Hi guys, I'm a new brewer and before I get started I would like to ask, as a "northern bitter" drinker ie, great northern, carlton dry and carlton draught on tap (mothers milk)....is there a certain brand/type of home brew I should start with? I do love European beers, but the bulk of my consumption would've the previously mentioned. Any tips/ hints are appreciated!!
New brew...
- Thread starter Barney78
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BrosysBrews
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The styles you mention can be somewhat harder to nail first up, a basic pale ale fermented cool will still give a nice clean flavour but may be more forgiving then a lager to start with
Moad
Well-Known Member
Welcome Barney, not many experienced brewers try to emulate those beers so you may not find any great advice. Best to start with Dr smurtos golden ale or a simple pale. Temperature control and sanitation are very very important.
Good luck
Good luck
I agree with Moad. My advice would be to start with a coopers sparkling kit and a can of wheat extract and ferment it with US05 yeast(From Dr Smurto's recipe, but minus the grain and hops additions). Ensure your sanitation is good, and if you can control the temperature then keep it at 18 degrees and you should end up with something very drinkable. While your waiting for this brew to ferment learn about steeping grains and hops additions, then do a full kit version of Dr Smurto's Golden ale with the grain and hops additions.
The key is Sanitation, and temperature control. Once you've got some experience brewing ales, you can attempt a lager style beer, as these require more skill and patience to get right.
The key is Sanitation, and temperature control. Once you've got some experience brewing ales, you can attempt a lager style beer, as these require more skill and patience to get right.
TheWiggman
Haters' gonna hate
Unfortunately Barney the typical Aussie lager is a very difficult beer to brew well at home, and the big breweries are very good at doing what they do. There are Coopers draught and lager kits and similar but if you want to get close, you won't be able to with kits. You'll need to venture into all grain, which is not something for the inexperienced.
If you want to get the Carlton 'twang' the two things you could do is use a yeast like Wyeast 2042 and follow a fermentation schedule (which requires a fridge with a temp control) and add Pride of Ringwood hops to the kit. Not super advanced, but not straightforward and no doubt hard for a beginner.
I suggest you start simple with a quality lager kit, steep some PoR hops and add it when you add your yeast, and use brew enhancer 1. Not Carlton draught, but a start to a great hobby that allows you to focus on the beer making process.
Keep everything clean and sanitise.
Maintain good temps (18°C) during the ferment
Take gravity readings
Be patient
If you want to get the Carlton 'twang' the two things you could do is use a yeast like Wyeast 2042 and follow a fermentation schedule (which requires a fridge with a temp control) and add Pride of Ringwood hops to the kit. Not super advanced, but not straightforward and no doubt hard for a beginner.
I suggest you start simple with a quality lager kit, steep some PoR hops and add it when you add your yeast, and use brew enhancer 1. Not Carlton draught, but a start to a great hobby that allows you to focus on the beer making process.
Keep everything clean and sanitise.
Maintain good temps (18°C) during the ferment
Take gravity readings
Be patient
BrosysBrews
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Coopers aus pale ale can
1kg brew blend #20
15g pride of Ringwood tea bag (steep for 20min in the empty can in boiling water then chuck the water and tea bag in ferm)
US-05 yeast at 18c for 5 days (search swamp cooler if you don't have a fridge) then let it rise to 24ish for a few days. Wait an extra week (2 weeks in the ferm as a minimum)
Bottle then wait 2-3 weeks before trying. Won't be Carlton, will be drinkable. Will likely get you hooked in this hobby
1kg brew blend #20
15g pride of Ringwood tea bag (steep for 20min in the empty can in boiling water then chuck the water and tea bag in ferm)
US-05 yeast at 18c for 5 days (search swamp cooler if you don't have a fridge) then let it rise to 24ish for a few days. Wait an extra week (2 weeks in the ferm as a minimum)
Bottle then wait 2-3 weeks before trying. Won't be Carlton, will be drinkable. Will likely get you hooked in this hobby
As previously mentioned; sanitation and temperature control will help you create noticeably better beer. Being a chef you're probably well suited to jumping straight into all grain... prep work and time management are skills you would probably already have.
If you search 'no chill' and 'how to get into all grain for <$30' ($20 19L big w pot and some swiss voile from spotlight) you will be well on the way to creating great beer in no time.
Some things that will help regardless of which way you go (All grain or kits n bits) are: thermometer (calibrated), kitchen scales (1g or even better 0.1g increments), stc1000 temp controller from ebay (<$20), fridge (old/cheap.. but working), no rinse sanitiser, and a book to record your recipes/brew days.
IMO record keeping is important because if you make a great beer you want to be able to replicate (or tweak) it and it's not easy going from memory alone.
Trying to emulate the beers you've mentioned isn't going to be easy straight off the bat, but they will get better as you go if you stick at it.
If you search 'no chill' and 'how to get into all grain for <$30' ($20 19L big w pot and some swiss voile from spotlight) you will be well on the way to creating great beer in no time.
Some things that will help regardless of which way you go (All grain or kits n bits) are: thermometer (calibrated), kitchen scales (1g or even better 0.1g increments), stc1000 temp controller from ebay (<$20), fridge (old/cheap.. but working), no rinse sanitiser, and a book to record your recipes/brew days.
IMO record keeping is important because if you make a great beer you want to be able to replicate (or tweak) it and it's not easy going from memory alone.
Trying to emulate the beers you've mentioned isn't going to be easy straight off the bat, but they will get better as you go if you stick at it.
