Pom_Chch

Nice How did the czech pilsner turn out?

Just about to start a pilsner in the next couple of weeks. Going to step up the game and try partial mash this time! Last summer was our first attempt at brewing using a starter kit, it came out surprisingly well

Mark Smith

It took a while to get fermenting, over a day but its going great now. Ready to keg up in 10 days. I splurged at the weekend and bought a grainfather to step up a level - perhaps a tad ambitious! I've been surprised how good the kits are
Using a heat belt its keeping the fermenter steady at 22 degrees, handy as there was a light frost this morning and its in the garage. Good luck for your next efforts!

Pom_Chch

I'm going to invest in a heat pad for the next batch. I didn't use one for a second batch of pilsner I tried and it spoiled in the end as I think it got too cold. That awkward moment when you take some homebrew to a party to share with everyone and it tastes rank

Good luck with the grainfather, getting serious now ay!

Stormer999

Mark I used to home wine make from kits inc sparkling wines in a previous life but never got round to beer brewing. Having said that I am eager to go into production. From your experience if starting again from scratch would you go straight for the Grainmaster and save the money you spent on other kit?

Grayling

All Grain brewing brewing is pretty eay without going to the expense of a Grainfather, Braumeister or any other similar contraption.

All you need is a Crown or Burko boiler and a big grain bag......or a big steel pot and a gas ring.

Try googling BIAB (brew in a bag) and you will find just how easy and relatively inexpensive it can be

alanmacc

I know of a couple of ex pats in Kirwee but pretty sure they are not on here

Mark Smith

Stormer, I've only really invested in a stainless fermenter vessel so far and used for simple kits. This can be used alongside my grainfather set up so hopefully will be an asset. Yep you can jerry rig up something for far, far less and have lots of fun doing it, but I like stainless steel and gadgets so couldn't help myself.

In hindsight I might have got a bigger fermenting vessel such as https://www.facebook.com/MaltMechanics?fref=photo So I could get a about 28 litres a time, enough to fill a corny 19l keg and a baby 9l one.

The grainfather is still in the box and will remain so for another couple of weeks, until I can put in some racking/stainless benches into the garage. Your welcome to check it out and have a sample

Stormer999

I like Graylings suggestion of BIAB sounds good, the problem here will be getting hold of a suitable boiler, they have all been snapped up by trainee brewers and I have no gas ring though I could rig up a camping type stove.
Will have to put in a bit more thought. Which shop do you use in Chch for kits etc ?

Mark Smith

Finneys at Bishopdale. Usually get the mangrove Jacks variety. Dead easy to use and tastes great. There's a decent chch homebrew community on facebook, I got a huge job lot of sterilising powder from one of the members for about $3. https://www.facebook.com/groups/4947...group_activity

Stormer999

Excellent just down the road from me, didn't even know it was there....time to get to work (brewing) just before the fishing season begins....

Stormer999

All done MJ's Robbers Gold in it's SS fermentor with heat belt, now bottles next

Mark Smith

That was my first one as well! It came out pretty damn good. We must have the same kit.

Stormer999

I had an income tax present from HMRC and went down to Bishopdale for the MJ Craft Series kit. Mixed up and in the garage and started to ferment after 1 hour!
So when that is ready to bottle in 2 weeks I shall start another kit but this is going to take up a lot of bottles

Mark Smith

Thats why I like kegs! Did you see his kegerator in the store? I bought one from him and it holds 3 19l kegs at a time. So much easier. Occasionally people/breweries give bottles away on the facebook site I mentioned, although nothing on there at the moment.

The heat belt on the fermenter seems to be holding mine at 22 degrees in the garage, so you'll be great!

Grayling

I also have a kegerator and a number of cornie kegs.

In order to keep fermentation at a steady 20.0C (or whatever i choose to ferment at) i also have to use a refrigerator with an external thermostat to ferment in.

Plastic (PET) bottles such as those used for tonic water, soda etc. are fine as long as you don't over prime.....they are no flimsier than the PET bottle that brew shops sell.

Try not to ferment too warm.... I usually aim for 19.0C but some beers are better fermented cooler....generally cooler temperatures produce less off Flavours.....and don't worry about letting the beer sit on the yeast in the fermenter for 2/3 weeks....often produces a better flavour and is the current trend.