DU99
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You might want to join a brew club there listed down further on the site
Complete Beginnner, Needs Point In The Right Direction
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brocky_555
Well-Known Member
Try a simple wheat beer
1 Can wheat goo ( morgans whispering wheat is nice )
1kg of wheat malt
1 tea bag of hops ( my last one used nelson sauvin hops 15g)
Wheat beer yeast ( had success with WB-06 and wyeast 1010)
ferment at 18 odd degrees
ready in 2 weeks so you can be drinking homebrewed beer while you get your act together for other beers
1 Can wheat goo ( morgans whispering wheat is nice )
1kg of wheat malt
1 tea bag of hops ( my last one used nelson sauvin hops 15g)
Wheat beer yeast ( had success with WB-06 and wyeast 1010)
ferment at 18 odd degrees
ready in 2 weeks so you can be drinking homebrewed beer while you get your act together for other beers
waggastew
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As I sit here drinking a bottle of my first ever brew which was bottled on the 30th Jan 2010 (Coopers CPA, not CPA but not bad at all), I will give you my top tips:
1. Temp control - Don't bother brewing unless you can get the temp of your fermentor under 22degC (ideally 18degC). Put it in a laundry tub with some bottles of water that have been frozen or use an old fridge.
2. Yeast - Don't use the kit stuff. Buy a packet of US05 from your local HBS (home brew shop). Don't worry about the added cost, my most expensive batch of homebrew (tastes remarkably like Little Creatures Pale Ale) works out at about $16/case!
3. AHB - Forget what your local AHB bloke says, search AHB for a recipe and use it.
4. Time - Leave your homebrew in the fermentor for 3 weeks, in the bottle to mature for AT LEAST 2 months, and in then put in the fridge for a week before drinking it. It seems like a long time but if you keep doing new brews while the first batch is aging soon enough you will have more beer than you can drink responsibly. As said above I am drinking a beer that is 12 months old and its better than the first time I cracked it.
5. Sugar - For God's sake do not use sugar from the supermarket. Use Coopers BE2 ( a mix of brewing sugars and malt) as an addition to your kit. Start reading and then experiment using more malt and less sugars.
6. Use A Good Kit - Don't bother with the cans that come with the kit. Buy a fresh can of Coopers Pale Ale or one of the Thomas Coopers Selection from BigW/Woolies/HBS. The cost more for a reason.
I am sure this post will actually confuse you more. Just keep reading stuff on this website and ask lots of questions, the old hands are generally very generous with their time. If all else fails read the instructions under the lid BUT ferment as close to 20degC as possible!
Good luck!
1. Temp control - Don't bother brewing unless you can get the temp of your fermentor under 22degC (ideally 18degC). Put it in a laundry tub with some bottles of water that have been frozen or use an old fridge.
2. Yeast - Don't use the kit stuff. Buy a packet of US05 from your local HBS (home brew shop). Don't worry about the added cost, my most expensive batch of homebrew (tastes remarkably like Little Creatures Pale Ale) works out at about $16/case!
3. AHB - Forget what your local AHB bloke says, search AHB for a recipe and use it.
4. Time - Leave your homebrew in the fermentor for 3 weeks, in the bottle to mature for AT LEAST 2 months, and in then put in the fridge for a week before drinking it. It seems like a long time but if you keep doing new brews while the first batch is aging soon enough you will have more beer than you can drink responsibly. As said above I am drinking a beer that is 12 months old and its better than the first time I cracked it.
5. Sugar - For God's sake do not use sugar from the supermarket. Use Coopers BE2 ( a mix of brewing sugars and malt) as an addition to your kit. Start reading and then experiment using more malt and less sugars.
6. Use A Good Kit - Don't bother with the cans that come with the kit. Buy a fresh can of Coopers Pale Ale or one of the Thomas Coopers Selection from BigW/Woolies/HBS. The cost more for a reason.
I am sure this post will actually confuse you more. Just keep reading stuff on this website and ask lots of questions, the old hands are generally very generous with their time. If all else fails read the instructions under the lid BUT ferment as close to 20degC as possible!
Good luck!
keifer33
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Just noticed that my local bigw and in the catalogue had the kits for $75 and the cans of int series for $11.50. I'd recommend the aust pale ale and canadian blonde cans. Still use the Canadian blonde cans as the base for some and have produced very good results.
DU99
Well-Known Member
+1 for Coopers Canadian Blonde..makes a good drop
$250 will be more than enough to get you started. I know I'm repeating what other blokes have said but cleanliness & sanitation are easily the most important things for you to concentrate on. I'd have temp control 2nd but having said that I've brewed decent beer at 26 degrees. That beer would've been WAY better at 18 though. Don't bother with the yeast that comes with the kit, if you really don't want to waste it then I'd suggest doing 2 brews the same side by side (assuming you get 2 fermenters), use the same recipe but 1 with kit yeast & 1 with proper yeast. You'll never use kit yeast again after tasting the results.
I can't remember if anyone else said it but keep good notes. You don't want to be drinking the nicest beer you've ever had & have no idea how you made it.
Most importantly, enjoy it.
I can't remember if anyone else said it but keep good notes. You don't want to be drinking the nicest beer you've ever had & have no idea how you made it.
Most importantly, enjoy it.
adz1179
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G'day all.
Im new to this also and convinced the minister of finance & war (the wife) to get me the new coopers DIY kit for xmas... keen as to get into my first brew... i think the kit comes with a lager and i was just going to make that to get started, follow all instructions etc and see how it goes....
just concerned why everyone seems to say ignore the temp on the kit?????? how/why is it wrong????
would also love to do a wheat and add some hops something similar to Hoegarrden... anyone have any pointers....
this site is great btw, very helpful
cheers
adz
Im new to this also and convinced the minister of finance & war (the wife) to get me the new coopers DIY kit for xmas... keen as to get into my first brew... i think the kit comes with a lager and i was just going to make that to get started, follow all instructions etc and see how it goes....
just concerned why everyone seems to say ignore the temp on the kit?????? how/why is it wrong????
would also love to do a wheat and add some hops something similar to Hoegarrden... anyone have any pointers....
this site is great btw, very helpful
cheers
adz
kelbygreen
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people say to ignore the kit instructions as the temps say brew at 22-30c but for clean best results its best to ferment at 18-20c. 22 is fine I would try to make that your max temp if you can. In saying that its your first brew and I can bet you it will get over 22 at some stage this time of year. dont stress it will be ok unless you brew at like 30+ then its def not drinkable. yep my first 2 I done that made the mistake of listening to LHBS they go yeah its ok to brew on a 40c day in your shed hit tops of 38c fermented in like 2 days but tastes worse then a old boot.
read up on temp control heaps around the forum. use the kit yeast for first brew or 2 then id def buy better stuff but use what you have and go from there no use going all out on the first one coz if you follow 100 different ways to brew thinking you make a top brew it will prob disappoint you so work on one thing at a time
. dont give up it may not taste like you expect but its your first brew and they get better from there
read up on temp control heaps around the forum. use the kit yeast for first brew or 2 then id def buy better stuff but use what you have and go from there no use going all out on the first one coz if you follow 100 different ways to brew thinking you make a top brew it will prob disappoint you so work on one thing at a time
. dont give up it may not taste like you expect but its your first brew and they get better from there Thanks again for all the responses, Im reading everything posted and starting to get a good idea of what I should do for my first batch. Then and after then I'd really love to get technical with it and see if I can make something special or have some fun trying. Maybe some of the recipes listed here
18-20c. Got it!
Cheers
18-20c. Got it!
Cheers
Steve
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....only listen to advice from interstate AHB blokes :lol:
waggastew
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Yeah, sorry about that one.
Meant to be 'don't listen to what your local HB bloke says!". My guy is friendly enough but is more interested in distilling than brewing decent beer.
petesbrew
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Forget the filtration & pump stuff for now. I totally agree with the KISS theory.
Just get a coopers starter kit, or one from Dave's and go from there.
The coopers cans make some good drops. The homebrand & Tooheys ones don't.
Go for Brew Enhancer 1, 2 or malt over sugar.
Have fun
Just get a coopers starter kit, or one from Dave's and go from there.
The coopers cans make some good drops. The homebrand & Tooheys ones don't.
Go for Brew Enhancer 1, 2 or malt over sugar.
Have fun
petesbrew
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:lol: Consider it punishment for taking shortcuts, being lazy with sanitising, or choosing crap recipes.
[email protected]
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Given the lecturing in this thread about temperature control I decided to go out and try to find one of these 100 can coolers this morning. I tried bunnings and anaconda. Also Looking online and can't find anything bigger then 50 can acapacity. Anyone have any ideas where to get one or something like it now?
Steve
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I think from memory I got mine from target. Dont know if they still sell them though. Camping shops have them too but are a bit more expensive due to the materials they use.
When I was getting back into home brewing I bought a Coopers Kit and unfortunately the fermenter did not seal properly. I contacted Coopers but never heard anything. I ended up buying a new fermenter from G&G. If possible, I'd be more inclined to go to a reputable HB shop and get them to put together a starter kit for you.
Cheers,
Chris
I'd like to make a suggestion....
New Years Eve spend some time on eBay and look for a cheap fridge ending that night - last year I picked up a 380L one for 10c - when I picked it up the seller refused the 10c and I got it for free :lol:
Most people will be having a few drinks / out and about and will miss out on some really good buys. One you have the fridge get a eBay temp controller STC1000, go to Jaycar for the bits and pieces etc and all up about $50 -$60 have the ideal brewing setup.
Kuzzy
New Years Eve spend some time on eBay and look for a cheap fridge ending that night - last year I picked up a 380L one for 10c - when I picked it up the seller refused the 10c and I got it for free :lol:
Most people will be having a few drinks / out and about and will miss out on some really good buys. One you have the fridge get a eBay temp controller STC1000, go to Jaycar for the bits and pieces etc and all up about $50 -$60 have the ideal brewing setup.
Kuzzy
