't have complex sugars. It only has simple sugars which is better for the yeast anyway. What it does have, assuming it's raw is protein which also helps the yeast and provides a mouthfeel of a little substance


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

One of the better brew books mentioned chicken beer, but they didn't give the recipe lol!


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## hippygirl (Apr 3, 2010)

I don't drink the stuff, but I'm the brewer (go figure)...all-grain, ales and stouts.

Haven't made a batch in a couple of years...might get back to it next year.


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## Tim_H (Jul 20, 2007)

I started out making wine that was more suited for killing fire ants than for drinking. Been all grain brewer for about 20 or so years now. -- Tim


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I make beer, wine and meads with the meads being my favorite.


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## Hollowdweller (Jul 13, 2011)

wy_white_wolf said:


> I make beer, wine and meads with the meads being my favorite.


Same here. Raspberry mead!


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## TamiJoyFarm (Oct 18, 2012)

Here are pictures of my DH's brewing equipment: brewing stand is made from welded bed frames, the boil kettles are old kegs, and the stir plate was made from a computer fan. He enjoys porters, stouts, barley wine (winter) and American Pale Ales and wheat beers for the summer. He recently joined HT but doesn't yet have attachment privledges so I'm posting these pix for him.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Nice setup.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

An Agava mead and some tomato wine I have going. I'll be bottling the agava this weekend.


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## RockyRoad (Dec 5, 2012)

vicker said:


> Nice setup.


Thanks, I'm the DH. I get almost as much fun out of making my equipment as i do drinking the result ......... almost.


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## Tony (Jun 10, 2011)

Been making small batches of peach wine for the past couple of years. Just bottled a couple gallons from last year and racked a more current 3 gallon carboy. 
Also experimented with Welches concentrates.
Never tried beer or mead. Its on my list.
Tony...


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## copperhead46 (Jan 25, 2008)

I make wine and some "sprits" my son is the beer maker. It's a fun hobby and we really enjoy what we make, instead of buying commercial stuff.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I'm a newbie! Starting my first batch of wine today.


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## Mickey328 (Oct 31, 2012)

Nobody here drinks beer much...yeah, I know...barbarians! DH likes one once in a while but frankly, I can't stand the stuff. I tried wine for the first time this year and had a couple turn out pretty good although they still need to age and smooth out. Then I discovered...mead! It's so much easier than wine and is so flavorful. I have a gallon each of show and orange and 5 gallons of black raspberry...it's still a tad raw but is going to be the nectar of the gods! That will be bottled in the next couple of weeks. Next up: chocolate cherry!


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## trimpy (Mar 30, 2011)

All grain brewer here. Kolsch is my fav style, but I am also very partial to saisons, ipas, and porters as well. I also make a fair amount of mead, primarily melomels, ciders, and even made perry once (fantastic btw).

Wine is on the list as soon as my grapes start producing. Can't wait!


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Not a brewer but only because it's just one of the many things I had to say no to. But if I was, I would explore the dark side--like a Guinniss. I order a stout regularly at the local brew house.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Bret said:


> Not a brewer but only because it's just one of the many things I had to say no to. But if I was, I would explore the dark side--like a Guinniss. I order a stout regularly at the local brew house.


 I will kill no brew thread before its time.


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## champ7ac (Sep 7, 2010)

A great addition to an already super website!! 

I have been making wine for about 8 years, after a failed attempt of making beer. More like beer bottle bombs going off in my basement!

I enjoy making different grape wines, mostly from chilean juices that are purchased in the spring. 
My most requested wine is a state fair winner........ lime wine. 
Sometimes difficult to make, but well worth the hassles.

I encourage everyone to check out skeeterpee.com
A very simple wine that is made quickly, and offers many types of variations.
I presently have 6 gallons of "peach pee" waiting to be bottled. 

Looking forward to seeing and sharing some good wine recipes with everyone.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

My shop smells "wonderful" with a batch of Welches Grape juice brewing.


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## liteluvr (Dec 12, 2012)

I brew beer, but only kit beers so far. Same with wine.
To date, I've got 4 batches of beer and 5 batches of wine under my belt.
One batch of Irish Stout was downright skunky.... don't know what happened with that one.
Looking to find the time to do a batch of hard cider. I found an article in a brewer's forum that shows how to make hard sweet sparkling cider using pasteurization, so I'm pondering that one.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

I began brewing beer in December '08. I brew from extract with grains kits and some of my own recipes. I use BeerTools Pro for calculating recipes.

I also make still and sparkling hard cider (30 gallons made 2 years ago), herbal and flower wines in 5 gallon batches (dandelion, coffee, pumpkin, celery, concord grape, rhubarb, pear banana, etc.), 5 gals of dandelion mead, sake from rice, and various fruit flavored cordials when the fruit is in season. I also made 5 gallons of plum-cider champagne.

I think my son is building me a reflux still. That would be so cool...

I have a lot of patience for things to age. My wine recipes came from Jack Keller's winemaking website. They all came out real good.

Now I am making vinegars from my wines. really cool, and easy to do.


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## TGUT (Dec 17, 2009)

Great forum so far. We've been fortunate enough to live on a winery and in Italy for a few years, which got us hooked on wine and wine making... though I'd like to do cider and beer eventually as well. I've enjoyed reading about everyone's experiences! I've got a 5 gal carboy of our latest backyard Concord/Flame grapes fermenting as we speak.


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

I live in berry heaven and always have 5-20 gallons fementing. For beer I too am delegated to the packaged kits which I don't do often 'cause the wine's basically free. I do, however, have buckets of grains in my food storage which I'd love to turn into beer if I knew how. Anybody here know how to make beer from whole grains?


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## Tubby (Dec 14, 2012)

I just brew beer. Mostly "session" beers. There's only one or two beers that I brew that are 5% ABV or higher. I keg my beer and only bottle for experimental small batches or to give out as gifts. Did about 2 years of extract 'brews' and now doing all grain. Favorite styles are English brown porter, porter, dunkelweizen, brown ale, wit, kolsch, Scottish 60, and I really like a pale ale; both British and American styles, but not the west coast pale ale. I'm not into hop bitterness that's out of balance. I've got enough bitterness in my marriage, I don't need any more in my beer.  It's easy to turn the dials all the way up to 11, but a great art in brewing is striking the right balance. 

Grape wine or mead isn't on my radar at all. I have no interest in making them myself, though my wife is hinting she might be open to a mead, since she isn't a beer person.


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## beaglady (Oct 7, 2002)

I'd love to get into grain brewing if I had more time. I did make a stout from a kit a few years ago. 

I absolutely detest washing bottles, so any beer I make will go into kegs. 

A couple years ago, I got into a mead making frenzy, but it's all sitting in the basement in carboys cause of procrastination on bottle washing.


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## BrianK (Aug 29, 2007)

I brew a bit of everything - all-grain beer, wine and mead, cordials and liqueurs, vinegars, cider and fruit syrups. I even make the occasional fortified drink like lemonade with brandy. B)


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Noob here with nooby question:

Is the process for brewing beer/wine the same as brewing ethinol for extracts?


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## Tubby (Dec 14, 2012)

For beer, you basically soak malted grains in hot water which converts the starch to sugar, then rinse the sugar from the grains and that's your extract, called wort. To finish it as beer, boil hops, then cool and pitch yeast to ferment. For wine I think it's a bit different as you aren't converting anything, you start with sugars.


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

Tubby said:


> For beer, you basically soak malted grains in hot water which converts the starch to sugar, then rinse the sugar from the grains and that's your extract, called wort. To finish it as beer, boil hops, then cool and pitch yeast to ferment. For wine I think it's a bit different as you aren't converting anything, you start with sugars.


It's the malted grains part that confuses me. I've seen detailed receipes but they always call for malted grains but I can never find what that means. What are malted grains? I have barrels of organic barley & wheat, can I make beer from those grains?


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

Malted grains have been sprouted and then dried. The sprouting converts starch to sugar and produces an enzyme that can convert even more starch to sugar, which is why only a part of the grain needs to be malted. Malting is necessary because sugar ferments but starch doesn't. You can use your grains if you sprout them first. I'm not sure if it's actually necessary to dry them if you're going to use them right away.


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## Tubby (Dec 14, 2012)

Grains you buy in a homebrew shop are malted. Basically the virgin grain is allowed to germinate, then stopped by beng kilned. Mashing is the continuation of the malting process in reality. Malting is creating the enzymes to convert starch to sugar and mashing is the actual conversion of starch to sugar. 

If the grains aren't malted, you will have to malt them. It's best left to people that now how to do it properly. There are websites out there on how to malt your own grain, but that's something I don't bother with as a homebrewer.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

What do you mean, i.e. "pitch yeast to ferment"? (I'm new at the terminology here.)


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2012)

Hey Jodie. I make beer with liquid malt extract. Cheap, or, you can pay for it with swagbucks, so it's free. I'm probably going to start a batch tomorrow, so, if you're on your usual trip to Danville around the first of the month, I'll arrange to meet you somewhere, give you and David 6 bottles, and a 2 liter bottle of homemade wine. If you like any of it, I'll show you everything I know. 

"pitching yeast" just means you pitch it on top of the mix. I like stirring it up a little. It's just a phrase.


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## Bob Huntress (Dec 17, 2012)

I am beginning to work on a fuel grade alcohol. I'm still in the early stages, however


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Wine, ale, hard cider, mead (honey wine) and gruit (ale with herbs other than hops for bittering).

The difference between ale and lager (which most call beer) is 3 things.
1) Top fermented (ale) vs bottom fermeting(lager) yeast
2) Temperature at which the fermentation occurs (top for ales is in the 60-70 degree range while bottom fermented in in the 35-45 degree range)
3) Chemical composition (hardness) of the water. Good lager water is soft. Good ale water is hard. When I started brewing, my well water was almost identical to Burton-on-Trent, where they brew my favorite commercial brew *Bass Ale*.


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## Tubby (Dec 14, 2012)

motdaugrnds said:


> What do you mean, i.e. "pitch yeast to ferment"? (I'm new at the terminology here.)


Add the yeast, ie pitch it, like pitching a baseball is to deliver it. Pitching yeast means to add yeast to the fermentor to begin fermentation (yeast eats sugar and produces alcohol and CO2).


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## Tubby (Dec 14, 2012)

Riverdale said:


> 2) Temperature at which the fermentation occurs (top for ales is in the 60-70 degree range while bottom fermented in in the 35-45 degree range)
> .


Ales can ferment higher like with Belgians and saisons. I prefer to ferment lagers at 50F and ales at 60-62F. Belgians and saisons I'll pitch at 60-65F and let them freerise. I only brew lagers in the cold season and ales in the warm season, but I'm kind of traditionalist in a sense.


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

I knew I had seen this thread. Hubby makes homebrew off and on. His mom and sister make wines. I was actually on line trying to find some yeast to order. He has everything else but we want some new yeast.

I don't drink beer but some how I get sucked into beer making. 

He prefers darker beers. I think we are going to do a porter here this weekend if I get some yeast.

I will say that when he started making homebrew is when I got my stove and sink hooked up in the basement! Amazing how that happened. We have a couple of fermentation buckets because we now use one for making kraut and have two more for beer. We have a glass carbouy but I haven't found a stopper the correct size for putting the airlock in it.


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## gypsygoatgirl66 (Sep 19, 2012)

Does anyone make a still?I've met some cool people that did that in the past.I'm curious as to if it's legal or this is "hooch"/"moonshine".I live in Illinois.I imagine it's not legal here.Anything good isn't!


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## cider (Nov 13, 2004)

We make beer and wine. 
DH is not much of a recipe follower, mostly makes it up as he goes along.
So his concoctions are a surprise every time!


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## Tubby (Dec 14, 2012)

gypsygoatgirl66 said:


> Does anyone make a still?I've met some cool people that did that in the past.I'm curious as to if it's legal or this is "hooch"/"moonshine".I live in Illinois.I imagine it's not legal here.Anything good isn't!


It's legal to have a still. It only becomes illegal when you pass alcohol through it. You can have a still and distill vinegar, water, etc, but not alcohol. You must register liquor stills through the ATF and become a licensed distillery. The bond for taxes is $200,000 I believe.


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## Maverick_mg (Mar 11, 2010)

A while back now they opened up some distillers licenses for Michigan as a way of boosting the economy. You had to take a class but I think the license was affordable. I'll see if I can find some more info


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

It is illegal to own a distilling apparatus, other than a very small one for distilling essences. No larger than one gallon. 
This, for example, is not permitted.


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## Tubby (Dec 14, 2012)

Yes they are limited to one gallon, but they are still legal as long as you don't pass alcohol through it.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

There are various places where you can buy a still, but the sellers are required by law to give ATF your info. .


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## Tubby (Dec 14, 2012)

vicker said:


> There are various places where you can buy a still, but the sellers are required by law to give ATF your info. .


Given by request of the ATF, it's not automatic. The ATF has to ask for it. It's isn't upon the sale of, it's upon request of the ATF to provide the list of still purchasers. Big difference.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

There is some push to legalize personal distillation for personal use. There are quite a few people doing it on a small scale, and you can find supplies at most brew stores. A few Countries have legalized it, but I don't see that happening here in the USA. As long as you don't sell the product or give a lot away, you should be OK, but there is always the possibility that you could be charged. Too bad, as I view it as a folk art and a fine art. I don't expect it to die out, though. : D


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

Maverick_mg said:


> A while back now they opened up some distillers licenses for Michigan as a way of boosting the economy. You had to take a class but I think the license was affordable. I'll see if I can find some more info


I looked into that and even took a class on distilling at MSU. You need a state license and a federal license. The federal license is actually easier to get than the Michigan license. The Michigan license is only $100/year, but all the requirements to qualify for the license can be burdensome...maybe worth it for people who really want to make it a business. I decided it wasn't worth it, but I've made friends with a couple micro-distillers. They're doing very well so far.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dleg/Small_Distiller-requirements_247345_7.pdf


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

It's really more hoops than money. The still has to be in a separate structure, not a resident, they have to approve everything, there has to be precise measuring of the product for taxing.... The list goes on and on.


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## paul98604 (Jun 16, 2012)

Just to add to the thread. I make cider and fruit wines. Cider has always been my passion though. I still have a bottle from my first batch from ten years ago....not sure when I'll drink it. Have about a hundred gallons of cider fermenting now from the fruit in the old orchard on our property. Plan on adding about two acres of apple trees in the next couple of years. Love all things apple!


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## winemaker (Mar 25, 2010)

As my username suggests, I dabble in wine making. I make 11 varieties of wine from my vines. I have 240 vines on our little farm, they are my babies. I have been making wine for about 15 years now. This past fall I won my 100th first place ribbon. I love making it and experimenting with different techniques. I also make cured pork products to compliment my wines, prosciutto hams, coppa seccas, and sopressatas.


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## Old John (May 27, 2004)

I like to make beer, mostly Brown Ale and a bit of Sweet Mead
I use to belong to a group that would meet out here at the house. And they loved Home-brew. So I was making quite a bit. The most I made was 13, five gallon batches in a year, along with 5 five, gallon batches of Mead.

Here is a Simple Beer recipe. I make no claims or Guarantees. I accept no responsibilities for the use of this recipe.

Simple Beer recipe 
6 or 7 #'s of Plain Amber DME
1# of 60L Crystal Malt
1/2# of Chocolate Malt 
1 Ounce of Black Patent Malt.
1 1/2 Oz. of nearly any Hop pellets(I like Northern Brewer, Chinook. Cascade, Willamette, or Hallertau.) Each makes a distinctive Brew.
I tsp. or 2 tsp. gypsum(if you have Soft water
1 tsp. Irish Moss.
Crush the Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt and Black Pat. Malt. Add to 2 gal. (6 or 8 qts.)
cold water in 4 gal. Boiling pot. Bring to Boil.(158 degrees)Simmer 10 mins. Strain out bulk of Grain. Bring back to Boil. Add Amber DME, and 1 0z of Hop pellets. Bring back to Boil.
Boil 45 to 60 minutes to gain enough Hop Bitterness. Add Irish moss to last 15 mins. of Boil. Add 1/2 oz. of Hop Pellets(For Aroma) and shut off.
Let sit 10 to 15 minutes. Then Strain through double strainer into carboy with 2 gallons Cold Water. Top off with Hot Boiled Water. Put in Plug and let sit until cool enough for yeast, Less than 95 degrees.(Barely warm to touch..It will take several hours). 
Add one large pkg. of good beer or Ale Yeast 10+ ounces)(Or 2 pkgs. Kit yeast)

Add Blow-off Tube set up with end of tubing in a half bucket of cold water. It should be working i.e. blowing bubbles in about 15 to 30 minutes. It will take 48 to 72 hrs. to be finished. Let sit a week and Bottle using 1 cup of Sugar boiled in I pint of water.
There you are...........Easy Recipe.
I make no claims or Guarantees.........You should first read a couple good Home brewing Books before you try Brewing at Home.


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## Nyxchik (Aug 14, 2012)

Today we bottled our last batch of 2012 mead... 2 gallons of strawberry, 1 gal cherry, 1 gal ginger/peach, 1 gal lavender, 1 gal "bliss"- passionflower/damiana. We just started doing the herb-infused meads last year- meadowsweet, wormwood and lemonbalm are others we've made. We also make elderberry and other fruit ones. Our meads are on the sweeter side. 
We bottle most of them in 12 oz Sam Adams bottles, although we do a few in wine bottles. 
Am enjoying reading what everyone else is making... hmm, I think I'm a bit thirsty  
~nyx


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## s1helipilot (Aug 4, 2013)

I just bottled my 3rd batch of Canadian Blonde from a syrup mix, pretty good, came out a little dry (DW says it is more like Champagne than beer, but she loves it !). Looking forward to using grains next...


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## Jade1096 (Jan 2, 2008)

I just started my first batch of wine yesterday.
6 gallons of prickly pear wine.
I can't wait to taste it.


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## Bast (Nov 2, 2008)

Mead and Mel o Mel's, but I don't drink so I am always looking for victims to get drunk. 
(giggles)


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## Halfway (Nov 22, 2010)

Just finished a heavily dry-hopped IPA and a big Scottish ale. Love the sound of bubbling fermentors!

The Belgian Hefe is nearly done bottle conditioning. Yum.


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## omahacheeks (Oct 4, 2011)

I've been practicing winemaking for about two years. I've made hard cider, explosive strawberry, aronia berry (very light but drinkable), pear (disgusting), and am currently makin raspberry. My favorite is by far Nebraska-grown grape wine.
I am practice a simple wine making process. Fruit, water, sugar, and have ome to prefer using plain ol' bread yeast.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Bast said:


> Mead and Mel o Mel's, but I don't drink so I am always looking for victims to get drunk.
> (giggles)


How does one volunteer to be a victim?

Just kegged a kit IPA and an all-grain agave pale ale. Also started a Chilean Cab Sav from a kit.

WWW


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## That'll Do Pig (Jan 23, 2014)

Last year I made:
3 gallons strawberry wine
15 gallons hard apple cider
~40 gallons muscadine wine including whites, reds and blushes
3 gallons of peach wine


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## SevenFields (Jan 5, 2014)

I brew about 15 gallons of beer a month. This month I have brewed an Imperial Pumpkin Ale with Dark Rum, a Nut Brown Ale with honey bourbon, and an IPA.


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## Xplorer (Sep 23, 2010)

You sure drink alot there SevenFields-lol. I have just finished my 2nd batch of beer & have mead fermenting right now. Can't wait. Have a friend who owns a winery, so just gonna drink his & not mess with that.


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## JamieCatheryn (Feb 9, 2013)

I make mead and I've done a stout once. I'd like to try cider and wines too. I do 3 gallon batches a bout 2-3 times a year, been at it about 8 years now. I, like Bast, don't drink, I make the drinks and my husband and his friends drink it. Most of the time pretty lightly. I'll taste meads, I can take up to 1/4 serving of alcohol before I get dizzy, which I don't like. Don't like bitter tastes though so no beer at all for me.


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## gweny (Feb 10, 2014)

I make mostly mead and cider (or cyser). I tried a blackberry wine last year that turned out good but I think I will use more berries next time. I planted some plums last year and have plans to start making plum wine. It will be a few years, but if there's one thing I've learned from making wine it's patience!


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## Jade1096 (Jan 2, 2008)

On 09/24/13, I posted that I had just started my first batch of wine.
It was a 6 gallon batch made from prickly pear fruit. It's quite good so far and I've added some oak cubes to it. I plan on bottling it at the end of March and opening a bottle on 09/24/14.

I've also made 6 gallons of Strawberry Dragon's Blood. All gone.

6 gallons of Dragon's Blood with clove/vanilla bean added for Christmas. All gone.

6 gallon kit wine "Mezza Luna White" that I tweaked by adding raisins, elderberries, and tannin in secondary. It's almost gone. It was fantastic.


Right now I am bulk ageing:
6 gal strawberry/cranberry Dragon's Blood
6 gallons strawberry/wild berry Dragon's Blood
3 gallons welches grape/elderberry/sweet woodruff wine
6 assorted 1 gallon batches of experimental wines.

Yesterday I moved my first mead into secondary and I'm really excited about tasting it.
I also started a wine to drink next Valentine's Day with cherries and rosewater.

I'm trying to convince Manthing to start making beer, but he wants to try his hand at..the stronger stuff.


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## Stanimals2 (Oct 26, 2013)

Doin an oat meal stout this weekend


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## skootchingdog (Jun 30, 2013)

Lots of wine from raw fruit. Strawberry, blueberry, peach, apple, pear, orange, pineapple, plum, mango, just to name a few. Right now, it's mostly the citrus stuff, but will be kicking off a cranberry in the next two weeks or so.


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## WestFork (Dec 20, 2012)

Love to make beer, but haven't had time lately. I make all-grain pale ale. My favorite hop is centennial & we planted a couple in the back yard. They are small, but we should get enough hops this year for a couple batches of beer. Last year we got only a couple. Can't wait to make some beer with our own hops.

I also like to make semi sweet hard cider. We add some sugar to our cider batches and cold crash before it goes completely dry. We bottle the stuff and let sit for a week. Then we pasteurize the filled bottles in boiling water to stop the carbonation. The finished product is nice and clear, 6% abv and tastes like apples!


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## BobDFL (Jul 7, 2006)

I just started about a year ago, and have since made the following beers: 2 batches of Honey Nut Brown Ale, Continental Pilsner, Pumpkin Ale, and I'm currently working on drinking up a batch of Porter (all were 6 gallon batches). I've also made a Pomegranate Zinfindel, Green Apple Reisling, and a Black Raspberry Merlot for wines (all 6 gallon batches from kits), as well as a batch of Hard Sparkling Cider (from 5 gallons of Apple Juice) and a 6 gallon batch of straight Mead (just 15lbs of Brazilian Pepper Honey, water, and yeast) which I still need to bottle. 

I've got an Oregon Pinot Noir kit on order and, as soon as I have enough bottles, I want to make a Canadian Blonde Ale.


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## Stanimals2 (Oct 26, 2013)

Just bottled a chocolate stout and have an american creme ale in the fermenter right now, probably transfer it to the car boy tomorrow


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## TXWildcat (Mar 26, 2014)

i have made a few batches of hard apple cider. a batch of muscadine wine and will start a batch of mead in the next week. i like sweet wines so mead sounds right up my alley. gonna start with Joe's Ancient Orange Mead.


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## Andrewhill (Jul 2, 2013)

As far as one gallon stills:

Distillation of ethanol is a long term plan for me. It's perfectly legal to have huge moonshine looking stills if it's for fuel. They must be registered though.

Spirits may be produced for non-beverage purposes for fuel use only without payment of tax, but you also must file an application, receive TTB's approval, and follow requirements, such as construction, use, records and reports.

Never accept the short answer because laws are always longer than a few words.

Back on topic any suggestions for wine grapes in Michigan?


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## That'll Do Pig (Jan 23, 2014)

Andrewhill said:


> As far as one gallon stills:
> 
> Distillation of ethanol is a long term plan for me. It's perfectly legal to have huge moonshine looking stills if it's for fuel. They must be registered though.
> 
> ...


http://www.michiganwines.com/wine-grape-varieties


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## MikePote (Feb 24, 2014)

I am an obsessive home brewer. I mostly make relatively simple ales, clone beers, and hard ciders. I brew about two or three times a month and make a cider once or twice a month. I brew all grain via brew in a bag.


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## ProHuman (Apr 30, 2014)

I like to make mead, with fruit.








This is what I got brewing now.


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## Nyxchik (Aug 14, 2012)

Hey ProHuman- just curious... what's the brown sugar for? When do you add it? What's the resulting taste? Thx ~nyx


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## ProHuman (Apr 30, 2014)

Nyxchik said:


> Hey ProHuman- just curious... what's the brown sugar for? When do you add it? What's the resulting taste? Thx ~nyx


I add a bit of it after my first rack, it makes the mead a bit sweeter, after the yeast breaks down most of the sugars in the honey.


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## MrManifesto (Sep 23, 2011)

I do stouts, pales, saisons, ipa's, a bit of everything. I'm a certified beer server and was 2% away from getting my cicerone certificate.


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## woodsy (Oct 13, 2008)

New brewer here, got the 1st batch of red ale going 3 days ago . Fermentation seems to be done already. Hoping for good tasting beer made at home
Want to makes some mead with our raw honey and blueberries too.


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## Keithk2 (Oct 28, 2010)

I've been brewing American style pale ales and making hard cider for about two years now. I plan on branching out into growing my own grain and hops as well as trying my hand at grape wine this fall.


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## cjaynes11 (Jun 18, 2014)

Is that a power supply stir plate? somebody read the Zymurgy issue about being creative! LOL!


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## cjaynes11 (Jun 18, 2014)

I sometimes get side tracked, but saw this and figured this is something I have experience with. 
I have been brewing since 2000, but haven't been in the last 2 due to work and living in an apt. 
I have made everything from lagers with ale yeast, to DIPA's. I was a member of a brew club, that now has spawned 2 brewers to go full time as a business. 
I have been wanting to start making wine and meads, but space and time has me at the moment. 
I believe that if your starting out, or out of practice that you may want to do the Brew In A Bag (B.I.A.B) or even extract. This way sanitation and not messing it up will not be such a factor! I have even thought about doing an extract brew so I can refamiliarize myself with homebrewing. I have 2 kegs converted for my setup, and use just one burner. Yet, I want to do more ciders since my wife isn't a real beer drinker. 
Just too bad I can't grow my own hops here in AZ!


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## jeroen (Jul 27, 2014)

I bought a kit 2 months ago, and so far have made w batches of Belgian Ale, a batch of sparkling hard cider, and I've got a batch of IPA in a secondary fermenter waiting to be bottled.


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## achicade (Oct 12, 2014)

Never have done it before, want to brew my own and see how it turns out.... have a neighbor who also brews his own beer and has for the past three or four years.... hopefully he can give me tips too. Good to have found this thread though, I may need ya'll! :thumb:


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## Buckeye_brian (Jan 14, 2014)

Just got into home brewing this year. Extract beer kits for now. I have made about 40-gallons so far:

10-gallons of brown ale
5-gallons of triple IPA "Pliney the Elder" clone
5-gallons of basic IPA
10-gallons of Imperial stout (OH SO AWESOME)
5-gallons of Hefeweizen (awesome)
5-gallons of Christmas ale (blew up in my closet)

I am enjoying it immensely trying different styles and types of beer...but have packed on a few extra pounds around the mid section. REAL BEER has a couple more calories in it than the watered down national brands...


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## krackin (Nov 2, 2014)

I brew ales from cream ale to IPA. Mostly all grain.


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## Paul O (Sep 13, 2004)

I've been brewing off-and-on for decades. Now that Winter is coming and the animals are gone (I just raise mostly feeder pigs) I'm getting back into it. I like the feeling this time of year when I've got my freezer, root cellar, wood yard and beer cellar all full.


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## Guest (Mar 31, 2015)

Berry wines of which my favorite is Elderberry. Many cases of Blackberry are stored in our pantry.

Have also made some dark ale.


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## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

I've made wine for years - but just now have the time to be tweaking the process to improve the quality. Good wine yeast, multiple rackings, experimenting with sugar concentrations to get desired alcohol/dryness qualities.

So far, so good.


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## thistle (Jan 29, 2006)

I have to say that elderberry is probably my favorite, but then a nice elderflower champagne is pretty awesome too. We also make blackberry, mulberry and pear. Sometimes we'll do strawberries for I have enough leftover. We also do hard ciders, beer and mead.


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