Last Updated: January 04, 2008

Welcome To My Homebrewing Site

My name is Troy and I'm a homebrewer.  This is my online homebrewing log.  I keep up to date information on the batches I've brewed, equipment I use, and other miscellaneous beer related things.

What's New

Earlier this year my wife gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby girl.  Add a baby with a four-year-old and you get no homebrew.  2007 was the year without a homebrew.

Our family will be hosting our 9th annual Super Bowl party.  Unfortunately with the lack of brewing comes a lack of homebrew.  Luckily I have two high gravity Belgian homebrews kegged that I've been saving for the party, a Tripel and a Dark Belgian Strong.  The Dark Belgian Strong is the best beer I've ever made and I've excited to share it with our friends during the Super Bowl.  This year I'll have to supplement the homebrew with some tasty craft brews.

Once I get brewing this year I'll brew a baby beer to celebrate the birth of my daughter.  I still need to brew a beer for my sister Lisa too.

For over a year now I've been working on finishing my basement.  The project includes a playroom/living space, 3/4 bath, and a workshop/brewery.  The bath and workshop are done.  I hope to finish the rest this year.  The workshop/brewery has a laundry sink for cleaning brewing equipment.  My basement is a walkout, so I plan to brew right outside my workshop.  I'll never have to carry carboys of beer up or down the stairs again!  Here are a few pictures:

On Tap

Tripel

OG = 1.076    SRMs = 3.7

IBUs = 28    9%abv

Dark Belgian Strong

OG = 1.072    SRMs = 20.2

IBUs = 27.2    8%abv

Bottled

Mead 

OG = 1.104

12.8%abv

Maple Mead 

OG = 1.106+

15+%abv

Bourbon Maple Mead 

OG = ????

20+%abv

Bottle Conditioning

Nothing

Fermenting

Nothing

On Deck

Baby beer

Something for my sister Lisa

In early 2002, a coworker gave me his beginners brewing equipment kit.  I found the nearest homebrew supply store and bought my first ingredient kit and some miscellaneous brew equipment.  That first kit was an extract Oatmeal Stout kit w/dried yeast from Midwest Homebrewing Supplies.  I could hardly wait for the beer to ferment.  So, I purchased and brewed my second batch before ever tasting the first.  I was hooked.  Recently, I began all grain brewing.  Brewing with these new techniques will result in a higher quality product.  For more info...

By fall 2002, I had discovered homebrewing on the internet.  Another local homebrew supply store, Northern Brewer, hosts an incredible homebrewing forum.  Homebrew Adventures also hosts  homebrewing forum.  There are many other homebrewing forums, but these are the two in which I'm most active.  (In the virtual beer world I am know as Hammer Guy.)  If it weren't for these forums and their members, I wouldn't be the brewer I am today.  I would like to extend thanks to all those forum members who have helped me learn the craft of homebrewing.   For more homebrewing links...

Beer Quotes

What are you going to drink Dad, BEER?  

-My son Jude (spoken loudly while standing in line at McDonalds in Jan 2007)

There wasn't much to do -- all the bowling alleys had been wrecked.  So's I spent most of my time lookin' for beer.  

-Bob McKenzie

Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.  

-Jack Handey