Hello - John from tasmania

[John starr]

Hey everyone, I'm only new to this as I got a mangrove jacks apple cider kit for Christmas. I'm 18yo and I think home brewing it going to be my new hobby

I'm keen on trying pale ale next and eventually working my way up and up until I learn how to make spirits e.g. gins or rum maybe

 

[Brewnicorn]

Welcome John. Hope you enjoy your home brewing hereafter! Everyone here is a great help I’ve found and I hope you feel very welcome. First thing to remember is sanitation. You can’t be too clean, just no scratchy scourers in the fermenter & you’ll be fine. Read up & enjoy. After the pale ale you’ll never look back! Good luck.

 

[manticle]

Hi John,

Where in Tas?

 

[Garfield]

Welcome John.

I'll share two quick thoughts on cidar:

1. They take longer than beer to hit terminal gravity. Be patient

2. Generally low in alcohol and vulnerable to infection. Resist the urge to open the fermenter... and be patient

P. S. I hope you're patient

Garf

 

[manticle]

Cider low in alcohol? More vulnerable to infection than beer?

I disagree. Juice will start somewhere around 1.050 (variable) and uninterrupted, finish around 0.998 - 1.000.

Add active yeast to juice in a sanitised appropriate container, look after it and be hygenic, the risk of infection is neither greater, nor less.

 

[Garfield]

Cider low in alcohol? More vulnerable to infection than beer?

I disagree. Juice will start somewhere around 1.050 (variable) and uninterrupted, finish around 0.998 - 1.000.

Add active yeast to juice in a sanitised appropriate container, look after it and be hygenic, the risk of infection is neither greater, nor less.

Didn't relate it to beer specifically but the kit instructions generally give you a 1040 original gravity. Factor in the long ferment time and it can be a challenge as a first batch. I know many new brewers who have struggled. Not sure where Manticle is at with his comment but my suggestions are worth a few cents. Let us know if you have any trouble mate.

Welcome to AHB

 

[John starr]

.

 

[John starr]

Hi John,

Where in Tas?

Launceston

 

[manticle]

I'm down South in Hobart. There's a few brewers up the Northern end - catching up with locals can be a great way to learn. Good luck with it.

@Garfield - I don't want to derail this thread too much but when I did kits, pretty much all standard OG for straight, basic KK was ~1.040. I made cider kits too and had no more trouble or required time than beer. I can't see why you would.

I agree being patient, clean and leaving the fermenter alone is sage.

 

[Gloveski]

Hey everyone, I'm only new to this as I got a mangrove jacks apple cider kit for Christmas. I'm 18yo and I think home brewing it going to be my new hobby

I'm keen on trying pale ale next and eventually working my way up and up until I learn how to make spirits e.g. gins or rum maybe

Welcome mate it’s a slippery slope . I started about 12 months ago on some mangrove jacks kits , and now I’m all grain . First thing is to get a temp control set up if you haven’t already

 

[ianh]

Welcome to the forum John, good to see another Tasmanian on here.