fuck it maate i'll buy some from crazy clarkes

Do you reckon Trent Barrett drinks home brew?

He could own a microbrew company with the money he gets

Invest in a cheap capping machine, and save your longneck bottles (be sure to sterilise them first, but you have to do that anyway)

get kegs then you don't have to clean bottles anymore.

hey bitches, didn't want to chuck this in devo's thread cos that's high end maaaan.

got my home brew kit yesterday. it's a brewcraft and i'm making premium imported munich lager with #15 blend - supposedly it tastes like crown lager... they gave me a taste at the shop... fuck off it tastes like crown lager - it's fucken heaps better than that shit!! i'm so excited now. got myself a bottle capper as well... i am also thinking about one of those bottle sterilisers.... anyone? i'm so excited.

Don't think about sterilising bottles- you have to do it.
What sort of capper did you get? I use one of these:

yeah i've got oine of those ones block. i didn't mean thinking of sterilising, i meant thinking of getting a sterilising machine. are they worth it? how annoying does sterilising get?

One of these, you mean?

They are very useful indeed.

yeah something like that. do you know how much they are?

About $35.00
It'll fit on top of one of these, too- makes drying easier.

BTW the standard sanitiser (sodium metabisulphate) they sell with most kits is pretty shit to work with. Nasty smell etc...I would highly recommend using idophor which is a no rinse sanitiser that is way more effective and easy to use.

you can order it online @

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au

and

http://www.esbeer.com.au

a 250ml bottle will last you for ages.

thanks devo. i'm pretty sure where i bought my shit from they're experts cos everything people have suggested (including your recent suggestion) they decided for me. i got blend #15 instead of $20 or something which means i'll get rad head and shit... i just went in there and said ''sell to me'' and he gave me what he thought was the best stuff. and there's a money back gaurantee on your first batch! woo hoo! i'm pretty excited. i don't really understand how much stuff i'm meant to use to clean and sterilise though. do you go sick or not use much?

i'd like to set up a still. anyone know how hard this will be? we were given (many) quite drinkable bottles of home brew rum at the tamworth country music festival. they were only charging $10 a bottle and we didn't have too bad hangovers the next day, i think it was reasonably clean.

i wanted to do that zadie... apparently it's illegal in australia.

yes, but
http://www.stillspirits.com/wawcs016160/making_spirits_and_liquers.html

In Australia it is legal to own a still under 5 litre capacity as long as it is for either either water purification or essential oil extraction. 

Please note that in Australia if you purchase a 3 in 1 fermenter, a Condenser and a thermometer then you have purchased the equivalent of a 25 litre still. Australian retailers are aware of this and will try to prevent you breaking the law in this manner. If you are intent on this course of action then make sure you make your purchases over two visits.

In Australia it is legal to own a still under 5 litre capacity as long as it is for either either water purification or essential oil extraction.

Please note that in Australia if you purchase a 3 in 1 fermenter, a Condenser and a thermometer then you have purchased the equivalent of a 25 litre still. Australian retailers are aware of this and will try to prevent you breaking the law in this manner. If you are intent on this course of action then make sure you make your purchases over two visits.

hahaha. so ''it's illegal but here's how to break the law and get away with it''

Stills here
I've always found this stuff- essentially a flavoured alcohol base- undrinkable. And that's rare for me.

its illegal cos its dangerous

I have a couple of bottles of amazing homemade plum wine in my cupboard. We drank one the other night but apparently it should be aged a little while longer.. I'll have to hold off opening the rest, but it will be difficult.

its always a problem until you have like a cellars worth. I got this book called wild fermentation, and now we brew all sorts of stuff...im doing an egyptian beer called a bousa and mead from a relos bees honey...just keep brewing

My lover's dad has promised to make me cider next year. It's going to be so excellent. How do you make bousa? What else have you made?

you can access the pages from the wild fermentation book via the link

to do a basic cider you just need apples...two boxes of juicing apples (get a mix of types) will do approx 15 litres. Without a cider press, all you do is put them all through the juicer, pour the juice into a fermenter, add a litre or two of pear juice and add champagne yeast. But if your not near a home brew shop just get a beer yeast for 2 bucks off the shelf at big w and sprinkle on top before sealing the fermenter. Then just wait until the bubbling slows right down (1-2 weeks) and bottle. Its really basic, but dont expect bulmers like cider....but my first batch was done just using this simple method....seeing the apples actually fermenting is the big thing and then if it ends up a little strong when drinking...just add mineral water. I just adapted this recipe from an old book I read about vikings brewing mead and cider.

then once this works youll feel more like doing the extra work to make a hard apple cider like what you would be used to drinking

This has gotten me very very excited...

these are a little expensive, but are so easy to use and the beer is top notch. Ive made the Amber Ale and Irish Red. Otherwise another easy but good kit is the ESB Hoegarrden kit. Does 18 litres for 30 bucks.

oh yeah, the drinking has begun on the first batch, and it is delicious! I tell ya, having over 30 longnecks to reach for from the top shelf is like all my christmas's have come at once!

awesome....wait till ya stockpile up of all different flavours, you'll be in second heaven

Second batch (and new flavour) brewing as we speak!

Got a home brew kit for Father's day.

I started with a Golden Ale and added Amarillo Hops to the barrel as finishing hops (Amarillo was the hop used in the mashing too). Turned out very drinkable, been trying to hold back but down to 3 bottles.

2nd brew was a Pale Ale. Added Cascade and Super Alpha Hops to barrel. Lovely deep orange amber colour, floral, fruity and bitter characters. Reminds me of a Mildura Brewery 'Storm' Ale. Drinking one right now!

3rd brew got a bit adventurous. I slow boiled a jar of Apricot Jam, mixed with Cinnamon and Cloves then added it to a Wheat Beer Wort. Amazing aroma when you crack the top off, little strong on the phenolic characteristics, might trty a better quality specialist Wheat Beer yeast next time. Still a very drinkable beer but lacks the banana-esque qualities I like in a good Heffeweisen.
Think it will develop with age. Only been in the bottle for 3 weeks, so I'll store it until Christmas and see where it's heading.

4th brew in the barrel right now. Am brewing a Ginger Beer blended with Lime Marmalade. Plan to serve it with a swirl of Bitters in the glass too. Aiming for a refreshing Summer beverage.

I slow boiled a jar of Apricot Jam, mixed with Cinnamon and Cloves then added it to a Wheat Beer Wort

Am brewing a Ginger Beer blended with Lime Marmalade

Oh my driza! Very impressed

Nice work, driza.
Have you thought of steeping small amounts of grain? A bit of red or chocolate malt does amazing things to kit brews.

Yeh mate,

Plan to give up the kit worts altogether soon and start from scratch, just wanted to get my head around the process for a bit first.

Grand vision is to be brewing full time within 5 years...............not a bad dream for an old bush muso to have!

Keep the home brew stories coming folks!!

Just brewed up 50L of beer at this place.
I know it's not really 'home brewing' but I guess it's a start no?
In fact I am really freaking excited and can't wait to sample my brew!

About U-Brew it
U-Brew it Micro-Breweries were established in Perth Western Australia in 1998 by Peter Hodyl and Geoff Pelham. Using state of the art 'Cask Brewing' commercial brewing equipment, Premium quality international ingredients and proven recipes and processes the very best beer can be produced to suit everyone's taste. Peter and Geoff had a vision in the early 'Pioneer' days and believed strongly that their customers, like them, would love the opportunity to drink any style of beer they liked without being restricted by the cost and availability. Their first store was opened in 1998 and the rest as they say...is history...
After experiencing success in Western Australia U-Brew it was instrumental in gaining permission to operate in other states with the first store to open in Queensland and closely followed by Victoria. The introduction of the micro canning systems within our stores has been a huge success with our customers now able to be far more flexible than a bottle only option provides. U-Brew it continues to promote its products and system all over Australia and is looking forward to establishing a U-Brew it Micro-Brewery in all areas where Australia's beer lovers want a premium quality very affordable beer.
All U-Brew it's stores have 'Hands on' operators who are more than willing to assist in any way they can to ensure you, the customer, have the very best brewing experience possible. So to start your U-Brew it Micro-Brewing experience and become a 'Master Brewer' for an hour contact your local store.

yeh, we've just had one called the Beer Shed open near me.

Am going to pop in and see what it's about, and whether they can provide the types of grains and hops I require.

I don't want to emulate a commercial brew, even a craft one, want to try to create something!

I have heaps of recycled glass longnecks I need to get rid of asap. Anyone want them message me. Pick up in Chapel Street Windsor.

did I mention they are cleaned and free? All you need to do is take them away. Going over the balcony into the recycle bin in the next couple of weeks. I''ll even through throw in a crate of ''vintage'' home brew left with them.

I been thinking about brewing my own ginger beer - alcoholic and non. Anyone done this before and can give me some tips?

we did some old fashioned ginger beer. You make a ginger ''plant'' which is actually a small vat of ground ginger, sugar and sultanas that you leave to ferment (apparently in the old days people would keep one of these ''plants'' growing and retopping under the sink or somewhere cool). We were puzzled about the lack of yeast, and how this thing could ferment and make us fizzy ginger beer. The first lot turned out great, and we liked the fruitiness of the sultanas, so in the second batch we added more sultanas. We found out the hard way tha the yeast was natural yeast from the sultanas, so extra sultanas lead to some spectacular explosions in the bottling stage!