Thread: Home Brew

Has anyone else tried their hand at home brewing beer. If so, were the outcome what you had expected? Also, was it a kit or just a mix and match to make things work.

I've received the Mr. Beer home brew kit for Xmas, and i started brewing the West Coast Pale Ale. Just waiting a couple more days to begin bottling. I know its basic but depending on how the beer comes out, the kit and supplies leave an open end as to possible concoctions. Just wondering if anyone else has tried to home brew.

Hello Josh, Yes I've tried my hand at home brew and the results have been good, you have to buy top quality ingredients, if making kits I always buy fresh yeast from the fridge and never use the yeast that came with the can, if possible buy dextrose or brewing sugar kits don't just use normal store bought sugar from the grocery store, if you've already done the opposite to what I've mentioned try and grab another kit of the same and follow my advice, try not to taste the beers for three months at least (for home brew generally gets better with age) and I bet you can taste the difference. Most importantly ask the chap at the home brew shop lots of questions, lucky for me the few brew shops in my area seem to be run by guru's. Anyway just a super quick skim of info for you, keep us posted and I'll be glad to help when I can.

Originally Posted by Styptic

, keep us posted and I'll be glad to help when I can.

Thanks for the info. I've also heard about corn sugar as a brewing sugar since it isnt as sweet as normal table sugar. I have a brew shop not to far from my house. I may stp by and pick their brains. Hopefully this run of the mill Ale wont disappoint...but the 3 months? its bad enough to wait for the fermentation. I'll do what you say though obviously you have more experience than i do. so thanks again.

I've been home brewing for about 10 years. I started with a Mr. Beer Kit and evolved into a more traditional setup. The above advice is good. I don't necessarily agree on the 3 month wait prior to consuming. Different people will like different things, I would recommend opening a beer or 2 after the fermentation, drinking it and taking some notes about it's flavor and characteristics. Wait 3-4 weeks, do the same, wait 3-4 weeks, do the same, etc until you find the time frame that YOU like best. That's the great thing about home brewing, YOU get to decide what YOU like and that's top notch!

Cheers!

Originally Posted by sharp

I've been home brewing for about 10 years. I started with a Mr. Beer Kit and evolved into a more traditional setup. The above advice is good. I don't necessarily agree on the 3 month wait prior to consuming. Different people will like different things, I would recommend opening a beer or 2 after the fermentation, drinking it and taking some notes about it's flavor and characteristics. Wait 3-4 weeks, do the same, wait 3-4 weeks, do the same, etc until you find the time frame that YOU like best. That's the great thing about home brewing, YOU get to decide what YOU like and that's top notch!

Cheers!

That's awesome advice, something I will definitely try. Any suggestion for a new home brewer that may help that you wish you would have known when you started? Thanks so much.

I've done my share of home brew as well, and I agree with the advice already given. If you want to get to the point where you have a brew that has aged in the bottle, without giving up on the drinking of the stuff. What I did was put on one brew after another, after another again. I had so much beer at one stage that it filled a corner of the room.
I kept notes on the beer with that beer; what it was, what the sg and fg was, approx alc content and what extras were added, if any, and what quantities, bottling date, minimum date of readiness for opening etc.

You will want to keep notes on the beer you make so that you can go back and replicate it later. The only thing you might have issues with is temperature control when it comes to replicating a beer.

Well anyway mate, drink up and enjoy the fruits of your labour. I'll have one for you here as well.


Mick

The yeast has a much easier time of converting dextrose/glucose to alcohol, corn syrup will give your beer more body eg richer creamier feel in the mouth and table sugar wil give the beer a tangy fruity flavour, as for three months just do your best, and if none are left you might need to buy another kit so as to brew twice as much at a time, I have one beer here that has been cellaring for 4 years and I had one bottle the other day and it was beautiful, I almost wept, it is a brew called Thomas Harding Ale well worth it but costs around $100 in ingredients, to buy in the shops cost just over $200 for a slab. the beer itself is almost black, very little fizz around 13% like velvet coffee, birdie num nums.

Mick is right there, it is important to keep notes, I stopped keeping notes once believing I could remember but then you end up with boxes of beer all over the place, drinking one thinking wow that was nice and having no idea what it was or how you made it just sucks. Mr Sharps advice is sound and a great way of tasting the difference and remembering that taste as they mature, I mentioned 3 months for I never enjoyed the taste of young beer, especially just after fermentation but he is right, it is your journey, you'll get lots of advice and you'll find your own path and you'll have lots of fun getting there.

You guys really have so many great tips, its almost to the point that i can choose which i look forward to more, drinking my home brew, or shaving in the morning. Thanks alot guys. That Thomas Harding brew by the way sounds great. Almost on the Guinness taste. Cheers!

And if you are ever down Melbourne way Mick give me a shout an we can try Thomas hardy