Hello From Orlando, Florida

[spleisher]

Hello,

My name's Scott, and as you might guess my the subject of my thread, I live near the house of the mouse (about a mile away actually).

I've always wanted to brew beer, but lately have found myself drinking more and more wine. My relatively newfound love for wine, coupled with my research telling me that wine was a bit more forgiving for a beginner, has led me to put beer on the back burner for the moment, and start with making wine.

My wife and I have discovered that we really like zins, so my first kit is a Spagnols Grand Cru International California red zin.

I just started it two days ago, so I have a long way to go. I opened it last night for the first time to stir the grape skins, and it looks like the yeast is starting to do its thing. How cool!

Anyway, I'm sure I will have a lot of questions, but for now, just a quick introduction. I'm looking forward to giving what I can back to the community, once I get my act together myself.

Good to be here....

Scott

 

[St Allie]

hello Scott and welcome to the forum,

glad to have you here!

Allie

 

[Julie]

Hi Scott,

Welcome, I just started a couple of weeks ago and have found a lot of useful information.

Julie

 

[Wade E]

Welcome scott, you can also brew beer with extracts as thats easy and you can drink that very quickly fafter mking it unlike wine. I would get another bucket and carboy and start a Bee extract kit also, these kits make some pretty decent beer really, I also do all grain which is whole other story in making beer and you should really have an understanding in brewing before doing so. Im gld youncame here and joined us. Have fun in this obsess, um, hobby!

 

[xanxer82]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Green Mountains]

Welcome Scott...

... the excitement of that first fermentation doesn't wear off soon. My ninth kit is in primary right now and I love watching that airlock bubble and the smell of the yeast doing it's thing to the juice.

Have fun and keep us posted.

 

[spleisher]

Thanks

Thanks to all for the warm welcome!

Wade, that's interesting that you mention that the extract kits for beer can be relatively easy. That is actually really enticing to me, as it sounds like a good place to get started.

I guess extract kits are what the "Mr Beer" system uses, but I imagine there are larger batches of extract to brew larger (maybe 5 gallon) batches?

Would you be able to point me in the direction of a few brands and maybe some basic instructions. I know this is a wine making forum, so I don't want to digress too much from the topic at hand. But any quick pointers you can provide would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
Scott

 

[Runningwolf]

Welcome

 

[Wade E]

Yes about the 5 gallon berr batches, dont do the Mr. Beer kit as its garbage. go with a Brewers Best or True Brew kit, they do make make a pretty damn good beer. Theyre not as good as an All Gerain batch once you know what youre doing but still better then most commercial beers like Bud and Coors and Miller in my opinion and will get you pretty darn clse to the good micro brews and big names Like Sam Adams that are good to me.

 

[spleisher]

Thanks for the pointers! Not long after I posted my questions about beer, I found the Northern Brewer site, and have been browsing that a bit. I like the idea of starting with an extract kid (for now), and it seems that their kits are pretty user friendly. I'm probably gonna give beer a try, but for the moment I an having a blast with my first batch of wine!

 

[Hillbilly Bill]

Welcome "Scott from the Mouse House"...
Years ago I drove a concrete truck out of Lake Wales, Fla and we hauled some mud up to Buena Vista to help some new construction... turned out to be Disney World. Yes, I am an old man... 60... but I do know the area. How do you put up with all of those tourists? I lived down in the orange groves, actually Connersville.
Take care...
HB

 

[spleisher]

Different place back then, huh?

The tourists can be frustrating, but they pretty much keep to certain areas. Besides, I get to go to Polk County (Lakeland) every day for work, and there aren't many tourists there, that's for sure.

Sadly, more and more of the orange groves are gone. recently bulldozed a really big one to build a new outdoor mall in Winter Garden where I live.

But, it's a nice mall, and we like shopping there. Ahhhh, progress. What are you gonna do?

Anyway, thanks again for the welcome(s)

 

[Hillbilly Bill]

You bet it was different! It was out in the middle of nowhere... you would not believe it... and look at it now. Unbelievable.
I used to bowl in a league on the west side of Lakeland... Fox Lanes? Is Charlie's Oyster House still open in Lakeland? Best oysters I ever had... and I used to go out into the Gulf and beach the boat on oyster bars with my Dad and eat them right there. Good old Charlie's.
HB

 

[spleisher]

Not sure if Charley's is still around, but my Dad and I used to go to a place called Lee and Rick's Oyster Bar in Orlando. It's off Kirkman on Old Winter Garden, and it's been there forever. Been a long, long time since I've been there.

 

[St Allie]

Yes, I am an old man... 60... HB

Nah..

Just hitting your prime..

Allie

 

[Hillbilly Bill]

Nah..

Just hitting your prime..

Allie

You're sweet... now I know why Troy loves you so much. (He is gonna get me good for this... I just know it.)
HB

 

[St Allie]

You're sweet... now I know why Troy loves you so much. (He is gonna get me good for this... I just know it.)
HB

it's possibly because I'm the only female admin..

A woman in charge.. well you can just guess at the chaos.. it's inevitable really

winks..

Allie

 

[Hillbilly Bill]

it's possibly because I'm the only female admin..

A woman in charge.. well you can just guess at the chaos.. it's inevitable really

winks..

Allie

NOW I understand... he's kissin' up, huh?
HB