Engineers turned Brewmasters 1

[shirsch]

I have been homebrewing for 2 years now. During this time I have noticed a remarkable correlation between engineers and homebrewers. The science behind brewing seems very appealing to the engineering type and it is indeed a great hobby. Naturally, every homebrewer has thought about opening his own brewery at some point. Does anyone know anyone or have examples of engineers turned brewmasters?

 

[Ussuri]

I home brew wine. I have never even thought of making wine professionally though.

 

[thruthefence]

It's fun to share a batch, when it comes out well; (my little outfit that I used to have made about two & 1/2 cases at a time,)But my problem was getting people to wash out my bottles after imbibing. Brewer's yeast is hard to remove, after it "sets up" Maybe something new is out there?

 

[JakeAdkins]

Mike did your 4 kids come about because you are a home brewer?

I would recommend the "The Alaskan Bootleggers Bible" it is a great book covers everything from the law, equipment, and recipes. Also a lot of info on the web.

http://www.happymountain.net/

There are a lot of different distilling methods that can be used that shouldn't get you in trouble. I have used a couple of these. The peach wine is really good.

I think it covers it in here if you are careful on how you do everything the making alcoholic products for your personal use and as gifts (as I recall there are is a limit or so many gallons per year) is not illegal.

 

[thruthefence]

"There are a lot of different distilling methods that can be used that shouldn't get you in trouble"

If you separate ethyl alcohol from a 'mixture' containing alcohol by distillation, you are in violation of federal law, unless you register with BATF as a "distiller"

However it's been said " anything's legal if you don't get caught"

 

[JakeAdkins]

thruthefence-

It has been a couple of years since I looked at it and it may have changed, but as I recall there are some ways to bob and weave around how you actually remove the alcohol. I think there is a little bit of gray you can work with. I would read up on it before I tried. And I wouldn't take my word for it either.

 

[moltenmetal]

I'm with the crowd that explains it as a desire to drink decent beer without paying full price- both fine engineering traits!

After a couple batches, you realize that it takes beer to make beer, at which point it becomes pretty much impossible to stop...

Me, I had to stop my kit-brewing right after grad school. Once I no longer had sufficient buddies to brew and drink with, I found I couldn't drink it fast enough to keep it "fresh" without becoming considerably more of a man than I am now- weight-wise I mean. Just one belt of "skunky" homebrew left too long on the shelf has you racing for a razor to shave your tongue to get that horrible taste out of your mouth...

Fortunately for both of us, my DW doesn't drink beer so getting her "help" wasn't an option. And inviting friends over to drink it all (without also helping to pay for the kits, brew and bottle it) cut too much into the "avoiding paying full price" goal. So that put an end to my zymurgical aspirations!

 

[SomptingGuy]

DW?

The W is almost certainly "Wife", but the "D"...

Dear
Drunken
Diminutive
Divorced
Deranged
Dead




- Steve

 

[vc66]

Designated?

V

 

[moltenmetal]

In this case the D's for "dear"- fortunately in this case meaning "endearing" rather than expensive! In booze terms she's a very "cheap date"!