Brew your own
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 84
Brew your own
Brewing your own beer/cider seems to be big business where we live in WA, has anyone done it? and was it worth it? Our local IGA sells loads of equipment that would be needed and a large number of drinks to brew, are some better than others?
#2
Re: Brew your own
I did it while I was in Scotland and it was great although my dad's was better. Good fun doing it (well for me but it was my first time) and great to be able to go to your barrel and just pour yourself another beer, mind you our kitchen was probably cooler in Scotland so it might need a little time in the fridge first your end!
#3
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 127
Re: Brew your own
I did it while I was in Scotland and it was great although my dad's was better. Good fun doing it (well for me but it was my first time) and great to be able to go to your barrel and just pour yourself another beer, mind you our kitchen was probably cooler in Scotland so it might need a little time in the fridge first your end!
All you need is a fermenter buckets (50 pints or so), a barrel (again 50 pints), a pipe to transfer between bucket and barrel, some vaseline (for when you screw on valves which should come with the barrel) plus a long spoon and some steriliser.
buy one of the good premade kits (i prefer woodfordes)
Sterilise the fermenter and spoon, pour in your mixture which is like treacle, add 10 pints boiling water. fill with another 35 pints cold water. Add your hop conditioner and yeast (all included in kit) then put bucket in warm place for 2 days. Transfer to cooler place until fermentation is complete (anywhere from 4 days to 4 weeks) It has finished when bubbles stop rising. Its during this time you add extra sugar to increase percentage.
When fermentation is complete, sterilise your barrel and your hose, place the bucket higher than barrel, suck the hose and let gravity do the rest and fill your barrel.
Put your valve on top with some vaseline otherwise you'll never get it off again and leave in a cool place for at least 2 weeks to clear.
after that drink drink drink.
It cost me £65 for all the equipment including the first batch of beer. Replacements costs about £18. I get 45 pints out of that and its as good as english pub ale.
#4
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 127
Re: Brew your own
I'm starting to see a little niche in the market here, I'll be out there next year so may have to start a little brewery
#6
Re: Brew your own
I use a good yeast from a brew shop called Big Bubbles in Midland, much better than the one supplied with the kit.
Everyone remembers making home brew when they were about 17 years old and it tasted Sihte. The kits (and yeast) have come along way since then. Coopers (an Australian company) make some of the best kits in the world.
I brew a Coopers Canadian and it tastes like a realy good lager, and is ready to drink in about 5 weeks.
There are about a dozen brew shops around Perth to buy the "extras" and to try some exotic brews if it tickles your fancy.
An alternative is to go to a "you brew it shop". This is a venue were you brew on their premise and use all there equipment and ingredients. You only supply the bottles at the end. You come out with a decent brew but price wise it's half way between off licence and home brew prices.
Hope this helps.
Keel