Newbie from the Tropics

[troycookie]

Hello from sunny and hot Townsville from a complete newbie.

I am starting home brewing for the first time in my 40's but better late than never! I am starting out with ginger beer at the moment with a kit and some extra's and will bottle tomorrow.

Been an interesting process to keep things cool for my first batch with ice baths, wet towels and rotating ice bricks assisting me along the way but seems to be going alright. Wish me luck!

I hope to make some sort of pacific and tropical ales in the future so looking forward to learning from you all.

 

[Feldon]

Welcome, troycookie, and good luck with your first brew.

 

[Beefcake 2000]

Hi TC, Good luck with the brewing. I used to live in Townsville and also northern WA and brewed in both. After struggling to maintain a correct & stable fermentation temperature, and the missus not to keen on letting me keep the fermentor in the lounge room with the A/C on (I thought it was a reasonable request but...) I had a spare working fridge that my fermentor fit in and bought one of these MKII - Temperature Controller. With this you can dial in whatever the optimal ferment temperature you want and the fridge will keep it there. I found this nearly the most essential piece of equipment apart from the fermentor itself esspecially in WA where much of the year the night time temps don't fall below 30+.

I see Kegland have brought out a newer version of this RAPT Temperature Controller which looks to be a wifi contollable version which you might be interested in and links to other products in their range, but is double the price. Other companys have similar products but this is what I have and wouldn't be without it.

goodluck

 

[Paddy Melon]

Hi TC, welcome to the fold, it's all down hill from here. it's never too late to start and the learning curve is huge. As Beefcake 2000 has already stated temp control is your biggest friend. If you can get yourself an upright freezer or fridge ( I have a freezer which I find best) and a controller (inkbird itc 1000 is all you need) you will be on your way to consistently good beers. The initial expenses soon become offset by the savings, the more you drink the quicker the offset.
This forum is excellent for answers and there are many who are more than happy to help. Good luck and welcome to the new world of enjoyment.

 

[raybies]

Hello from sunny and hot Townsville from a complete newbie.

My $0.02 of advice for my past self.
1.- Go straight to all grain.
2.- Don't waste your time with bottles, go straight to kegs.

Everything else taught me things.
You could possibly get away without using a fermentation fridge, by using pressure fermentation or specific yeasts, but I wouldn't recommend it and I now have 2 freezers w/ Inkbird controllers.

 

[troycookie]

Thanks for the reply fellas. I am on the look out for a cheap fridge now and have looked at the Inkbird controller which is definitely the go. So much easier by the looks of it. I too have frequented the local brew shop and they have a second hand reconditioned keg system for sale for $695 for two 23l pin type kegs, bottle of gas, pluto tap and the reg and hoses. Bit of outlay but keen to do it.

 

[troycookie]

Well bottles conditioned for 2 weeks and couldn't help myself. Cracked open one!
Has a good ginger flavour with good colour. Might need a couple more days for more fizz but happy for my first half batch (11 litres) . About to put down 23l this time with some extras. Will post in main forum.

Ingredients

Half tin Brigalow Ginger Beer

500g Raw sugar

250g Dark Sugar

100g steeped ginger in 1L water

1 Bottle Buderim Ginger cordial

 

[papamoaetmac]

Well bottles conditioned for 2 weeks and couldn't help myself. Cracked open one!
Has a good ginger flavour with good colour. Might need a couple more days for more fizz but happy for my first half batch (11 litres) . About to put down 23l this time with some extras. Will post in main forum.

Ingredients

Half tin Brigalow Ginger Beer

500g Raw sugar

250g Dark Sugar

100g steeped ginger in 1L water

1 Bottle Buderim Ginger cordial

Hi did you add the sweetener from under the cap as well? Or just your sugar

 

[AHB_Admin]

Hey, if life begins at forty, then you're not late!

Welcome to the forum, troycookie. Good luck!

 

[sirosis]

Also live in Townsville, to brew successfully in the heat look on townsville buy swap and sell for a cheap fridge and invest in an Inkbird controller for it. Also look at kegging versus bottling as the time and effort saved is well worth it, have been brewing this way for years. I wouldn't be jumping into all grain brewing without the gear to control fermentation temperatures as you will not reap the benefits of a good yeast. I brew all my lagers at 12 deg. and ales @ 16 deg. and haven't had a bad brew yet.