Home Brew Kits

[supermario]

So, i take it there are a few on here that have dabbled in the world of home beer brewing........

Any tips? and good kits to start with, places to go (shops and stuff)????

Any help would be great, i'm looking to get started on the home brewing.

[Guest]

Home brewing is cheap, easy and fun.
Store bought kits and brews are ok and produce an ok beer for not much outlay, but I'd suggest googling "home brew supplies" and finding your nearest home brew shop. They will give you the best quality gear and great advice.
Most will give you the right combos of of brew concentrate, sugars, hops etc to replicate your favourite brew.
My biggest tip - keep your gear and bottles squeaky clean at all times.
Get into it, it's great fun!

[Guest]

I home brew but not beer.

[Guest]

I did the homebrew for many years and it is a good way to make cheap beer. Tips would be to keep your equipment clean. Wash out each bottle as you have drunk it or as soon as you can afterwards. If you do this you don't need to scrub them as they are clean.

It is better to use long necks and pour the beer slowly so as not to upset the sediment. Even better still, pour it into a jug and minimise the sediment you get out of each bottle.

If you can afford it, the best way is to do the kegs. It is easier to clean and the results are much better.

Have enough bottles for 3 brews. So you are dinking one brew, brewing another and the other one is maturing. The longer you leave the beer in the bottle, the better it is. That is to say you should really leave the beer in the bottle for 3 - 4 weeks before drinking it but I have drunk mine in 2 weeks.

The hardest thing is consistancy. If you get right into it and make sure the temperature is right while brewing, etc, etc, then the results will be better. I just used to buy a syrup from the brew shop, add dextrose and pretty much hope for the best. I made a box with a heat pad (bought the pad from the brew shop) for winter as the beer will not ferment if it is too cold.

There is a Aussie Brewers Forum so give that a go.

I ended up ditching the home brew and going with the micro brewery. I gave them the flick as well as theri beer was not up to scratch. Pity you didnt post this a while a ago as I had a HEAP of long necks I could have passed your way. I stopped brewing as it got a bit of a pain and also I have cut down my drinking by a heap due to the training I do for running. Just did not seem worth it.

Good luck mate and be prepared for some foggy nights....

JL

[Billy Gunn]

Backwards is your man he was right into the home brew

[supermario]

Thanks Guys !!!

John, i checked out the Aussie Brewers forum, it has been over run with french porn spam, i found another forum at www.thepint.com.au that seems pretty good.

I found a home brew shop close to home, went there this arvo and the guy explained the process very well and made it sound easy and enjoyable.

I just need to clear out some room in the garage and hopefully in a month i can have a brew running so it is ready for my Birthday.

Thanks BG, i'll see if i can get the crazy one to tell me some secrets.

[Guest]

Thanks Guys !!!

John, i checked out the Aussie Brewers forum, it has been over run with french porn spam, i found another forum at www.thepint.com.au that seems pretty good.

I found a home brew shop close to home, went there this arvo and the guy explained the process very well and made it sound easy and enjoyable.

I just need to clear out some room in the garage and hopefully in a month i can have a brew running so it is ready for my Birthday.

Thanks BG, i'll see if i can get the crazy one to tell me some secrets.

Thanks for the tip. Haven't been on there for a while so might havve to check it out again....

[Guest]

Muz, tried to send you a pm but the system reckons you are over your quota....

You said that the homebrew forum had been taken over by spam porn? Is this the one you were accessing: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/index.php

Also, I do have some long neck bottles at home that I am just going to throw out this weekend. Would you want them? I live on the Central Coast. I guess you can always buy your favourite beer and drink the contents and then use the empties. Bit of a win win there...

Let me know, or they go...

John

[supermario]

thanks John, no thats a different forum, possibly the replacement of the ones i was looking at, will check it out.

The bottles would be great ! if you can hold on to them for a little longer, that would be gret, need to make time to drive up.

[Guest]

OK, I will have a count of them and let you know exactly how many I have so you can decide if it is worthwhile or not.

[Guest]

Good onya Muzz. STSAE would be a good source of info. Here's my tips;
1. Sterilise EVERYTHING that touches the unfermented brew.
2. If you are using bottles, get a bench capper! Using a hand capper can damage the bottle (exploding bottles)
3. When fermenting, keep the brew at around 21-22`C. Too cold it won't ferment, too warm and it tastes like vegemite!(I kid you not)
4. Avoid using straight tap water - use a filter if you got one.
5. Maybe for your first one, try a pre-mixed wort. You only add some hot water and the yeast.
6. Enjoy!
Post something when you put your first one down.

[supermario]

thanks for the tips tootsie, will definatly post results once they come, still need to buy the kit, the birthday is coming up soon.

[Guest]

Muz,

I have about 30 bottles. Do you want me to set them aside or is it not worth the hassle of coming up the Central Coast to get them? You call mate,

JL

[supermario]

if you could set them aside john, that would be great, i have friends on the coast, it will be a good reason to visit them as well !

[Guest]

There was a great home brew shop in the hawkesbury, either richmond or windsor not entirely sure. the bloke thee was a brewer and had some great tips and ideas. I haven't lived there for a few years and can't remember exact name or location.