Just joined!

[lexuschris]

Hey all,

Just wanted to say 'hi' to everyone! I started extract brewing back in 1993 and have been meaning to go all-brain since the late 90's.. I got a little side-tracked with 2 different careers, a wife, 3 kids, etc. etc. (you know how that goes!)

But, I am actually going to do it now! I've been researching stuff on the internet, reading articles, etc., but have never actually seen an all-grain home=brew session. While on spring break, I sketched out a system that would use some of my existing equipment, and bought a bunch of new stuff. And as I sit her this weekend, boxes opened around me, I have a whole bunch of new questions and uncertainies. So, I am real glad I found a local group who is so active on a forum like this! I appreciate any & all comments, suggestions, etc.!

As for beer, I love ales, porters & stouts. I've been enjoying high-hop big beers of late... Stone Brewing Company serving up some really nice stuff! (their '09 Russian Imperial Stout is now out! and tasty!)

In my brew kettles, I've played with gruit ale & meads, as well as stouts & ales. I have an interest in medival history, thus the attempts at gruit & meads. I think there is some real potential for other-than-hop flavors in beers, and hope to fine-tune an enjoyable gruit recipe over the next few batches.

Other than that, I work at a Lexus dealership in Westminster, and make computer software on the side. Play a little volleyball, and watch my kids play soccer all weekend long.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone! Have a great weekend!
--LexusChris

[brahn]

Welcome to the board Chris! I think you'll be surprised how easy the all grain thing is once you do it.

[Rezzin]

Welcome to the board Chris!

[bwarbiany]

Yep... All-grain is pretty easy.

Most of the guys here are all-grain. You might want to observe one of their brew-days just to see the process, but that's not really necessary (I did my first AG day "by the seat of my pants")...

Are you doing a simple gravity-fed system? That's by far the simplest way to go...

[dhempy]

Welcome Chris:

You need to bend Okaar's (Pete) ear on the meads and gruits ...

I made the switch to all grain a couple of years ago (right after I found this board). It is relatively simple to switch over ... but brewdays do take a bit more time!

Dan

[lexuschris]

Most of the guys here are all-grain. You might want to observe one of their brew-days just to see the process, but that's not really necessary (I did my first AG day "by the seat of my pants")...

Are you doing a simple gravity-fed system? That's by far the simplest way to go...

After reading some of the posts here, I see folks going all-grain by the seat-of-their-pants and doing well, so I am greatly encouraged! But, I would love to see an AG brew-day with someone who has done it before... hope I can make the next one!

In meantime, I hope to give my 1st one a try next weekend. I am planning on gravity fed at this point....am saving up for a pump & fancy wort chiller next tho'.

After seeing some of the great pictures of 'brew sculptures' on this board, I wonder if I can just get by with a sturdy folding table and lifting the occasianal vessel to the table to gravity feed the receptacle below? I saw the results of the boiling wort in your shoe catastrophe, so have been seconding guessing lifting the heavier wort volumes (ie. with extracts, I typically boil 2.5 gallons, so lifting was not that big a deal).

Thanks for the suggestions!
--LexusChris

[brahn]

I did the lifting to to the table thing until I moved to 10G batches. It's not too bad, but I certainly wouldn't try lifting a kettle full of still boiling hot wort.

[backyard brewer]

<looking at my scabbed-over but still seeping foot> I highly recommend NOT moving hot liquids of any kind with anything other than a pump!

For a while I used one of those small folding painting stand/scaffold steps. They're only about 2' high , but very sturdy and wide.

Welcome to the board.

[kevinham]

Welcome.

I currently lift everything and move it around manually. Really the only dangerous part is pouring the strike and sparge water into the mash tun. I chill the wort after the boil while it is on the burner, and then lift it up to the table to drain it into a fermenter.

[bwarbiany]

You're welcome to come see Dustin and I brew whenever you'd like. Have no idea when the next time we're brewing, though... It doesn't happen as often as I'd like.

We used to do the "carry stuff around" method. We're both 6'4"+, 250 lb guys, so we figured it wasn't a problem... Even doing 15-gallon batches, the weight of it wasn't an issue to carry, and we were pretty careful about hot liquids.

Until the day we dropped a full keg of imperial stout mash due to our carrying "stick" (a broom handle) breaking. That was a brew day ruined and $60+ of ingredients down the tubes. Luckily without any physical trauma, though.

Since then, we started using pumps. It's a bit more complex (and a bit more expensive), but it works. And we don't carry anything hot, ever.