Sa Mid Year Case Swap 09

[drsmurto]

and DrSmurto - I didn't mean it would stop AGers getting together (if anything it's a common hatrid I see) but if every response on this forum to a non AGer was 'drop what you're doing, it's ****, go all-grain' it wouldn't be the place it is now. How many people have upgraded based on the help they've got on this forum? Surely we should be encouraging potential AGers along and showing them how it's done. Not turning our noses up at the mere thought of them.

Like many of the AGers in the swap i started on this forum as a kit brewer.

I never said kit brewers werent allowed to attend the swap - in my memory of swaps that has never occurred.

We have, however, for the past 2 swaps at the very least, installed an AG only policy as there are so many AG brewers who are new to the craft and find a case swap a great opportunity to taste other AG beers and learn about styles they may not have brewed yet.

Drinking half a case of kit beers wouldnt help us so thats the reason (or at least one of the main ones) why kit brewers were asked to have their own swap.

I tried very hard for the last swap to be open to kit brewers to attend and be able to taste AG beer and see what all the fuss was about but not 1 rocked up. A few of us even offered out setups to allow a kit brewer to brew an AG beer so they could join in the actual swap. All declined.

I am hoping that this time we get a nice contingent of kit brewers. I learnt about AG brewing by being invited to AG brewdays and watched the action unfold. I/We are extending that opportunity to kit brewers for this swap.

And to make the offer again, if any kit brewer who is thinking about AG brewing as something they might like to try, they are more than welcome to rock up to my place (Mt Torrens) and use my equipment to brew an AG batch for the swap. I am always happy to help out as its how i have been able to move from kits to AG.

Now lets stop the AG vs kit bollocks and get on with the organising of the swap. :icon_drunk:

Cheers
DrSmurto

 

[jonocarroll]

And I found QB's post inflammatory and annoying too.

...

The fact is I was replying to the post from QB, and the attitude contained therein. You brew how you want to, just don't try and convert me, and I won't try and convert you. Happy to stand and have a chat with anyone at the swap, taste a K & K beer if I want to. But not to be drilled for hours on end by this petty difference.

Perhaps you need to re-read this thread. No one was suggesting a that kits are better in any way. No one was trying to convert you to a K&B brewer. The post that angered me was the suggestion that an AGer wouldn't even taste a beer that wasn't AG. No one was saying there would be a lecture on the differences.

"You brew how you want to" sounds nice and peaceful, except for the prejudiced "but it's ****** *****!" under your breath. The purpose of the challenge was to see if K&B is inherently a much poorer quality, or if an AG brewer could use their expertise to make something decent. Nothing more. This entire argument has been brought on by the AGers who find it necessary to **** all over anyone who doesn't do AG.

I'm spent. And I'm done with this non-issue.

 

[domonsura]

I wasn't jumping to any conclusions at all. Myself and half the people in this thread who have been on this board more than a couple of months understand exactly where some of my comments have come from (ie: past years). Perhaps you might like to brief yourself on the history of this 'discussion' by reading through some of the past years case swap threads Jon. This has been done to death. We have a happy thing going on, this time around the K & K guys have been invited to come & take part and have their own swap. No dramas there. The long and short is I don't want this argument to present itself at the swap, because it would have the potential to turn a good day bad. Just as I felt the comments you made about 'fricken kryptonite' etc etc have introduced an element to this thread that is unpleasant.

And for the record. We ARE encouraging potential AG'ers to come along and see how it's done. That's the point. We always have. Everyone has always been welcome to come along, since the first case swap I hosted and probably before then too, and all since. But the AG vs diehard K & K argument is not welcome because it causes trouble amongst friends. Simple as that really.

 

[Effect]

I thought (and still do) that most of us started doing K&K - then moved to AG somehow. That somehow was most probably this forum and brewdays.

No-one on here wants to bash up K&K brewers at all - we just want them to come up, appreciate that AG has the ability to make far greater beer - and we want you to learn how to make AG - catch the bug and then there will be more AGers for the next swaps...

The more the merrier I say!

 

[jonocarroll]

I'm leaving this here. You seem determined to imply that I'm making a comparison between methods, which I'm not.

The long and short is I don't want this argument to present itself at the swap, because it would have the potential to turn a good day bad. Just as I felt the comments you made about 'fricken kryptonite' etc etc have introduced an element to this thread that is unpleasant.

Neither do I. I don't even want the argument on here. I'm not pushing that argument FFS. If you want to look at who might have introduced a particular element pushing that agenda, have a look at the post I was replying to.

The next person who implies that I'm trying to start or continue an argument over the benefits of each method will get a swift kick to the hop sock.

 

[Timmsy]

the hop sock.

Is that some new form of birth control

:beerbang: :beerbang:

 

[jonocarroll]

Is that some new form of birth control

The swift kick would be. :blink:

 

[fergi]

seems like we really need to cool down here, some comments have been made that have fired this up and to be honest pre post 84 i was feeling really welcome by the ager,s that have invited the kk,s along to do our own kit swap and meet the ag boys, but some forum members have jumped out of their mash tuns without reading the facts on what we were trying to achieve, look i for one was feeling excited that i could take some of my kit beer to swap with some ager,s who were going to make a kit beer to help us out with comments and ideas, and also to meet the faces behind this forum and ask as many questions as i could, also to try the "next tier" of brewing and generally have a great day, my enthusiasm for this day has been given a huge kick in the butt as i now feel there could be this underlying resentment to a kk brewer coming to the event. lets all settle down and try and enjoy the day, if we arent welcome by the majority thats fine , but lets not have the infighting that seems to be occuring, we all live here on this site as equals
fergi

 

[Adamt]

as i now feel there could be this underlying resentment to a kk brewer coming to the event.

There is ABSOLUTELY NO suggestion at all, by anybody that K&K brewers are not welcome to the event. Exactly the opposite! As said, we welcome kit brewers, I'm sure there was one or two at the last swap.

The only resentment will be if you miss the event. :icon_cheers:

 

[~MikE]

There is ABSOLUTELY NO suggestion at all, by anybody that K&K brewers are not welcome to the event. Exactly the opposite! As said, we welcome kit brewers, I'm sure there was one or two at the last swap.

The only resentment will be if you miss the event. :icon_cheers:

indeed, i don't want to be the only one in the K&K challenge

 

[jonocarroll]

indeed, i don't want to be the only one in the K&K challenge

I've not removed my name from the list. I still fully intend to make a K&B for swapping, and an AG for swapping (there, I separated the two for clarity!) but I'll take caution in who I offer samples to.

So, what's the go for selecting a recipe? Is it good/bad form to pick a style someone else has chosen? Do I need to declare what I'm planning ahead of time? Is there a minimum conditioning time to allow for? Are there any styles that I should avoid (last thing I need is to show up with style X and have people say "pfft! X? No-one brings X anymore, that's so last year.")

 

[drsmurto]

I've not removed my name from the list. I still fully intend to make a K&B for swapping, and an AG for swapping (there, I separated the two for clarity!) but I'll take caution in who I offer samples to.

So, what's the go for selecting a recipe? Is it good/bad form to pick a style someone else has chosen? Do I need to declare what I'm planning ahead of time? Is there a minimum conditioning time to allow for? Are there any styles that I should avoid (last thing I need is to show up with style X and have people say "pfft! X? No-one brings X anymore, that's so last year.")

Kits - brew whatever you want.

AG - again, recipe is up to you but i would prefer if people put beers in that they feel confident in brewing. A case full of 'not quite right but feedback appreciated' wont be floating my boat. Some people put in experimental beers, i provide a tried and tested recipe that i believe reflects me as a brewer.

Ideally, and this comes up every swap, the beer should be ready for drinking from the time you hand over the beer. In practice, this isnt always possible so as long as there is a best after date on it then thats ok.

The xmas case swap we were a re bit more restrictive in that we asked for summer session beers to avoid being lumped with a case of belgian strong ales.

The winter theme is beer and all styles are ok. I still will be providing you with a beer that isnt rocket fuel but thats the sort of beer i brew. Last year we had at least 2 beers >11% abv. Mine was 3% (A dark mild that was filled from the keg by the dribble method).

If you get in and put down a recipe then people are more likely to want to brew something different so as not to get 10 stouts (not that i'd be complaining about a case of stout :icon_drool2: )

Its also normal practice to bring along as much beer as you plan on drinking - the hosts provide a venue, not the beer/food etc so if you can, bring a keg as well.

Hope that clears a few things up.

Good to see the argument hasnt put anyone off attending. Its always a good day. A long day but a good one!

And if my partner was prepared to offer up our place again after the xmas case swap then you lot cant be all that bad? :lol:

 

[jonocarroll]

Since I've only done 4 AGs I'll probably need to brew a practice run now, make sure it's up to scratch, then repeat. Shouldn't be a real issue. I won't be doing anything particularly 'experimental' - but as I haven't brewed many styles yet it will likely be an experiment of sorts. Don't worry, the AGs that are ready are great, I haven't tried anything that I've stuffed up yet. <_<

I'm still not up to kegging, so I'll be bringing along a milk crate full of whatever's done by then for personal consumption and sharing.

Last question - do people consider an APA 'winter drinking'?

 

[drsmurto]

Any style is ok, APA is fine.

I started out in AG by modifying my kit recipes that i was happy with.

Doing a trial batch is a good idea.

 

[Effect]

Its also normal practice to bring along as much beer as you plan on drinking - the hosts provide a venue, not the beer/food etc so if you can, bring a keg as well.

Well I don't have a keg to bring up. Is there any Adelaide brewers that want to let me borrow an empty keg so I can bring it up on the day. I'll fill it with beer, and then you can take whatever is left home.

Cheers

Phil


Oh - and +1 for testing the case swap recipe at least once before making it for the swap!

 

[~MikE]

hmm, i just worked it out, if i want to trial a dopplebock allowing for 2 weeks fermentation and 4 weeks CCing, i'd have to brew it in the next couple of weeks for the second batch to be ready in time. alternatively i'm thinking i'll make it, sample it, if bad (about a month before hand) rush through a nice ESB (which i've brewed quite a few of now).

 

[Effect]

hmm, i just worked it out, if i want to trial a dopplebock allowing for 2 weeks fermentation and 4 weeks CCing, i'd have to brew it in the next couple of weeks for the second batch to be ready in time. alternatively i'm thinking i'll make it, sample it, if bad (about a month before hand) rush through a nice ESB (which i've brewed quite a few of now).

See that is the spirit! Try something you want to show everyone, and plan it so you are able to make it atleast twice. If it's not good, then make something you know is a dead set winner - one that you brew a lot of...

 

[fergi]

Kits - brew whatever you want.

AG - again, recipe is up to you but i would prefer if people put beers in that they feel confident in brewing. A case full of 'not quite right but feedback appreciated' wont be floating my boat. Some people put in experimental beers, i provide a tried and tested recipe that i believe reflects me as a brewer.

Ideally, and this comes up every swap, the beer should be ready for drinking from the time you hand over the beer. In practice, this isnt always possible so as long as there is a best after date on it then thats ok.

The xmas case swap we were a re bit more restrictive in that we asked for summer session beers to avoid being lumped with a case of belgian strong ales.

The winter theme is beer and all styles are ok. I still will be providing you with a beer that isnt rocket fuel but thats the sort of beer i brew. Last year we had at least 2 beers >11% abv. Mine was 3% (A dark mild that was filled from the keg by the dribble method).

If you get in and put down a recipe then people are more likely to want to brew something different so as not to get 10 stouts (not that i'd be complaining about a case of stout :icon_drool2: )

Its also normal practice to bring along as much beer as you plan on drinking - the hosts provide a venue, not the beer/food etc so if you can, bring a keg as well.

Hope that clears a few things up.

Good to see the argument hasnt put anyone off attending. Its always a good day. A long day but a good one!

And if my partner was prepared to offer up our place again after the xmas case swap then you lot cant be all that bad? :lol:

now here it seems is a good platform to use"sensible" not complicated, non restrictive, brew what you know works.
yep i,m a believer
fergi

 

[Adamt]

I disagree somewhat... if it ain't broke, why remake it? Make a batch, if it's good and will keep, store it for the case. Much better idea than to make it again, drink most of the first batch, bottle the second batch and figure out a week before the swap it's infected.

 

[Darren]

After Dononsura has revealed his true colours in this thread I hope his beer is top-notch. God help you if you tell him its not

cheers

Darren