Did you squeeze apples, or buy the apple juice? Is there a difference?

Leave it in the carboy for a good long time. I just bottled 2008 harvest last weekend. 2 years is about right. Less than a year is suboptimal.

No apple squeezing, read the recipe its so easy to assemble you almost feel like its not going to work but 24 hrs later its bubbling away like crazy.

Crash, you left it for 2 years?? eek I dont know if Im going to have the patience for 2 years with my first batch. Ill give that a go with my 2nd batch, which Im thinking of doing next week.

I used brown sugar for this one which Im kind of regretting although Im most likely over thinking it, the next one will be all dextrose.

Your guys home-brew setups are kinda cool but...got a little something going down in my back yard

I'm sick of this home brew ****. Tell me some good beers I can try!

??

Lol no thanks. I've had my fair share of natty. I'm just way too poor and don't have space in my apartment to consider doing this home brew thing, so I'm kind of angry that all these people are making beer and I'm not able to.

Mostly I was just looking for a scantily clad woman pimping beer. I haven't seen a micro try that advertising approach yet. Mark??

actually, I make a nice red ale called Hot Head Red. the owner had a fiery red head dame in mind when he named it. he's going to do a photo shoot with a model bashing up a pick-up truck with a baseball bat soon to become the new logo.

I promise to provide pics when they're available.
umm, yeah, I don't live at my work...

going to darkness day in like four hours. should be fun!

Had a Berkshire Brewing Company Coffeehouse Porter for the first time yesterday, the first day my local craft beer mecca started carrying it. Nice mild coffee note, not bitter in anyway. I guess they work with a local coffee roaster and worked for months getting the beans right for the brew. Absolutely fantastic.

Well to be honest, I figured people were getting tired of hearing about it, but since you brought it up...

Here's one thing I can't do. I can't be objective about this beer I just brewed. I can have 10 different kinds of beer in my fridge, and rate them impartially, with the only problem being that my scale tends to raise itself around number 4.

The one I just cooked though, it's kind of the best beer I've ever had. I don't judge my kids this way. I know when my kids are being *****. I know when my homemade bread is substandard. Why can't I be impartial about my home brew?

My mother tried one, and she said, "It's pretty good!" I showed her the door.

30 miles to the gallon is "pretty good." A 4 day vacation is "pretty good". "Pretty good" does not adequately describe this beer I just made.

Has anyone ever tried Newcastle Summer Ale? I saw it for the first time a couple weeks ago, and it was among my favorite beers I've ever had. I need to find it on the reg, but I fear I cannot.

Never seen it. I bet it's amazing as I love Newcastle Brown Ale.

Maybe if the bottle wasn't clear, and they didn't "supposedly" use food coloring in there beer I might be more of a fan of Newcastle. But I have no desire to ever have another one unless theres just serious adjuncts around, unless they make a couple changes.

Victory Old horizontal barleywine is cash money, really don't feel like doing a whole review.

Same goes for Stone's Old Guardian barleywine, little hoppier then the Victory still very good.

And my new favorite "go-to" beer is now Lagunitas Imperial Stout. Soooo delicious, and for only $3.99 for the 22oz it puts some of stone's and southern tier's stuff to shame.

Like this thread. Im a craft beer head, and im so sad i missed on the chance to see lagunitas brewery last year when i was in Petaluma. Been drinking their friday the 13th 22oz bottles and my favorite pale ale right now, Yards Pale Ale.



Coff,
I see your from my neck of the woods, any local beers i need to try dude?

Hmm, where to begin. I dont want to offend you by listing some of the more obvious good local pints but here is what I drank this weekend, for some reason it was all local stuff oddly enough. Well except my home brewed Oktoberfest (turned out fantastic) and Weizenbier a decent session beer but I probably wont brew again.

Weybacher Blithering Idiot Its a decent barleywine not anything to write home about, pretty boozy.

DFH 60 minute I know alot of people itt agree with me on this one, but love love love this beer just fantastic. Easily in my top 5, I like em the hoppy.

Vitory Golden Monkey This beer doesnt get rave reviews but I enjoy it quite a bit, first tastes of cloves and then some spice on the back end.

Victory Storm King I usually only drink this beer in the winter, I love stouts in the winter, but I couldnt resist after my Phils got bounced from the playoffs I had to drink myself into oblivion. Smells of coffee and chocolate very full mouthfeel which i love.

yes, yes. I know what you mean.

I love Golden Monkey, I don't know why it gets a bad rap. It's strong and taste without being overbearing.

so weird seeing some of my posts from 4 years ago

Planning on picking up a Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet hopped ale, pretty excited to try it tonight while I bottle my brown ale.

Possibly even the Estate Homegrown Ale.

Really interested to try the Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere and Estate ales. Kind of curious how they compare to the Southern Hemisphere this year, which I really liked.

I had this yesterday, it was very good I enjoyed it. But I was too drunk to take any good notes on it, oh well maybe next time.

FYI, Brewmasters with Sam Caligione on Discovery to air Nov 21st.

I tried the Northern Harvest & Organic estate from SN. Enjoyed both. No tasting notes but I remember they were both fine; good old SN stuff, but nothing spectacular.
Def wouldn't bother pay the extra for the Organic estate again, unless you're some kinda super crunchy granola type.