Home brewers

[Golddiggie]

I just started brewing about a month ago... Already have two brews in bottles (an amber ale and a honey porter) and they came out really good... Better than what I was buying. I'm actually formulating a couple of recipe's now, trying to decide what to make next. Of course, I also have a brew in the primary carboy (started last Saturday) that won't be done for some time (it's a bigger brew)...

Right now, I'm leaning more towards the dark [side] brews... I'm thinking about making a pale ale (not an IPA) but haven't got the recipe figured out on that one just yet. I am using honey in my brews, and find it adds a lot to the product. I've even primed with honey (no corny's here yet) and really like what that brings to the character of the brew.

[Marko73]

Marko73, I just built a Bourbon Porter this past week end... . God, i love this hobby

That's awesome. I am planning on a Bourbon Porter this Winter.

[Golddiggie]

Since starting to home brew my head's been swimming with ideas of what to make next... I'm thinking of making a variant of a caramel cream ale, in stout form... I'm thinking some chocolate could go good with it, so a chocolate caramel cream stout... I'm going to bounce it off the guys at the LHBS to see what they think of the recipe...

[FensterBos]

I'm currently bottle conditioning a chocolate-coffee stout and a holiday ale that needs a testing. Currently my primary has an IPA fermenting. I can't say I have a favorite right now, but I think it is ales.

[Golddiggie]

Originally Posted by FensterBos

I'm currently bottle conditioning a chocolate-coffee stout and a holiday ale that needs a testing. Currently my primary has an IPA fermenting. I can't say I have a favorite right now, but I think it is ales.

Are you AG, PM or extract brewing? I'm still in the extract phase (have brew #3 in primary, looking to rack it to secondary this weekend and start a new brew)... I'm thinking that in a few more batches, I'll be ready to try some partial mash, and then make some all grain batches within a year or two (if it takes me that long)... I want to at least be able to use all three methods.

What specialty grains did you use in the chocolate-coffee stout? Any other flavor elements? Any other details would be helpful too. I'm going to assume that it came out as you wanted, since you've bottled it (or close enough to pass muster)...

I'd be interested in trying what you have in bottles. I have an amber ale as well as a honey porter bottle conditioning right now (coming to the end of week 2 in bottles)... I'm hoping to have better head on them once carbonation/conditioning is complete. I might have carbonated them too light though (was going for the lower end of the range on the porter, more middle of the range for the ale)... I used honey for priming, so it might take it a little longer to do it's thing. I did have the bottles in the kitchen (where it's ranging from the low to mid 60's right now)... I moved them into the living room, where it's typically in the upper 60's to low 70's most of the day (especially when I fire up my computer)...

Shoot me a PM if you want to communicate more freely (and faster) than posting on these boards...

[deepcdan]

I like the Porters and Stouts myself. Doing an AG Choc Porter in a few days.

[Golddiggie]

Planning on making a partial mash old ale tomorrow (if the starter does it's job properly over the next 12+ hours)... If not Sunday, then I'll be making it on Monday...

[FensterBos]

Originally Posted by Golddiggie

Are you AG, PM or extract brewing? I'm still in the extract phase (have brew #3 in primary, looking to rack it to secondary this weekend and start a new brew)... I'm thinking that in a few more batches, I'll be ready to try some partial mash, and then make some all grain batches within a year or two (if it takes me that long)... I want to at least be able to use all three methods.

I'm an extract brewer whom is starting to investigate all-grain methods. One of the main reasons why I haven't started all-grain by now is because I don't have the space or the equipment, but it is something I am going to looking into.
The grains I used for the chocolate-coffee stout are black patent, chocolate-wheat, and the coffee grain. The accuracy of the names might be a little off, but hopefully it gives you the right idea of what I've used. I've been drinking the stout a little bit, but it still needs some more conditioning time.
My Holiday Ale is finished, but I screwed up the bottle priming and the carbonation is spotty, at best.

[stevo155]

I am a homebrewer ( hmmm...sounds like a good title for a documentary ). I tend to gravitate towards stouts ( just kicked a keg of a stout that I brewed that was awesome ), but I do enjoy a kick you in the teeth IPA once in a while.

[Beer]

I prefer the Stouts and Porters my self.
I do have a Belgian Golden the I make with home grown hops and corriander, as well as local honey. 7 pounds for a 10 gallon batch.

I also have a Kolsch that is kind of a standard. Easy to brew and goes over well. Don't need to keep an eye on people like you do with the golden. BMC drinkers don't seem to grasp the concept of big beers until they are on the ground holding onto the grass for dear life so they don't fall off the Earth.