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Hello from Olympia, WA

1

12 Bar Brews

Fellow Brew Lovers!
I have yet to brew my first. I just downloaded the software, am about ready to order the rest of my equipment and then feed some yeast.
I lived in Germany many years, remember drinking beer in Gasthauses when I was 14 and am 48 now...about time I started this I think.
I look forward to learning here.
Any recommendations for a first batch? I like ales and porters and will most likely get a kit from AHS, thanks.
Cheers!
Mike ;D
 
Welcome to the Forum 12 Bar Brews!

Let us know if we can help

Cheers!

Preston
 
Others may turn their noses up at it :eek: but I started out with a canned hopped extract as my first beer.  AFter that I went straight to extract brewing using unhopped extract and finally into allgrain. Brewing can be a forboding process if you try to jump straight into all grain.  As for a style, it depend on what you like to drink.  my first was apilsner, but now I brew mostly ales with a few lagers.  Of course I also design most of my own as well.

Well come the group, hope we can help you out as you grow in brewing.

Steve
(Bremerton, WA)
 
My apologies, when I read the original post, I was in scan mode :p and missed the last part of your post.

Most of us start off using extract. There are two types of malt extract, Dry and liquid Malt. The liquid comes in a canned form and then there is the(For lack of a better word) bulk form. When I say Bulk form I mean that the Home Brew (HB) store will have 15 Gallon vats of Malt that they can pour from. Most Home Brew Shops have both types. When I was using extracts I used the Liquid form. I personally I felt I had better tasting beer when I moved away from the cans and started using the bulk malts. The Bulk malt extract seemed to be fresher than the Can's.

As far as the recipe goes, When you go to the HB store, tell them what kind of beer you like and I'm sure they will have a clone that is close to it.

Cheers

Preston
 
Thanks guys,
I think I will start easy and build up to all grain as to not discourage myself.
I've got the wife on board now, which is always good.  Thanks again!
Cheers!
Mike
 
Here it is, a few weeks later and I drank my first bottle of Nut Brown Ale and it tasted awesome. (I have the funny urge to hand out cigars.)  I used a partial extract kit. I can't wait to start my next one, a St Paul Porter.
Thanks again guys
Mike

 
Thanks for the Update. Glad to hear your first one was a success. Hint: It only gets better from here!
Cheers
Preston
 
Awesome!
Aint it fun. I'm on my 3rd batch. 2 extract kits, then all grain batch sparge.
I feel such 'ownership' in this beer. no shortcuts, all from scratch. Proud.
 
12 Bar Brews said:
(I have the funny urge to hand out cigars.)

Haha, my wife's due with our second kid on Monday... the cigar comment made me think that maybe I should brew up a barleywine this week and only drink it on his/her birthdays... but who am I kidding, I usually can't keep homebrew around for more than a couple months let alone multiple years.

Hmm, cigar stout, now there's an idea.  Smoke some grain in a smoker using decent cigar tobacco instead of (or in addition to) wood chips?  Sort of a homemade rauch malt using cigar smoke?  Some cigars have reminded me of savory herbs... maybe a little ordinary rauch malt in a stout recipe brewed with a pinch of oregano or thyme?  Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, eh?
 
12 Bar Brews said:
(I have the funny urge to hand out cigars.)
Hmm, cigar stout, now there's an idea.  Smoke some grain in a smoker using decent cigar tobacco instead of (or in addition to) wood chips?  Sort of a homemade rauch malt using cigar smoke?  Some cigars have reminded me of savory herbs... maybe a little ordinary rauch malt in a stout recipe brewed with a pinch of oregano or thyme?  Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, eh?[/quote]
Man what a Great Idea! I wish I had thought of that. Although I don't smoke cigars that often (Special Occasions only), my grandfather smoked a Pipe (Cades Cove Cavendish) all the time, and I always associate that smell with my grandfather. I may have to try this, maybe call it Pipe Stout (that could insinuate something, LOL), CCC Stout, Papa's stout, or 12BB Stout(to give credit where credit is Due) for that matter. I have a Munich Dunkel up next, but I think this has possibilities...
Cheers
Preston
 
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