Homebrew

[spacey]

It's been a while since I've done it. I had forgotten how much time and water it takes.

[dystopia]

I've been tempted, but never tried it.  How much time does it take?

[Blader]

It is probably the ultimate hobby for truly excessive OCD types

I like to say the reason I stopped is there are just so many good beers to buy these days, it doesn't make sense to cook your own crappy beer. 

Unless you're a poor college student with all the time in the world on your hands.

[spacey]

I've been tempted, but never tried it.  How much time does it take?

Takes about 4 hours for the initial brewing (including boiling the brewing water, sanitizing everything, etc.), then 7-10 days for fermentation, another couple of hours to bottle (including sanitizing bottles), a week or so to condition (carbonate) in the bottles, and another couple of weeks of aging. It also takes about 20 gallons of water to make 5 gallons of beer by the time you've sanitized everything, cooled the wort in the tub, etc.

Blader is sort of right, though I'd submit he doesn't understand the issues one deals with living in Utah. When you have to pay the state monopoly $1.50-$3.00 per bottle for decent beer, and considering the extremely limited selection they offer, homebrewing starts to have a lot of appeal. Even to a professional type such as myself. Unless you start putting a price on your time, then it's actually probably much more economical to buy the $13 six pack from the state. Luckily, I actually enjoy brewing.

I've yet to have a batch come out that I considered "crappy." Today's batch is a California common ale, also known as a steamer. (Technically a lager, fermented at ale temperatures.) It will be roughly comparable to Anchor Steam.

[dystopia]

Ah, thanks.  Sounds like it'd be fun to try. 

[Blader]

OMG!!  I had no idea you guys had it that bad. 

my apologies....makes perfect sense to homebrew

By all means, carry on!!

[tdcoly]

I've been tempted, but never tried it.  How much time does it take?

Takes about 4 hours for the initial brewing (including boiling the brewing water, sanitizing everything, etc.), then 7-10 days for fermentation, another couple of hours to bottle (including sanitizing bottles), a week or so to condition (carbonate) in the bottles, and another couple of weeks of aging. It also takes about 20 gallons of water to make 5 gallons of beer by the time you've sanitized everything, cooled the wort in the tub, etc.

Blader is sort of right, though I'd submit he doesn't understand the issues one deals with living in Utah. When you have to pay the state monopoly $1.50-$3.00 per bottle for decent beer, and considering the extremely limited selection they offer, homebrewing starts to have a lot of appeal. Even to a professional type such as myself. Unless you start putting a price on your time, then it's actually probably much more economical to buy the $13 six pack from the state. Luckily, I actually enjoy brewing.

I've yet to have a batch come out that I considered "crappy." Today's batch is a California common ale, also known as a steamer. (Technically a lager, fermented at ale temperatures.) It will be roughly comparable to Anchor Steam.

I've got a taste for Canadian beers, the better ones.  However, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania caps beers at 6% alcohol.  My brother used to brew, and he once made a Canadian lager that came in around 12%.  Kinda crawled up the back of your neck like good doobie.

Unfortunately, he quit brewing soon after.