Like many others who read this forum I've both enjoyed reading and learnt greatly from the many build threads posted on this site by some ingenious brewers. So in the spirit of giving back this thread will describe the evolution of my own brewing and the brewery... with pictures of course.
My first attempts were way back when interest rates were 17.5% and I was paying a mortgage for the very first time. A Coopers Home Brew Kit seemed like a fine way to save myself a few dollars. A tin of goop was mixed in the plastic bucket with some hot water, a kilo of white sugar, topped up with cold water from the tap, the plastic bucket sealed (with airlock) and left to ferment in the laundry for a week or so. In summer, it was all over in 3 or 4 days. I was then and still am located in Perth. The result was then bottled in some big brown bottles for later consumption.
The beer this produced was quite drinkable but never great. It seemed to be popular with fellow drinkers, with an esky full of the stuff consumed at most parties we went to. It must be remembered that these were the days when I drank mostly Emu Export from cans or Emu Bitter if I made it to the local pub.
I'm afraid however that as my disposable income increased, the amount of brewing decreased until after a couple of years it stopped completely. This seemed to coincide incidentally with the introduction of Matilda Bay Brewing into the market place. I can still remember my first taste of a wheat beer (Redback) out of a large tulip glass at the Captain Stirling. I'm pretty sure I scowled in disapproval but drank it anyway.
I've been fortunate enough with my work to travel quite a bit and for extended periods. One of these places was Germany, specifically Stuttgart, where I spent a couple of years learning about German beer albeit from the staff and cliental of the local Irish bar.
But I digress... more to follow.
(Now if I can just work out how to insert a picture)
gwb
My first attempts were way back when interest rates were 17.5% and I was paying a mortgage for the very first time. A Coopers Home Brew Kit seemed like a fine way to save myself a few dollars. A tin of goop was mixed in the plastic bucket with some hot water, a kilo of white sugar, topped up with cold water from the tap, the plastic bucket sealed (with airlock) and left to ferment in the laundry for a week or so. In summer, it was all over in 3 or 4 days. I was then and still am located in Perth. The result was then bottled in some big brown bottles for later consumption.
The beer this produced was quite drinkable but never great. It seemed to be popular with fellow drinkers, with an esky full of the stuff consumed at most parties we went to. It must be remembered that these were the days when I drank mostly Emu Export from cans or Emu Bitter if I made it to the local pub.
I'm afraid however that as my disposable income increased, the amount of brewing decreased until after a couple of years it stopped completely. This seemed to coincide incidentally with the introduction of Matilda Bay Brewing into the market place. I can still remember my first taste of a wheat beer (Redback) out of a large tulip glass at the Captain Stirling. I'm pretty sure I scowled in disapproval but drank it anyway.
I've been fortunate enough with my work to travel quite a bit and for extended periods. One of these places was Germany, specifically Stuttgart, where I spent a couple of years learning about German beer albeit from the staff and cliental of the local Irish bar.
But I digress... more to follow.
(Now if I can just work out how to insert a picture)
gwb
