Thread: Home Brew

Originally Posted by martinozcmax

Thanks Andy, I have found a source and am buying a couple of kegs and all the associated kit. I also bought two more 30 litre fermentation bins to allow me to have 2 brews going and one to decant and add the finings as that sounds like a good idea.

While I was in the home brew shop I also was attracted to the still section and after tasting home brew whisky I am now seriously considering a still setup. Purely for distilled water and essential oils of course.

Update
I now have two full kegs one with stout using two stout home brew kit cans as someone suggested. Top drop. I had a little left over and bottled them. Also a belgian lager which after brewing I decanted to another fermenting bin and put finings in it. Came out nice and clear. I have got all the kit now except a fridge that fits these two cylinders, (Missus has found us one on fleabay picking it up on Saturday) and a CO2 cyclinder which with a bit of luck I'm about to get.

I have a replacement batch fermenting away so I'm going to be a very happy chappy in a week or so.

I have a couple of spirit brews fermenting away quite happily. It's starts off as basically water with ten kilos of sugar and some super fast fermenting high alcohol tolerance yeast. This stuff I bought is supposedly capable of brewing the sugar into alcohol at around 12 per cent proof in 6 days. However I have had it going (with a temperature belt so I know the temp is ok) for two weeks now and it's still bubbling away merrily. No rush I'll just leave it till it stops.

Then once I have distilled it I have mixers for Sambucca white and black, ouzo, Vodka, a whisky kit that supposedly lets you replicate different bought whisky's. Also a Tia Maria and Baileys kit for swmbo as well as the widows ruin Gin.

One general question for you, why is there a Vodka mixer when Vodka isn't supposed to taste of anything ? And why did I buy it in that case !



Regards

Martin

If you are new to brewing stick to coopers very hard to go wrong when starting out. IT's quite easy to the replace sugar, it's just a matter of taste.
Sorry if makes no sense, having a couple of home brews.
Cheers Mick

Will have a stella ready in a week or so

I have had alot of problems lately with my keg fridge but looks like I sorted all that out

Next is a double brew fridge ( if I get time to get it ) and then start on the redback and guinness brews

Adam

We just started what will hopefully be a Belgian triple. Aiming for around 9% alcohol - should be good for a winter warmer!!!

We got hold of some champagne yeast from a friend, some belgian candi sugar from the brew shop, and we tried to make some ourselves as well, but stopped when we had invert sugar syrup and threw it in like that:
Making your own Belgian Candi Sugar or Syrup

Somewhat experimental, but we will see what it ends up like...

I saw that our local brewshop has a keg kit on special for $399
2x used 19L kegs
Beer gun
lines/connectors, etc...

They sell CO2 cylinders for $270 outright.

But it looks like I can get better prices on Ebay...

I also measured up our bar fridge, and I would have to remove the freezer section to fit even 1 keg in - if that is even possible...

Hey Ben
My Milko mate keeps promising to get me one of those flavoured milk fridges you see in roadhouses for my homebrew.
If he ever comes good on the offer you are welcome to my keg fridge.Its in top working order!!!
Andrew

Just got a Coopers micro brew kit from my girl! Have the first batch fermenting right now! Looking forward to it a lot!!

1st brew is the Coopers Lager that came with the kit (how convenient are these concentrates!!) then we're doing a Coopers ginger beer (non alc) for the family.

I'd love to experiment with some of the bavarian style beers. Any suggestions?

In brisbane it's hot.. my wort was sitting at 32 degrees when I added the yeast, (pretty much the max temp limit they specify, but recommend max 27 degrees). it's a coller day now annd the wort is sitting at 30ish degrees. Has anyone got any comments on temperature and brewing in QLD?

Cheers (literally)

Wil

I find in Qld, that it's better to brew during the cooler months, as it's easier to warm the wort, than it is to keep it cool. The last brew I did was the Coopers Mexican and it is a good drop, although a mate in Sydney has gone ape over the Canadian Blonde.

I'm not brewing much these days, as I went off beer for a month and the taste for it hasn't come back as well as it should.

Wil
Welcome to the joy of brewing your own.
As Numpty says,the hot weather isnt as good for brewing.A quickly brewed beer isnt as good as a slow brewed beer.
2 ways to cool your fermenter.
Get a large tray to sit the fermenter in,fill with water and use a towel to create a coolgardie safe.Makesure you sterilise the tap after this before bottleing just in case.
Convert an old fridge to run at 22deg.You can buy a thermostat that plugs into the wall,the fridge plugs into this.A temp probe goes in the fridge.Power is regulated to the fridge to keep the temp you select on the thermostat.
Dark beers(stouts etc) seem to be effected most quality wise with the heat,I dont have too much trouble with Coopers Canadian Blonde and Mexican Ceveza during summer.I dont use and cooling.
Andrew