My mother’s “famous” beer, 50 years ago:
She used to boil water in a pot on a primus stove (they had no electricity or fancy gear). Then she would pour the boiling water onto hops from the garden and LME and Honey (if we had some) in a plastic bucket. She would wait for that to cool to what she called “blood heat” (that would be no-chill I guess). She tested the temperature with her elbow as she didn’t have a thermometer. When it was at “blood heat” she would add the yeast that her friend at the brewery gave her.
Does anyone have any stories about how their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts etc. made good beer?
Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from the old-timers.
Post #2 made 13 years ago
GuingesRock.
I "dare" you to brew a batch like your Mum did!!! It would be a interesting experiment (for you)! Side by side. The same ingredients, one BIAB and one "Historical"? One note, wash your elbows!
I "dare" you to brew a batch like your Mum did!!! It would be a interesting experiment (for you)! Side by side. The same ingredients, one BIAB and one "Historical"? One note, wash your elbows!
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV
http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV
http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
-
- SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America
-
Post #3 made 13 years ago
No!Does anyone have any stories about how their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts etc. made good beer?
My dad used to make crap beer.
Back in the 80's he used kits called "Geordie" (still available). Kit & kilo was for wimps, he did Kit & 2 kilo
Last edited by mally on 29 Jan 2013, 22:46, edited 2 times in total.
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
-
- SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain
-
Post #4 made 13 years ago
HaHaHa The good old days.Geordies,Ironmaster I still have some of the empty cans! My first brew was in I think about 1982 and I probably did over a hundreed of them. They were way better than a couple cans of Gold Malt,5 lbs of table sugar and bakers yeast. You yuongens have it easy!!
AWOL
Post #5 made 13 years ago
Good Day, My Grandparents brewed back in the 1960's.
They would "cook" the grains, mostly wheat, until it felt correct while stirring(they used a thermometer).
Then, they would pour the wort into a smaller pot thru a few layers of cheescloth.
Then go to boil and add spices, and sometimes Hops, and boiled until it smelled right.
And fermented the same way we do today.
I think they also Malted thier grains, and dryed them in thier Oven. But I was only 8 to 12 years old when they did this.
They would "cook" the grains, mostly wheat, until it felt correct while stirring(they used a thermometer).
Then, they would pour the wort into a smaller pot thru a few layers of cheescloth.
Then go to boil and add spices, and sometimes Hops, and boiled until it smelled right.
And fermented the same way we do today.
I think they also Malted thier grains, and dryed them in thier Oven. But I was only 8 to 12 years old when they did this.
Honest Officer, I swear to Drunk, I am Not God.
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- SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America
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Post #6 made 13 years ago
Bob, I’ve been seriously considering it for quite a while. What I was going to do was dissolve DME, bring to hot break only, chuck in a whole load of hops, put the lid on, leave overnight and pitch the next morning, using the pot as a single stage fermenter. I wouldn’t need to dip my elbow in even as it would probably be close to room temp by then. I’m thinking it might be delicious and really quick to make.BobBrews wrote:GuingesRock.
I "dare" you to brew a batch like your Mum did!!! It would be a interesting experiment (for you)! Side by side. The same ingredients, one BIAB and one "Historical"? One note, wash your elbows!
Do you have any brewers in your family Bob? I’m starting to think a lot of us may have brewing in our blood lines, subconsciously driving us towards large stainless steel pots.
Ps. I just put it on:
3 Gallons (12L) of water in a large spaghetti pot with a glass lid so I can watch the yeast. 1kg Muntons amber DME, 1kg light DME, 3oz Cascade dried leaf hops. I’ll pitch in the morning 1pkt US-05. I won’t aerate. I’m not really boiling it so won’t drive off as much of the O2, and I know from previous test batch experience I will “get away with it.” I’ll leave to ferment in a 20c room for 7-10 days and then skim the krausen/hops off the surface and pour from the pot into a 2 ½ gal CO2 purged keg. Its name will be “Betty’s Beer”
Last edited by GuingesRock on 30 Jan 2013, 05:40, edited 2 times in total.
Guinges
Post #7 made 13 years ago
Brewing is in my blood as well as genes! I think family crests were adopted back in the 9th/10th century, and all the crests for my bloodline are similar to this (showing bunches of barley).I’m starting to think a lot of us may have brewing in our blood lines, subconsciously driving us towards large stainless steel pots
This is just stolen from the internet though!
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by mally on 30 Jan 2013, 16:05, edited 2 times in total.
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
-
- SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Great Britain
-
Post #8 made 13 years ago
Of relevance to finding out if there is brewing in your blood: There is a psychiatric test wherein the patient is shown a picture of a large pot. If the response is "beer", or "brewing" then there is a very slim chance of recovery. With the move away from institutionalization over the past few decades, most of these people are now released back into the community!
There is a more serious condition wherein a picture of a simple bag elicits the same response. In the old days most of these people were simply shipped off to Australia. There never has been an available remedy.
More recently, sporadic cases of an even more serious condition have been occurring: The patient when viewing a picture of a sexy girl by a Christmas tree focuses on the stockings and the weave of the mesh. It's called Lylo syndrome. Scientists are working on what to do about this around the globe as it is a matter of some international concern.
There is a more serious condition wherein a picture of a simple bag elicits the same response. In the old days most of these people were simply shipped off to Australia. There never has been an available remedy.
More recently, sporadic cases of an even more serious condition have been occurring: The patient when viewing a picture of a sexy girl by a Christmas tree focuses on the stockings and the weave of the mesh. It's called Lylo syndrome. Scientists are working on what to do about this around the globe as it is a matter of some international concern.
Last edited by GuingesRock on 30 Jan 2013, 21:49, edited 1 time in total.
Guinges
Post #9 made 13 years ago
GuingesRock,
I was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin USA! Milwaukee was famous for a dozen large breweries. They had a lot of small ones too! When Prohibition was enacted by the Religious nuts. My Grandfather ran a "speakeasy". When I was a child in the 1940's everyone had somebody in the brewing business! I have a lot of fond memories of the brewing traditions in my hometown. On the door behind me I have a centerfold of a Milwaukee newspaper showing all the closed breweries in Wisconsin. I could cry reading all those wonderful breweries names. Milwaukee was settled by German immigrants. They did what they did back in the old country, brew beer!Do you have any brewers in your family Bob? I’m starting to think a lot of us may have brewing in our blood lines, subconsciously driving us towards large stainless steel pots.
Last edited by BobBrews on 30 Jan 2013, 21:48, edited 2 times in total.
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV
http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV
http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
-
- SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America
-
Post #10 made 13 years ago
…9 days later. I just kegged Betty’s beer. It’s nice, I thought it tasted a bit less hoppy and more bitter than it’s comparison house extract beer, but it seemed smoother. OG 1.062, FG 1.013, ABV 7.5% (no aeration of wort, but not boiled much). It was easy to skim the hop leaves and Krausen off the surface, since the hop leaves had wicked up all the krausen. Then I poured from the pot into a CO2 purged 2 ½ gal keg, got some on the floor, few scattered hop leaves got into the keg, but not enough to cause trouble.GuingesRock wrote:Bob, I’ve been seriously considering it for quite a while. What I was going to do was dissolve DME, bring to hot break only, chuck in a whole load of hops, put the lid on, leave overnight and pitch the next morning, using the pot as a single stage fermenter. I wouldn’t need to dip my elbow in even as it would probably be close to room temp by then. I’m thinking it might be delicious and really quick to make.BobBrews wrote:GuingesRock.
I "dare" you to brew a batch like your Mum did!!! It would be a interesting experiment (for you)! Side by side. The same ingredients, one BIAB and one "Historical"? One note, wash your elbows!
Do you have any brewers in your family Bob? I’m starting to think a lot of us may have brewing in our blood lines, subconsciously driving us towards large stainless steel pots.
Ps. I just put it on:
3 Gallons (12L) of water in a large spaghetti pot with a glass lid so I can watch the yeast. 1kg Muntons amber DME, 1kg light DME, 3oz Cascade dried leaf hops. I’ll pitch in the morning 1pkt US-05. I won’t aerate. I’m not really boiling it so won’t drive off as much of the O2, and I know from previous test batch experience I will “get away with it.” I’ll leave to ferment in a 20c room for 7-10 days and then skim the krausen/hops off the surface and pour from the pot into a 2 ½ gal CO2 purged keg. Its name will be “Betty’s Beer”
I made a similar test batch the day after I made this and I will keg it tomorrow. The only difference is I used FWH hopping techniques. I put all the hops in at 150F, brought to the boil, and then flame out (of course all grain wort would need the normal full length boil).
Here is a link to Betty’s bottling “technique”: http://www.biabrewer.info/viewtopic.php ... tty#p27592
Last edited by GuingesRock on 07 Feb 2013, 08:02, edited 2 times in total.
Guinges
Post #11 made 13 years ago
I just spent 20 minutes using my wife as a taster with blind samples. My standard quick (batch 4) hop bursted extract beer was one of the samples. Betty’s hoppy extract beer was another, and the final one was Betty’s hoppy extract beer using FWH hopping technique. They are all fresh and they all taste good, because they feature hops in a big way.
Betty’s beer won! (I knew we might be able to learn from the old-timers), batch 4 we know and love. It’s a good one to make in a hurry, although 12FRM (#47 here) is our favorite when we have time to do all grain. The jury is still out on the FWH Betty’s beer, definitely different, to quote my wife “less of the fresher top notes, like the esters and limonene-like compounds” (she studies volatile flavour chemicals in fruit at work). Betty’s beer wins with both of us.
Batch 4 was chilled with a wort chiller, but the other two were no-chill. Would someone advise of their experience with FWH chilled vs. no chilled please. These are fresh IPA’s, I suppose we should see how they age. Do the FWH IPA’s improve with age?
The “FWH” extract beer is a conundrum at the moment. Perhaps it doesn’t work with extract as well as AG. We don’t know if we just like it, or we love it. I did it to try out FWH in a small quick extract test batch, without wasting too much time and ingredients. Not a fair test, I know, but I think it has earned enough points to be considered for my next 12FRM AG batch.
Betty’s beer won! (I knew we might be able to learn from the old-timers), batch 4 we know and love. It’s a good one to make in a hurry, although 12FRM (#47 here) is our favorite when we have time to do all grain. The jury is still out on the FWH Betty’s beer, definitely different, to quote my wife “less of the fresher top notes, like the esters and limonene-like compounds” (she studies volatile flavour chemicals in fruit at work). Betty’s beer wins with both of us.
Batch 4 was chilled with a wort chiller, but the other two were no-chill. Would someone advise of their experience with FWH chilled vs. no chilled please. These are fresh IPA’s, I suppose we should see how they age. Do the FWH IPA’s improve with age?
The “FWH” extract beer is a conundrum at the moment. Perhaps it doesn’t work with extract as well as AG. We don’t know if we just like it, or we love it. I did it to try out FWH in a small quick extract test batch, without wasting too much time and ingredients. Not a fair test, I know, but I think it has earned enough points to be considered for my next 12FRM AG batch.
Last edited by GuingesRock on 09 Feb 2013, 07:00, edited 3 times in total.
Guinges
Post #12 made 13 years ago
I did a side by side chilled vs. no chilled both with FWH. Both beers were identical when tested by judges. The FWH concept is a very old one. It seems to make for a smoother beer? I have tested FWH and it seemed to be true but when I actually compared two beers I backtracked (again) major league fence sitter!GuingesRock wrote: Would someone advise of their experience with FWH chilled vs. no chilled please. These are fresh IPA’s, I suppose we should see how they age. Do the FWH IPA’s improve with age?
Any IPA should be consumed fairly soon. The hop force fades rather quickly. Smoother hops taste may be derived from some storage but hops stick to the sides of the bottle. When some hoppie beers were tested for IBU/s the empty bottle was flushed with clean water and then filled with something that dissolved the sticky hop resin off the sides of the bottle. The testing showed that the flushed bottle had more IBU's than the beer did! That's why the hoppiness fades! It sticks to the inside of the bottle!
To have a hoppy beer just shake the heck out of the bottle and open it! (not really)
Last edited by BobBrews on 12 Feb 2013, 04:48, edited 2 times in total.
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV
http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV
http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
-
- SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America
-
