[SIZE=12pt]Hey Folks![/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Just getting back into brewing after a long hiatus. So... an introduction![/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Under the tutelage of a family member I started brewing in uni - it was a great way to enjoy a bottle of suds whilst keeping the costs down. My setup was (and still is) pretty basic - 30 litre drum, immersion heater, one of those nice lever arm cappers. I was encouraged to use white sugar for my brews but after a few batches I began to wander to dextrose and malt.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]__________________[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Story Time![/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]My local brew shop was Grain and Grape (originally in Footscray and now in a very nice little warehouse in Yarraville). Great store but I've found the support there a little lacking... My first and only foray into hopping my beer involved being sold a hopps bag and being told to boil the hops in bag. The bag didn't synch close and as a result I felt I needed to set it up in such a way that the hopps wouldn't leak out. I subsequently set the hopps bag on fire...[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]I managed to save the hopps but, to be honest, I couldn't tell the difference in the brew.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]_______________________[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Which Brings me to Now![/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Several years back I moved suburb, lost the space to brew and as a result, the kit was stowed under the house... I came very close to selling it off a few times but never did. There is sat, dormant... waiting... biding its time...[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Recently I've brought the old girl out of retirement, given her a thorough clean, cleaned the 70 odd bottles I have, retired the immersion heater (which didn't survive transport - never liked the thing any way), picked up a heat pad and am back to starting some basic brewing.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]________________[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Current Rig[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]________________[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Current Brew[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]I've just bottled a batch from a Coopers Draught kit. Used 750g dextrose, 250g malt. Used the supplied yeast. Primed with priming drops. Still learning to use the damn hydrometer... slow learner I guess, so I couldn't tell you readings.
I'm planning my next batch and cleaning as we speak... I'll definitely be seeking some advice on these forums and will pop a link up here when I do.
So... Hi! And thanks for any welcomes to this community.
Pongo[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Just getting back into brewing after a long hiatus. So... an introduction![/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Under the tutelage of a family member I started brewing in uni - it was a great way to enjoy a bottle of suds whilst keeping the costs down. My setup was (and still is) pretty basic - 30 litre drum, immersion heater, one of those nice lever arm cappers. I was encouraged to use white sugar for my brews but after a few batches I began to wander to dextrose and malt.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]__________________[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Story Time![/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]My local brew shop was Grain and Grape (originally in Footscray and now in a very nice little warehouse in Yarraville). Great store but I've found the support there a little lacking... My first and only foray into hopping my beer involved being sold a hopps bag and being told to boil the hops in bag. The bag didn't synch close and as a result I felt I needed to set it up in such a way that the hopps wouldn't leak out. I subsequently set the hopps bag on fire...[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]I managed to save the hopps but, to be honest, I couldn't tell the difference in the brew.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]_______________________[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Which Brings me to Now![/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Several years back I moved suburb, lost the space to brew and as a result, the kit was stowed under the house... I came very close to selling it off a few times but never did. There is sat, dormant... waiting... biding its time...[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Recently I've brought the old girl out of retirement, given her a thorough clean, cleaned the 70 odd bottles I have, retired the immersion heater (which didn't survive transport - never liked the thing any way), picked up a heat pad and am back to starting some basic brewing.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]________________[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Current Rig[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=12pt]30 litre drum[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=12pt]The hole in the lid is corked with the old rubber cork from the immersion heater - just cut the cable off and left a section in there to keep it air tight (I had meant to get a fresh cork but had forgotten at my last LHBS visit). [/SIZE]
- [SIZE=12pt]Using a heat pad for heating. Was surprised to find that they don't have temperature controls (thanks for the heads up brew shop!), so have been running it for a few hours when I feel things are getting a bit cool[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=12pt]Hard wood planks over the bath to hold the drum + hose attachment for cleaning[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=12pt]Bottling into long necks stored in milk crates[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=12pt]Have a dry bar (ie. not plumbed) to serve from if I'm feeling fancy[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]________________[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Current Brew[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]I've just bottled a batch from a Coopers Draught kit. Used 750g dextrose, 250g malt. Used the supplied yeast. Primed with priming drops. Still learning to use the damn hydrometer... slow learner I guess, so I couldn't tell you readings.
I'm planning my next batch and cleaning as we speak... I'll definitely be seeking some advice on these forums and will pop a link up here when I do.
So... Hi! And thanks for any welcomes to this community.
Pongo[/SIZE]
Sometimes I find hop bags more trouble than they're worth, too. I've burnt a couple. But basically you can tie them shut, hops won't get out, and you can just chuck them in to the brew like a gigantic tea bag and they'll bob about while the hoppy goodness leeches out.
