The final post I want to make in the research category is one about the traditional, brick & mortar, local homebrew store.  If you are lucky enough to have a store nearby, this is a great place to visit.  (You can find a nearby store by visiting the Homebrewers Association directory .) In this modern world, full of instant information, huge selection, and Amazon.com pricing, why visit an actual store ?  Several reasons. First, the people.  These people are passionate about brewing and passionate about helping you brew.  They are a great resource for practical questions on ingredients and, in this specific case, equipment.  They probably have used most of what is in their store and can speak to it first hand.  You get much better service than online retailers (which usually provide no customer service  unless something doesn't work the way it should) because there are actual people with whom to talk and ask questions. Hops/Yeast Fridge When Eric and I first made our fo

In the progression to all grain equipment, it is important to do some research.  Your fellow homebrewers are excellent resources when you are making any transitions or have any questions.  Another place to do some investigative research is online (in the comfort of your own pajamas with a beer in your hand is a fabulous way to do this). There are many, many websites out there that have to deal with homebrewing.  I guess I am just adding another to the mix with this blog... But I digress.  With homebrewing these days, you can buy everything from pre-made to do-it-yourself .  There are websites that deal with that whole spectrum.   On the pre-made side, you have some of the bigger homebrew sites:   Northern Brewer , More Beer , Williams Brewing , just to name a few.  A simple Google search will bring up hundreds more.  These sites are great for those who just want their equipment.  As with any typical online retailer, there are reviews, hundreds of products, and the range fro

A starter pack for all grain brewing. Eric and I have about 20 extract batches under our belts.  Some are kits, some are recipes we have found, and some are even our own concoction.  Not all of these have been winners, but we have had more good beer than bad.  Twenty batches of extract is a lot, but getting comfortable with extract plus steeping grains allowed us to focus on some of the other tasks of homebrewing, namely cleanliness and sanitation, creativity, and process in general.  And now, after about a year of homebrewing, we both feel that now is the time to make the transition to all grain. With any new purchase or adventure, I like to do my research. So below, I am going to talk about the best place I have found to gather basic, overview information: the local homebrew club. Our biggest asset was our local club, the  Berks Homebrew Club .  The group ranges from novices to experienced brewers.  It is that experience we tapped into.  They helped to answer questions about

I am not a big history guy.  It was one of my least favorite subjects in school.  But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it.  I think looking at the past helps us better understand our current situation - how we got to where we are now.  So, with this first "real" blog post, I want to take a look back to my first homebrewing experience. It was January of 2011 when my buddy, Eric, and I made our first plunge into homebrewing.  We had done all the research, talked with guys at our local homebrew club, visited the local homebrew shop, and, finally, purchased our equipment.  It was nothing too fancy - we were just going to be extract brewers, boiling wort on our stove top. We purchased some fermenters, spoons, odds and ends, and our boil kettle - an 8 gallon, stainless steel beauty.  (I have a nicer pot to make beer than I do to cook my food.)  And of course, we bought our ingredients.  We purchased a kit our homebrew store makes up themselves - an IPA, because

So, here is my first blog post. I will fill in more of the details later, but this blog will be all about my homebrewing adventures. This comes at an exciting time in the life of a homebrewer: I am making the transition to all-grain. Look for posts about equipment purchases, upgrades, recipes, and process.