On A Budget

[Peaka]

Hi all,

As the topic suggests, I'm on a bit of a budget lately so I'm wondering if anyone can recommend the cheapest kit to make but one that still tastes half decent lol. Like has anyone tried those Home Brand kits and are they rubbish or ok?

 

[Cube]

have a look here:

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=24514

 

[andrewg1978]

Hi all,

As the topic suggests, I'm on a bit of a budget lately so I'm wondering if anyone can recommend the cheapest kit to make but one that still tastes half decent lol. Like has anyone tried those Home Brand kits and are they rubbish or ok?

I believe the coopers kits are the best value for money and easily attained, but have never tried the home brand types.

May budget favorites are as follows:

Coopers A. Pale + BE2 + recultured yest
Coopers Euro Larger + BE2 + 5gms dry hopped (Saaz or Hallarteu)

Both cost approx $15-20 bucks a batch and are a good drinking Beer.

My budget is if you work out 1 batch approx 2.5 slabs @ $45/Slab you are saving close to $100/batch.

I spent close to $1000 over the last 12mths on gear (kegs, freezers, gas, temp controllers etc etc) and have now "paid them off".

But not that money is everything initially it was initially a hobby type project to save a few bucks - but now it is all consuming! I shudder every time I have to drink a vic with mates these days.

Good Luck!

 

[Peaka]

I believe the coopers kits are the best value for money and easily attained, but have never tried the home brand types.

May budget favorites are as follows:

Coopers A. Pale + BE2 + recultured yest
Coopers Euro Larger + BE2 + 5gms dry hopped (Saaz or Hallarteu)

Both cost approx $15-20 bucks a batch and are a good drinking Beer.

My budget is if you work out 1 batch approx 2.5 slabs @ $45/Slab you are saving close to $100/batch.

I spent close to $1000 over the last 12mths on gear (kegs, freezers, gas, temp controllers etc etc) and have now "paid them off".

But not that money is everything initially it was initially a hobby type project to save a few bucks - but now it is all consuming! I shudder every time I have to drink a vic with mates these days.

Good Luck!

Thanks, I might try some of them.
Thats something I wouldn't mind getting into as well, kegging or making my own spirits. Do you have to actually modify a fridge for a keg?

 

[cdbrown]

Do you have to actually modify a fridge for a keg?

If you place the keg, gas and have a pluto gun all in the fridge then no modifications. Gas outside then need to put a hole in the fridge for the gas line. Mounting taps on the fridge door will require holes for the tap shanks to go through. Check out the Gear and Equipment section of kegging setups.

 

[Peaka]

Thanks I'll do that.

 

[Bribie G]

I started that thread "K&K Benchmark Brew" and the Brigalow turned out rather disappointing - clear, zesty but doesn't taste like beer!

If you're on a budget and don't mind spending $20, look for Coopers original range on special for around the $10 mark and do a 'toucan' of Coopers lager. Just use the two cans and nothing else - and just use one of the yeasts or it froths out of the airlock like you wouldn't believe, and you will get a guaranteed very nice drop every time. It's probably the best you'll get out of a 'supermarket' kit without spending too many dollars on specialty grains, hops, Light dried malt extract etc.

The basic lager from Coopers is the least bitter of their range so two cans only produces something about the same bitterness as XXXX heavy or VB. but has teriffic smoothness, flavour and mouthfeel compared to a K&K.

Highly recommended.

 

[RobboMC]

When I holiday down the coast with another brewer he takes a batch of the following:
between the 2 of us we knock over 30 longnecks easily in a week.
1 can Coopers bitter
1 kg raw sugar
kit yeast

Bottle when complete, condition for 10 days and drink guiltlessly.

$17 for 2.6 cartons, averaging $6.50 a slab!

Yes, the raw sugar gives it some bite, but you get what you pay for.
A kg of dex adds about $4 to the batch of you get it from K-Mart or Big W.
500g of dry malt adds another $5, and for $30 a batch ( $11.50 a slab ) you start to get something half decent

He also does:
1 can Coopers dark Ale
500g dex
500g dark brown sugar

It's not a bad drop at $10 a slab.

 

[Interloper]

1 x can of Coopers Real Ale ($11-$12 @ Coles)
1 x can of Farmland Draft ($7 @ Coles)

Done to 23L I think that works out to .82 cents a litre for beer that will be some cheap & easy drinking.

I just bottled one of these as part of my Supermarket Challenge (search forums for it), so no extra hops or specialty yeast.

Of course straight up dex or brewing sugar (yuk) is even cheaper than the $7 can of Farmland goo.

 

[cdbrown]

If you're on a budget and don't mind spending $20, look for Coopers original range on special for around the $10 mark and do a 'toucan' of Coopers lager. Just use the two cans and nothing else

Interesting - no need to use any of the brew enhancers of other sugar types. Will be noting this down for test.

 

[Katherine]

When I was doing kits, I found the Coopers Ceverza a cracker.... easy!

 

[Swizzle]

When I was doing these more stocko morrocco kits I wasn't getting much head and found the beer to be a bit lacklustre all round really. The only thing that really helped was months in the bottle.

I take it this is not the collective experience?

 

[Katherine]

When I was doing these more stocko morrocco kits I wasn't getting much head and found the beer to be a bit lacklustre all round really. The only thing that really helped was months in the bottle.

I take it this is not the collective experience?

I agree with you...

 

[seemax]

Speaking of budget, Kmart has Coopers original series for $9 !

I did a toucan of Coopers Lager & Homebrand Draught. After 2 weeks in the fermentor it's somewhat ordinary. I suspect 2 months in the bottle will help greatly.

 

[Interloper]

Speaking of budget, Kmart has Coopers original series for $9 !

So a Coles homebrand draft tin for $7 and a coopers original for $9 and that's a $16 brew! Cheap As! Perfect budget brewing.

After 2 weeks in the fermentor it's somewhat ordinary. I suspect 2 months in the bottle will help greatly.

It will, bottle conditioning makes magic...

 

[Peaka]

I think what I need to do is get me another fermenter and more bottles so I can start doing more brews because I can only do 2 brews at the moment, then I have to use the bottles before I can brew again. I think if I get more bottles and do more brews then I will be more willing to let the beers condition in the bottle for longer, as it is right now I can hardly wait the 2 weeks lol.
Now getting onto the sugar subject, I've heard people saying they use Raw Sugar or Brown Sugar for their brew. Can anyone tell me what sort of characters these sugars add to the brew?
And also, with the toucan method mentioned above, if I used the toucans plus maybe 1 or 2 kg's of sugar, would it be ok to drink? I like my beers strong

 

[Swizzle]

I think what I need to do is get me another fermenter and more bottles so I can start doing more brews because I can only do 2 brews at the moment, then I have to use the bottles before I can brew again. I think if I get more bottles and do more brews then I will be more willing to let the beers condition in the bottle for longer, as it is right now I can hardly wait the 2 weeks lol.

once you get your head around feeling like a soak the concept of having LOTS of bottles works well! Couple of old fellas at the local hbs the other week were saying they have 300 bottles stashed away. Certainly helps to always be drinking well matured beer. 3 months is a good minimum for most I've found.

 

[Peaka]

Or the other alternative would be getting into kegging, then you don't need to wait hey. So how much can I expect to pay to get a kegging system setup or does the prices vary?

 

[Interloper]

I would have well over 300 bottles filled and maturing all over my house and shed. My mates at work have taken to drinking long necks of coopers pale and coopers stout to keep me supplied in bottles if I keep them supplied in brews. After parties they also bring me slabs of empty stubbies too.

Also I have a good relationship with the guys at the local recycling depot here in SA and I can get a dozen long necks for $3. Last run I did to the depot I grabbed 90+ longies and 20 Grolsch bottles.

So yeah, invest in another fermenter and a stack of bottles now and long term you will save some cash as you produce more beer faster.

 

[Peaka]

Well I only have the plastic bottles at home, do glass ones make that much of a difference?