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Post by P. Marf on Feb 29, 2012 10:58:04 GMT -5
By the way, I just went with treated pine for the table I did. Now I wish would have spent a little more money and gone with cedar or something. Its not a fancy table by any means but it looks pretty good. Anyways, I realized that I am probably gonna have to wait awhile to stain and seal it to make sure the wood is fully dried out.... unless someone has any other suggestions.
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Post by duckbutter on Feb 29, 2012 11:33:31 GMT -5
By the way, I just went with treated pine for the table I did. Now I wish would have spent a little more money and gone with cedar or something. Its not a fancy table by any means but it looks pretty good. Anyways, I realized that I am probably gonna have to wait awhile to stain and seal it to make sure the wood is fully dried out.... unless someone has any other suggestions. All I can suggest is what my Shop Teacher showed us way back when... Buy you a roll of brown craft paper (paper sack) and lay it over your table and then tape the seams all together. The paper basically creates the perfect environment for the wood to dry. After you wrap it in the paper, set it out in the Sun if you can find some. I can't tell you how long it will take, but I can say it is faster than doing nothing at all with it. I've got some projects planned here pretty soon that are not firearm projects that are going to rock y'alls worlds. Pics to come. |
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fischer
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Post by fischer on Feb 29, 2012 11:42:34 GMT -5
You don't have to have a fridge for fermenting ales but it makes it easier. For lagers you have to.
If you dont have a fermentation fridge you can rig up what is called a swamp cooler. Basically a bucket full of water in a cool place that you put ice packs in twice a day.
But, if you go the fridge route you have to also get a temp controller. They run $40-$50.
At first I'd just use a bucket. If you get into it I'd get a cheap fridge or freezer with a temp controller. The number one way to improve the taste of your beer is temperature control.
Ask any questions you'd like.
As for the table, I've never tried to stain treated wood do I'm not real sure.
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Post by P. Marf on Feb 29, 2012 14:07:14 GMT -5
What brand brew kit did you buy?
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fischer
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Post by fischer on Feb 29, 2012 14:14:50 GMT -5
The best place to get your brew kit is www.midwestsupplies.comI got the one that came with a brew bucket, a bottling bucket, and a glass carboy. I believe it was $99. There is one for like $68 but it doesn't come with a glass carboy, which is used for secondary fermentation. Some people don't rack their beer to a secondary. They just leave it in the primary. I rack mine to a secondary as it makes the beer cleaner. You'll also need a brew pot and some way to boil the wort. |
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fischer
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Post by fischer on Feb 29, 2012 14:16:37 GMT -5
I will link the actual kit I got when I get home. Can't go to midwestsupplies.com on the school computer.
Remember, your brew pot needs to be as large as you can get (turkey frier is the best) and it needs to be stainless steel not aluminum.
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Post by P. Marf on Feb 29, 2012 14:17:21 GMT -5
Do you bottle? If so, with the plastic bottle some give you or do you have the ability to cap saved old glass bottles.
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fischer
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Post by fischer on Feb 29, 2012 14:24:07 GMT -5
Completed a couple of extras for my in home tap room. I made a sampler paddle to carry out to people who are trying my beer. I also made an oak frame and Julie used chalkboard paint to make a board to write down what beer is on tap.  Next up: a homeade mash tun so I can go to all grain brewing. |
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Post by fischer on Feb 29, 2012 14:25:37 GMT -5
I use real bottles. The kit comes with a capper and you can get caps for like $3 per 60 caps.
You can buy new bottles from the homebrew store for $8 a case or you can just save bottles and sanitize them. They have to be pry off bottles, though. Twist off bottles will not work.
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Post by P. Marf on Feb 29, 2012 14:27:26 GMT -5
Guess what? I have another question. Do you buy your ingredients from them too?
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fischer
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Post by fischer on Feb 29, 2012 14:30:15 GMT -5
I have bought ingredients from them before. They are the best price for premade kits. That is what I'd reccommend for your first brew.
Now, though, I usually go to Texasbrewinginc. in Ft. Worth to get my ingredients because I am not brewing from a premade kit.
Another site that has a ton of recipes and premade kits is Austinhomebrew. I've used them to build my own recipe twice and they are pretty good. Their prices are a little higher, but their shipping is less so it kind of evens out. Plus they have more recipes.
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Post by P. Marf on Feb 29, 2012 14:31:23 GMT -5
What is a mash tun?
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fischer
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Post by fischer on Feb 29, 2012 14:42:19 GMT -5
Its a seperate vessel (I'll be using a cooler) that you pour hot water in and steep your grains so they'll render malt.
When you start you will be doing what is called exract brewing. They will send you liquid or dry malt that has already been rendered from mashed grains. They will also send you a small portion of grains to steep in your boil that will add some color and flavor, but most flavor will come from the liquid or dry malt they send you.
Basically, all grain is when you take the beer all the way from grain, add water, and turn it into beer. Its the next step for me in the brewing process. A little more difficult (not a whole lot) and more labor intensive, but the beer will be 100% unique to me.
Extract brewing is awesome. Its easier and doesn't require a mash tun. You still can brew unique recipes and make them your own. You're just using someone else's malt instead of your own.
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Post by Ticket Mouse on Feb 29, 2012 15:46:48 GMT -5
There are two huge vats left over from the Texas Beer Co on Main in Fort Worth, just north of downtown. I think at the right time of day and a big enough truck you could probably load one up and get away with it.
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Post by duckbutter on Feb 29, 2012 16:48:31 GMT -5
Its a seperate vessel (I'll be using a cooler) that you pour hot water in and steep your grains so they'll render malt. When you start you will be doing what is called exract brewing. They will send you liquid or dry malt that has already been rendered from mashed grains. They will also send you a small portion of grains to steep in your boil that will add some color and flavor, but most flavor will come from the liquid or dry malt they send you. Basically, all grain is when you take the beer all the way from grain, add water, and turn it into beer. Its the next step for me in the brewing process. A little more difficult (not a whole lot) and more labor intensive, but the beer will be 100% unique to me. Extract brewing is awesome. Its easier and doesn't require a mash tun. You still can brew unique recipes and make them your own. You're just using someone else's malt instead of your own. This is very similar to making bubble screen hash. Basically, you get hash from separating the T-H-C Molecule from the plant clippings. By adding close to freezing water on the clippings for a good hour or so and stirring it every now and then, it causes the plant to excrete the goods you are after. Now at that point, all you gotta do is pour back and forth between buckets with a screen over whatever bucket you are pouring into. You start with a larger perf screen and work your way down two perforation stages of screens until you start to notice a collection of brown material in the smallest screen. Since it's cold already, it is malleable into a cube form, and then ready for whatever pain and anxiety relief you have in mind. Not that I've ever done anything of the sort before, but I have seen it done. |
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