Home Brew Is Stronger Than Bought Beers.

[zebba]

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:icon_drool2:

Use gladwrap instead of the airlock and how many more could you fit in the fermenting fridge?

 

[Bribie G]

I know what you mean! I saw Coopers stout cans on sale at Coles yesterday for $4.50 each. My fermenting fridge is going be tied up for the next 8 weeks with a pilsner, im wondering if I can pull off your toucan stout on the kitchen floor in a cube as soon as the weather cools off....

It took me 9 months to finish that last batch! Evil stuff indeed, but oh so tasty

If you have a spare fermenter and can freeze some PETs, you could do a fermenter on the floor with two frozen 2 litre PETs and wrapped in a beach towel or quilt. That's what I do all year round, currently have 2 brown ales sitting on 20 degrees - only change the PETs every morning. If it wasn't for the occasional true lager I'd chuck my dead fridge - ugly sodding thing.

 

[Nick JD]

I think the opposite. Commercial beer gets me more drunk and more hungover than my beers made to the same alc%. Commercial beer is obviously heavily regulated and monitored, but if I were a marketing type I would not be shy about sneaking more alcohol into the beer - because most megaswill drinkers ain't drinking it for the taste. The cigg companies always try to get the active ingredient in there x 10. Conspiracy over!
!
EDIT: I did have a brew a while back that I'd forgotten I'd put in an extra 500g of dextrose (only a little 12L brew) and kept wondering why I was banging into things.

 

[HoppingMad]

Flame suit on h34r:

I think most people are justified for thinking home brew is stronger.

When was the last time a buddy of yours said "I'm brewing this awesome light beer!"?

When was the last time you made one?

We're all making stronger beers whether we'd like to think it or not. Stronger than the watery shite that has to stay below 5% to avoid excise duties. We don't have that problem so we for the most part brew above the dotted line.

We're also making 'stronger' beers in terms of flavour. I don't see too many mainstream beers with the sort of IBUs and malt profiles we talk about here. Last night I spoke to some Matilda Bay people who pretty much confirmed that their Fat Yak & Alpha are made with a base grain and one specialty grain (two grains!). I've seen recipes on here with enough on the grain bill to make your head spin. Beers with oodles of flavour.

So yep. Our beers are stronger, and in many cases I wouldn't have it any other way.

Hopper.

 

[bum]

I agree with that completely, Hopper, (even made similar, less eloquent, points above) but I don't think either of those reasons reflect why "outsiders" assume all homebrew is stronger. The reasons for this have been covered pretty successfully by others already.

 

[HoppingMad]

The reasons for this have been covered pretty successfully by others already.

Fair call, but wanted to throw my useless 2c in the ring for the hell of it. :lol:
Do agree with the sentiments about the 'one can of goo + 3 kilo sugar + high temp brewer' giving us all a bad name.
But if there is justice, they will be severely punished with bottle bombs, flying glass and spilt beer so it's all karma h34r: !!!

Hopper

 

[Nick JD]

If someone asks me, "Is this homebrew?" I reply, "No, I made it from the same stuff beer is made from."

 

[neonmeate]

three questions i always get asked:
*do you get explosions?
*it's much stronger than normal beer isn't it?
*have you ever made ginger beer?
then they pass on to another topic, unless they make the mistake of asking further about how all grain brewing works and i go into enzymes and yeast metabolism and stuff.

 

[hefevice]

then they pass on to another topic, unless they make the mistake of asking further about how all grain brewing works and i go into enzymes and yeast metabolism and stuff.

GOLD!!

I'm slowly learning the preface the response to that mistake with the question "Do you really want to know?"

 

[Big John]

I don't bother offering people a taste of my homebrew anymore.

If they ask, I'll give them a Cervesa to try and we go from there.

 

[superdave]

<funny pic>
:icon_drool2:

That's Gold :beerbang:

I went through a phase first half of last year doing some strong Belgians and the like (6-8%) while improving my partial skills. Now I have stepped up to AG my first couple brews haven't yielded great efficiency; so to continue keeping costs down I am currently aiming for 4% beers, plus I can drink more of them And if I do suddenly crack it one brew it won't end up being super strong.
But if we are referring to hops I have nailed down the strength I like there. Flavour is more style dependent.

 

[earle]

Why? I bet you used to have your prefferances when it came to mega swill. I know I did (and still do)

I agree that I still have preferences but they are no where as strong as say 10 years ago. Megaswill in Australia is like our political parties - called something different but so close together on the spectrum that you can hardly tell them apart. Add to that the fact that most megaswill is served at near freezing temperature making it even more difficult to percieve any taste.

 

[Jamieman]

I remember my Dad's home brew was always brewed a little stronger.Even had the occasional bottle bombs. (20 yrs ago)
I'm still only kit & kilo, but i dont think i would want much stronger than 5% purely because i like to drink beer. On a hot day after a 12hr shift, its nice to quaff a really refreshing schooner in two mouthfuls then slow down from there.
Having said that, i drink more now i brew.

 

[Sydneybrewer]

Fair call, but wanted to throw my useless 2c in the ring for the hell of it. :lol:
Do agree with the sentiments about the 'one can of goo + 3 kilo sugar + high temp brewer' giving us all a bad name.
But if there is justice, they will be severely punished with bottle bombs, flying glass and spilt beer so it's all karma h34r: !!!

Hopper

i am a bit guilty of this i am afraid, for my brothers bucks night eay on in my brewing i told everyone i would supply the beer before the pub crawl and i made up a toucan blue mountain lager with one kilo dex toped up to 20 litres and then put into pet bottles two weeks prior, i turned up to the hotel in the city we were staying with a boot full of the babies and we polished the lot between 6 of us then hit the town with a mamoth pub crawl, turned out an awesome night from what i can remember but we were all sick as dogs the next day and everyone bar me vowed off ever drinking homebrew again, they say i tricked them just like the wierd guy from the hangover lol.

Edit: spellings ang grammer i will fix tomorow i am drinking homebrew atm