Seattlest Pix 09Nov24
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Seattle already has tons of great beer to offer, so why make your own? Because it’s cool. There is something special about getting a buzz from a tasty beer that you brewed yourself. Brewing can be easy, and you can turn out some fantastic beers right away. Many (if not most) of the local brewers started off in their own kitchen. We have started doing batches on the stove in our own one-bedroom apartment.
We are still kind of new at brewing ourselves, and we have some kinks to work out. We brewed up a batch of a nice dark stout this past Saturday, and put the results into the fermenter to sit for a few days. Our fermenter consists of a plastic bucket and an airlock attached to the lid to release bursts of air created by the active yeast.
Sunday morning, after the beer had been fermenting for just 12 hours, the fermentation process was already out of control. Some of the beer had actually bubbled up into the airlock, which we had never encountered before. We thought about taking the lid off to release air, but did not want to infect the batch. We posted for advice on our favorite homebrew message board and went off to brunch in Fremont with friends.
Leaving the beer as is turned out to not be the best idea. We returned and opened up the hallway closet door where the action was taking place. The beer in the airlock had blocked the release of air, resulting in what must have been a ton of pressure on the inside of the bucket. We were now looking at what happens when your beer blows the lid off it’s fermenter; beer and yeast were splattered all over the closet and many of its contents. It looked like someone had tried to splatter paint our closet with stout. I wish we had been around to hear the explosion. The amount of pressure to make this happen is hard to fathom…I usually can’t get this lid off, even when I want to, without the help of pliers. I bet it scared the hell out of our neighbor.
After looking at the mess in the closet, we closed the door and informed our girlfriend it might not be best to look in there. She of course looked anyways and we braced for her reaction. Luckily, she was quite understanding. All we got was a headshake, when we were worried that our brewing equipment might end up dropped onto the street below. We spent the afternoon cleaning the mess and salvaging the batch of beer with advice from the knowledgeable brewers that responded to our post. The experts tell us that this mishap is not likely to affect the outcome of the beer.
After the break is a list of resources to help you brew your first batch and make sure that you don’t get beer all over your hall closet. But, if you do make a mess, we hope your girlfriend is as understanding as ours.
* Visit this local brewing supply store in Greenwood. They will gladly help you get brewing and have a good starter package for about $80. Or, you can search for homebrewing equipment on Craigslist. Brewers often grow out of their beginner equipment and sell it at low prices.
* Our favorite homebrew book and website guides
* This Local Homebrew Club would be a great place to ask questions and get started. You might even find someone willing to show you the ropes personally.
The most important thing to remember: Be clean. Everything that touches the beer should be sanitized correctly. Improper sanitation is the #1 reason why batches get ruined, and no one likes ruined beer.
Just don’t forget Seattlest after you run off to open a brewpub somewhere; we will expect free beer.
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I'd recommend going with a blow off tube instead of an air lock or the first 24 hours or so of fermentation.. and switch to a glass car boy!
(snicker) I've been there. Once back in college when I tried the "Beer in a bag" product. It's a bag that you just add water to, hang it up somewhere to let it ferment, and you (in theory) end up with beer. Of course, mine chose to explode instead, and covered our kitchen with a sticky mess.
Listen to mmmbeer about the blow-off tube, especially if your beer is in a warm place (meaning not a very cold basement). But you really don't need a glass carboy.
Thanks for the advice...that is what we were advised when we posted for help on the message boards; we hooked one up right away and had no problems.
I use a glass carboy for my secondary.
Beer in a bag. Now that is aweosme...
When you feel like making beer, but want a little assistance, I recommend going up to Gallagher's in Edmonds. Granted, I don't like leaving the city for just anything - but this place is special. You go and make your beer one day, then come back several weeks later to bottle it. It has the same satisfaction as homebrew, but it is pretty fool proof. You can also make wine. And cider. Great idea for a birthday party.
Geoff, you failed to mention the times in college when we tried to homebrew. The first attempt was a pale ale that was not that bad but gave us a really big head on our shoulders, we thought we were the next big brewer, so next we tried the chocolate oatmeal stout. My word of advice....start easy and small...not a chocolate oatmeal stout...we ended up with a product similiar to car oil with a splash of gin. We actually made money betting people they couldnt drink it! Maybe its time I bust out the old equipment that you left me and see what I can do.