Growing beer

[Pirate Pete]

Hi

First time contributor to the serious part of this forum. Have been brewing kits for a couple of years and have done some research but treat me as a first former.

Anyway, just bought a small property in Harcourt Victoria of around 7 acres. Now I want to start with about 1/2 acre of barley, harvest this and produce my own malt. No economic or commercial reason here .. just want to see if I can brew from my own crops. As i understand it from researching barley yields, on average this should produce between 400 to 500 kg of barley. Have no idea how much malt that converts to and therefore, the important question, how much beer. I know I have to plant malt barley. Would very much like some advice on how much to plant, varieties (I can do a mix, can also do some wheat), etc etc. Not planning to grow hops just yet but that can come down the track.

Also thinking of planting some grapes and putting a few bee hives to try my hand at mead.

Best regards

Peter

 

[hermtrails]

Is it a cropping area? If so you may want to talk to a local farmer and see what variety of malt barley they are successfully growing. You need to be able to sow it, keep weeds and disease out as well as insects, apply fertilizer and harvest it. Probably didn't help much though sorry

 

[BrosysBrews]

Mate, you are in apple country, maybe go for the orchard instead. You noramlly find grain being grown in the food bowl as it is wet in winter and dry as the grain starts to get going in spring/summer. Not meaning you can't try but may not be ideal, maybe a mini crop in a greenhouse for personal use would be better?

On the other hand 600mm/year hops are looking like a good option if you have a creek or dam to plant them near?

 

[manticle]

PM not for horses who is in the throes of setting up commercial operations as a maltster. There are others on here with background and knowhow too. Disco stu is one who comes to mind (family commercial operation as I understand). I've had the pleasure of trying the disco family's schooner malt which makes lovely beer (malted at powells in vic).

 

[Trevandjo]

G'day Pete,

I'm just the other side of Castlemaine from you. Welcome to the area. I've also got a bit of land which I want to I something with. I've got some hops down but most other things I've planted so far has become rabbit food.

I'm looking forward to hear how you get along.

Trev

 

[Pirate Pete]

All good advice so far, really appreciated. I have a pretty good water supply . 5 megalitres a year. Also have a shade or greenhouse tunnel so could experiment with that - its about 20 metres long and 5 metres wide.. There is also a reasonable sized dam so could try the hops. The guy next door who has been looking after my property as well as his own was planning to plant one of the paddocks on my property with barley prior to the sale - he had an arrangement with the previous owner. I told him I am happy for him to proceed with his plan. Will plant some apple trees, but conscious of the time to harvest. Can probably buy some mature trees locally.

 

[Pirate Pete]

Thanks Trev

My sister is in Castlemaine and I will be dropping into the Railway now and then for a beer. Great beer there.

Peter