# I'm taking the plunge into home brewing **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 8, 2006, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536 "2006-03-08T14:07:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/21 "2006-03-09T02:31:26Z")
On chilling wort: I have a dual kitchen sink… the big one overflows into the second one. What I do is stopper the big sink, and put the brew pot in there with my 25’ wort chiller. The water from from the chiller is run into the little sink until it’s no longer hot, then into the big sink to overflow into the little one. With the temp of my tap water, this process still takes a good 45 minutes to get my wort down to pitching temp. Before doing the chiller/bath combo thing it would take well over an hour. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/22 "2006-03-09T13:11:05Z")
You guys are getting ahead of yourselves, I’m guessing that GWV will be starting out doing partial boils on the stovetop and adding 2 gallons of wort to 3 gallons of cold water, so cooling isn’t a big factor when you are just starting out. I will say that moving to partial mashes and full wort boils makes an incredible increase in the quality of your beer, but few brewers start out that way. So do we have you completely befuddled yet Dillon? ---
**Author:** ![GWVet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@GWVet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GWVet)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/23 "2006-03-09T14:19:58Z")
> [@August West](#): > > You guys are getting ahead of yourselves, I’m guessing that GWV will be starting out doing partial boils on the stovetop and adding 2 gallons of wort to 3 gallons of cold water, so cooling isn’t a big factor when you are just starting out. > > I will say that moving to partial mashes and full wort boils makes an incredible increase in the quality of your beer, but few brewers start out that way. > > So do we have you completely befuddled yet Dillon? Nope - and you are correct, I was planning on using the partial boil method to start out. I’m not sure about sterilizing the cold water though. I could boil my cold water and then chill it and put it in the fermenter, but what about using bottled water? If I refrigerate a couple gallon jugs of Poland Spring is it sterile enough that I can put it into the fermenter right from the bottle? Do you guys use bottled water or local? I have a well and our water quality is actually quite good (we live in the watershed for most of NJ). Is mineral content a concern? pH? Befuddled, no, but for every new thing I learn I come up with more questions. I guess like most Dopers, I’m an information addict 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GWVet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@GWVet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GWVet)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/24 "2006-03-09T14:23:30Z")
Oh, and my equipment shipped yesterday - I should have it next week! ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/25 "2006-03-09T14:43:22Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Well, I’ve always hated wort chillers, and have always followed the method I outlined above. At last count, brews produced that way have garnered 250+ ribbons in sanctioned competion, in 13 states. I’d call that pretty damn good at least! 😃 Imagine how good they would be if cooled rapidly… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/26 "2006-03-09T14:49:51Z")
> [@GWVet](#): > > Nope - and you are correct, I was planning on using the partial boil method to start out. I’m not sure about sterilizing the cold water though. I could boil my cold water and then chill it and put it in the fermenter, but what about using bottled water? If I refrigerate a couple gallon jugs of Poland Spring is it sterile enough that I can put it into the fermenter right from the bottle? Do you guys use bottled water or local? I have a well and our water quality is actually quite good (we live in the watershed for most of NJ). Is mineral content a concern? pH? Using bottled water will be fine, I’ve never heard of any problems with it. pH becomes more of a concern when you are doing full mashes, I wouldn’t worry about water chemistry too much at this point. Keep things simple here at the beginning. Read the first couple of sections of John Palmer’s [How to brew](http://www.Howtobrew.com) , I forgot to link to that yesterday, it’s a great resource too. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/27 "2006-03-09T15:02:24Z")
Now I hate you all. Our sadly currently unused brewing equipment is sitting in a corner of our living room, waiting and hoping to be filled with delicious brew, but we’re moving too soon to start another batch. Sigh. Know any good homebrew stores in the Portland Oregon area? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/28 "2006-03-09T15:10:35Z")
> [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](#): > > Imagine how good they would be if cooled rapidly… 😛 That’s it! My honor has been impugned. Shall we say bottle brushes at 15 paces? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/29 "2006-03-09T15:59:36Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > That’s it! My honor has been impugned. Shall we say bottle brushes at 15 paces? > 😛 My weapon of choice is the racking cane. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/30 "2006-03-09T16:01:26Z")
First of all, if you ask ten homebrewers a question, you’ll get fifteen answers, most of them right, depending. So, here’s my set of advice: If your basement temp gets over 75 in the spring/summer, brew Belgian ales. If it goes below 60 in the winter, but not low enough for true lager (below 50), brew California Lagers. If it goes cold enough for true lager, what the heck part of Wisconsin do you live in, and have you ever heard of insulation??? Williams Brewing is a good source; you can also check out [my local brew shop.](http://www.northernbrewer.com) I’ve brewed most of their kits and have never had a bad batch of beer. Leinies = good beer. If you’re happy with Leinies, you’ll be ecstatic about homebrew. For the extra water you pour your wort into, you can use bottled water rather than sterilize it; I use Kandiyohi. If it says “spring water,” that means “we pumped it out of the ground.” Kandiyohi is steam-distilled, then they add minerals for flavor that happen to be the same minerals you need in your beer. I’m assuming, since it’s steam-distilled, that it’s at least as sterile as any part of my brewing process. I usually buy two 2.5 gallon bottles for the main boil, and two 1 gallon bottles for topping up after–one I leave at room temperature, the other goes in the fridge in case the wort’s still a little hot after I take it out of the icewater bath. If your starter kit uses a plastic bucket for the primary fermenter, expect your first batch or two to taste like a plastic bucket. You can soak them overnight with a baking soda solution in them to take some of the taste out, but still. Plastic. Oh, yikes. I just checked the link–plastic primary and secondary. Definitely, baking soda will be your friend. You will also eventually want to pick up a jet bottle washer, and maybe a bottle drying tree. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/31 "2006-03-09T16:19:18Z")
Oh–the reason I use bottled water rather than tap water, aside from the handiness of it, is that our local water is referred to by the homebrewing community as “liquid rock.” All the local breweries (James Page, Stroh’s, a couple others) have to condition the bejesus out of it to get anything to grow in it, so you might want to check with your water company to see what the local stuff’s like if you’re going to brew with it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/32 "2006-03-09T16:35:33Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > …so you might want to check with your water company to see what the local stuff’s like if you’re going to brew with it. Roger that. You can get a water analysis from your water company just by asking. Exceptionally hard water will require some adjustments. I’m lucky in that my water comes from a series of wells locally. Hard, but not too hard, and very pure. Very tasty right out of the tap. > [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](#): > > My weapon of choice is the racking cane. As the challenged party, you have choice of weapon. My seconds will call upon yours to settle the details. Or, we could have a beer (or three)and talk trash about people who don’t like **good** beer. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/33 "2006-03-09T17:02:09Z")
Ok, I’m sure the only reason no one has posted this yet is that homebrewers find it so obvious that we sometimes forget one might not do it. Once you have made your first batch, _always_ have a homebrew within reach during the entire brewing process. If at all possible, have at least one buddy present who also has a homebrew handy throughout. In addition to the obvious advantages, it helps serve as a reminder that this is not work: this is _beer_! Mmmm, beer… ---
**Author:** ![GWVet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@GWVet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GWVet)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/34 "2006-03-09T19:04:50Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Oh–the reason I use bottled water rather than tap water, aside from the handiness of it, is that our local water is referred to by the homebrewing community as “liquid rock.” All the local breweries (James Page, Stroh’s, a couple others) have to condition the bejesus out of it to get anything to grow in it, so you might want to check with your water company to see what the local stuff’s like if you’re going to brew with it. I’m lucky enough to have well water which comes out of the tap at between 7.0 and 7.2 pH, so it’s not too hard and I’ve never had to use softeners. From the information on this thread and the references provided, I’m sure I’ll have no problems brewing with it. Fish keeping was a big hobby of mine for a long while so I’ve got a lot of experience testing the water and I have a good idea of its pH and mineral content. My concern with bottled water was actually that I have no idea what the acceptable biological content is in the packaged water industry, so it wouldn’t surprise me to find a bunch of microcritters swimming in there. I will most likely decide to use my own tap water and boil it ahead of the cooling process - it just seems more personal that way (particularly because I have a well). But it’s good to know that if I decided to skip that step and just use bottled water I won’t be jeopardizing anything. Yes, I know I’m probably overthinking this for now, but the fact that it’s a hobby which can draw you into paying close attention to all the minute details is part of what attracts me in the first place. It’s just a good match for my personality. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/35 "2006-03-09T19:18:39Z")
A key thing to remember if you are boiling your water is to aerate your wort before pitching the yeast. The little critters need a well-oxygenated medium to breed and feed in, and if you don’t give it to them, their production of CO2 and alcohol suffers. An easy way to do this is to splash your wort into the remaining water from a bit of a height. Not enough to make a mess, but enough to splash around. Then stir the wort vigorously. You really can’t have too much oxygen in here at this point. After you have pitched your yeast and it has done its thing, of course, oxygen is the enemy. But here you want it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/36 "2006-03-10T02:22:18Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > Know any good homebrew stores in the Portland Oregon area? **Let’s Brew** 8235 SE Stark Portland, OR 97216 503-256-0205 Fax: 503-256-0218 Email: [letsbrew@pcez.com](mailto:letsbrew@pcez.com) **Above the Rest Beer and Wine** 11945 CW Pacific Highway Suite 235 Tigard, OR 97223 5039682736 Fax: 5036398265 Email: [allbrew2@aol.com](mailto:allbrew2@aol.com) ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/37 "2006-03-10T07:53:01Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > Know any good homebrew stores in the Portland Oregon area? Unless you have some sort of political reason, screw the LHBS. They almost invariably cost a lot more, and give shit advice to boot. It’s the same phenonenom as your average LFS (local fish store)… They pay too much for rent and give the hard sell in order to pay their bills. “Well you can’t go wrong with… uhhhh… whatever we have in stock”. :rolleyes: > **[MoreBeer - Beer Making Kits and Home Brewing Supplies](https://www.morebeer.com/)** [www.homebrew.com](http://www.homebrew.com) (buy the membership, it will pay for itself first time) [www.northernbrewer.com](http://www.northernbrewer.com) ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/38 "2006-03-10T07:59:06Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > A key thing to remember if you are boiling your water is to aerate your wort before pitching the yeast. The little critters need a well-oxygenated medium to breed and feed in, and if you don’t give it to them, their production of CO2 and alcohol suffers. An easy way to do this is to splash your wort into the remaining water from a bit of a height. Not enough to make a mess, but enough to splash around. Then stir the wort vigorously. You really can’t have too much oxygen in here at this point. After you have pitched your yeast and it has done its thing, of course, oxygen is the enemy. But here you want it. This is true. I actually went ahead and ordered [this](http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAM_S_OXYGEN_AERATION_SYST_P699C106.cfm) today. So add [www.williamsbrewing.com](http://www.williamsbrewing.com) to the above list. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/39 "2006-03-10T10:52:21Z")
I might do a batch this weekend. Listen, kit can beers are fine if you add extra malt (honey works well too), some fresh hops and I think I speak for all home brewers when I say crystal malt will improve any kit beer. Seriously, you can make mighty fine beer from a simple kit this way. Second, I always pitch the yeast the night before in a small bottle with malt, water and an airlock. In the morning, those yeasties will be foaming all over the place or you’ve got time to pitch another batch of yeast. The faster your yeast starts to propagate in the wort, the less likely chance that wild yeasties with nasty flavors can get started. Also, occaisionally, you’ll pitch the yeast and it just won’t get started. If you do it the night before, you know your yeast is going, and then dump it in the wort and you’llhave a good reaction going. I have a pillow case full of chinese hops sent by my wifes relatives who live in the hop lands way out west near Khazakstan. I doubt if any developed countries would allow these through the agricultural inspection, but if someone thinks otherwise maybe I can mail some. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536/40 "2006-03-10T11:12:44Z")
Hmm… > [@](#): > > I have a pillow case full of chinese hops sent by my wifes relatives who live in the hop lands way out west near Khazakstan. Have you tried smoking that shit? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-plunge-into-home-brewing/347536.md?page=3)