I didn't make this an org note on the chance there are other brewers here.


Stout
6lbs dark English extract syrup
1 ½ lb. light dme
8 oz crushed black patent, steeped before boil
4 oz crushed roasted barley, steeped before boil
First flavoring 1 ¼ oz northern brewer (8.75 AAU)
Second flavoring ½ oz fuggle (2aau)
Aromatic ¼ fuggle (1aau)
2 teaspoons gypsum
1 teaspoon Irish moss
Irish ale yeast
4 oz corn sugar for bottling

Pale Ale
6lb light English Malt Syrup
1lb light dme
12 oz crushed amber crystal lovibond 40 (steeped before boil)
First hop 1 ¼ oz fuggle (5.6 AAU)
Second hop 1 ½ oz fuggle (6.75 AAU)
Aromatic Golding (2.5 AAU)
2 teaspoons gypsum
1 teaspoon Irish moss
4 oz corn sugar for bottling

This is a basic recipe and is good for experimenting
I have used the various wyeast English and British strands, but my favorite was to use the Irish ale and use Mount mellick(sp) extract to make an Irish red, noticeable fruit character with this combo. I also use whole hops. I used pellets for the last batch and it didn’t seam right.

Question (again out of beer ignorance)...

Considering that beer involves the fermentation of live microorganisms, isn't it possible to make yourself really, really ill with homebrews that aren't made exactly right?

Lammastide said:

No known pathogens can live in beer. You can make stuff that looks and/or tastes horrible, but you cant poisen yourself. I guess you could get a bad stomache ache iff you guzzle down stuff that tastes like vinegar. An awful lot of homebrewing is cleaning and sanitizing, but hundreds of years ago people did this in open wooden barrles and somehow the human race survived.