MMBEX: MM Beer Exchange?

[V1GiLaNtE]

I figure enough of us here drink craft beer to some degree and probably have some beer stashed away for drinking later. It got me thinking today after I made a trade for a Hardywood Bourbon Barrel CRU that maybe we could start some sort of MM Beer Exchange?

I'm not sure if it would be best to manage within the thread or build a Google Drive document that we could all access with beers we have for trade or beers we're looking for? This could also be a source of gossip/heads up on where/when beers are getting released or available on tap. For example, next Tuesday there is a very high likelihood most brew shops in the area (NOVA) will start getting this years Founder Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS).

Thoughts? We could also use this place to list your Untappd handle.

Cabell - Cabell_Spicer

[JPolen01]

I have friends that do this but I have no idea how it works. Do people ship beers to each other? Seems like it could get expensive. If we were scattered all over the country I could see the benefits, but since we are all around NOVA/Hburg/MD I feel like I can get almost any beer at my local store that stocks no less than 742 brands.

I do like the idea of a dedicated beer discussion thread.

[V1GiLaNtE]

I have friends that do this but I have no idea how it works. Do people ship beers to each other? Seems like it could get expensive. If we were scattered all over the country I could see the benefits, but since we are all around NOVA/Hburg/MD I feel like I can get almost any beer at my local store that stocks no less than 742 brands.

I do like the idea of a dedicated beer discussion thread.

I'd say this is true to a degree. I have friends that are deeply involved in the dark underbelly of beer exchange. They travel and grab different beers, etc. or have leads on rare beers. This can morph whatever way it wants, but just because something is local to the DMV/Hburg doesn't guarantee you're going to get it before it sells out. We do have a few members that are further south or on the West Coast so it's possible if enough people are interested we can manage some sort of East Coast/West Coast pipeline.

I know Kaan is HUGE into homebrew and would appreciate some knowledge drop from him.

Or just talk about whatever amazing Stout/IPA/Homebrew you had with the meat you just showed us. :dunno:

[Ken]

I still have my Heady Topper sitting in my fridge from when my buddies made a VT run, saving it for some unknown reason. Interested in this idea for sure, if nothing else to learn some other brews to try.

[V1GiLaNtE]

Start by posting your Untappd handle! I've got a a bunch of Hardywood Bourbon barrel variety's aging, as well as a few other choice brews I've snagged.

[RawrImAMonster]

My girlfriend and I homebrew as well. I've got a kegerator in the basement with enough room for 3-4 1/2 barrels. Right now we've got a hoppy rye brown ale on tap and its pretty damn tasty.

I don't typically ever hold onto beers though. When I buy them I drink them. I aged a few 120 minutes for a couple years once, but it wasn't really worth it.

[Senor_Taylor]

Have: Keystone Light

Want to trade for: Keystone ice

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[V1GiLaNtE]

My girlfriend and I homebrew as well. I've got a kegerator in the basement with enough room for 3-4 1/2 barrels. Right now we've got a hoppy rye brown ale on tap and its pretty damn tasty.

I don't typically ever hold onto beers though. When I buy them I drink them. I aged a few 120 minutes for a couple years once, but it wasn't really worth it.

I think about a year is worth it for bombers. I've had a few beers that were aged for a year and compared to this years and it's a noticeable difference. Especially really boozy beers AKA anything brewed in bourbon barrels.

How big of a batch are you typically brewing at one time? That beers sounds super tasty!

[RawrImAMonster]

We just do 5 gallon batches and use soda kegs to hold them. Its cheap and way easier than bottling. I'm going to start a cider with the one of the Weihenstephaner yeast strains soon. As long as you have a keg setup, ciders are so easy to make. I change the recipe up a little each time I make one. Last time was a cider with grapefruit juice added and fermented with an english ale yeast.

[Sully]

I had a really great hookup a few months ago before losing my job. No one really ever asked me for anything when I worked for a craft beer distributor though. I would bring home free beer and couldn't even give it away to my friends cause they preferred bud or yuengling. I still have a ton of stuff on my garage but it's pretty old now.

Looking to get into brewing and keeping cider at some point. I'd like to get something similar to a good commercial cider though. Not bone dry. But first I need a kegerator setup. Oh and first I need another job so I can pay for things

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[V1GiLaNtE]

Looking to get into brewing and keeping cider at some point. I'd like to get something similar to a good commercial cider though. Not bone dry. But first I need a kegerator setup. Oh and first I need another job so I can pay for things

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I think Rex could point you to cider. Though I recall his cider being more like a wine and less of that sugary stuff you're thinking which is commercial grade.

[Sully]

Yea I tasted that once. It was definitely more like wine and if I recall not carbonated like commercial stuff. Maybe sparkling but not carbonated fully. But I'm sure Rex can chime in and set us straight.

I've researched it quite a bit and im really just waiting for the extra money, space and kegerator to try it. The only thing I'm unsure about is if unpasteurized non alcoholic cider like you'd buy in store or at orchard is made from cider style apples or if its made from table apples and would make a not great hard cider

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[Jake]

I would bring home free beer and couldn't even give it away to my friends cause they preferred bud or yuengling.

Your friends sound like they need to be replaced. :dunno:

[WRXtranceformed]

Maybe Chris can ship you all some Seattle weed

[Ken]

Maybe Chris can ship you all some Seattle weed

[JPolen01]

Maybe Chris can ship you all some Seattle weed

Edibles please

[RawrImAMonster]

Yea I tasted that once. It was definitely more like wine and if I recall not carbonated like commercial stuff. Maybe sparkling but not carbonated fully. But I'm sure Rex can chime in and set us straight.

I've researched it quite a bit and im really just waiting for the extra money, space and kegerator to try it. The only thing I'm unsure about is if unpasteurized non alcoholic cider like you'd buy in store or at orchard is made from cider style apples or if its made from table apples and would make a not great hard cider

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I have a really simple recipe I came up with that turns out great for a cider that tastes like something you'd buy in the store. You need a kegerator setup or something to kill the yeast with before you bottle it since you'll be adding sugar back in after fermentation. With a kegerator, that doesn't matter since you'll be storing it cold and the yeast won't be active.

Get 5 gallons of the kirkland brand apple juice from costco. Ferment 4 of them with the red star montrachet wine yeast. Transfer the fermented juice to a keg after a couple of weeks and add the 5th unfermented gallon in to sweeten the cider back up. It ends up being around 5.4% abv (after adding the unfermented juice) and tastes great.

Then, just force carbonate the cider by turning the c02 pressure up to ~30 psi and shake or roll the keg around on the floor for about 5-10 minutes. It will take some time to get a feel for how much you need to do this to get the desired carbonation, but you can always turn the pressure up and shake it more or let some of the pressure out of the keg to adjust. Once done, you turn the pressure back down to around 11 psi, wait about an hour for everything to settle, and serve.

You can have a great tasting cider ready to drink in about 2.5 weeks with this method. If you have people over a keg of this stuff will disappear quick.

[Sully]

That sounds pretty easy. My plan was to use a kegerator setup but now I need to wait till I have a job again. But I'll definitely be giving that a try if I ever get all setup. I keep seeing Facebook ads for a poly conical fermenter. Looks like it would simplify a bit but I guess mainly if you're doing a secondary fermentation to clear it up. Which sounds like you're not doing anyways with your cider

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[RawrImAMonster]

I haven't ever done secondary fermentations with any of my ciders or beers. All it does is clear up the color a little bit and just introduces another step for the beer to get infected. Even without secondary fermentations, I've never had any of my beers be too cloudy for the style so I just haven't found it necessary.

That cider recipe will come out super clear without a secondary since you are starting with apple juice anyway. It's definitely a good one to start on since it's so easy to get right. Like I said, I almost always try a new recipe every time I make a cider anymore, but I still occasionally make that recipe because it's so easy and good tasting.

[CaptainHenreh]

Looking to get into brewing and keeping cider at some point. I'd like to get something similar to a good commercial cider though. Not bone dry. But first I need a kegerator setup. Oh and first I need another job so I can pay for things

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I think Rex could point you to cider. Though I recall his cider being more like a wine and less of that sugary stuff you're thinking which is commercial grade.

Mine was not a straight cider, technically a "Cyser" or a mead made with apple juice instead of water. Straight mead doesnt' taste like much, using apple juice instead of water adds some character.

Real talk though, beerwise the craft beer industry has so exploded that I don't really see the need to spend just as much money (if not more) to make an inferior product. Very tempted to explore what home distillation has to offer (hey there alcohol fuel permit) but at this point in my alcohol creation career: "meh".