Greetings from a mad American poet

[MadPoet]

I moved out to the UK last year with my British wife, we're down in East Dorset out in the sticks. Figured I would register onto this forum to keep up with the local brew scene.

Been brewing since 1993. I brought my kit over from the states, I do all grain over propane. I do ale, lager, cider and mead. I like to culture/reuse yeast. Mostly I rack my product to corny kegs, but I keep a supply of bottles around when needed. Last year I planted some hops rhizomes and this year they look to be doing fairly well. I have an old shed that I am converting into a brewery.

I don't brew as much as I like to these days, but I always have something on tap. I also cook in the BBQ style. Yep, I grill over gas or coals. But I also do low and slow via indirect heat with apple/pecan/cherry wood for smoke in the Southern US style. MMM a slow cooked brisket smoked with pecan wood and a nice ale, so good together.

~Eric

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Hi welcome to the forum :drink:

We like beer and BBQ.

 

[mugsey53]

hello good evening and welcome :thumb:

 

[StubbsPKS]

Welcome to the forum! I moved over to the UK from the US about 3 years ago for uni, but I have only been brewing a short time.

How did you manage to bring you brewing gear over? Just shipping it?

 

[evanvine]

How did you manage to bring you brewing gear over? Just shipping it?

I doubt he would have been able to convince the airline that it was hand luggage! :hmm:

 

[StubbsPKS]

How did you manage to bring you brewing gear over? Just shipping it?

I doubt he would have been able to convince the airline that it was hand luggage! :hmm:

I was thinking more along the lines that it would be cheaper to just rebuild your gear unless it was some pretty fancy kit :rofl:

 

[MadPoet]

Hehe, hand luggage. No no, we moved our whole household. So we rented a full size container. It went by boat, we went by plane. It took a couple of months for it to arrive, then a couple of more months before we could sort our stuff. Moving effectively all of our household items into a small country cottage that was already fully furnished. We're still sorting through our stuff and have a lot of it in storage.

Over all it was nice bringing over the brew gear I've collected over the years and three BBQs. One charcoal, one gas and one smoker. We have a love for BBQ and Mexican food.

For the first time I have a dedicated place to brew. No more setting up in the kitchen or on the back patio for me. Gonna be a real man shack when I am finished. Currently I have the HLT, mash tun, boil pot all set up on what ever will work for gravity to do it's trick. I have the kegerator set up (a refrigerator with a tower draught system) with a CO2 tank. All the kegs and carboys racked and stored. A plastic bin to keep my sack of base malt. Various bits for yeast culturing. Hops and yeast are stored in the kegerator. Various buckets for sanitizer, catching milled grain or whatever else needs a bucket. Most importantly there's music and a dart board. Always nice during a brew session. Now I am just taking my time figuring out how I'll build it out, over a home brew.

 

[evanvine]

Gonna be a real man shack when I am finished.

Are you going to move your bed in as well? :whistle:

 

[StubbsPKS]

Hehe, hand luggage. No no, we moved our whole household. So we rented a full size container. It went by boat, we went by plane. It took a couple of months for it to arrive, then a couple of more months before we could sort our stuff. Moving effectively all of our household items into a small country cottage that was already fully furnished. We're still sorting through our stuff and have a lot of it in storage.

Over all it was nice bringing over the brew gear I've collected over the years and three BBQs. One charcoal, one gas and one smoker. We have a love for BBQ and Mexican food.

For the first time I have a dedicated place to brew. No more setting up in the kitchen or on the back patio for me. Gonna be a real man shack when I am finished. Currently I have the HLT, mash tun, boil pot all set up on what ever will work for gravity to do it's trick. I have the kegerator set up (a refrigerator with a tower draught system) with a CO2 tank. All the kegs and carboys racked and stored. A plastic bin to keep my sack of base malt. Various bits for yeast culturing. Hops and yeast are stored in the kegerator. Various buckets for sanitizer, catching milled grain or whatever else needs a bucket. Most importantly there's music and a dart board. Always nice during a brew session. Now I am just taking my time figuring out how I'll build it out, over a home brew.

Very very nice :)

 

[Good Ed]

Welcome aboard Eric, where abouts in the States are you from? :

and I see you haven't waited long to get a brew on :thumb:

 

[MadPoet]

Originally from Southern California. But lived a while in Dallas Texas as well.

Oh no, I didn't wait long. I pretty much had plans to brew as soon as we arrived.

 

[phettebs]

Hello MP. Welcome to the forum. I live just outside Milwaukee WI.

 

[evanvine]

I live just outside Milwaukee WI.

We all have a cross to bear, just that your's is heavier than most! :whistle:

 

[phettebs]

Jim, you are showing your true colors to a new forum member awfully soon!

 

[evanvine]

I'll not gainsay you Baz, but I never new I did the "bushel" bit. :