Any home brewers out there?

[Redhawk]

That's why God invented grocery store milk crates - they fit a carboy just fine, have handles, and as a side-note, are great for increasing the base footprint of your carboy so it doesn't tip...[/QUOTE]

Great idea I never thought of that...

[Joshua]

That's why God invented grocery store milk crates - they fit a carboy just fine, have handles, and as a side-note, are great for increasing the base footprint of your carboy so it doesn't tip...

Great idea I never thought of that...

I used to work at a homebrew supply store and brewed about 15 gallons a week teaching workshops. :-)

You never learn anything the second time you drop a full carboy on a sandal'ed foot.

[NeightRG]

My first home brew was a gallon of good 100% apple juice with no preservatives - pour out two cups, add a cup of simple syrup, a quarter teaspoon of bread yeast, an airlock and plug in the top of the jug... Leave it for two weeks, funnel it into swing-top bottles once it stops fermenting.

I graduated beyond that and have done several all-grain batches - still have the equipment - but my new apartment doesn't really allow it for now, so it's back to the simple no-boil ciders for me, except now bigger batches with proper brewing yeast, and dextrose instead of white sugar. Surprisingly good brew, even ignoring the fact that almost no work goes into it.

[Joshua]

My first home brew was a gallon of good 100% apple juice with no preservatives - pour out two cups, add a cup of simple syrup, a quarter teaspoon of bread yeast, an airlock and plug in the top of the jug... Leave it for two weeks, funnel it into swing-top bottles once it stops fermenting.

I graduated beyond that and have done several all-grain batches - still have the equipment - but my new apartment doesn't really allow it for now, so it's back to the simple no-boil ciders for me, except now bigger batches with proper brewing yeast, and dextrose instead of white sugar. Surprisingly good brew, even ignoring the fact that almost no work goes into it.

You know, I've never tried to make a cider, but seeing as they are
1. no boil
2. no gluten

I think I could do one. Especially because I'm already buying the unfiltered, organic, unpasteurized apple juice from the health food store. Plus, I've got a 3-gallon carboy that I used once for mead, I think that would be the perfect "small batch tester".

What temperature do you ferment at?

[NeightRG]

You know, I've never tried to make a cider, but seeing as they are
1. no boil
2. no gluten

I think I could do one. Especially because I'm already buying the unfiltered, organic, unpasteurized apple juice from the health food store. Plus, I've got a 3-gallon carboy that I used once for mead, I think that would be the perfect "small batch tester".

What temperature do you ferment at?

To be honest, I don't sweat ferment temperature too much. In the old place, I did it in the basement - about 65F down there. Probably the mid 70s in the closet in the new place... Not ideal, but I'm not complaining about the product.