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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 10:56
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Anyone here brew their own beer or spirits? A mates brother in law has been having some success brewing his own rum so I'm thinking about having a go myself.
So does anyone here do it?
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Location:
Land of Oz
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 11:41
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Hi,
Yeah, I do a bit of home brewing beer.
The quickest and cheapest way to start up is to buy one of those generic (ie Coopers, etc) brewing kits. Then, you chuck out the can of extract 'cos it's usually shit and go and get a good one.
Try "Black Rock" they have a good range of different extracts and beer types. I've found the ales to be their best - where their "Colonial Ale" is a very nice drop.
Also, you can get different sugar/malt packs with varying amounts of each ingrediant and you start experimenting from there until you find a taste that you like.
There's quite a few homebrew beer sites on the net, in Australia, that you can check out which will give you a better idea.
I find it easier to buy a few dozen clean bottles to start with and recycle them. However, watch out for tight-arse mates who don't return the bottles.
Little bottles are okay, but you need to use ones that don't have a screw-cap 'cos the seals don't stick to them very well and as the brew ferments in the bottle the pressure can blow off the cap.
I prefer to use the 750ml bottles. I seem to have little trouble slamming down a long neck and it's easier to fill and cap a couple of dozen long necks than 50 little bottles.
Also, invest in a good lever-action capping machine. The kits usually supply a shitty litte one that requires you to seal the bottle with a well directed hammer blow to secure the cap. Sometimes, if you're not careful, you can break a bottle.
My brews average from 4% to 8% alcohol and taste pretty good. I've got a batch that's been down for 2yrs and I'm going to try one soon to see if it tastes better or has turned to shit.
seeyuzz
river
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Sutho/Hills NSW
Registered:
September 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 11:45
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got me a kit the other day, when i find time i'll get into it 
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Perth
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 11:46
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I'd stick to doing beer and avoid the distilled stuff unless you want to really get serious with it. The common distillers you get are mainly for other purposes, and don't go high enough in temperature to remove the ketones which aren't too great for your health.
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Registered:
October 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 11:56
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hehe... good call river - the stuff that ships with coopers kits is nothing short of shithouse - i reckon they just started chucking em in with the kits cos they couldn't sell them!
in SA at least we have a place up in hahndorf called grumpys (http://www.grumpys.com.au) and i've never had a bad beer from their extracts and "masterbrews"
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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 11:59
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Stilling and brewing are totally different things. I don't want to get into stilling as yet but maybe in the future.
river, what have you found with temperature? Some people say that the temp needs to be around 25 while other people say that the temp doesn't matter as long as its stable during the period of the fermentation.
Whats your findings?
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Banned User
Location:
Camden (Sydney)
Registered:
September 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 12:50
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I dont know anything about brewing so im not going pretend i do. I will just sit in the corner and entertain myself with various matel products.
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Location:
Land of Oz
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 20:07
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Hi,
I have found that between 22 and 26 degrees is fine for brewing. It can vary between those temps without any probs. Too low temp and it takes too long to ferment and the beer is sorta flat, too high and the brew ferments too quick and seems to lack taste.
I find it easier to brew in the cooler winter months and I use a temp controlled plate, that is sold at brewing shops, that will maintain 22 degrees. Also, this gives you time to get a batch or two done and have it fermented in the bottles for 6-8weeks and they're ready to drink when the hot summer comes along.
I brew my stuff in my downstairs workshop, which is partially under the house. It's best to keep it dark - that is, no direct sunlight on the vat while its fermenting. Also, down there the temp is more stable.
seeyuzz
river
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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 22:19
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Thanks. I was thinking about putting my setup in am old fridge and then controlling the temp with a peltier cell. I know this is a little over the top, but if I can make my favorite drink and at the same time playing with electronics, well why the hell not 
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Location:
Land of Oz
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 22:29
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Hi,
Sounds like a goer! I'd like to see it over engineered with multiple CPU's, 1M of RAM and at least a 20G HDD... oh and make sure it's connected to the net so you can check out the system wherever you are! 
My next batch I'm experimenting with a few bottles and I'm gonna put a chilli in them to see if I can get chilli-beer. The chilli will want to make you drink more. It's a never-ending circle of drinking!
Also, if you like icy cold vodka (like I do), then whack a chilli into your fave voddy and slam it in the freezer. It's great and as the voddy gets drunk it gets hotter and hotter.
seeyuzz
river
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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 18 January 2005 23:19
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 Nice work.
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
February 2003
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Location:
Campbelltown, NSW
Registered:
November 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Wed, 19 January 2005 05:26
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| davedrifts wrote on Tue, 18 January 2005 23:50 |
I dont know anything about brewing so im not going pretend i do. I will just sit in the corner and entertain myself with various matel products.
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i would also like to join davedrifts in the corner of people who no nothing about brewing...i also enjoy matel products.
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Banned User
Location:
Camden (Sydney)
Registered:
September 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Wed, 19 January 2005 06:30
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Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Wed, 26 January 2005 04:53
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The best beer i ever had was at a Germen resturant in Thailand, i think the brand of beer was HOPF, and was sold by the 2L jug (that was one person's serving). Second to that was my uncles home brew. He has it on tap which is stored in his fridge in the shed. Just reading all this makes me want to get started in my own alcohol production.
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Location:
cambo
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Mon, 31 January 2005 08:05
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making spirits is highly illegal(if u get caught itll cost you big $$$), were allowed to have a 5L still but not a 20L still.
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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Mon, 31 January 2005 08:28
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| Flem wrote on Mon, 31 January 2005 18:05 |
making spirits is highly illegal(if u get caught itll cost you big $$$), were allowed to have a 5L still but not a 20L still.
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As I said above, brewing and stilling are two different things. There is nothing wrong with brewing.
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Location:
Brisbane, QLD
Registered:
February 2003
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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Mon, 31 January 2005 09:25
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I'm interested in #10. Whats the story with this?
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Location:
Brisbane, QLD
Registered:
February 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Mon, 31 January 2005 09:31
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alcoholic ginger beer rocks. tastes good, smells good, and gets you drunk real good
same with alcoholic sars
very easy to drink and very easy to get very alcoholic
well for "beer" anyways...think me and a friend got his ginger beer to about 12%. didnt taste too bad atl all  it can get rather sweet though
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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Mon, 31 January 2005 09:34
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Mmmmm I like ginger beer.
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Location:
Brisbane, QLD
Registered:
February 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Mon, 31 January 2005 09:36
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| Cool1 wrote on Mon, 31 January 2005 19:34 |
Mmmmm I like ginger beer.
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use this knowledge wisely then young grasshopper
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Location:
Somewhere on a dirt bowl ...
Registered:
August 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Mon, 31 January 2005 23:54
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| Cool1 wrote on Mon, 31 January 2005 20:34 |
Mmmmm I like ginger beer.
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It makes two of us then Cool1. If i get into home brewing it'd have to be for the ginger beer as well as apple cider
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Location:
Adelaide, SA
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 01 February 2005 00:46
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There is a large thread on the OCAU forums about home brew, forums.overclockers.com.au but you have to sign up to see it.
There is bucketloads of info there!
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Location:
Victoria
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 01 February 2005 06:10
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As in alchaholic sarspirella or alchaholic death disease?
cause it if its the first im interested
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Location:
Brisbane, QLD
Registered:
February 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 01 February 2005 11:05
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| gearb0x wrote on Tue, 01 February 2005 16:10 |
As in alchaholic sarspirella or alchaholic death disease?
cause it if its the first im interested
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first
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Wed, 02 February 2005 02:30
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My housemate has agreed to let me modify his fridge in order to get a better home brew
And so it starts... I'll keep you posted.
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Fri, 11 February 2005 03:45
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Got stuff delivered for my temp controller...will start building this weekend
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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Fri, 11 February 2005 08:00
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What controller are you building?
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Sun, 13 February 2005 21:54
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Cool1 a very similar setup to this one, slightly different temp sensor, very different realy board.
I will probably do the controller in c# or vb.net as an n-tier type thing. Why? becuase i can, i guess...stick with what i know!
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
July 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Mon, 14 February 2005 01:41
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I used to brew my own spirits. Its really simple. Get a decanter from a home-brew shop and a few other ingredients (like charcol etc.).
Put it all together and put in a cupboard. Takes a few months and then flavour with whatever you want.
I made some really good vodka, bacardi and choc banana. They're great for punches and that sort of thing. Generally come out to about 25-30% alcohol. You can vary it by using honey instead of sugar or by flavouring it with different stuff afterwards.
Then I got into distilling too. Good source of methanol as you get about a cup of it before it starts to become ethanol. I wonder if you could heat the liquid using methanol, and have a kind of semi-perpetual machine.
If I remember next time I'm at my parents place I'll take a few photos of my still.
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Location:
Adelaide, SA
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Wed, 16 February 2005 21:34
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Home brew shops have the lot!
Anyway, we got a coopers kit, made a larger (which i think will be weak and flavourless) but now we've started our own brew. Coopers pale ale wort with 1kg brewing sugar and about 360ml of honey! It smells really really nice so far, and has been fermenting the whole week so far.
I can't wait to try it
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 12 April 2005 00:33
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I just bought myself a home brew kegging kit. mmmm keg of beer! *drools*
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
February 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Wed, 13 April 2005 13:07
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hey ppl! i just got a home brew kit (coopers) for my birthday on friday, what is a good brew to buy? any hints for a first timer?
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Wed, 13 April 2005 22:20
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Hints for first timer: When you think you have steralised everything, do it again!
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Wed, 13 April 2005 22:22
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And attaching your bottle brush to a drill does wonders
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
September 2004
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
August 2003
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Location:
Capella
Registered:
April 2005
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 19 April 2005 00:39
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try this
1 kg apples sweet cook them first
3 kg sugar
2 tablespoons ginger
yeast
dont bottle into glass bottle in to plastic pets
put a rasin in the top of each bottle and about 1/4 teaspoon sugar
bottle when it stops working same as beer
leave in a dark safe place has been known to blow up OFTEN
so dont use glass
open outside as it can be pretty fizzy
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Location:
Campbelltown
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 19 April 2005 02:59
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i know someone that used to home brew they are dead now, anyway he had his fridge set up with a tap and stuck a keg inside the frige of his home brew connect it up and you have ice cold home brew on tap.
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Location:
Kellyville, Sydney
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Wed, 20 April 2005 02:48
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| Quote: |
try this
1 kg apples sweet cook them first
3 kg sugar
2 tablespoons ginger
yeast
dont bottle into glass bottle in to plastic pets
put a rasin in the top of each bottle and about 1/4 teaspoon sugar
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what exactly is this? and whats with the raisen?
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
February 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Sat, 23 April 2005 08:44
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ok ppl i need some info, i put my brew down about 2 days ago and im not sure if its working (its my first one) how often does the airlock bubble? and i have a LOT of condensation under the lid is this a good sign?
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Sat, 23 April 2005 22:06
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Should be bubbling every 5-10 seconds, or at least my brew does...
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 26 April 2005 00:07
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Yep, about 5-10 seconds... it should start bubbling within 1 day.
I put on a brew over the weekend with 1.5kg malt, 1kg sugar (dextrose&sucrose), 300g grain and 1kg honey oh, and some hopps too (23 liters)... should be nice will probably be a triple fermentation 
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
February 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 26 April 2005 03:42
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well the wierd thing is that the gravity is changing (its been goin since the 21st and ive checked it twice since initial) but i havent seen it bubble yet. i watched it for about a minute yesterday and it didnt bubble
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Tue, 26 April 2005 06:10
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So the hydrometer is sinking but no bubbles yeah? The container is definately sealed right? no holes anywhere? You could check this by squeezing the container and seeing if the airlock bubbles (I can just push down on the lid on mine).
I Usually get a lot of condensation under the lid too, thats normal.
It should be getting close to bottling time...
Hmmmm... I would be inclined to bottle and see what happens.
Put another brew on straight away so if it did fail you only have about a week to wait for the next one
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
February 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 28 April 2005 00:49
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thats the thing, there is bubbles when i take a sample in the hydrometer tube and it has a head of about 10mm aswell, so i have to let it sit for a while before i can take a reading. ive tasted it from the sample and it tastes like it should 
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
March 2005
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 28 April 2005 01:56
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| Squid wrote on Thu, 14 April 2005 08:20 |
Hints for first timer: When you think you have steralised everything, do it again!
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Correct!! Nothing worse than waiting 2 mths for your brew to reach its potential, only for it to taste like donkey piss!!
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
March 2005
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 28 April 2005 01:58
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| Squid wrote on Sun, 24 April 2005 08:06 |
Should be bubbling every 5-10 seconds, or at least my brew does...
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Generally for the first half of the brew it will bubble rapidly like Squid said then by about day 5 it may slow to 1 per hr. Approx.
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
March 2005
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 28 April 2005 02:00
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| pjaw11sc wrote on Sat, 23 April 2005 18:44 |
ok ppl i need some info, i put my brew down about 2 days ago and im not sure if its working (its my first one) how often does the airlock bubble? and i have a LOT of condensation under the lid is this a good sign?
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sounds fine
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Location:
Kellyville, Sydney
Registered:
June 2004
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
August 2003
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 25 August 2005 01:52
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Well the brewing fridge is all set up and my test batch (water) is sitting at 25 degrees +/- 0.2 degrees. Will throw down a batch of beer on saturday, see how we go!
mynameisrodney - late reply, but my 330mls didn't blow up with a single carponation drop.
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Location:
melbourne
Registered:
February 2005
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 25 August 2005 02:44
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mate makes an awesome apple cider!
im his test pilot
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Location:
Noosa
Registered:
November 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Fri, 26 August 2005 01:11
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While not really home brew but anyways
Theres a home brew place in brisbane called "BREW 4 U" and the make bloody good drops. We used to get me dad to order cartons of their corona brew for like $20 per 60 bottles or sumthing and the brewed it for us too.
Theres nothing like a good cheap home brew mmmmmmmmm.....
Also, my bros friend brews his own spirts at about 55%, a word of warning, never make home brew gin cause it WILL blow your head off
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Location:
Kellyville, Sydney
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Fri, 26 August 2005 04:13
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distilling and brewing are completely different. distilling is also illegal as it is much easier to fuck it up and cause serious side effects. so if i were you i'd stay away from that shit and stick to the beer. it tastes better anyway.
chris
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
March 2005
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
March 2005
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 22 September 2005 11:26
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Hi Squid,
what type of heating element are you using to maintain the temp? In the past I have use a 40w globe which has worked well.
B
| Squid wrote on Thu, 25 August 2005 11:52 |
Well the brewing fridge is all set up and my test batch (water) is sitting at 25 degrees +/- 0.2 degrees. Will throw down a batch of beer on saturday, see how we go!
mynameisrodney - late reply, but my 330mls didn't blow up with a single carponation drop.
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Location:
Kellyville, Sydney
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 22 September 2005 11:45
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okay brewing experts here's my problem.
my last batch of beer was flat but potent as (1.1kg sugar + 250g honey). so i figure it cant be temp making it flat coz otherwise there would have been no fermentation and no alcohol.
when brewing a more alcoholic beer, do you need different yeast? also do you stir the mix up before bottling? the instructions say not to, but my best results have been wheen i have had to carry my keg somewhere else to bottle.
chris
PS. 250g is way too much honey. lol. next time i'll go 150
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I supported Toymods
Banned User
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 22 September 2005 11:54
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If you use honey your going to have to use a hellaoflot more yeast! Reason being that the honey has its own natural yeast which spoils the brew!
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Location:
Kellyville, Sydney
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Home brewing
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Thu, 22 September 2005 12:01
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ok thanks,ill head out to the brewing shop and grab some,
so anyone wanna buy 2 cases of shitty flat honey brew?
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