New Brewer Needs Advice.

[moonwolf]

Hiya everyone,

First let me introduce myself i`m john and my partner is jen.

Were both new to home brewing.

So i thought i`d get advice before i blow the kitchen up :beerbang:

I`d like to brew a beer similar in flavour and taste to corona.

At $60 for a carton i thought it would be wiser and a bit more fun to brew my onw.

My local brew shop, " the bake and brew" has said he can tailor make a kit to meet my needs and add what i need and what i dont need.

I am going to brew inside as i feel that it is easier to control the temperature.. i have been told the optimum temp is between 17-20 degrees, is this right?

I am also going to use glass stubbiy bottles and ive been told old wine bottles can be used as well, so i`ll try a few of those.

If anyone has a recipe i can use it would be much obliged, also any advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks.
:beerbang:

 

[Mr Bond]

If you live in the gawler region,PM the guy on here known as GMK he has a brew club based in the barrossa and should be able to help you out with info and stuff to get you brewin.

 

[tangent]

wine bottles no
champagne bottles yes

 

[Aaron]

Do a search and have a read through the forums. You will find a lot of information about cloning this style of beer.

 

[Trent]

John
I may stand to be corrected, but if yer after something quite similar to Corona, you will need to be using a lager yeast, fermented at around 10-12C. I am sure that the kit your HBS can make up will be quite adequate, but to get it spot on, you may need to upgrade to a better yeast. Only problem is, that requires a brewing fridge, temp controllers, more fermenters to cold condition in, etc... You are on the right site to get all your info, but next thing you know, you will be wanting to know how to use starters for yeast, getting into extract, then partial and all grain brewing, and after a while, it ends up costing ya more in equipment that it would have to keep on buying cartons! But I am getting ahead of myself here. Try the kit, and see how you like it, and work out what ya want from there. Just, if it is a lager yeast, try and keep it as cool as possible. And welcome to the hobby, its a blast
All the best
Trent
PS Never heard of using wine bottles either. And maybe use the search function for a recipe.

 

[tangent]

nice reply Trent - you've described the slippery slope quite well

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Moonwolf,

Can't help much with kits, however, I can give you advice on the yeast.
You will definitely need a lager yeast. There are liquid yeasts available that your friendly HBS owner may be able to assist you with. Either the Wyeast 2112, California Lager Least or Whitelabs WLP810, San Francisco Lager Yeast. These yeasts are the same strain. Both these yeasts will give you real lager characteristics at much higher fermenting temperatures as other lager yeasts. They will work well up to 20 degrees and over. Having said that though, 14-16 degrees would be better.
Wrap a wet towel around your fermenter and keep it in the coolest part of the house. Pour some water on the towel a couple of times a day.

Good luck.
Lindsay.

 

[moonwolf]

:beer: Thanks guys for the help.

I`m glad you told me about the bottles. I thought it was strange to use wine bottles.

I think i will go with stubby bottles, i knew temp was important.

I have a room that is always very cool and dark, so i will use this room.

Thanks for the tip about the beer club in the barrossa, i will definately look into it.

I havent started yet but i`m already finding it fun.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[moonwolf]

ok guys, sorry for being a pain.

Ive been making furious notes, i`m setting up a brewing journal with do`s and dont`s.

Wife is gonna kill me when she tries to decipher my notes to the computer lol.

Ive got a room with the right temp, it`s constantly around 15`, so should that be ok?

Also, with the "corona" style of beer, should i look into a specific yeast type etc?

I have noticed coopers put out a can of the pre-mix, sorry i dont know the correct name for this yet. Is there a better brand for this style?

 

[normell]

Moonwolf,

Can't help much with kits, however, I can give you advice on the yeast.
You will definitely need a lager yeast. There are liquid yeasts available that your friendly HBS owner may be able to assist you with. Either the Wyeast 2112, California Lager Least or Whitelabs WLP810, San Francisco Lager Yeast. These yeasts are the same strain. Both these yeasts will give you real lager characteristics at much higher fermenting temperatures as other lager yeasts. They will work well up to 20 degrees and over. Having said that though, 14-16 degrees would be better.
Wrap a wet towel around your fermenter and keep it in the coolest part of the house. Pour some water on the towel a couple of times a day.

Good luck.
Lindsay.

[post="110937"][/post]​

Moony. I think this WAS your answer

 

[apd]

I've used wine bottles a couple of times - screw cap ones. Beer turned out fine. It was a little under-carbonated but I thinked that had more to do with the amount of priming solution I added. Other "standard" beer bottles in the same batch had similar carb levels.

The problem with screwcaps is the caps seem a little flimsy and wine bottles are often taller than long necks so they don't fit in my storage boxes.

 

[Kai]

Liquid yeasts can be a challenge for the new brewer. I would start with the Coopers Corona kit and work from there if it doesn't satisfy you.

 

[jgriffin]

First thing i always reccomend - http://www.howtobrew.com

 

[GMK]

Second thing is pm me as i am the president of the Barossa Brewers Club and only live 14km up the road.

Feel free to pop round. I have 6 beers on Tap...

The next BBC Meeting is next friday the 3rd of March at my place the "BrewInn Barossa".

PM Me and i wil give u details.

 

[Mr Bond]

Second thing is pm me as i am the president of the Barossa Brewers Club and only live 14km up the road.

Feel free to pop round. I have 6 beers on Tap...

The next BBC Meeting is next friday the 3rd of March at my place the "BrewInn Barossa".

PM Me and i wil give u details.

[post="110976"][/post]​

Now there is an offer you would be mad to refuse moonwolf.

I might even be tempted to attend one of these meeting in the near future myself.

 

[Jazman]

sorry ken i was thinking of dropping in but have to work early on sat

 

[Batz]

Second thing is pm me as i am the president of the Barossa Brewers Club and only live 14km up the road.

Feel free to pop round. I have 6 beers on Tap...

The next BBC Meeting is next friday the 3rd of March at my place the "BrewInn Barossa".

PM Me and i wil give u details.

[post="110976"][/post]​

If meeting GMK for the first time it is best "NOT" to ask about the "kids on the roof"
affair.

And for a new brewer I recommend going with the Coopers kit first up,it's all up hill and better from there.

Batz

 

[Jazman]

plus i reckon throw out the dextrose and dont use maltodextrin plus bake and brew is ok but not much in grains ect so i do go to grumpys or brewmaker at holden hill and i live out new bake and brew too

 

[Brownie]

Moonwolf,

Currently brewing the Coopers Mexican Cerveza, (Corona type) Kit, Is in it final stretch before bottling.

Get some SagLager S23 or other Lager type Yeast. Brew at Low temps between 9 and 13 Deg Celc. Then Rack to secondary, let sit for 2 to 4 days at about 20 Deg Celc to rest.

I have the secondary sitting in my beer fridge to cold condition (clear the beer). Let it CC for 1 to 2 weeks, bulk prime and rack to another fermenter, then bottle.

Let sit for at least 2 weeks before trying one, then try one, once a week after that until it is ready.


Brownie.

 

[Screwtop]

Moonwolf,

Currently brewing the Coopers Mexican Cerveza, (Corona type) Kit, Is in it final stretch before bottling.

Get some SagLager S23 or other Lager type Yeast. Brew at Low temps between 9 and 13 Deg Celc. Then Rack to secondary, let sit for 2 to 4 days at about 20 Deg Celc to rest.

I have the secondary sitting in my beer fridge to cold condition (clear the beer). Let it CC for 1 to 2 weeks, bulk prime and rack to another fermenter, then bottle.

Let sit for at least 2 weeks before trying one, then try one, once a week after that until it is ready.


Brownie.

[post="111028"][/post]​

Sounds like good advice Moonie.