Home Brew Kits

[supermario]

Ok, got the Kit and the bottles (thanks John for the glass bottles !)

Going to start with a non alcoholic ginger beer, just to get used to the process. I'll let you know how it goes

[Guest]

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.

Hey Muz. First time I have looked at off topic convos.

I have been home brewing for many years now. The way to go is Kegging. Most people bottle, but this can be a real chore with all the washing up. I do both and currently produce 18 litres for $15.00.

Start off with a basic Coopers Larger ar Draught, and brew this for a while to get started. If you are keen on kegging, I can point you in the right direction on a set up for about $250.00. The flavour of home brew has come a long way over the years, and is so much better than your typical sterile beer from BWS.

Happy brewing.

[Guest]

Ok, got the Kit and the bottles (thanks John for the glass bottles !)

Going to start with a non alcoholic ginger beer, just to get used to the process. I'll let you know how it goes

Shouldn't have really gone a ginger beer in the same fermenter that you will be brewing beer in. Hard to get the ginger taste out. Make sure you clean it out straight away.

[Guest]

Ok, got the Kit and the bottles (thanks John for the glass bottles !)

Going to start with a non alcoholic ginger beer, just to get used to the process. I'll let you know how it goes

You are a disgrace.....

[stsae]

Ok, got the Kit and the bottles (thanks John for the glass bottles !)

Going to start with a non alcoholic ginger beer, just to get used to the process. I'll let you know how it goes

ROTFLOL, that was gheeeeey.

Muzz brewing is a great relaxing pasttime. Everyone here who have commented are right. Keep it clean and watch your temps, my best advice. Also let it brew so many go off too early and want to try before its ready then wonder why it tastes like a turd. Patience grasshopper.

Find a good brewshop and taste some of their stuff and pick their brains. Then just do it. Its the oldest known recipie in history, or so some pissed clown once told me. It aint rocket science but it does help to follow the basic rules, for taste reasons.

Happy brewing mate.

[supermario]

John, yes i know i took the easy option with the non alcoholic ginger beer, but i needed a test subject, that was the quickest and easiest Will get the beer brewing shortly.

Adzta, yeah i did clean out the fermenter straight away, so it is clear of smell. I was going to stick with coopers, it seems to be the easiest, mainly cause everyone i have spoken to uses it, eventually i will get to kegging, but a bit too expensive right now.

Backwards, thanks for the tips, i have found a great brew shop right near my place, they have everything you could need and their are really friendly too, had a great chat with one of the blokes there about the whole process and he was more than happy to help. And yes, i have been warned by many to let things sit until they are ready, i am ready to wait until things ferment properly, i want quality.....or as close as i can get !!!

Thanks for the tips guys, not long now for the first ginger beers !!!!

[Guest]

Keep us posted big fella...

[Guest]

How did your first brew go Mario?

[supermario]

How did your first brew go Mario?

Just put it on this weekend ! Started with the Coopers pale ale....It's bubbling away nicely.

The only question i have is with the air lock, the one i use has the bulbs on either side that you half fill with water. now i did that, but after one day, the water has gone into one bulb only. is this a problem?

[Guest]

Bulbs on either side???? What they are is an air lock. The one that I had was a S bend type. As long as it is bubbling then it should be fine. You might even get the odd brew where the froth from the brew creeps up into the air lock. No bother, just top up the air lock with more water. I would always use bolied water from a keetle to top up the air lock.

Let us know how it goes mate.

[supermario]

Bulbs on either side???? What they are is an air lock. The one that I had was a S bend type. As long as it is bubbling then it should be fine. You might even get the odd brew where the froth from the brew creeps up into the air lock. No bother, just top up the air lock with more water. I would always use bolied water from a keetle to top up the air lock.

Let us know how it goes mate.

Yeah it was bubbling away, the day that hot 32 deg it was bubbling like you would not believe ! it has stopped now, will do a gravity test today and tomorrow, should let me know if it is done

[Guest]

Yeah it was bubbling away, the day that hot 32 deg it was bubbling like you would not believe ! it has stopped now, will do a gravity test today and tomorrow, should let me know if it is done

Come on Muz! How did it go? 28 largies? Now you need to get another one down and build up some stock. You will never buy again.

[Guest]

Never bothered about checking the gravity.....just waited till the bubling stopped. In cooler weather it might bubble every 45 seconds or so. In the summer, you will be churning them out......

[supermario]

Well, i think we have success ! yesterday i bottled 30 bottles of coopers green !!! it smelt good and the colour was just about the same So now they are bottled we wait. It says 12 weeks, but have been advised 2 is enough to start drinking....any thoughts on this?

[chook 56]

It will be drinkable, but will improve with age.
The longer you can leave it the better it will taste, up to about 9 months. Trouble with this is you will need a lot of bottles & storage room (my ex objected to losing her garage space for the beer lol).
Another indication, for me, on the quality of the brew, was the size of the bubble when pouring. The larger the bubbles the poorer quality it tended to be.
Have fun & enjoy