The home brew thread

[TINY]

I'm jumping on the bandwagon as well chaps. My brother and I are planning to set up our 'micro brewery' in my garage (not sure how suitable a garage is?). We're both big into our craft ales and picked up £200 worth of beers last week from a local brewery - Alechemy - who we get on well with. They've offered to advise us and can supply some of the ingredients.

Just about to read through that s thread again as its brilliantly informative, but a he'll of a lot to take in for a novice. Can't wait to become a brewer!

Fantastic. Check out craigtube on YouTube buddy; top notch for beginners to home brew.

 

[Two Gun Bob]

Hi, my name is Gary, and i'm a newbie to all of this!!
When I say new, I haven't actually bought any kit yet!!
So I like to drink a little...more of a real ale kind of chap, so possible would want to get in to brewing that..
I don't really want any tips or advice on making and brewing the beer initially..although I will do eventually!!
I just wanted to ask what the quality was of such brews?
I have never, ever tried homebrew...and have just got it in my head that it would taste like shit if im honest!!
From what I have read on here, it would appear not to be the case??

I think the reason I would be interested in doing it myself, is the cost side of it!
To put it in to context, there is a good quality beer shop at the end of my road, that sells loads of real ales, ipas, bitters, lagers from all around the world etc
Some really good stuff, that I can't deny!
But fuck is it expensive!!!
Usually buy around 6 bottles...and it usually comes to anywhere up to and around the £20 mark!
Yes folks, you read correctly...£20 for 6 bottles!!!!!!
Hence the curriosity??

Also, lastly...is it a long process? And would my loft make a good place to brew?
Or would the garden shed be more appropriate?

Cheers piss pots ; )

Welcome . The quality Gary is very good indeed.
A little like the real world however in that the overall quality can be defined by price.
Twin malt kits are of better quality than their single tin counterparts and so on

Same with the wine kits.
You can buy a kit from Wilkinson that makes 30 bottles for sub £20 but its never going to surpass a kit costing upwards of £50-£100 that includes all your fermentables

I am currently brewing a Beaverdale Barrola costing £40 for 30 bottles.
That's about £1.35 a bottle for a £8-£10 equivalent
Check out some of the online reviews below to alleviate any worries you may have
Home brew has made tremendous strides forward in the past decade

Beaverdale 5 Gallon Shiraz Wine Kit Reviews | The Home Brew Shop Reviews | Feefo

Beaverdale 5 Gallon Shiraz Wine Making Kit Beaverdale wine kits are changing from 7.5ltrs of juice in each wine kit to 6 ltrs of juice in each kit All the kits will contain a

www.feefo.com

Beaverdale 30 Bottle

Wine & beer making kits from Creative Wine Making. One of UK's largest & cheapest online retailers of Beaverdale wine kits, wine making and homebrewing products.

www.creativewinemaking.co.uk

Beaverdale Wine Kits

Thoughts and opinions re the world of home produced alcoholic beverages.

demont.myds.me

Then we have the real ales
The real ales really do surpass themselves in terms of quality and value for money.
A lot of the quality end twin malt kits are built around pub served ales like Marstons spitfire and old peculiar etc.
My favourite kit and I have brewed three up to press is the Woodfordes wherry.

Then we have the lagers split into two divisions.
Brewed with lager bottom feeding yeasts and the majority which utilize the ale yeast for speed and ease of use for the novice and intermediate brewers.
Both provide good to middling results if you choose the right ones.

Check out these reviews on Woodfordes whery which has won the camra real award many times for this kit form.
Camra don't tell porkies Garry

http://www.ratebeerkits.com/items/view/woodfordes-wherry-bitter

Your brew location that you inquired about depends on different factors.
Temperature being one.I have just knocked up my Barolla wine tonight in my office/playroom as its the hottest place in town. No really I'm not being cheesy there.
Temperatures averaging 24-25c which is were you want to be for the fermentation stage.

Your lagers with specialized yeast are best served fermenting at 12-13c whilst lagers with the ale yeast are incrediblyforgiving and will ferment happily around 19-20c

I could talk to you for ages pal but I don't wish to frighten you away with too much information too soon
I read up on the subject matter about two hours daily and their really is masses of information out there to digest.
We are mostly all newbies on here apart from a chap that can mash his own.
If any of the crew can help you out in any way the pleasure will be all ours.

 

[Two Gun Bob]

I'm jumping on the bandwagon as well chaps. My brother and I are planning to set up our 'micro brewery' in my garage (not sure how suitable a garage is?). We're both big into our craft ales and picked up £200 worth of beers last week from a local brewery - Alechemy - who we get on well with. They've offered to advise us and can supply some of the ingredients.

Just about to read through that s thread again as its brilliantly informative, but a he'll of a lot to take in for a novice. Can't wait to become a brewer!

Fantastic. Check out craigtube on YouTube buddy; top notch for beginners to home brew.

Good call Tiny.
Craig s a proper nice chap with really good information to hand and entertaining as well.
Love watching him go through his routines and we have also tried cooking some meals with him from his site.
I couldn't offer advice The Ledge regarding ingredients all grain brewing and self mashing as I'm only working the kits at the moment with a few modifications here and there.
But down the line I would love to enter into the realms of all grain brewing when I become more advanced and confident.

 

[The Ledge]

Just spent the last forty-five minutes watching Craig and I genuinely got very excitable when he tasted his brews. I was born for this.

My only concern is whether I can ferment in a cold garage in the winter months. Not sure how Mrs Ledge will take to her house becoming a brewery?

 

[TINY]

In the respect of your house becoming a brewery; reassure the Mrs that there are no smells, or "issues" my mrs has absolutely no problems with it because she forgets it's ever there. I have brewed a batch in the shed and I had to buy a heat belt (£18) which keeps the temperature where it's supposed to be.

There's a way around everything mate ;-)

 

[Two Gun Bob]

Ditto

 

[The Ledge]

Thanks for the answers again lads. It'll probably be real ales in the main but may try lagers and the wine seems like a no brained at those prices. Good to know that the garage should suffice to begin with.

 

[gazhinio]

Many thanks Taxi, for the excellent advice!
I think it would need to be dead easy, for me to even entertain the idea, as I have zero patience levels, and I'm also a bit thick lol
I think I will do this in time for Xmas!!
Would love to brew something similar to my fav tipple Hobgoblin : )
But as long as it tasted ok, I'll be happy either way!

Great thread in a sea of shite ha ha!!!

 

[dronefromsector7g]

I'd like to do this.

Pros: Love ales

Cons: I'm a real lazy twat

Can it be done?

 

[bumbleblue]

Where is the best place to get a kit...am kean on trying woodfordes wherry ..never tried it just like sound of it and like idea of self brew?