Brew By U - Nfi?

[pmastello]

The local "Brew by U" was having an open day, so I though I would stop by.

Talked to one of their employees who was giving me a bit of a tour and rundown of their process. Turns out they use extract with full wort boils and I even spied some steeping grains on their shelves. Looked alright, I brewed some excellent beers with extract and steeping grains.

When we got to their fermenting cool room, thats where it sort of went wrong.
I suggested they would be fermenting at 17-18C, at which I was corrected that they ferment at 27C. Hold on, what?! "27" I asked? "why? You are mainly doing lagers and the occasional ale, surely you would be going much cooler than 27?!"
Nope. I went on to the rest of the process. 10day ferment at 27, then a 4 day rest at 7C, triple filtered, carbonated in 7sec and transferred into kegs or bottled.
I still couldnt get past their ferment temp. I realise you can ferment warmer with big conicals due to the hydroscopic pressure on the yeast preventing ester formation, but these guys were using regular homebrew plastic carboys.
"What type of yeast are you using?" I thought maybe they used CryHavoc yeast which is meant to do alright lagers at ale temps. Nope. "We have 3 different types of yeast, saflager and two ales yeasts." he replied
He must have picked that I wasn't totally sold on their product. "What tempreature would you ferment it at then?" he asked.
"It really depends, depends on the style and yeast. For what you guys would be doing, either 17C for ales or lagers around 9-10C"
"No, no, thats because you are HOMEBREWING. We are a microbrewery. I get a bit annoyed when people call us homebrew."
"Ok, no worries, thanks for your time"


Am I being a bit harsh on these guys for not having a clue? Maybe aussie lagers are a bit fruitier/estery than other euro/american megaswill and the higher temp suits the beer they are making. Maybe their clientele can't pick up the difference?

They are definitely not a microbrewery though. I would have thought they would have shyed away from the word "Brewery" as that would infer they are making alcohol, which would invite the tax man. I went up to Murrays Brewery last weekend - now thats a microbrewery!

Am I being too harsh on these guys?

 

[kdaust]

No. I got the same impression from my local joint. Spent my money on Coopers kit, a big pot and a bunch of grain.

 

[Kingbrownbrewing]

I don't think that's harsh at all, sounds like they have no idea what they are doing.
And the same principles apply to any sort of brewing I would have thought.

 

[going down a hill]

It doesn't matter if you call it micro or homebrewing, if you brew at those temps you are going to get crap ales and lagers. They wont last long with that practice.

 

[ekul]

What did their beer taste like? Also, maybe the guy doing the tour doesn't know about the process. Ie. Taking you to the fermentation 'cool' room would imply that its below ambient temp. Did it feel cool in there?

 

[bum]

Am I being too harsh on these guys?

Harsh? No. Realistic? Also no.

How long do you think they'd stay in business if they said "Okay, that's your batch ready to ferment - see you in six to eight weeks"? Not long, I'd wager.

 

[mxd]

a mate uses one for his brew, I went to help him bottle and they ferment at 10 deg and 20 deg, my concern was the ferment for x number of days then it's done, which is why the store the beer for you in there fridge so as not to let it ferment out any longer.

 

[pmastello]

As for the 27c, it sounds like he was meant to say 17c. I've seen a few Brew 4 u / Brew by U type establishments and most use one room at ~18c and then the 2nd @ ~2c to cold condition.

Thats the thing - He showed me the thermostat on their aircon. 27. They did run that system though, one cool room connected to a second at about 2-4C.

As for their beer, they had a few megaswill clones on tap for trying. I tried one, it wasn't great. But it was a VB clone, so I don't know if it was their temps or just trying to clone crap.

 

[joshuahardie]

Where is this place at?

The only one I knew of was at west gosford and closed down some time ago?

 

[shmick]

I think there's one at Tuggerah now but not sure of the name.

Over near Reliance Dr industrial area. Saw a sign from the main Rd a few weeks back.

 

[Lillywhite]

I was going to open one of these a few years ago, towards the end of the GFC so banks wouldn't come to the party. As I was going to open one I started doing my beers at a couple of the stores around Brisbane and worked at one of the stores for a few weeks to get a feel for it.

Fermenting is done around 18-19 degrees, so I would say those guys are f&%#ing up and their customers will soon walk away as the beer will taste like ****.

Alot of the people who get into these Brew on premises have no background in brewing, not even homebrewing, they are simply trying to live the dream of owning a brewery and are following a list of instructions given to them by the guys who set them up and have no knowledge of basic brewing principles, training is simply how to use the system.

Some of the beers weren't bad but if you went to a store with a low turn over you could taste it in the beer because their extract was getting old, as such the beer tasted nothing like it was supposed too.

Megaswill drinkers love them but soon get sick of washing bottles, if your a fussy drinker and demand quality you probably won't like their beer.

Saflager and Safale were the two yeast used can't remember the number.

 

[Lillywhite]

Oh come on Ross...... where is the advert coment?

:icon_cheers:

Would like to add I was only talking about the 'Brew By U', 'Bru 4 U' BOP setups, in no way were my comments directed at Ross and Craftbrewer.

 

[Snow]

I agree with Gingerbrew's assessment that Brey By U are clueless. However, if their clientele are just as clueless and keep buying their product, then good luck to all of them!

Re Bacchus' lagers, I've tried most of them and they taste great. They are not fruity and the bo pils tastes like a bo pils. I am not a BJCP judge but I have drunk a lot of beer all over the world and they are well made beers that deserved the comp medals.

Cheers - Snow.

 

[bradsbrew]

I have moved alot of posts to a new thread. Please keep this thread on topic. Use this thread for yeast temp info http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...mp;#entry883412



Thanks

 

[NickB]

You've changed Brad! At one time you'd be cheering the mayhem on. If anyone actually gets to see this post, put a reply go "BOO-YAH" somewhere in your post... Ahem.

 

[bradsbrew]

You've changed Brad! At one time you'd be cheering the mayhem on. If anyone actually gets to see this post, put a reply go "BOO-YAH" somewhere in your post... Ahem.

The mayhem still continues Nick, just in the other thread




BOO YAH

 

[NickB]

BOO-YAH yourself, Bitch...





h34r:

 

[Steve@PMF82]

I had the displeasure of trying some beer brewed by this mob a couple of weeks ago.

They definitely like to push the line they are a " Real Micro Brewery" so much so that i could not convince others any different and what i do is just "home-brew"

Having only tried beer from a BOP place once before a long time ago before my "enlightenment" i tried to approach with an open mind.
All i got was twang, soap and unpleasant yeast based esters, straight away i thought stressed / under pitched yeast fermented warm. Of course everyone else thought it was "great" sigh.....

I will happily (at the time/place) have a few commercial beers the likes of Melbourne bitter or even carlton draught if its tasting fresh, in a social situation.

I am pretty certain i could go down to local supermarket grab a can of coopers and BE2 and produce something more drinkable.

Anyway just me venting as i feel these types of places really do nothing positive for beer culture.