Recent content by mfdu

i've done heaps of honey beers. most recently with 1.5kg honey, coopers draught kit, galaxy hops and windsor yeast. normally with 750g honey. i have never boiled the honey - just put the jar in a tub of hot water to thin it out, and then just pour it straight it. also, i generally find the...

if using kit yeast, i always rehydrate and use two packets. but i never stir it into the wort.

i've done a few of these. i use the dried bitter orange peel i got from G&G. mainly because i still have some to use. and yes, indian shop coriander IS better. in cooking, too. but mainly, USE A BAG. your tap will totally block up if you just toss that shit in there. put it in a hop bag...

i enjoyed one using rice malt from an asian grocery : 1 x coopers draught kit 2 x 500g rice malt ($1.45 each!) 20g pride of ringwood hops @ 10 mins nottingham yeast @ 21 litres it took 2 months for the hops to settle in, then it worked a treat on a hot afternoon on the back porch.

what i fail to understand is this - is it a concetrate goo (eg 1.7kg), or a fresh wort (eg 14 litres) ?

+ 1 for clingwrap (double layer), no hole. i've done some 20 brews with this method and have not yet have overflow. even with a 26 litre wheatbeer where the krausen hit the underside of the clingwrap. better view of what's going on, less to sanitise and no concerns about "my airlock isn't...

+1 on the coopers dark kit - i generally do it with 1kg saunders malt and some aroma hops. i have yet to try with an addition of 500g of honey, but i will soon. the kit is pretty bitter, so dont make the mistake i've made in the past of not cooling it quick enough thus causing the aroma hops...

re. temp control, my temp control consists of an old 1950's fridge in the garage with a power timer and a 2nd thermometer inside on the top shelf - timer clocking on 15 mins every hour or so will hold 16 degrees at around 30 external. sure it takes a bit of experimentation to figure out how...

yeah, fine post. i'm the same with my feelings about stepping beyond the kit + a bit. i've done many interesting things using morgans specialty extracts, honey, rice malt, saunders malt extract etc and am now growing my own hops. i stck up on good yeasts and hops when i make it to the HBS...

i reckon us05 gives me a sinus attack. especially if i crack a brew before around three weeks in the bottle. no other yeast seems to do it to me. anyone else found this?

PoR is under-rated for flavour / aroma additions. it's spicy, and i like it. as per your subject sub-heading, hope springs eternal.

i've done a number of 'hoegarden'clones with coriander seed and bitter orange peel. boiled in water for 20 mins then add goop, stir and add to fermenter. simple, effective, yummy.

+1for gladwrap, no pin-hole. i use the o-ring from the lid to hold it in place.

if you're sticking to the supermarket supplies, +1 for saunders malt extract experiment with 500g honey - it doesnt stay sweet, but leaves good aroma + head. while we're at it , rice syrup in the heath food aisle. and treacle, too. build a starter from the kit yeast so it's healthier (it's...

yeah, i'll be throwing down a hoegarden clone today. mmmmmmm.