Aurora Brew Crew

Aurora Brew Crew Our goal is to SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND MAKE GOOD BEER. While there, we can give him input on his brewing methods to make better beer. We will keep you updated!

Every month, a club member hosts a brew session at their place and we get to see what their brewing method is like. By doing this we will also be learning new techniques to apply into our own brewing methods. Our group brews are brewed to enter competitions. We will stick with one recipe and keep modifying it until we are content with it. Then we submit it to a competition for feedback. At times,

we all brew a beer to style and once they are ready, we get together to have either a judge or local brewer talk about that style and we can see how our brews came out. We are still coming up with ideas for the club!

Attended Goldfinger Brewing's event, boasting a notable selection of beers.
02/08/2026

Attended Goldfinger Brewing's event, boasting a notable selection of beers.

01/06/2026

How accurate is ChatGPT for home brewing. Would you use the recipe below?

American Lager – Homebrew Recipe (5 Gallons)

Target Style: BJCP 1A – American Lager
Batch Size: 5 gal (19 L)
ABV: ~4.5–5.0%
IBU: 12–18
SRM: 2–4

INGREDIENTS

Grain Bill (All-Grain):
- 7.5 lb (3.4 kg) American 2-Row Pale Malt
- 1.5 lb (0.68 kg) Flaked Corn (Maize)

Extract Option:
- 6.0 lb (2.7 kg) Pilsner or Light Liquid Malt Extract
- 1.5 lb (0.68 kg) Corn Sugar (Dextrose)

Hops (Choose one variety):
Liberty, Hallertau (US), Saaz, Mt. Hood, or Willamette

Hop Schedule:
- 0.75 oz @ 60 min (Bittering)
- 0.25 oz @ 15 min (Optional light flavor)

Yeast:
- Wyeast 2007 (Pilsen Lager)
- White Labs WLP840 (American Lager)
- SafLager W-34/70 (Dry)

Water:
Soft to moderately soft water recommended

BREWING PROCESS

Mash:
- Mash at 148–150°F (64–66°C) for 60 minutes
- Mash out at 168°F (76°C)

Boil:
- 60-minute boil
- Add hops per schedule
- Add yeast nutrient at 10 minutes

Fermentation:
- Pitch yeast at 46–50°F (8–10°C)
- Ferment 10–14 days
- Diacetyl rest at 60–62°F (15–17°C) for 2–3 days
- Lager at 34–38°F (1–3°C) for 4–6 weeks

Packaging:
- Carbonate to 2.5–2.7 volumes CO2

Conducting a taste test to determine which sample differs
01/06/2026

Conducting a taste test to determine which sample differs

08/19/2025

Would this AI generated recipe work?

🇺🇸 American Lager Homebrew Recipe (5-gallon batch)

Target Stats

ABV: ~4.8%

IBU: ~18

SRM (Color): 3–4 (pale straw)

OG (Original Gravity): ~1.048

FG (Final Gravity): ~1.010

Ingredients

Grains (Mash Bill)

8.5 lbs (85%) American 2-Row Pale Malt

1.0 lbs (10%) Flaked Corn (for that crisp, classic American lager body)

0.5 lbs (5%) Carapils/Dextrine Malt (for head retention and mouthfeel)

Hops (all widely available)

Hallertau Mittelfrüh (Noble hop, classic) OR Liberty (American-grown substitute, easier to find)

Willamette (optional late addition, mild and floral)

Hop Schedule (for ~18 IBUs total):

0.75 oz Hallertau (60 min, bittering)

0.25 oz Hallertau (15 min, flavor)

0.25 oz Willamette or Hallertau (5 min, aroma)

Yeast

SafLager W-34/70 (dry yeast, reliable and widely available)

Ferments clean, crisp, and forgiving for homebrewers

Brewing Schedule

1. Mash

Heat strike water: About 3.25 gallons to ~165°F

Mash-in temp: Stabilize at 152°F

Mash time: 60 minutes

Mash-out: Raise to 168°F for 10 minutes

2. Sparge

Sparge with 3.5–4 gallons of 170°F water

Collect enough wort for ~6.5 gallons pre-boil volume (will boil down to 5 gallons finished)

Sparge time: ~30–40 minutes, steady and slow runoff

3. Boil

Boil time: 60 minutes

60 min: 0.75 oz Hallertau

15 min: 0.25 oz Hallertau

5 min: 0.25 oz Willamette (optional for aroma)

Add Irish Moss or Whirlfloc tablet at 15 min if you want better clarity

4. Chill & Fermentation

Chill wort quickly to 50°F

Oxygenate wort (shake or use aeration stone if available)

Pitch 1 pack SafLager W-34/70

Fermentation schedule:

Primary Ferment: 50°F for 2 weeks

Diacetyl Rest: Raise to 60–62°F for 2–3 days once fermentation slows

Lagering: Slowly drop to ~35°F and hold for 4–6 weeks for clean crispness

5. Packaging

Carbonate to 2.5–2.7 volumes CO₂ (crisp, bubbly)

Bottle condition at ~65–70°F for 2–3 weeks OR force carb in keg

Mid-day beverage (PG) Draft Alpha Omega Lager
04/20/2025

Mid-day beverage (PG) Draft Alpha Omega Lager

Nothing like a Cask Ale after a long day at London. (PG)
04/19/2025

Nothing like a Cask Ale after a long day at London. (PG)

Anheiser Busch Brewery (PG)
03/17/2025

Anheiser Busch Brewery (PG)

Address

513 Rogers Street
Downers Grove, IL
60515

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