Thread: Finally a topic I know something about

Most of us get into HB to get away from tasteless shyte like Cold and Crown.
Sorry to burst your bubble but there are some lovely flavours to be enjoyed once you get into it, but, and it is a big but, don't expect miracles on your first brew.
I have won a few competitions at shows but most of the opposition was a lager kit, supplied yeast and a kilo of white sugar, tatses like crap, because it is crap and doesn't take long to work a way around it.
The only HB I have found that is close to acceptable out of the pack is the Cervesa...........with the recomended sugars and a some lemon juice, and a long, 3 months at least, lageringcold conditioning period.

Originally Posted by Wild Dingo

What the bloody blue blazes are yous mob yabberin on about?? I thought the only home brew was the brew yer bought home and drank later on???

man am I feelin seriously old here... an depra... eerr deprived

okay... can a bloke without spendin an arm leg an the missus's boobs get into this home brewin caper to wheel out a nice Crownie or two?.. I like crownies... an colds what about a nice cold or ten?... I like colds too... Id heard you could make everything right through to champers an that sorta stuff nowadays is that right? cause brother will that save us a shyteload with the double up wedding weve got in our futures... what about a nice spirir or two rum maybe? what sorta alcoholic content can a bloke expect cause its pointless havin a nice tastin rum if it doesnt blow yer jocks of in two gulps is it?... an what about some liquures can you brew that stuff? cause Im right partial to that Kahlua much but its too damned week an tastes like shyte when I add anything to it... Ive tried vodka rum scotch brandy but nothin seems to do it with that stuff so I reckon if I can brew me own I could make it a humdinger that the missus would still like but turn her into a ra... ahem but can yer do that sorta brewin as well?

See Ive got this plan you know?... gonna build this new house an make the study into a bar... so Im gonna have to start to brew I guess an make all me own booze for the upcomin nuptiuals the forthcomin phissups an the lazy evenings sittin on the porch

Anyway help if you can

Hi Ding,

You can certainly make some nice beers on the cheap, don't know about the other stuff ( I haven't given them a go yet). The best advice I can give you is to visit a brewshop and get your self kitted out.

If your that fond of Fost... Ooops sorry Crownies then they should be able to give you all the ingrediants to make that. Just don't use the yeasts that come with any of the canned kits, except say something like a cider or gingerbeer.

This mob is probably one of the better brewshops in the west : http://www.homebru.com.au/

H.

I have been into home brewing, all grain for a couple of years now, and people I know are home brewing and craft brewing are there to make better beer not to save money.

Originally Posted by BrissyBrew

I have been into home brewing, all grain for a couple of years now, and people I know are home brewing and craft brewing are there to make better beer not to save money.

Yes - I do full grain as well, and do it for the taste, however my beers still work out cheaper than the stuff thats comercially available. Which is the point I was trying to make.

I'll be perfectly honest, my initial motivation to start Home brewing was to get good tasting beers cheap. Which is why I've spent so much money on it.

H.

Originally Posted by himzol

Yes - I do full grain as well, and do it for the taste, however my beers still work out cheaper than the stuff thats comercially available. Which is the point I was trying to make.

I'll be perfectly honest, my initial motivation to start Home brewing was to get good tasting beers cheap. Which is why I've spent so much money on it.

H.

Yep your right it eventually works out cheaper than commerical beer of a similar quality. But home brew seems to be an equipment intensive hobby, but I guess everything is, which is as you put it why we spend so much money on it.

So true there Brissybrew. I reckon that i get about 3 slabs per kit which costs me about $20-25. Excellent value considering that the beer tastes that much better than comercially brewed stuff. I just did a reschs pilsener last weekend and will bottle next week. Next brew i think will be a heiniken or becks don't know which yet.

If you think this forum is good for wood, then for beer you can;t go past

http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/
recipes gear etc. etc. etc.


Fairly how-to

http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/

I started brewing becasue it is cheap and I like to make stuff. As I got better, so did the taste and now tastes a lot better than bought.

I used to love COLD, but now find them "chemical" The commercial beer of choice is now Boags.

DINGO. You can get into this with a very basic kit.

• 25 -30 litre drum with screw top lid for a good seal and a tap (even at bunnies)
• airlock to seal it (some argue not needed)
• "lil bottler" for filling bottles.
• Carbonation drops OR 1 teaspoon sugar per bottle (More makes more gas, and glass time bombs)
• caps and capper

At the start cans and sugar aren't bed, but get much better result from dextrose and quality yeast. At the start you probably wouldn't notice the difference.

Then you start adding malt, different hops (taste/aroma/bitter). I like to put 250 gram dried corn syrup. Gets rid of the watery feel in the mouth.

www.ausiehomebrewer.com

Brissybrew...hmmm. I recognise that name from somewhere. Would that be the same Brissybrew that sells my Fridgemate controller

Top product by the way!

I spend most of my forum time on aussiehomebrewer.com but it's fantastic to know there are other brewers into woodworking as well. At the moment I'm making a cedar blanket box and a German Pilsner (AG) simultaneously. The beer is coming along much quicker than the box btw, bloody sanding.... Anyway, I'll be checking this forum regularly from now on, 'cause I love both my hobbies. It's good to know that someone like Brissybrew is around to offer advice on both subjects!

Originally Posted by jimmyh

Anyway, I'll be checking this forum regularly from now on, 'cause I love both my hobbies.

We eagerly await your recipe for sawdust or shavings lager/ale/beer

Originally Posted by jimmyh

Brissybrew...hmmm. I recognise that name from somewhere. Would that be the same Brissybrew that sells my Fridgemate controller

Top product by the way!

guilty as charged.

Given that Brissybrew is on line I have a kegging question.
I have just kegged two ales and gassed to 40 psi, this is my first attempt at kegging and I have the Harris regulator.
This little beast has 2 gauges but only one seems to work and the valve doesn't seem to do anything.
I had to rely on the valve on the gas tank to gas to the required pressure.
Secondly, how long do I leave it gassed for before reducing the pressure for serving.
The kegs are sitting outside at the moment (no fridge and it cold enough overnight) so I assume absorbtion should be complete in a few days.
The regulator is what is confusing me or I have a dud.

Iain, you may have already sorted this out by now, but since noone else has posted a reply I'll give it a shot.

I have just kegged two ales and gassed to 40 psi

40 PSI is way too high for the slow carbonation technique you are using.

There are any number of ways to carbonate a keg, but you will get the best results if you chill the keg down to about 4C before trying to carbonate. At this temperature it will be much easier for the gas to be absorbed into the beer and it will also be quicker.

You should not need to regulate the gas flow using the cylinder knob.

Thanks Jimmy, I am familiar with the low temp for gas absorption but given that we do not have a fridge I am reliant upon Victorias balmy weather at the moment , I shall go out today and release some pressure and re-gas to about 7psi for the tap.
A local HB shop told me they gas to 110 psi for a week then drop to tap pressure, I have also read that gassing to 35-40 psi will also work.
Time will tell in this instance and I shall see what happens.
It seems that everyone has a different idea and I asm left at a complete loss.