Home Brew

[Leigh]

I know at least one other on this forum shares an interest in home brewing, so I thought it would be good to start a thread to discuss recipes, successes, disasters etc.

I've been brewing for just over a year now, put down 13 brews. By far my best is a James Squire Amber Ale clone...very nice...followed closely by an all-malt Melbourne Bitter clone.

So who brews and what are the details?

Cheers
Leigh

[wayno]

This is a great idea for a thread Leigh. I would love to get the courage to try this one day when time permits.
At least I'll have a ready supply of 'empties' to fill up. :o

[Leigh]

It's very daunting for the first time, but with the kits available these days it can be easier than cooking up dinner:D And oh so much more rewarding LOL

[brchi17]

I seem to recall something about a testing night, but I can't seem to remember the date of it.....;)

[whitlam]

I've been brewing for just over a year now, put down 13 brews. By far my best is a James Squire Amber Ale clone...very nice...followed closely by an all-malt Melbourne Bitter clone.

do you bottle it or keg it?

[Road Runner 72]

My dad blew the shed up when I was real young & then drank port from then on!

[Leigh]

I seem to recall something about a testing night, but I can't seem to remember the date of it.....

But none of ya's are ever available:p

do you bottle it or keg it?

Bottler myself. A mate does kegs...so much easier. When we extend our house, I intend to swap to kegs and have several beers on tap:D

My dad blew the shed up when I was real young & then drank port from then on!

I've heard lots of "urban stories" like this. I can't see how I could blow up a shed without distilling...

I know a few people who've had "bottle bombs" from over-carbonating stubbies/bottles:eek: or getting an infection in the beer:(

[Skaife fan]

My old man brews his in an old stainless keg for about a week then bottles it. it's pretty potent. :D

[malscar]

[quote=Leigh;239720]I've heard lots of "urban stories" like this. I can't see how I could blow up a shed without distilling...

I know a few people who've had "bottle bombs" from over-carbonating stubbies/bottles{ quote]

Friend used to brew ginger beer. It went bang one afternoon. Out of about 80 bottles only about 6 survived. We think the heat of the day did it and when one went up, the others went in sympathy. After the initial big bang (could hear it about 400metres away) single ones were still going off up to 2 hours later.

[GOBBO]

hey yea im into brew hey ive been doing it for a couple of years the best one i like is the east indian pail ale very nice drop .
i have taken some time of with it in the last 8 or so months because i got sick of bottles its a real pain in the butt .
so iam starting to get a keg set up together got the spare fridge just got to get around to ordering the kegs but once i do should be all sweet look out then

[wayno]

Is 'pail ale' brewed in a bucket? :confused::D

[GOBBO]

ha ha yea whoops i stuffed that one up didnt even pick it up myself .
must be because i get so excited over beer lol

[PEZMILL]

Got The Other Half Makin The Amber Liquid As Well".Does AnyBody Keep The Sediment From A Batch Then Add The Sediment To Another Batch?

[GOBBO]

nah i i have never done that mate mine gets a good cleaning after every batch
but intresting to see what would happen but i wouldnt recomend it myself

[Leigh]

I havn't tried re-using the yeast slurry (trub), but intend to do so in one of the next few batches...apparently you just grab a cupful of the trub and throw that on top of the wort (beer mix) either instead of, or in addition to the yeast, but I've been told that they have to be similar style beers.

I've heard of people using the entire trub and just mixing the next batch without cleaning the fermenter, but you can end up with a very vigourous ferment that usually comes out of the air lock:eek:...

[PEZMILL]

What i have been experimenting with is coopers larger,been pouring the sediment into a sterilized 2 litre coke bottle add some water and a sachet of yeast leave for a 1-2 weeks than add to a batch,it's been turning out nicer than a vb with a kick to it'

[Leigh]

The only problem I can see is that in the sediment (trub) is all the wast products of the yeast, dead yeast and general nasties you don't want in your beer...there is a method for cleaning the yeast collected from the trub to minimise this...will see if I can find a link;)

Edit:

Found a method, have edited it down for clarity. From here (http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/index.php?s =&showtopic=3697&view=findpost&p=36644)


The day before you intend to remove the beer from the primary prepare 2 litres of sterile water [boil for 15minutes is enough] and allow to cool in the fridge in a sealable PET soft drink bottle will do.

Obtain 2 500 ml jars, a clean sanitised beer glass and 3 50 - 100 ml sample vials.

Transfer the beer off the cake and remove all the beer [not the yeast] Pour 500ml of your sterile water into the fermenter and give it a very good swill around to mix the yeast and water, now with the sanitised beer glass collect enough of the yeast solution to almost fill one of the jars. Shake it really well and lightly seal it and set it in the fridge for about 10 - 15 minutes. The heavy material will drop and you can now pour the top 3/4 of the liquid into the other jar and top up with sterile water.

Shake and set aside for 10 -15 minutes and in that time sanitise the other jar. After the 10 minutes pour the milky yeast liquid into the 2nd jar and top up with sterile water. Shake and set aside for 10 -15 minutes and in that time sanitise the first jar. Now pour the top 3/4 of the liquid into the other jar and top up with sterile water. Shake and set aside for 10 -15 minutes and in that time sanitise the 3 small sample jars.

Fill the sample jars 3/4 full with the milky liquid remaining, cap these and place in the fridge.

What remains in the larger jar can be used for your next brew [make a starter] or discarded.

Next stage is to let the yeast settle out in the sample jars for 24 - 48 hours. You will now have a compact yeast layer and reasonably clean liquid on top. Remove the lid and pour off most of the liquid and replace with your sterile water. Shake well and let settle again for 24 hours. The liquid will now be quite clear, pour this off and replace with sterile water and return to the fridge. Check your samples over the next week and if the water shows any discolouration replace it with fresh sterile water.

These samples will remain viable for at least 12 -- 18 months and maybe longer.

The only danger and it is real is the danger of infection when harvesting yeast. Most All Grain brewers are competent at sanitation and the problem is small.

[HRT 1-2]

Yep, I'm a brewer, 10+ years (too much product to remember how long exactly)!! I don't vary much from basic Coopers Larger and predominantly keg rather bottle these days, much better, you don't need to age the keg like you do with bottles i.e. can get my hands on it quicker:drunk:!! The only thing that gets bottled is the remainder after the keg is filled, about 6-7 bottles a brew.

I'm curious about re-using the sediment, that's a new one on me!!

[Leigh]

I knew I'd lure you in here Trev:D

Will let you know how my "yeast harvesting" experiment goes...won't be for another month or so now as it's too hot to brew at the mo...

[wayno]

I'd love a tasting Leigh, but going home might be a problem! :D

[GOBBO]

apart from just beer ive made a killer ginger beer in my fermenter with extra ginger .
nice drop but it sneaks up on ya if you a few lol

[lukey73]

Looks you are the preferred beer supplier for the Bathurst trip Leigh, better get cracking old son and have a 4 dozen cartons ready for October !!!

[Leigh]

...and nobodies tasted it yet:p

Unfortunately no glass allowed:(

Although I have heard of people bottling in softdrink bottles:eek:

[wayno]

Evidently it loses it's gas pretty quick though.

[brchi17]

...Unfortunately no glass allowed:(....

since when have kegs been made out of glass :p

[HRT 1-2]

since when have kegs been made out of glass :p

I tried for large cans last year and wouldn't have been able to get them in!!:mad: