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Albos
VIC
France
144 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 7:27 am
   
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While scavanging for chairs under the house on chrismas day i found my dads old homebrew kit. I had a chat with my cousin who used to make lots while he was at uni and he said it was quite easy, and definately cost effective.
Does anyone have any pointers on where i should start, easy brews? techniques?
Cheers,
Al |
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fattso
VIC
Australia
168 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 7:47 am
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hi al,
homebrews can be wicked. Very easy coopers kits available from supermarkets etc make a pretty good drop if you take care and steralise all your gear well.
Havn't been H.brewing for a while but used to find some useful info and contacts here:
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/index.php
good luck |
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bert77
VIC
Australia
35 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 1:44 pm
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Yeah, like Fatso said, the main thing is to sterilize well and keep everything as clean as possible. Rinse bottles out as soon as ya drink em and let em dry upside down so they're nice and clean for the next bottling and you don't have to scrub em clean. You can also use plastic soft drink bottles and just chuck em out if they get too dirty. They're also good cause they're screw top and bottling is a quicker job when you're filling 2L bottles instead of 750ml.
Coopers and Tooheys do good easy brews and you can play around with using different sugars or brew enhancers for different flavour and head. If ya wanna get real fancy go to a brew shop and you can replicate pretty much any brand beer out there. Even the Home Brand stuff comes out alright as long as you keep everything clean clean clean.
It's a good little hobby and depending how much you drink, you could even pay for a new kite with the savings on your grog bill! Enjoy mate... |
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lotofwind
NSW
Australia
2966 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 2:47 pm
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NNNOOOOOOOOO,,,DONT DO IT.
I got right into it a few yeas ago.
Got to the point where I had over 800 beers stashed under the house.
Yeah its realy cheap but if your like me and love a beer it can be bad cause you end up drinking 3 times as much.
If you have heaps of beers that cost you hardly anything,you seem to drink more.
Or maybe I have a problem,,,hic up....hic up  |
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Nickoff
NSW
Australia
105 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 3:10 pm
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| plastic bottles are the way to go (especially at first), if you stuff up the first few batches and they explode its easier to clean up and less dangerous. |
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Albos
VIC
France
144 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 3:25 pm
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thanks for the advice, i think i will just start with one of those coopers kits. Hopefully if i get some good batches going i really will save some money and be able to afford a new kite
does using a plastic bottle give the beer a different taste compared to glass? |
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Mr float
NSW
Australia
2478 Posts |
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kiter77
VIC
Australia
135 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 4:15 pm
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Have to agree with the Ceveza this is a bomb proof one to start out with. There's nothing more depressing than having to empty out a full batch of failed beer down the sink.  |
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lotofwind
NSW
Australia
2966 Posts |
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bert77
VIC
Australia
35 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 6:05 pm
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| Yeah, shame on you k77... Never waste a brew!! Drink the good ones first and then get stuck into the dodgy ones once you're half wasted, or tip a bit out, top it up with Stones and voilla... ginger beer! Also good for shots or drinking games... |
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lotofwind
NSW
Australia
2966 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 6:10 pm
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bert77 said...
Yeah, shame on you k77... Never waste a brew!! Drink the good ones first and then get stuck into the dodgy ones once you're half wasted, or tip a bit out, top it up with Stones and voilla... ginger beer! Also good for shots or drinking games...
I agree bert77,
k77,,,do you know how many kids in third world countrys are going to bed without bedspins and not waking up hungover?????????? and your just tipping it down the sink!!!!!!!!!
shame,shame shame, |
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rod_bunny
WA
Australia
142 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 7:38 pm
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Another big thumbs up for the Coopers Mexican Cerveza and No2 Brew enhancer! 
Far too easy to make.
I've been doing alternate brews with Ginger Beer - Gives the Cerveza a slight gingery taste which mates agree is something different and a very nice summer drink.
As has already been said - clean your bottles as you go (I use Tooheys Extra Dry bottles cause the label is painted on and doesnt gum up my dishwasher with paper labels  and the plastic 750ml for ginger beer.)
Currently have 14 cartons of beer, 6 cartons of ginger beer and a stout in the fermenter.
Works out at about $6 a carton including new caps, steriliser etc.
PS If your gonna cap bottles - get a press!  |
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phx
SA
Australia
20 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 7:48 pm
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Once you get sick of cleaning bottles its only a few hundred to upgrade to a keg setup :D
Nothing better than no secondary fermentation flavour, and as much on tap as you can fit in your biggest glass.
Other benefit of homebrew is that I've never had a hangover drinking it. Can't say that about most of the commercial stuff... |
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Yellah
Australia
13 Posts |
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japie
NSW
Australia
1341 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 9:17 pm
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Go for it. Plastic bottles, I used to used 1.25's, are a godsend. You will cop a lot of flack for it but who cares. Beer is in brown bottles because it deteriorates under uv but if you keep them under cover then you will not have that problem. I used no chemicals and have been stilling now for five years without them. As long as you use hot water and elbow grease to clean all will be good.
If you live in an area where the temperatures are consistently over 30 you may have to suspend operations until it gets a bit cooler.
The most satisfying thing about home brew is that you know that it only has in it what you put in. Hangovers will be a thing of the past if you get it right.
It is so nice to know that every sip carries no tax! |
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greenleader
QLD
Australia
4110 Posts |
Posted 29/12/2009, 9:55 pm
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the new 6 litre bottling systems using soda chargers as propellant are supercool too!
your very own keg in the fridge at $10 a carton and with no preservatives/additives,
the 2 hours brewing/bottling time for two cartons seems like therapy knowing that you are making a really nice beer,
no hangover and honestly i still like to compare commercial
..........but home brew tastes really natural with no chemicals. anyway rant over.  i'm topping up
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graceful
WA
Australia
743 Posts |
Posted 30/12/2009, 1:49 pm
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| I've alway wanted to get a home brew setup going... What's an average start up price? |
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timmymall
QLD
Australia
8 Posts |
Posted 31/12/2009, 12:04 pm
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| you can get a Coopers kit in Big W for about 80 bucks, bargain as it comes with all the bottles and gizmos you need. |
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