ppaauull0

Being a typical Brit I like a beer or two, but because its so expensive I would like to brew my own. Does anyone know of any good recipes or brewing kits. I prefer Lager but anything will do. I live in Nova Scotia

markpeo

I will second that question, as I also like a beer and think it is expensive here (Devon, AB) as well. It was one of our first thoughts after landing 4 weeks ago.

lowbo

Hi

We have just started a beer kit (lager) last night so can't tell you the results yet. We were advised to visit the Noble Grape , theres several around NS . We went to the one in Sackville and the two guys who run it were brilliant , explaining everything to us complete novices ! Tho i suppose the proof is in the pudding !! We also got a wine kit which we will start as soon as the beer one is out of the 'tub'.

Traci

Snort

We live in NS, and like you I enjoy a tipple. My mate Winston Green has been home brewing for a while now and coming up with some very decent results. 4 Weeks ago we jumped on board and started our first batch of Wine (Strawberry Zinfindel) (We were so impressed with one of Winstons Zinfindels) The result 4 weeks later is a product we would gladly pay $10 per bottle for in the NSLC, but it cost around $2 per bottle. Ok for the first batch it isnt $2 per bottle Wine kit was $47, and the starter kit was $55. So for the 30 bottles we should have produced we got it at $3.40. But at the end of the day we are impressed with the result and we plan to do a good Merlot next. (After prolific sampling we actually Bottled 25 bottles) 1 week on we have 15 bottles left, may need to curb the mother in laws consumption rate a little.

Beer.............I put a beer kit (British Bitter) in the tub 2 weeks ago kit cost $13, Sugar was $5, we already had the neccesary kit to brew it in, we have bottled it in old coke and 7 up bottles. The result is 23 litres of Beer, at $0.73 per litre or $0.45 per pint. It isnt British Bitter that you get from a pub, but it is Beer and not bad tasting. going to let it mature and settle a little before a serious drink. But it is a process I will repeat.

We use Water and Wine in Sackville, they lend the kit to filter the wine and cork the bottles, as opposed to Noble Grape who I believe rent their kits.

This is a great way of producing good drinkeable wine and beer for parties and everyday use etc, but if its a special meal I will still buy the odd bottle of Merlot for the quality that only a major winery can produce.

As an aside someone told me if you buy alcohol free beer, and mix it 50/50 with home brew, it takes away some of the yeasty taste.

Would be good to sample your results when you get the first batch out.

Almost Canadian

Lager is difficult to home brew due to the low temperature it is supposed to be brewed at.

There have been a large number of posts on this subject (one quite recently) I suggest you do a search, read through the threads and then come back with specific questions

G77

There's places around here where you go to brew your own stuff, they keep all the equipment etc to save it cluttering up your house. Not sure if it's any good, but a British guy I bumped into told me it was pretty decent Lager...

ppaauull0

Where did you get you beer kits from? I live near Windsor but don't mind driving down to Halifax

lowbo

We got ours from Noble Grape in Sackville.

Southcote

I can recommend Noble Grape for buying kits and advice. I was a complete novice, but their Festa kits (for beer) and Selection kits (for wine) are excellent and very easy to do.

I've tried a few of both, and have had a few friends round to sample, and have been very impressed. The beer kits are about $35 (for 66 bottles). There is a very slight homebrew 'tang', but I'm told that if you keg it rather than bottle it, that disappears. It's all to do with the bulk priming (adding sugar when bottled) and a friend of mine that kegs his beer using the same kits does have better results.

The wine kits vary in price, but the decent ones are c$90 (for 30 bottles). I've done a Pinot Noir and a Reisling (on recommendation) and I think it's fair to say that you'd struggle to tell that either are homebrew.

These aren't comparable to the old homebrew kits I tried many moons ago in the UK which produced awful results - there is a marked difference.

Chookie

We make both wine and beer - both from kits (although I do make wine from stuff like apples and ribena too).

Usually we buy the kits either from a local homebrew shop or from superstore.

Superstore do a very reasonable beer kit (Canadian Adventure, that has several types of brew, ale, lager, pilsner etc), that while not wonderful, is a passable homebrew - at least we find it quite drinkable. And it is a pretty good price too (less than $15 for the kit, then you need to add sugar)

Wine kits cost more, and for the better ones you need to go to a brewing shop rather than relying on the ones in superstore as they are bit "rot-gut".

I do recommend the fiesta beer kits mentioned above (especially the oatmeal stout one - that is lush!), but they are far more pricey. Mostly we tend to rely on the superstore ones because it is convenient to pick them up while doing the groceries, and go and get a better one as a treat or for special occasinos.

Southcote

Haven't tried the Oatmeal stout - is it like guiness ?

G77

You know the beer prices are too high in Canada when people subject themselves to drinking homebrew voluntarily....

24 cans of Lager in the US = $15 - I can't imagine there's much call for homebrew....

sheadboy

Canadians prefer Strange Brew anyway

Oink

That's a very good point.

PrairieSushi

That's US beer .... take a six pack of Canadian and dilute it ... you'll get the same result