Comments on: How to Make the Best Beer in the World for Under a Buck a Bottle http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/ Bridging the gap between saving money and investing Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:09:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Keith Brainard http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-147006 Keith Brainard Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:42:11 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-147006 I like to use the rule of thumb that if your water is good enough to drink, it is good enough to brew with. I use a Pur filter off my tap. I have used bottled water in the past. Both came out pretty much the same as far as I could tell (since the recipes were different). Don't use distilled water - it lacks needed minerals. If you get really advanced, you may add minerals and buffers and things to your water to make it the perfect composition for the style you're making. I like to use the rule of thumb that if your water is good enough to drink, it is good enough to brew with. I use a Pur filter off my tap. I have used bottled water in the past. Both came out pretty much the same as far as I could tell (since the recipes were different). Don’t use distilled water - it lacks needed minerals.

If you get really advanced, you may add minerals and buffers and things to your water to make it the perfect composition for the style you’re making.

]]> By: kevin http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-146048 kevin Mon, 12 Nov 2007 05:15:18 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-146048 Forgot to mention that anyone that lives in a city that uses chloramine in their water supply really needs to use bottled water, otherwise all the time, money and effort goes down the drain with a beer that ends up tasting like plastic. Chloramine doesn't boil off like regular chlorine. Crappy lesson to learn. Forgot to mention that anyone that lives in a city that uses chloramine in their water supply really needs to use bottled water, otherwise all the time, money and effort goes down the drain with a beer that ends up tasting like plastic. Chloramine doesn’t boil off like regular chlorine. Crappy lesson to learn.

]]> By: Adam @ Beer Bits 2 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-145831 Adam @ Beer Bits 2 Sun, 11 Nov 2007 23:51:24 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-145831 It is possible to save money brewing your own beer. You do have a startup cost in addition to an investment of your time, but, these should not be considered problems when trying to save money. Cooking requires pots and pans as does brewing. You'll have them for years and pay for them many times over in the cost savings. Anything will cost you more if you want instant gratification. If you are willing to invest some time you will reap the benefits of saving money and enjoying high quality beer. It is possible to save money brewing your own beer. You do have a startup cost in addition to an investment of your time, but, these should not be considered problems when trying to save money.

Cooking requires pots and pans as does brewing. You’ll have them for years and pay for them many times over in the cost savings.

Anything will cost you more if you want instant gratification. If you are willing to invest some time you will reap the benefits of saving money and enjoying high quality beer.

]]> By: goeatz.com » Blog Archive » Making your own beer http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-138991 goeatz.com » Blog Archive » Making your own beer Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:56:18 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-138991 [...] Brainard has a great article up on savingadvice.com about how to make your own delicious beer without spending a .... Making beer is easy. The best way to get started is using malt extract. With extract brewing, you [...] […] Brainard has a great article up on savingadvice.com about how to make your own delicious beer without spending a …. Making beer is easy. The best way to get started is using malt extract. With extract brewing, you […]

]]> By: Presenting The Carnival Of Personal Finance #125 | My Two Dollars http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-138332 Presenting The Carnival Of Personal Finance #125 | My Two Dollars Mon, 05 Nov 2007 13:10:38 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-138332 [...] How to Make the Best Beer in the World for Under a Buck a Bottle (at Saving Advice). [...] […] How to Make the Best Beer in the World for Under a Buck a Bottle (at Saving Advice). […]

]]> By: ksbrainard http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-134085 ksbrainard Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:30:47 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-134085 It takes time on two different days. First is brew day. This will take around six hours the first time, but you can get it down to around four hours if you really work to maximize your working efficiency. A lot of this time is waiting for water to heat up or come to a boil, and the hour it takes to boil the wort during hops additions. You can do other things during this down time. Second is bottling day. This takes about two hours. You can make this quicker if you do kegging, but that's another equipment cost. If you time it, you might be able to bottle your previous batch during down time on brew day. So, the most time it should take is eight hours total. It takes time on two different days.

First is brew day. This will take around six hours the first time, but you can get it down to around four hours if you really work to maximize your working efficiency. A lot of this time is waiting for water to heat up or come to a boil, and the hour it takes to boil the wort during hops additions. You can do other things during this down time.

Second is bottling day. This takes about two hours. You can make this quicker if you do kegging, but that’s another equipment cost.

If you time it, you might be able to bottle your previous batch during down time on brew day.

So, the most time it should take is eight hours total.

]]> By: greenday http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-133885 greenday Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:45:47 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-133885 What are the estimated total number of hours that you need to dedicate from start to finish to make a batch of beer like this? What are the estimated total number of hours that you need to dedicate from start to finish to make a batch of beer like this?

]]> By: ksbrainard http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-133732 ksbrainard Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:50:03 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-133732 I'm glad that I have inspired people to take up brewing beer at home! My first several batches came out great! I was very careful about sanitation, and following procedures, and everything worked out really well, even though I had some procedural bumps the first few times (like I ran out of propane my first brew session). I didn't make a really bad batch until later, when I started experimenting. My first bad batch was my first "big beer" (high alcohol), which was an all-grain Imperial IPA I made. It had "cooked corn" DMS flavor, came out under-powered (in terms of alcohol content), and wouldn't carbonate for the longest time. But in the end, even this one is drinkable. So in the words of the great Charlie Papazian "Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew" I’m glad that I have inspired people to take up brewing beer at home!

My first several batches came out great! I was very careful about sanitation, and following procedures, and everything worked out really well, even though I had some procedural bumps the first few times (like I ran out of propane my first brew session).

I didn’t make a really bad batch until later, when I started experimenting. My first bad batch was my first “big beer” (high alcohol), which was an all-grain Imperial IPA I made. It had “cooked corn” DMS flavor, came out under-powered (in terms of alcohol content), and wouldn’t carbonate for the longest time. But in the end, even this one is drinkable.

So in the words of the great Charlie Papazian “Relax, Don’t Worry, Have a Homebrew”

]]> By: Orfy http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-133727 Orfy Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:40:18 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-133727 This step 2 in 1 of 4 ways to make beer 1. Extract only 2. Extract and steep 3. Partial Mash and extract 4. All grain. I would say level 2 is the minimum level for really good beer. For all of those attempting it good luck, do a little reading, follow the instructions and have good beer. I agree with comments above. www.homebrewtalk.com is a good place to learn along with www.howtobrew.com. This step 2 in 1 of 4 ways to make beer

1. Extract only
2. Extract and steep
3. Partial Mash and extract
4. All grain.

I would say level 2 is the minimum level for really good beer.

For all of those attempting it good luck, do a little reading, follow the instructions and have good beer.

I agree with comments above.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com is a good place to learn along with http://www.howtobrew.com.

]]> By: Mike D http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-133724 Mike D Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:31:32 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/10/29/how-to-make-the-best-beer-in-the-world-for-under-a-buck-a-bottle/#comment-133724 If you follow instructions carefully and keep everything clean (Bottles, equipment, etc) so your beer does not get "infected" your first few batches will be perfect. If you follow instructions carefully and keep everything clean (Bottles, equipment, etc) so your beer does not get “infected” your first few batches will be perfect.

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