Good Evening Aussies

[EMalmgren]

New member here.

25 year old American homebrewer. I live in Illinois, just a few hours south of Chicago. I have been brewing for about 3 years now.

I recently stepped up to Single Infusion All-Grain, and enjoying every minute of it. Have an American Wheat and Irish Red fermenting as I type this.

I promise not to be one of those ignorant Americans, asking everyone to post standard measurements instead of that damn metric

Just thought I'd say hello. Happy Brewing everyone!

Erik

 

[Supra-Jim]

Welcome aboard Erik!

Up until recently my father in law was living/working in Urbana-Champaign. Visited there a few years ago, it's a nice part of the world.

Cheers SJ :icon_cheers:

 

[Pennywise]

Welcome aboard Erik :icon_cheers:

 

[NickB]

Hi Erik!

Not sure what forums you have frequented in the past, but I'm sure you'll find some of the info here invaluable as most of us have!

Check out the articles section at the top of the page, lots of good info from some experienced brewers in there.

Welcome aboard mate!

Cheers

 

[EMalmgren]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.

I happened upon this forum looking for a clone recipe for Rogues "St Rogues Red". I also recently decided that I'm going to start using Coopers ale yeast in some of my IPAs just to see what the difference is between that and the commonly used yeasts here in the states. After making that decision I started wondering how people in other parts of the world do things when it comes to ferementing. I guess one thing led to another so I joined up with you guys.

I'm a regular poster at homebrewtalk.com. I dont know if any of you Aussies have been there but its pretty neat, and I've gotten a lot of info from there. I look forward to doing the same here.

A few more tidbits about me while I drink the nights last beer: I have a 2 year old son named Kayden. He is to the point now where he is repeating everything I say and enjoys helping me brew. I think the kid is going to grow up to be a hop addict as hes all about throwing hops in during my boil. He also loves watching my airlocks bubble in the evenings. He says "Bubbles!" and I know he wants to watch. My American Wheat has really taken off today so he went to sleep a happy camper.

I make my living doing construction work. Not the best job ever but I've defintely had worse. I'm also a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), so I'm currently looking for an EMT job. However, in these parts getting a medical related job tends to be like getting a union job: You gotta know someone! But sooner or later I'll be able to put down a hammer/drill/sawzall and pick up a MediPack.

Enough for now. Its 10:30 in the evening here and 5 a.m. always seems to roll around early. Enjoy your day everyone :icon_chickcheers:

 

[EMalmgren]

Welcome aboard Erik!

Up until recently my father in law was living/working in Urbana-Champaign. Visited there a few years ago, it's a nice part of the world.

Cheers SJ :icon_cheers:

What was your father in law working as here in IL?

It is a decent looking part of the world. However, it does get tiresome looking at nothing but corn and bean fields during the late summer/early fall. The weather just after harvest is to die for though. Great for drinking the beer on a porch during the evening.

BTW, I'm a few hours southwest of C-U. Been there a few times, but I'm a small town guy. That place is a tad too big for my liking.

Cheers!

 

[petesbrew]

What was your father in law working as here in IL?

It is a decent looking part of the world. However, it does get tiresome looking at nothing but corn and bean fields during the late summer/early fall. The weather just after harvest is to die for though. Great for drinking the beer on a porch during the evening.

BTW, I'm a few hours southwest of C-U. Been there a few times, but I'm a small town guy. That place is a tad too big for my liking.

Cheers!

Welcome aboard EMalmgren.
Just make sure you keep oz, lb's and gallons out of your posts, and everything will be fine! :icon_cheers:

 

[tomdavis]

Hi EMalmgren,

Welcome aboard. I am a relatively new poster here too, but have found the advice and opinions/heated discussions very valuable.

Glad to hear you are getting the next generation of brewers ready to keep us well inebriated when our old arthritic hands are too old to brew!

Happy brewing mate, and I look forward to seeing how the Rogues Red turns out.

Also, as you are new here, the recipes in the database here are pretty good, especially Dr Smurto's Golden Ale and the Little Fella's Pale Ale.

Laters!

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[argon]

I happened upon this forum looking for a clone recipe for Rogues "St Rogues Red".

Here you go mate and welcome to the forum;


BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: St Rougue Red Ale Clone
Brewer: Argon
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Brown Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 43.00 L
Boil Size: 52.70 L
Estimated OG: 1.052 SG
Estimated Color: 25.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 38.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 kg Pale Malt, Ale (Barrett Burston) (3.0 SRM)Grain 61.05 %
1.05 kg Crystal Malt Pale (Bairds) (50.8 SRM) Grain 10.66 %
0.85 kg Caramalt (Thomas Fawcett) (15.0 SRM) Grain 8.65 %
0.85 kg Crystal Malt Medium (Bairds) (76.1 SRM) Grain 8.65 %
0.85 kg Munich II (Weyermann) (8.5 SRM) Grain 8.65 %
0.23 kg Barley Roasted - Unmalted (Bairds) (710.7 Grain 2.34 %
55.00 gm Chinook [11.40 %] (90 min) Hops 38.3 IBU
60.00 gm Centennial [9.90 %] (0 min) Hops -
2 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [Starter Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 9.83 kg
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Full Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
45 min Mash In Add 25.63 L of water at 74.7 C 68.0 C
10 min Mash Out Add 10.24 L of water at 97.2 C 75.6 C


Notes:
------


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Samuel Adams]

Hey Erik

Whats the temprature like where you are ?
Can you brew all year or does winter cause drama's ?

Also I've been enjoying the NBA East conference finals, are you a Bulls fan at all ?
Derick Rose is a kick ass player and I love watching him play

 

[Supra-Jim]

What was your father in law working as here in IL?

It is a decent looking part of the world. However, it does get tiresome looking at nothing but corn and bean fields during the late summer/early fall. The weather just after harvest is to die for though. Great for drinking the beer on a porch during the evening.

BTW, I'm a few hours southwest of C-U. Been there a few times, but I'm a small town guy. That place is a tad too big for my liking.

Cheers!

He used to work at the University of Illinois, was there for bout 7yrs and is now back teaching in Australia.

Cheers SJ

 

[ekul]

Welcome Erik,
Are there any cost incentives to brewing in america? From what i've heard beer is quite cheap over there, i often wondered why people start take up brewing in the states. I'm not saying the only reason people brew is because of the cost saving, but it seems to be the reason that a lot of people start over here.

The homebrew that i tasted BEFORE i joined this community was some of the worst beer i'd ever tasted, certainly not an incentive to get into it at all!

 

[TmC]

Welcome Erik, no doubt you'll find plenty of useful info on here to improve your brewing. My beer was pretty shite before i found this site, now im drinking a 7.3% Ale that i hopped the shit out, im calling it "Mother in Law"

 

[Bribie G]

Hi Erik, I occasionally post on homebrewtalk.com. - I'm the crazy Aussie who decided to replicate American Malt Liquor (Olde English, Steel Reserve, Mickeys etc) and posted recipe but for some reason nobody replied
I'd love to go to America, but not to any of the tourist spots like Disney World, I will go to the places where no tourist ever goes to visit the true beating heart of the Nation.

List so far:

Reading Pa
Akron Ohio
Allentown Pa
West Baltimore Md

:icon_cheers: :icon_cheers: :icon_cheers:

Catch up on Chicago in due course

Cheers
Michael

 

[Feldon]

I'd love to go to America, but not to any of the tourist spots like Disney World, I will go to the places where no tourist ever goes to visit the true beating heart of the Nation.

List so far:

Reading Pa
Akron Ohio
Allentown Pa
West Baltimore Md

Bribie
After reading many of your gems on this site, and understanding you were a man of the 70s, may I suggest that you also plan to down an Eagle Ale while standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.

And welcome, Erik.

 

[Peteoz77]

I am an ExPat from USA (Rural Minnesota to be exact) and I LOVE it here! LOL but I will be back in MN in Sept it you want to catch up....

 

[stux]

Welcome Erik,

I'm not sure if you're referring to Cooper's *real* yeast, or the dried one they throw in with their Tins

The real yeast gets used by Aussie brewers when they want to replicate one of Coopers' brews

We would normally harvest it from a few bottles of coopers beer, but it might be easier to acquire it from WhiteLabs if you're in the US


WLP009 Australian Ale Yeast (Coopers)

The dried yeast is not a dried version of the Coopers yeast, as apparently that yeast is not amenable to drying

 

[EMalmgren]

Hey Erik

Whats the temprature like where you are ?
Can you brew all year or does winter cause drama's ?

Also I've been enjoying the NBA East conference finals, are you a Bulls fan at all ?
Derick Rose is a kick ass player and I love watching him play

Temperature here is crazy crazy crazy. Winters can go from mild temps to blizzards in just a few days. In late January we had temps in the high 40s to low 50s, then a week later we had below 0 temps with about 2 feet of snow. Winter doesnt kill my brewing at all, actually I prefer winter when it comes to fermentation temps, but standing in my garage brewing whilst freezing is another story.

Summers here are what kills. High humidity and anywhere from high 70's temps to low 100s. Since I'm not a rich man I really cant afford to keep my house at a yeast pleasing 60-65 degrees so I either keep my brewing to a minimum, brew Belgians, or use a huge plastic tote filled with water and frozen water bottles to keep things cool. Long story short, I need a dedicated brewing fridge!

I just realized that I put all temps in Fahrenheit instead of that crappy system you crazies use. I'll work on that.

To be honest, I'm not a basketball fan at all. I was a wrestler growing up in school and there was a huge rivalry between us and the basketball players. I guess that "basketball sucks" attitude hasnt gone anywhere. Now if you wanna talk baseball (Go Cubs) or American Football (Green Bay baby!) I'm all ears :icon_cheers:

 

[EMalmgren]

Hi Erik, I occasionally post on homebrewtalk.com. - I'm the crazy Aussie who decided to replicate American Malt Liquor (Olde English, Steel Reserve, Mickeys etc) and posted recipe but for some reason nobody replied
I'd love to go to America, but not to any of the tourist spots like Disney World, I will go to the places where no tourist ever goes to visit the true beating heart of the Nation.

List so far:

Reading Pa
Akron Ohio
Allentown Pa
West Baltimore Md

:icon_cheers: :icon_cheers: :icon_cheers:

Catch up on Chicago in due course

Cheers
Michael

Haha, you posted recipes for Steel Reserve and Mickeys? Throw in a King Cobra recipe and you can color me impressed

When you make it to the States, add Canton IL on your list. You'll learn everything you need to know about rednecks and hicks, and we can enjoy a beer on my front porch.

Check out Tucson AZ also, lived there for about 3 years with my Pops awhile ago. College city of just over 1 million people, but it doesnt feel like a big place.

 

[EMalmgren]

Welcome Erik,
Are there any cost incentives to brewing in america? From what i've heard beer is quite cheap over there, i often wondered why people start take up brewing in the states. I'm not saying the only reason people brew is because of the cost saving, but it seems to be the reason that a lot of people start over here.

The homebrew that i tasted BEFORE i joined this community was some of the worst beer i'd ever tasted, certainly not an incentive to get into it at all!

Well, thats a hard question to answer without really having an idea of what the benefits of brewing in Australia are like, and being able to compare/contrast.

Craft beer isnt cheap here persay. Maybe it is compared to what I've heard about prices in Canada, but I still cant justify a 6er of commercial beer every week. Rogue at my local place (by local I mean 45 minutes away) is about 12 bucks a 6er. I dont know if anyone knows of Stone brewery, but the typical price is anywhere from $13-$15 depending on where its bought. I recently purchased a 6er of their Ruination Ale for $18, the most expensive 6er I've purchased.

Its funny because I first started brewing thinking that I could make Budweiser type stuff cheaper than I could buy it for at the store. I learned real quick that wasnt the case, of course.

More later on this topic, its time for my sons bath.