New To Ahb

[BakeryHill]

Hi all

Just joined so I thought I'd introduce myself mainly as I'm looking to get together with fellow brewers in Brisbane who are interested in brewing at one of the local Brew By U (or similar) establishments.

I started home brewing many years ago but after a short time gave it up as we ended up moving every 12 months due to my employment - many of them to remote locations where getting gear was difficult and frustrating.

I'm now interested in expanding on that illustrious foray into brewing by going to the next level and brewing large batches in preparation for making a "sea-change" into my own microbrewery or brewpub. I'm keen to put into practise those skills learnt in homebrewing but on a larger scale. I'm also keen to experiment with different brews to create some unique beers.

If anyone is interested in sharing the cost of this type of brewing ($150 for 50L), please contact me - I'm not ultimately after the end result of the brewing (though I'll happily keep some myself to drink) but I'm more after brewing as often as I can for the experience.

Cheers
BakeryHill

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

G'day BH,

Welcome first, as a fellow Brisvegan to AHB.

A few bits of advice I can give:

1. Brew for U, etc (my closest is at Virginia) generally use extract to produce beer, rather than from grain. Some of these establishments, if reports are to be believed, produce fairly average quality beers (I've heard the term "lawn food" used), relative to what a number of brewers are doing here. If you want to open your own pub, you really will need to learn to all grain brew.

2. Bacchus Brewing/Craftbrewer (also a site sponsor) are both a LHBS (Local Home Brew Shop) at Capalaba, as well as a microbrewery (look at archivebeerboutique.com.au - some of their beers are on tap at the pub there). You can learn to brew all grain, properly, on their equipment. They also supply (and mail order) all grain equipment.

3. All Grain brewing isn't as hard as it sounds, and the results are fantastic. You can try "Brew in a Bag" (BIAB), which is a cheap and easy way to get to all grain brewing. This site got me from extract brewing to allgrain in no time, and the gap difference in my brewing is canyon-like. I've still spent more on temp control and kegging than I have on equipment and can produce some cracker professional standard beers.

4. Some progress from BIAB (if progress is what you'd call it) to a 2V/3V system, however an award winning brewer (going by the nick "BribieG") still uses BIAB and still wins many awards. I hope to join him in the award winning one day.

Hope this helps, welcome to AHB.

Goomba

 

[argon]

just to add to what LRG has said Bacchus Brewing/Craftbrewer also offer a "Brew for U" type service, although they use All Grain rather than extract.

 

[BakeryHill]

Thanks for the above replies. I suppose I should expand on my original post with some more info which will help explain a bit better my logic (which isn't always right!)

I'm looking at "crawling before walking" so I planned on starting with extract brewing then progress to all-grain as a natural progression. You're right, the Brew By U I use (Brendale) doesn't do all-grain but I'm happy to do 4-6 brews with extract to get that bedded in before adding another layer.

I had some of the beer the owner brewed (available on tap to help yourself) and I was very impressed. So impressed I didn't believe it was a self-brew. If mine turns out like that next weekend when we go to bottle I'll be bloody happy.

There's obviously a few big steps to make from brewing like this to running a microbrewery\brewpub, but I've set myself 2 years as a goal to start the real work of fitting somewhere out so I've got time to make the transition.

Any suggestions though are welcome as I'm keen to brew as much as I can but not build up a garage of beer, hence the call for interested parties. I'll keep a carton here and there but happy to share the output with others.

 

[.DJ.]

honestly, BREW 4 U wont help your brewing abilities I dont think...

Join a local club, go to a brew day and, importantly brew, read, brew, read, taste, brew and read...

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Thanks for the above replies. I suppose I should expand on my original post with some more info which will help explain a bit better my logic (which isn't always right!)

I'm looking at "crawling before walking" so I planned on starting with extract brewing then progress to all-grain as a natural progression.

Nothing wrong with your logic

I wish I'd had AHB around when I first started, I'd have gone pretty well straight to all grain. There are a number of newer members here that bedded down one or two extracts, and just went straight to BIAB, because it's pretty simple. Some didn't even do an extract, they just read up, got the process sorted in their head, and went straight in. The advantage of this is not unlearning bad habits, and you will still need to learn some things that can only be learned via All Grain. 12 years of extract gave me no help (except for how to clean and sanitise) into AG.

However, I (and most on this forum) understand that everyone's journey takes a different path.

Have a search for "Move to all grain brewing for under $30" - it's about small batch (9L - 12 tallies) BIAB all grain brewing using a 19L big w pot (for $20) a bit of material from spotlight and your regular, bog-standard stovetop. That's how I got my start. That'll sort the "trying to find a buddy to split the batch, so I don't have dozens of stubbies everywhere" problem, and the cost saving will help.

I personally got a little fed up with 9L batches, because, to me, it was a lot of effort for not much beer - but it might actually solve your problem, as you want the effort and experience.

Goomba

 

[BakeryHill]

honestly, BREW 4 U wont help your brewing abilities I dont think...

Join a local club, go to a brew day and, importantly brew, read, brew, read, taste, brew and read...

I'm looking at the Brew By U as a substitue for a homebrew setup which won't get past the other half I'm sure! I've been told the 2nd bathroom is off limits and the garage hasn't got room to swing a cat. Whilst it's probably rated quite low by experienced brewers, it's about where the only place I can start the journey.

I'm reading heaps - I've got about 3 books on their way from Book Depository in the UK and I'm 80% through How To Brew by John Palmer. I'd like to join a club but haven't seen any around my area that offer anything above garage-based brewing.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

If Brew 4 U Brendale is nearby, then I'd assume PUBS (Pine Rivers underground Brewing Society) would be the closest club.

This forum has taught me more than most of the books I've read, because it is practical as well as theoretical.

Goomba

 

[BakeryHill]

Have a search for "Move to all grain brewing for under $30" - it's about small batch (9L - 12 tallies) BIAB all grain brewing using a 19L big w pot (for $20) a bit of material from spotlight and your regular, bog-standard stovetop. That's how I got my start. That'll sort the "trying to find a buddy to split the batch, so I don't have dozens of stubbies everywhere" problem, and the cost saving will help.

I personally got a little fed up with 9L batches, because, to me, it was a lot of effort for not much beer - but it might actually solve your problem, as you want the effort and experience.

Goomba

Ok - you've got me interested now! I'm on my first step of a long journey so I'm the first to admit I've got lots to learn (hence the reading material building beside the bed and joining AHB). I've just come back from a trip to NZ where I visited many craft breweries\brewpubs\microbreweries, all of which contributed to my sea change idea, so all-grain brewing is my "nirvana". I spent hours talking to the owners\brewers about what they do and it took me back to my homebrewing years ago. It was their stories\advice that made me realise you can make a living brewing and selling beer.

I'll have to look into BIAB more though as I mentioned in my previous post, I'm limited as to where I can brew, ferment and store beer, hence the Brew By U option as the starter.

 

[Bribie G]

We are all about garage based brewing, unfortunately (fortunately for us, unfortunately for my Mazda :lol: )

Garage based brewing is as simple or as complex as you want to make it, and I guess most microbreweries started off in garages. Here's my mate's setup

Mind you, the current best home brewed beer in Australia (the one that won the National Comps last year) was brewed in a rumpus room, not a garage, which may account for its success.

 

[argon]

Space really isn't a concern with stovetop brewing... if you have space to cook a meal you have space to brew beer.

Here's the link LRG was referring to;
Move To All Grain For Thirty Bucks

Have a read and get stuck in.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Thanks argon, I was about to link it - stupid me for not doing it sooner.

Goomba

 

[BakeryHill]

Here's the link LRG was referring to;
Move To All Grain For Thirty Bucks

Have a read and get stuck in.

Thanks for the link - looks like I'm going to have to negotiate with the current kitchen owner about some usage time and also where I might be able to store and ferment - keeping the fermentation at a decent temp is going to be my biggest problem as the only free corner in my garage would range from about 15-30 degrees depending on the weather outside.

 

[argon]

Get yourself a second hand bar fridge and an ebay STC-1000 temp controller and you'll have no worries about keeping your ferment under control with a very small footprint.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Thanks for the link - looks like I'm going to have to negotiate with the current kitchen owner about some usage time and also where I might be able to store and ferment - keeping the fermentation at a decent temp is going to be my biggest problem as the only free corner in my garage would range from about 15-30 degrees depending on the weather outside.

Hallway cupboard may be another option (or top of cupboard in bedroom where all the junk that no-one wants to throw out goes).

Temp isn't so bad at the moment, great for brewing, but in summer your beers will taste awful if you don't get it sorted. I brew at ambient temps in winter, but not in summer.

Goomba

 

[Bribie G]

Hey B-H, I'm on Bribie Island (believe it or not ) and I'm currently saving electricity and just fermenting in the garage on the concrete floor. This time of year, and probably till around September there are, of course, swings in temp but a fermenter of beer has a fair thermal mass so it's like steering the Queen Mary. My brews are holding around 19 degrees steady at the moment which is perfect. If your garage is brick or under-house or whatever you should be ok for the time being in Pine Rivers.

The PUBS group referred to (Pine Rivers Underground Brewing Society) has around 15 regular participants and meets in various garages and rumpus rooms, it's on tonight but I can't make it unfortunately. I know it's short notice but if you Personal-message me I can give you tonight's location, if interested, so you can meet the dudes and dudettes and just say Bribie recommended you - it's at Kallangur tonight starting 7 onwards. The champ Aus brewer I referred to is a PUBS star and should also be there.

Cheers

edit: or if you are interested in the August meeting (meets last tues of every month) I can pick you up so you can have a good sampling session. :super:

 

[stephenkentucky]

Firstly welcome, I have set up a craft brewery in the New England NSW, my brewery is so small we brew the beer one day and the head the next, but despite that i have achieved a life long dream to become a commercial brewer. If I can ever be of service I would be glad to help....after all i only got to this point with the generous support and help of other home brewers.... best of luck to you.
Yours in Brewing
Stephen

 

[BakeryHill]

Get yourself a second hand bar fridge and an ebay STC-1000 temp controller and you'll have no worries about keeping your ferment under control with a very small footprint.

Are you volunteering to come tell the Minister for War and Finance I now need to buy more stuff!? If you do, bring your 20L brewing tub as you'll need it for protection.

 

[BakeryHill]

The PUBS group referred to (Pine Rivers Underground Brewing Society) has around 15 regular participants and meets in various garages and rumpus rooms, it's on tonight but I can't make it unfortunately. I know it's short notice but if you Personal-message me I can give you tonight's location, if interested, so you can meet the dudes and dudettes and just say Bribie recommended you - it's at Kallangur tonight starting 7 onwards. The champ Aus brewer I referred to is a PUBS star and should also be there.

Cheers

edit: or if you are interested in the August meeting (meets last tues of every month) I can pick you up so you can have a good sampling session. :super:

Thanks for the offer but it's a bit late unfortunately - don't get home till well after 6 which makes club meets difficult.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

BH.. there is also BABBs..which is a brisbane and bay area club....

First up... how handy are you, and do you have some sort of trade


BIAB is ok, but it will attract aliens, and kittens will get stuck in your airlock :icon_cheers:

If you want to go AG, then dont be put off by all the bling... you need to start off simply..

Some basic gear you will need for AG brewing

An esky. Approx 26ltrs in capacity. you will need some plumbing fittings etc

A Big pot, about 40ltrs in capacity with a tap at the base

A 3ring gas burner. Forget electric for the moment, you want to keep it simple

A kettle. A simple kitchen one will do

An Hydrometer. ( very important)

Basic kitchen utensils like scales, jugs, pot stirrers

A table or things that look like milk crates

There will be many on here that say you need brew stands, temp controlled gizmoś, bling, PC based stuff and all sorts of stuff. YOU DONT

You need to be able to the above equipment before you get the bling. I have heard so many people on here say you need all this stuff , when you dont.

Many award winning brewers on here have started with the basics, and produced award winning beer with the basics

One thing that will be essential is to go to a brew day and get an idea of what is involved

And ask lots of questions, and listen to those who have been there and done it, not those who think they know