Comments on: You brew, too http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/you-brew-too/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=you-brew-too Toronto's new weekly city magazine Sun, 26 May 2013 03:18:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Derek http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/you-brew-too/#comment-41816 Derek Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:12:49 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82209#comment-41816 But seriously, folks, you can do this! And to those of you barely making ends meet, those of you who will never afford to own a home in Toronto, who save just enough for the disasters life throws at you and no more, this is a hobby that pays for itself within a month or two. And it's a hell of a lot of fun. If you want to keep it simple, extract batches eliminate the need for a false bottom kettle or a 7.5 gallon brew pot (the extract kits Zach sells are higher-end, but worth every penny, I think). I have a beautiful 5-gallon American Kitchen stock pot to boil in and I also use it for pasta sauces or any other large-scale cooking. But you can go cheaper and smaller, just using 3.5 gallon pots if that's all you have/can afford. Then I just top-up in the fermenter to 5 gallons with tap water (you can't really boil more than 4 gallons in a 5-gallon pot). Yes, Toronto's water is so good, I've never needed to sterilize it. Also, if your operation expands and you live in a tiny high-rise 1 bedroom, like I do, keep an eye out of shelving specials at Canadian Tire. That way you can store your fermenters and bottles in a closet or something. There's plenty more info out there online. Yes, your home brew will easily taste better than commercial beers, you'll be sticking it to the man, and you'll be saving money. You can do this. But seriously, folks, you can do this! And to those of you barely making ends meet, those of you who will never afford to own a home in Toronto, who save just enough for the disasters life throws at you and no more, this is a hobby that pays for itself within a month or two. And it’s a hell of a lot of fun.

If you want to keep it simple, extract batches eliminate the need for a false bottom kettle or a 7.5 gallon brew pot (the extract kits Zach sells are higher-end, but worth every penny, I think). I have a beautiful 5-gallon American Kitchen stock pot to boil in and I also use it for pasta sauces or any other large-scale cooking. But you can go cheaper and smaller, just using 3.5 gallon pots if that’s all you have/can afford. Then I just top-up in the fermenter to 5 gallons with tap water (you can’t really boil more than 4 gallons in a 5-gallon pot). Yes, Toronto’s water is so good, I’ve never needed to sterilize it.

Also, if your operation expands and you live in a tiny high-rise 1 bedroom, like I do, keep an eye out of shelving specials at Canadian Tire. That way you can store your fermenters and bottles in a closet or something.

There’s plenty more info out there online. Yes, your home brew will easily taste better than commercial beers, you’ll be sticking it to the man, and you’ll be saving money. You can do this.

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]]> By: David Stewart http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/you-brew-too/#comment-41815 David Stewart Thu, 22 Nov 2012 08:05:08 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82209#comment-41815 The wife and I substitute 10% of the hops with Cannabis. We prefer it to the usual mix. The wife and I substitute 10% of the hops with Cannabis. We prefer it to the usual mix.

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]]> By: dschieder http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/you-brew-too/#comment-41788 dschieder Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:26:14 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82209#comment-41788 Looking back over this article, I want to ease some anxiety by saying that no one really needs all of this yuppie equipment to brew beer. It really doesn't have to be overcomplicated. You can start with a boiling pot, a long-handled wooden spoon, a clean garbage pail to ferment in and freshly-washed beer bottles and regular screw-on caps that you save. (Turn each bottle upside-down and shake vigorously after filling and screwing on the cap. If it hisses, deal with it.) Grab yourself a can of malt extract from a brewing supplies outlet and get started. Once you get started and understand the process a little better, you can branch out and get as complicated and as expensive as you might desire. Me, I produce my favourite beer for forty cents a bottle and do it very simply. Looking back over this article, I want to ease some anxiety by saying that no one really needs all of this yuppie equipment to brew beer. It really doesn’t have to be overcomplicated. You can start with a boiling pot, a long-handled wooden spoon, a clean garbage pail to ferment in and freshly-washed beer bottles and regular screw-on caps that you save. (Turn each bottle upside-down and shake vigorously after filling and screwing on the cap. If it hisses, deal with it.) Grab yourself a can of malt extract from a brewing supplies outlet and get started. Once you get started and understand the process a little better, you can branch out and get as complicated and as expensive as you might desire. Me, I produce my favourite beer for forty cents a bottle and do it very simply.

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]]> By: dschieder http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/you-brew-too/#comment-41786 dschieder Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:11:00 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82209#comment-41786 I started with a can of hopped malt extract from a Portuguese grocery in the Kensington in 1971. The options available now are incredible compared to those days. I am drinking homebrew even as I type this and would encourage anyone who really likes beer to give it a go. It doesn't have to be a complicated procedure at all, but you do have to be certain about the cleanliness of everything that comes in contact with your brew (a thorough rinsing with really hot water is usually enough, although there are those,of course, who will disagree). Do try it. It's actually fairly easy to accomplish once you have managed to pull off a few batches, and with some trial and error and a smidgen of patience, you really can begin to brew beer that I, for one, think rivals anything in your local In and Out store. Give it a shot. What have you got to lose? I started with a can of hopped malt extract from a Portuguese grocery in the Kensington in 1971. The options available now are incredible compared to those days. I am drinking homebrew even as I type this and would encourage anyone who really likes beer to give it a go. It doesn’t have to be a complicated procedure at all, but you do have to be certain about the cleanliness of everything that comes in contact with your brew (a thorough rinsing with really hot water is usually enough, although there are those,of course, who will disagree). Do try it. It’s actually fairly easy to accomplish once you have managed to pull off a few batches, and with some trial and error and a smidgen of patience, you really can begin to brew beer that I, for one, think rivals anything in your local In and Out store. Give it a shot. What have you got to lose?

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]]> By: Pietro http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/you-brew-too/#comment-41554 Pietro Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:32:21 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82209#comment-41554 I started a year ago with 1 gallon batches on the stovetop and haven't looked back - now I'm doing 5 gallon batches with a gold medal APA under my belt! It's the most rewarding hobby in existence - you get to be creative, scientific, etc, and in the end you get BEER! Probably the best beer you've ever tasted, in fact ... I started a year ago with 1 gallon batches on the stovetop and haven’t looked back – now I’m doing 5 gallon batches with a gold medal APA under my belt! It’s the most rewarding hobby in existence – you get to be creative, scientific, etc, and in the end you get BEER! Probably the best beer you’ve ever tasted, in fact …

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]]> By: RA http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/you-brew-too/#comment-41539 RA Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:42:34 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82209#comment-41539 Sounds fabulous. Anyone out there want to buy me a start up kit for the holidays? Sounds fabulous. Anyone out there want to buy me a start up kit for the holidays?

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]]> By: Rico http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/you-brew-too/#comment-41522 Rico Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:30:23 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=82209#comment-41522 Instead of taking this leadership, get online and ask how to set up a proper kit with proper temperatures and such, so that you can also do lagers. Lots of information out there. Instead of taking this leadership, get online and ask how to set up a proper kit with proper temperatures and such, so that you can also do lagers. Lots of information out there.

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