Brewing Beer at a Brewery

[JspartansC]

I work in a multi industry business. One of their operations is in the beer industry.

 

Today I had the opportunity to actually go to a craft brewery and brew some beer. Let me tell you, it was an awesome learning experience.

 

We created the mash, heated up the wort, added hops and then started the cooling and yeast process.

 

It was a full day activity, but it was a ton of fun. It has inspired me to start home brewing small batches. One of ht either business we run is farming, and we started small hops farm as well, so I have most of what I need to brew for...free!!!!

 

Does anyone else home brew? Have any of you had a chance to brew with a brewery?

[MattF]

I home brew, every beer I drink at home. Haven't gone to a brewery and to be honest, have no real desire to. Sure, it'd be interesting, but I'm more interested in getting into the kitchen of a top restaurant.

[revkev]

Matt you should come down here - Berns (a top 10 steakhouse in any list I've ever seen) gives kitchen tours as part of the experience. 

 

I've home brewed with friends but never done it on my own - it's fun - I was also a beer salesman a long time ago in a galaxy far away (alright Connecticut).  It was at the dawn of the micro brew phenomena.  I got to tour a couple of facilities. 

[MattF]

Actually Rev, we're coming down to the Ft Myers area permanently in 7-10 years, when my wife can retire. My plan, because I don't have the time in to retire, is to buy a cafe somewhere in the area because that's my passion outside of golf.

[PlaidJacket]

I tried a few times years ago to make some home brew. It was a fairly crude process at the time. My brew was not all that good I recall. Ok.... But not worth the effort. I don't see the necessity in home brewing but I suppose it's really more about the hobby aspect. There are just too many quality crafts on the market these days for me to even consider fooling around making my own. Certainly anything better.

[sp0rtsfan86]

I tried a few times years ago to make some home brew. It was a fairly crude process at the time. My brew was not all that good I recall. Ok.... But not worth the effort. I don't see the necessity in home brewing but I suppose it's really more about the hobby aspect. There are just too many quality crafts on the market these days for me to even consider fooling around making my own. Certainly anything better.

Price wise I've looked at it and it's a push at best. I'm not an IPA guy so I'm not interested in brewing hoppy beer. If I did it would be because all the local places stink and I have a lot of time on my hands. Two things I don't see happening. I totally agree about the hobby part, for some it turns into passion, for guys like me that thought about it, it's an expensive hobby to add onto golf.

[MattF]

Once you get the initial expense of equipment out of the way (about $250 for a decent basic setup) you can brew 2.5 cases, yes, 60 beers, for about $30. Plus, with the kits available today, it's really hard to brew a bad beer. Just my 2c.

[markb]

I've just started home brewing, on my 3rd batch, so I can give you some of the pro's and cons.

 

Pro's -  It's fun and the beer produced is very good (at least mine have been).

 

Con's -  It's not cheaper than just buying beer, even after you amortize the equipment costs over many batches and it takes a LOT of time.   It is one month from cooking the mash to drinking the bottles and 2 to 3 hours of uninterrupted cooking time on the first day.   One gallon yields only 10 bottles of beer!   So it's nowhere near worth it time or money wise unless you do 5 gallons at a time, which will keep you stocked from one monthly batch to another.

 

All that said, I'm cooking my third batch today because I liked it.

 

My first two batches were Brooklyn Brewshop kits, which are fairly complete for small 1 gallon batches at $45.   Subsequent batches will cost $15 per.   These take you all the way from cooking the raw, cracked grain.   Other kits you just pour in bags of malt extract.   You will still need one or two brewing tubs, a cooking pan (big, preferably with a lid), bottles, caps and a capper, strainer as fine as you can get and a funnel.   If you look on ebay, you can find more complete set ups from guys who have given up the hobby.   I recommend this route.

 

My third batch will be larger, using supplies from Midwest Supplies.com.   Liquid yeast, which is riskier and the malt extract.   They sell copycat kits that allow you to mimic the recipes of the beer and ales you like.   So I'm trying a Bass Ale this time after doing an IPA and a blonde ale the last two times. 

[RookieBlue7]

I have home brewed in the past with buddies. One friend always has wine going and has over 600 bottles in his cellar at last count. He grows his own fruit for it as well. I did some beer with him and it was good. I priced everything out for a full bore setup like I'd want and it'd be another expensive hobby for me. I passed and just buy craft beer