Anyone Homebrew ?
Discussion
I have a colleague in Australia who is a mad keen Home brewer, beer is very expensive in oz so it explains its popularity, he has a few ont he go at any one time and has become a bit of an expert it seems, never tried any of his but people seem to rate them.
So, fancy a go, I had a go as a 17 year old and to be honest it was grim, but I wasnt that into beer back then.
So, anyone bother, is it worth the effort ?
So, fancy a go, I had a go as a 17 year old and to be honest it was grim, but I wasnt that into beer back then.
So, anyone bother, is it worth the effort ?
Tried it a few years back, got everything I needed from Wilkinson's.
First batch was fantastic, forty bottles of lovely bitter that was as good as anything you could buy in a pub.
Second and third were OK but not as nice.
Forth attempt, every bottle I opened sprayed foam 3ft into the air.
Just got rid of all the stuff I used recently.
First batch was fantastic, forty bottles of lovely bitter that was as good as anything you could buy in a pub.
Second and third were OK but not as nice.
Forth attempt, every bottle I opened sprayed foam 3ft into the air.
Just got rid of all the stuff I used recently.
We had a go late last year after trying a friends that was actually really nice...
A starter kit and some other bits from Wilko (bucket, barrel, syphon, thermometer, big spoon, steriliser powder) was about £30. The brewing sugar from the same place was a couple of quid and the actual beer mix we got from The Range for £15 - so I think it worked out £1.70 a pint for the first batch (obviously batch 2 onwards is a fraction of this cost :-) ).
It was really easy, cleaned everything, boshed the mix in the bucket, left for a couple of weeks in the bath (in case it leaked / exploded), then syphoned into the barrel and left in the garage until it was ready.
My only tip would be follow the instructions as closely and thoroughly as possible (so you may need to tweak your thermostat to maintain the right temperatures) and leave the last stage (they call it clearing) much longer than it says, ours tasted OK at a few weeks old but much nicer after another 3-4 weeks.
It's amazing how long 40 pints lasts, we're just waiting on the second batch to be ready.
Give it a go, you've got nothing to lose (if it doesn't work out, stick the kit on ebay and make your money back!)
A starter kit and some other bits from Wilko (bucket, barrel, syphon, thermometer, big spoon, steriliser powder) was about £30. The brewing sugar from the same place was a couple of quid and the actual beer mix we got from The Range for £15 - so I think it worked out £1.70 a pint for the first batch (obviously batch 2 onwards is a fraction of this cost :-) ).
It was really easy, cleaned everything, boshed the mix in the bucket, left for a couple of weeks in the bath (in case it leaked / exploded), then syphoned into the barrel and left in the garage until it was ready.
My only tip would be follow the instructions as closely and thoroughly as possible (so you may need to tweak your thermostat to maintain the right temperatures) and leave the last stage (they call it clearing) much longer than it says, ours tasted OK at a few weeks old but much nicer after another 3-4 weeks.
It's amazing how long 40 pints lasts, we're just waiting on the second batch to be ready.
Give it a go, you've got nothing to lose (if it doesn't work out, stick the kit on ebay and make your money back!)
http://www.wilko.com/cider+beer-brewing/geordie-be...
This is the one that made the best beer, Geordie Yorkshire Bitter.
This is the one that made the best beer, Geordie Yorkshire Bitter.
Yes I have done since Jan and it's good stuff. (I only do kits not all grain)
check our http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum
explains how to do most kits:
http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f...
how to bottle:
http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f...
I use a benchcapper - very worthwhile investment.
So far I've done.
Milestone IPA (great beer)
Wilco Velvet Stout - with Dark Choc (tastes like a milk stout)
Wilco Velvet Stout - with Dark Choc & Chilli (needed more chilli in the dry hop, tastes more like bell peppers)
Evil Dog Double IPA (9%) not a week night tipple!
I have a Coopers stout that I'm planning on starting this weekend.
and I also have a Milestone Shine on kit waiting, that's meant to be very good.
I bottle mine (pressure barrelled some of the Milestone, preferred the bottles).
check our http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum
explains how to do most kits:
http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f...
how to bottle:
http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f...
I use a benchcapper - very worthwhile investment.
So far I've done.
Milestone IPA (great beer)
Wilco Velvet Stout - with Dark Choc (tastes like a milk stout)
Wilco Velvet Stout - with Dark Choc & Chilli (needed more chilli in the dry hop, tastes more like bell peppers)
Evil Dog Double IPA (9%) not a week night tipple!
I have a Coopers stout that I'm planning on starting this weekend.
and I also have a Milestone Shine on kit waiting, that's meant to be very good.
I bottle mine (pressure barrelled some of the Milestone, preferred the bottles).
Good thread here: http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?t=11376...
Been a while since I've done any (mainly because my last house was too cold!). Tempted to start up again though
Been a while since I've done any (mainly because my last house was too cold!). Tempted to start up again though
bicycleshorts said:
Good thread here: http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?t=11376...
Been a while since I've done any (mainly because my last house was too cold!). Tempted to start up again though
I gave up beause the beer was too good, too cheap, and too plentiful, the resultant expansion in my waistline meant I decided perhaps it was best to stick to the pub. Been a while since I've done any (mainly because my last house was too cold!). Tempted to start up again though
Edited to add, if too cold why not spend a couple of pounds on a 'beer belt'?
Timmy40 said:
I gave up beause the beer was too good, too cheap, and too plentiful, the resultant expansion in my waistline meant I decided perhaps it was best to stick to the pub.
Edited to add, if too cold why not spend a couple of pounds on a 'beer belt'?
To be totally honest, I've never heard of a beer belt until now! I was looking into getting a slightly wider tub and filling it with water + an aquarium heater.Edited to add, if too cold why not spend a couple of pounds on a 'beer belt'?
...Can I personally blame this all on you when the wife asks?
Timmy40 said:
I used to buy the Woodfordes kits, which came as two tins of dehydrated wort when I say dehydrated I don't mean powder, it was like syrup. Produced excellent beer.
Me too. -The Wherry and the Admiral's.Followed instructions to the letter and tried to maintain patience whilst it conditioned in the keg. I'd have happily paid for the end product in a pub, which equated to approx 50p per pint. Even the wife liked it and she's picky about beer.
bicycleshorts said:
Timmy40 said:
I gave up beause the beer was too good, too cheap, and too plentiful, the resultant expansion in my waistline meant I decided perhaps it was best to stick to the pub.
Edited to add, if too cold why not spend a couple of pounds on a 'beer belt'?
To be totally honest, I've never heard of a beer belt until now! I was looking into getting a slightly wider tub and filling it with water + an aquarium heater.Edited to add, if too cold why not spend a couple of pounds on a 'beer belt'?
...Can I personally blame this all on you when the wife asks?
I only discovered them after the Wife banned me from brewing in the house and activities were exciled to the rather cold garden shed.
bicycleshorts said:
To be totally honest, I've never heard of a beer belt until now! I was looking into getting a slightly wider tub and filling it with water + an aquarium heater.
...Can I personally blame this all on you when the wife asks?
This is what I use. A large plastic storage box with the FV in it, surrounded by water and the aquarium heater in the water bath....Can I personally blame this all on you when the wife asks?
Some put a little bleach in the water bath, I don't I just change the water halfway though the ferment.
A lot of people just stick the heater in the FV (after sanitisation).
Beer belts and mats are meant to give quite an uneven heat. (never tried one, just what I've read)
Bumpped into to this on googling at work! Not enough room in house to put it and no price!
http://www.designboom.com/design/freddie-paul-beer...
Working from top to bottom, the gravity-fed kit features transparent vessels that allow the user to observe every aspect of brewing chemistry. after treated water is heated to 80°C in the liquor tank, it flows to the mash tun, where grains must be mixed into the hot liquor. once a porridge-like consistency has been achieved over the course of 90 minutes, practitioners refer to the concoction as ‘wort’. this liquid is then transferred to the kettle, where it is boiled for 60 to 90 minutes with hops added for bitterness and aroma. the final step occurs in the fermenter with yeast to begin the fermentation process. the kit is capable of producing ten liters of craft ale in approximately ten days: four hours brewing, two days fermenting, one day chilling, and then several days conditioning in bottles.
and no price!http://www.designboom.com/design/freddie-paul-beer...
Working from top to bottom, the gravity-fed kit features transparent vessels that allow the user to observe every aspect of brewing chemistry. after treated water is heated to 80°C in the liquor tank, it flows to the mash tun, where grains must be mixed into the hot liquor. once a porridge-like consistency has been achieved over the course of 90 minutes, practitioners refer to the concoction as ‘wort’. this liquid is then transferred to the kettle, where it is boiled for 60 to 90 minutes with hops added for bitterness and aroma. the final step occurs in the fermenter with yeast to begin the fermentation process. the kit is capable of producing ten liters of craft ale in approximately ten days: four hours brewing, two days fermenting, one day chilling, and then several days conditioning in bottles.
I got back into homebrew after a long hiatus of 7 years and I also remember my experiments in my late teens and early twenties was carp too! 
After all this time I have refined what I am good at and stuck with it. Beer. I gave up on bottling as it was too time consuming and switched initially to king kegs and now stainless Cornelius kegs. A brilliant system to be honest. I do an initial 2-3 day ferment in an non airlocked carboy then transfer to another one with an airlock for around a week sitting on the boiler. During the last couple of days if has finished I use liquid beer clear. Then it goes into a clean cornelius with a dash of sugar.
Cleaning/sterilising I use Tesco own brand sterilising tabs. Cheap as chips.
My kits are now sourced from Wilkos. As others have mentioned they do a good range of branded all malt twin can kits. They also do spray dried malts which are a good alternative to sugar for the single can kits. Though I tend to chuck a half kilo bag in even with a 2 can all malt kit for a bit more 'body'.
After all this time I have refined what I am good at and stuck with it. Beer. I gave up on bottling as it was too time consuming and switched initially to king kegs and now stainless Cornelius kegs. A brilliant system to be honest. I do an initial 2-3 day ferment in an non airlocked carboy then transfer to another one with an airlock for around a week sitting on the boiler. During the last couple of days if has finished I use liquid beer clear. Then it goes into a clean cornelius with a dash of sugar.
Cleaning/sterilising I use Tesco own brand sterilising tabs. Cheap as chips.
My kits are now sourced from Wilkos. As others have mentioned they do a good range of branded all malt twin can kits. They also do spray dried malts which are a good alternative to sugar for the single can kits. Though I tend to chuck a half kilo bag in even with a 2 can all malt kit for a bit more 'body'.
Edited by Marlin45 on Wednesday 27th August 21:07
One of my jobs was stillman for ten years.Fom Molasses we used to distill high quality alcohol for Wodca and Gin.
Easy to brew good quality beer it takes a bit of patience.You do need a decent size container. A Hydrometer and Temperature gauge.
Stir the mixture regulary for a few days untill fermentation has stopped.Two consectuvive readings on the hydrometer is what you are looking for.
I used to bottle my beer and leave it for six weeks until it was clear as glass in the bottle.I did stop after a while,my wifes'Irish father and me got pissed to often on a good brew.
My favourite was bitter.
Easy to brew good quality beer it takes a bit of patience.You do need a decent size container. A Hydrometer and Temperature gauge.
Stir the mixture regulary for a few days untill fermentation has stopped.Two consectuvive readings on the hydrometer is what you are looking for.
I used to bottle my beer and leave it for six weeks until it was clear as glass in the bottle.I did stop after a while,my wifes'Irish father and me got pissed to often on a good brew.
My favourite was bitter.
So would this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Complete-Home-Brew-Lager...
and this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heat-Belt-BrewBelt-for-H...
or an immersion heater or heater base be better? It'll be going in my converted attic which is the warmest room in the house.
Cheers!
and this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heat-Belt-BrewBelt-for-H...
or an immersion heater or heater base be better? It'll be going in my converted attic which is the warmest room in the house.
Cheers!
Don't expect it to taste like lager, lager has a very definitive fermentation and maturing process that is nigh on impossible to replicate at home. To have any chance you need to build a temperature controlled fermentation chamber (you can build one using and old fridge, a heat source and an STC temperature controller). Here's mine, with a Bronx Rye Pale Ale clone in it http://www.craftedpours.com/homebrew-recipe/bronx-... in it.
Edited by SwanJack on Sunday 31st August 13:17
Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff