Gmk's Big Brew Day

[wee stu]

I suspect I might be the first one home, and I know it won't be long before the ability to post leaves me, so I thought I'd be the first to thank Kenny for hosting a beaut AHB brewing day. (Trying to get in quick while the memory's still there and before I fall comatose to the floor in beautiful drunken oblivion).

Great to catch up with blokes like Batz, Big Beer Belly, Ozdevil, Prime, BenSA, Jayse, Boots, Crown (gotta get into hb and change the handle, mate) ( and anyone else I may have forgotten). Also the ladies - Cheryl, Cheryl and Keryl (forgive me if spelling's gone awry on any of those).

I had a a great time, drank a shitload of good beer, from kit based to partial to all grain and even exotic commercial stuff. Learned heaps about brewing (some of which I hope to remember in the morning)

Ken you were a great host. I'm sure your first all grain didn't go exactly the way you thought it might, but that is par for the course (so i believe ). I'm still looking forward to tasting the product of the day.

Before I sober up too much, I'll make a rash promise - next year on Adelaide Cup day (17 May 05) I'll open up my place to do my first all grain brew.

Gives me a lot of time to:
a) give up brewing
B) get my **** together
c) simply renege

Awrabest, slainte

wee stu

 

[Guest Lurker]

Nice one wee stu. Keep the feedback coming in for us more remote types guys.

 

[big d]

way to go wee stu.
guess the rest are still at party central hey.good to hear all went well and a good time was had by meeting up with fellow ahb,ers.

maybe...just..maybe one day down the track we can organise a national ahb forum meet in a location that is reasonably accessable to the majority.more than likely a southern state.

cheers
big d

 

[Jazman]

wish i could of been there well maybe another day when we have a northen brew club just hope when the harley rider is down we can do something

 

[big d]

your on jaz even if it means you and i hitting a local pub for a few beers...maybe james squire brews.. we will meet up in june...i hope
reckon a brew day at jayses,s as he has suggested is on the cards plus heaps of other places.hint.....grumpys,goliaths,jovial monk,s in no particular order.port dock would be good for a few even.

cheers
big d

 

[GMK]

I hope that it was a great day had by all....

The 1272 yeast is in and fermenting...

A few hiccups in the brewing....
Not quite as successfull as I would have thought....
ie a bit more complicated that kits and bits...but will have to wait and see.

It was good to meet everyone.

 

[ozdevil]

What a great day we had up in the Barossa at gmk's day we had them all from guys spilling jayses beers to guys breaking gmks steps :lol:

it was great meeting up with jayse,wee-stu, gmk. BAtz, Big Beer Belly, ben sa, boots and his mate, pr1me and Batzs bro in law i think Bob.

i would also like t think Ken and his wife for putting us up for the day ad opening up there home for us ahb'ers

it was great to try everyones homebrew that attended and it was all good

but jayse your beer was NOT BAD :lol:

anyway lookinjg forward to the rest of the Batz world tour with grumpys on wednesday if i can make it and definately at goliaths on thursday


for thse who couldnt make it ya missed a great day

anyway looking forward to many more great days with the ahb'ers

cheers and many beers
ozdevil

 

[pr1me]

yeah thanks for putting us up for the day GMK, i enjoyed the beer, the company, the spectacle... and your steps :lol:

once i get my bar setup finished in the shed, i'll have to have a bbq to christen it.

 

[jayse]

A great day indeed. Thanx to GMK and his family for putting up with me and my antics. Including putting his kids up on the roof. I don't think that went down to well with the missus.
Also thanx to everyone who come along.

Jeez you guys are keen getting on the net after yesterday i was smashed by the time i got home. Trying to look at a PC screen would have been impossible let alone type.
I remember having a look at promash on GMK'S pc at the end of the day.
I could hardly read what i was typing in.

Anyhow i don't think there really was any hiccups so to speak with the brew. I think it went well.
But it was very hard trying to keep the finishing hops away from GMK, all 200g of them.
I tried hiding them but it was on for young and old and everyone ended up throwing them in whenever they felt like it in anyway possible including over the head shots and around the body throws.

The only real prop. The boil was only localised around the ellement so it took a bit of extra time to boil down but GMK just couldn't wait for the hops to go in.
I managed to save some for him to throw in at the very end.

I think a few people where expecting a argument between myself and GMK about the boil etc.
There was a few times i had to dig my heels in to get him to do the things the way i thought was best.
It took some hard selling on some issues ie, leaving the lid right off etc.
But it was great fun even if the final hop addtion was almost gunna be GMK himself in the boil. :lol:



All the beers drunk on the day were great also.
I think there must have been at least five boston cream masterbrews and plenty of others.

cheers,(still half tanked)Jayse

 

[Boots]

Yeah, thanks Kenny and all those present (even those who were spiritually there).

My personal favourite was a drunk Ken connecting his CFC in incorrectly :lol: If it wasn't for Jayse's intervention, we would have had a fermenter full of luke warm water, and a back lawn full of overhopped IPA :lol:

Nice work - it took a very brave (or is it silly?) man to open up his house for his first all grain - and have 10-12 different people providing opinions on the "best" way to do things.

I got a lot out of it to help me move forward to the promised land of all grain, learning much off of Jayse, BBB, and Batz, thanks again guys.

cheers
Mike

ps: Pr1me's 12% cider has almost made me want to make one - nice work mate.

 

[GMK]

thanks very much guys.

I dont remember arguing with Jayse too much - just discussing things.
Boots was right about the CFC - i think i was a wee bit drunk by then.

All the beers were good - it was great trying the different Boston Creams and Sparkling Ales, plus i now know i make a better/different Theakstons than the original.
Those present got to taste it plus the GMK Special now infamous Merry Beery.

The morning Toll:
1. broken steps.
2. broken hydrometer.
3. I broke a JS Pilsner glass - but i think wee stu promised to give me another one - thanks.
4. Slightly hang over - feeling a bit tired.
5. Still in the middle of cleaning up.

Some lessons learnt for the next AG Brew Day:
1. Invite Prime Mover over if you want anything demolished.
2. Have breakfast and lunch before brewing and drinking.
3. When feeding 80 C water from the HLT into the Mash Tun from the bottom - you need to open up the ball valve for it to work.
4. When adding more water to the HLT - it helps to be tall enough to check that the lid is off - otherwise you end up wetting Boots.

But i did have a good day....

I hope the beer turns out good...

Might have to have a sample BBQ Day....

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Damn! I had hoped to make it, but a rare day off just got filled with lots of **** to do here at home. 6 day weeks SUCK!

On the plus side, got a batch of apple butter made in my new slowcooker, will bring a jar or two to Big Brew Day. Going to make pear butter (with ginger, yum) and peach butter while there is fresh new-season fruit around.

Jovial Monk

 

[wee stu]

I'm glad I had the foresight to book a day off work today B), even managed to rack my Dunkelweiss to secondary and my Newklear Broon Ale from secondary to cc.

Kenny - JS Pilsener glass is yours no worries - swap you it for a big green salad bowl and lid Hopefully we can make the exchange sometime during big d's time with us.

 

[GMK]

DONE WEE STU...

Looking forward to the bigd adventure.

 

[wedge]

sorry i couldn't make it guys. I was marching in anzac day!


The Army

The Wedge!

 

[Boots]

Oh yeah,
I left my salad bowl there too - white one with blue lid. You might as well fill er up with 666ipa when I pick it up!

We'll catch you at the next one wedge

 

[ben_sa]

Hey guys

Ive only just returned back to my place with a computer!!! the missus decided that coz i took (in her terms: DRAGGED) her along, then i had to stay with her for a couple days lol

Being the newbie i was, i was a bit worried about meeting all the experienced blokes like Jayse, BB, Batz etc etc. But all was good, Great bunch of blokes, Must have something to do with good ol Adelaide Hospitality!

Great to finally meet the Batz! ANd some promising words from him and BBB about one of my brews.

I dont remember if it was Prime, or Ozdevil, I left a bottle of Boston Cream to compare with his, (mine was about a month older in the bottle) How did it come up mate?

Was great to get a decent look @ a Keg system up and running, Now im saving my pennis to get mine soon

Cheers guys, and although i might not be able to make it tonight at Grumpys, Ill be at Goliaths tomorrow and saturday

Ben

 

[Matty]

"Now im saving my pennis to get mine soon "

*blink*
Saving your what?

 

[wee stu]

wonder what the missus has to say about that :blink:

 

[ben_sa]

LOL, shes sitting next to me right now laughing....

I meant PENNIES! as in dollar coins hehehe

Ben