I've been to Mecca, and have proof!

[Otis!]

Here 'tis!

Careful eyes will notice the credit level I am at now; the gentlemen gave me credit for the kit I received as a gift! Woohoo!

(That, and I bought a kit to make hefeweizen...right after the wheat beer comes out!)

O!

[maveRick]

"Why buy the milk when you can eat the cow, right? hiccup!" :drunks:

[Saleen91]

I used to work right around the corner from there. That place rocks.

Hence having their bumper sticker on Liz's golf cart. :)

[Otis!]

...after last night: "Thirty-nine bottles of beer on the wall, thirty-nine bottles of beer. Let them set, and don't fret, fifteen days left to go..."

Well, I plan to let them age for the four to eight weeks, if I can.

Tally:

12 - 22 ouncers
27 - 12 ouncers


Hefeweizen in the wings...

O!

[Otis!]

Started the hefeweizen Christmas day, and let it ferment for four days; racked to the secondary fermenter about ten minutes ago, and this batch looks, smells, and tastes better than the first! Can't wait to try it!

Now, what kind to brew next?

O!

[Otis!]

On my return trip, I bought bottles for the hefeweizen due to be bottled Saturday, plus a few gadgets and such. I now have a 10% discount on future ingredients, which didn't apply to the below:

...an Irish red, scheduled to be brewed next weekend, if all goes well...

It'll be a little different departure for me, as it's a step up from the 'beginner' batches I have made so far. The barley will have to be steeped to make a grain tea, then normal (to me) brewing can take place. I can't wait!

O!

[Timebomb]

The first batch was damn good! Otis was kind enough to share and I must say that I'm inpressed! I can't wait to taste others!

[gt350mustang]

Unrelated to this thread, but................O, I have your horn button

[Otis!]

Jess and I -just- bottled the hefeweizen; it's -really- good, IMHO! It tastes and looks like a ringer for Shiner hefe; will know for sure in a few weeks!

Glad you liked it Brent! I'll save you a couple of bottles of the hefe, and earmark a couple of reds as well...

Joseph: Thanks! I have axles for you as well!

Chris

[Rusman]

Taking Irish Red in trade for a flywheel, TO bearing and pilot bearing.
:)

[Otis!]

ROFLOL! It may be a few weeks Rusty! I do need to get by there and get that stuff though...

[Wild Stallion]

Ive recently started expanding my beer horizons..... I enjoyed a few litres of Hefe Weizen at Idleweiss saturday, liked it so much I am looking into my own brewing kit.... want to teach me o wise O?

[Otis!]

I ain't wise, but will share what I can!

A lot of guys on DFW brew their own, so it seems, so they are a good source as well.

Jessica got me a two-stage (primary and secondary fermenters) brewing kit last year for Christmas from DeFalcios here in Houston; there are brewing supply houses in nearly every major city, and that's the best place to start. These guys can be and are a ton of help!

It's daunting at first, and I was -really- hesitant to start the first batch. Don't fret it too much, just make sure you keep things clean and sanitized. The easiest way to start is with a wheat beer using a combination of hopped malt, unhopped malt, pellitzed hops, and yeast. There are tons of recipes, and the guys at the supply house will get you fixed up...

I have a couple of books (had one for years now!), and to be honest very little made sense to me until -after- I brewed my first batch. After rereading it the other day, a lot of it makes sense to me, but I still don;t know WTH I'm doing, LOL! Also, having been to the Kreische Brewery at Monument Hill in La Grange, the process makes more sense to me now as well, as I can visualize what Mr. Kreische did, and how he set his facility up...

The bad thing is now, when I go to the store, I stand and stare at the beer hour for minutes, several, reading labels, looking at ingredients, etc. It's a pretty cool, and addictive hobby, with benefits, LOL!

If you like, I can take some pictures of the equipment I have, and make you a list. Everytime I go to DeFalco's I buy more cool little widgets, and in fact made my own wort chiller last night out of a coil of 3/8" copper tubing, to be used in the red this weekend...

O!

[Rusman]

Also, having been to the Kreische Brewery at Monument Hill in La Grange, the process makes more sense to me now as well, as I can visualize what Mr. Kreische did, and how he set his facility up...
O!

The Kreische brewery is very cool. Highly recommended whether you brew your own or not.

[Otis!]

I agree wholeheartedly Rusty! It's a cool place, and sobering at the same time with Monument Hill. Have you actually been in the brewery? Jessica and I were lucky enough hit it at the right time and had a personally guided tour from the Ranger there...

Also, with the river close, you can go tubing! Might be a good PMFR weekend getaway!

O!

[Otis!]

Overhead of the facility...

[Rusman]

Yeah, we did not have a guide, but we just walked down into what's left of the brewery and explored on our own. This was probably 1997 or 1998. It was kind of an impromptu deal and none of us had a camera. Definitely a memorable experience.

[Otis!]

Just finished the brewing of the Irish red, and I have to say that this beer is KILLER! The Carafs malt the gentleman at DeFalco's added is perfect; adds a nice, chocolatey flavor in the end, and the aftertaste? Heavenly, and lingers for quite some time!

The wort chiller knocked the temp down pretty quickly, and worked out very well...

Too bad we have to wait a few weeks to drink it!

Hefeweizen will be drinkable Valentine's day!

DeFalco's offers a brewing class three of four times a year, with one starting this Wednesday; too bad it's booked! I plan to take the next one, and it's not a bad deal IMHO at $50 for five Wednesdays...

I -really- like doing this! Very fun, and rewarding...

O!

Late adder (pictures): 'Tea' is the malt, steeping in warm water. 'Mash' is sparging (rinsing) the steeped malt with warm water to make the wort...

[Otis!]

Here's a couple of shots of the brewing process...

The foam is the grain tea and malt extract; the color was a very bark, root beer color...

'Set-up' shows the wort chiller in place, nearing the end of the boil...

[Otis!]

Last but not least, a snapshot of colors:

The one on the left is the first wheat beer we did, in the middle is George Killian's Red, and on the right is our 'red'. Not really red, but maybe after it clarifies it will be a little redder...

[Otis!]

Racked it the other night after four days in the primary; color changed a liitle and the SG came down a lot! Can't wait to try this one in five or six weeks!

O!