Community Forums

Taco29wps · 11-20-2013, 06:30 PM

Hello everyone,

I am a new full timer and am trying to continue my love for home brewing. Brewed my first batch in the MH this weekend and it went well. I thought I would start a thread about the joy, frustration, or ideas on MH home brewing. I also thought we could build a little community of brewing chat. I have been brewing about 2 years. Anyone else partake in this hobby in your MH/camper?

Anyone in Oklahoma city? I'm in the AF and we are moving there in April.

Bob

TXiceman · 11-20-2013, 07:53 PM

I stopped home brewing about 10 years back and sold all of the equipment. Problem was I liked to drink what I made. In the RV, and full time, I do not see the room to store the equipment or the brewed product.

Ken

richvkansas · 11-21-2013, 07:18 PM

As to "on the road brewing", I have thought about it but space issues and small burners on the stove prevent me actually doing it. Did you use an external propane burner for the boil? I think you may be one of a very few RV brewers but good luck!

TeJay · 11-21-2013, 07:34 PM

This is along the same lines but deals with brewing wine. I started about 6 months ago and did 6 1-gallon jugs at the same time. Each wine was made from store bought juice. All I did was vary the kinds of juices from concord grape to white grape, to cranberry, etc. I also varied the amount of sugar and types of yeast. Since they can be easily brewed in a gallon jug then bottled it would be a lot easier than beer. Well that is if you like wine and not beer. I like both but thought that the brewing of beer was a little more difficult and required more space and equipment. Wine does not.

My first batches came out well and I just started a 6-gallon white wine. It will make about 30 bottles of wine. The amount of time needed for aging varies. I finished these wines in Oct and they taste great.

TeJay

Taco29wps · 11-21-2013, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richvkansas

As to "on the road brewing", I have thought about it but space issues and small burners on the stove prevent me actually doing it. Did you use an external propane burner for the boil? I think you may be one of a very few RV brewers but good luck!

I actually used the stove for this last kit. I boiled around 3.5 gallons and that was a little too much liquid. I have a propane burner that can hook into the rv via the "extend a stay" system. As for the space, I have the bucket under the steering wheel of the MH...fits perfectly. Wife doesn't even notice it...out of sight out of mind. I keep a few cases of flip top bottles under the bed for bottling ease. Now, I'm not going to be making beers that need long aging times or require more than the regular equipment, but it will still be better than drinking miller lite. Sorry to the miller lite fans...

I have been brewing a couple years now and have done some advance brewing styles, so if I find an interest, maybe I'll start an rv brewing blog to help folks out.

Let me know if y'all want to know more and I will help where I can!

Bob

Taco29wps · 11-21-2013, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

This is along the same lines but deals with brewing wine. I started about 6 months ago and did 6 1-gallon jugs at the same time. Each wine was made from store bought juice. All I did was vary the kinds of juices from concord grape to white grape, to cranberry, etc. I also varied the amount of sugar and types of yeast. Since they can be easily brewed in a gallon jug then bottled it would be a lot easier than beer. Well that is if you like wine and not beer. I like both but thought that the brewing of beer was a little more difficult and required more space and equipment. Wine does not.

My first batches came out well and I just started a 6-gallon white wine. It will make about 30 bottles of wine. The amount of time needed for aging varies. I finished these wines in Oct and they taste great.

TeJay

My wife and I really love wine. The only reason I don't do wine is the aging time. I don't have the space to keep a bucket of wine going for a couple months and keeping me from doing anything else...other beers/wines. I have considered looking into controlled temp storage to ferment/store and age beers and wine. Any idea what a small unit costs? Never looked into it, but that's definitely an idea...

Bob

LLVanB · 11-21-2013, 08:31 PM

Bob,
I am an avid home brewer but not a full-timer. We are, however, going to do our first 3 month snowbird stint this winter. I have been feverishly brewing to build up my stock for Christmas gifts and to take on the road with us.

I have been doing some thinking about brewing out of the MH. The water usage and cleanup water would seem to be somewhat of an obstacle. I am very particular about the water I use for my brews (I use RO water) and obsessive about cleanliness. I switched to all grain earlier this year and have been doing full batch boils for quite a while but would think that extract brewing would be easier from the MH due to equipment storage space limitations.

I am not planning to brew this winter but may perfect a compact set of equipment over the next year and give it a try the winter after.

What issues did you come across and how did you resolve them?

I will also be searching for craft breweries during my travels hoping to find some great brews and ideas for great recipes.

Happy travels,
Larry...

Taco29wps · 11-22-2013, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LLVanB

Bob,
I am an avid home brewer but not a full-timer. We are, however, going to do our first 3 month snowbird stint this winter. I have been feverishly brewing to build up my stock for Christmas gifts and to take on the road with us.

I have been doing some thinking about brewing out of the MH. The water usage and cleanup water would seem to be somewhat of an obstacle. I am very particular about the water I use for my brews (I use RO water) and obsessive about cleanliness. I switched to all grain earlier this year and have been doing full batch boils for quite a while but would think that extract brewing would be easier from the MH due to equipment storage space limitations.

I am not planning to brew this winter but may perfect a compact set of equipment over the next year and give it a try the winter after.

What issues did you come across and how did you resolve them?

I will also be searching for craft breweries during my travels hoping to find some great brews and ideas for great recipes.

Happy travels,
Larry...

Hi Larry,

My biggest issue was the boil actually. The MH stove was not strong enough to put a good boil without putting the lid on half way. The next batch will just have to be via the propane burner outside.

I'm also an all grainer but like you said, extract kits would be much better. That being said, any all grain recipe can be converted down to an extract. The amount of equipment was a concern. I needed to find a way that wouldn't have beer buckets and other various eq. Lying around in line of sight to my wife. The single extract batch was what I came up with. All I have with me is a 5 gal. Pot, 2 buckets, a transfer hose, a bottler tube and all my bottles are flip top. I didn't bother with OG/FG, it is what it is, and I can only do one batch at a time through completion. As for the water, I used the MH water. I think it will be fine. You could buy gallon jugs of purified water, but I think it will be fine...no competition beers here...lol. As for your adventure, try to find a HB club in the area. Might be able to make a friend who would let you borrow a brew spot for the afternoon and a place to put the fermentor. I would let you.

Thanks for chiming in and please stop by from time to time and offer up advice, share stories and encourage others with me. I am thinking I may do a MH Brewers Blog. When/if I do, I'll make sure to PM ya.

Bob

OrngTrillium · 11-22-2013, 07:15 AM

Great now you guys have me wanting to start another hobby. I think i'll be researching this for my s & b I thought about it in the past but now i'm getting an itch...