Homebrew

I’m going to Keg my coffee stout today. I’ve taste test (from the fermenter with a beer gun) tastes great. I cold brewed the coffee before adding it to the fresh wort kit a week a go.
 
Cultured_Bogan said:
Thanks mate, just don't want the brew tasting like Betadine, first batch will probably taste like shit as it is!
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You'll be surprised CB. I was told the biggest issue with home brew is getting the temp stable during fermentation. You've got that covered so should be a good result.
 
Mac said:
For anyone wanting to do all grain brewing the start up costs aren't too bad.

You need -

A mash tun (one of those 50L Gatorade eskies that the winning GF team usually tips over the coach) - my mate even uses a normal 50L esky.

One of those stick thermometers to check the mash temp

A hot water source. An electric urn that can hold as much as you can afford

A boiler that is about 30% larger than the amount of wort you are boiling - I like a gas fired one - some people use old kegs with the top cut off - I haven't

After boiling, the wort needs to be cooled to fermenting temperature before pitching the yeast - lots of online ideas about how to do that. Some cheap, some very expensive.

At least one fridge - you can get them cheap on all the usual 2nd hand sites and it's best to try and find one without a freezer

A temp controller - not expensive and after sanitation, the most important part of your brew

Ideally a grain mill - but a good homebrew shop will do it for you

Liquid yeast - makes all the difference

Yeast? Plenty of online resources that show you how to make a stir plate from a computer fan and "jiffy box" that, with a conical flask, dry malt extract and a stir bar grows your liquid yeast to a better level. I'm an electronics retard - and even I could do it.

Keg, don't bottle - it's a PITA (although with the keg cost and CO2 etc it pushes the cost up)

Ales - don't let the fermentation get past 20*C - preferably a constant 18*C

Lagers - try to ferment at around 9-10*C and for at least twice as long as your ales

When you are tipping your wort into the fermenter (at fermentation temp) splash the hell of out of it. Lots of oxygen is good for the yeast. Or spend a bit more and get a cylinder of O2 and an aeration stone - like with fish tanks.

Read John Palmer's free online book "How to Brew"

Have a bucket with a water and sanitiser solution (I use Betadine with concentration that makes the mix a mid brown colour. Every time you touch something that is going to touch your "beer" dip it and your hands in it first.

I know it sounds daunting. But you'll make the best beer you've ever tasted.

For anyone who likes an American Pale Ale I'd recommend that as a first effort. The high hop flavour can mask many mistakes you've made in the process.

I've never tried it but there are lots of people who like Brew In A Bag (BIAB)

Last tip? Get ready for the obsession when you taste your first brew 🙂
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Fantastic advice.
 
OK. one more thing. If you are using dry yeast sachets, even with a Cooper's can, don't just throw it in the fermenter.

Get a new 600ml bottle of water (dunk it in sanitiser), tip two thirds of it out. Dip your yeast sachet in the sanitiser and pour the yeast into the bottle. Leave it for 20 mins. It will float initially and then sink to the bottom.

When you're ready to pitch the yeast, shake the bottle with the yeast and pour the whole thing into the fermenter.

The hydration of the yeast enables the yeast cell walls to be more permeable. Which is what you want.

You know it's a rabbit warren you're about to go down?
 
Mac said:
OK. one more thing. If you are using dry yeast sachets, even with a Cooper's can, don't just throw it in the fermenter.

Get a new 600ml bottle of water (dunk it in sanitiser), tip two thirds of it out. Dip your yeast sachet in the sanitiser and pour the yeast into the bottle. Leave it for 20 mins. It will float initially and then sink to the bottom.

When you're ready to pitch the yeast, shake the bottle with the yeast and pour the whole thing into the fermenter.

The hydration of the yeast enables the yeast cell walls to be more permeable. Which is what you want.

You know it's a rabbit warren you're about to go down?
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Thanks for that. Yeah I've got the dry yeast in the Coopers kit.

What you advised, does that change the ABV or purely the taste? I'm out to create decent beer, not make rocket fuel 😂
 
Cultured_Bogan said:
Thanks for that. Yeah I've got the dry yeast in the Coopers kit.

What you advised, does that change the ABV or purely the taste? I'm out to create decent beer, not make rocket fuel 😂
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Not sure what you mean? Hydrating the yeast does just that. Instead of half your yeast dying and having a weak fermentation, your yeast is ready for the job.

The only things that affect the ABV are - sugars available and attenuation (how well your yeast goes on the sugars). So, no. Healthy yeast is a good thing and won't affect the ABV.

As far as taste goes? No difference apart from a cleaner ferment.
 
Cultured_Bogan said:
Thanks for that. Yeah I've got the dry yeast in the Coopers kit.

What you advised, does that change the ABV or purely the taste? I'm out to create decent beer, not make rocket fuel 😂
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From my understanding the alcohol level is more about the sugar than the yeast.
If there is more available sugar, the yeast has more food to eat, which produces more alcohol.
 
Mac said:
Not sure what you mean? Hydrating the yeast does just that. Instead of half your yeast dying and having a weak fermentation, your yeast is ready for the job.

The only things that affect the ABV are - sugars available and attenuation (how well your yeast goes on the sugars). So, no. Healthy yeast is a good thing and won't affect the ABV.

As far as taste goes? No difference apart from a cleaner ferment.
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Cool. Sorry for the dumb questions mate! As you say, I'm disappearing into the rabbit hole.
 
Tigerwould said:
From my understanding the alcohol level is more about the sugar than the yeast.
If there is more available sugar, the yeast has more food to eat, which produces more alcohol.
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Hi Tigerwould,

You are right but you could have plenty of sugars and if half your yeast die, regardless of how much sugar is there it won’t fully ferment - you’ll end up with a really sweet beer, that if you are bottling could make hand grenades.

The Holy Trinity? Obsessive sanitation, correct, even fermentation temp (not what’s on the packet) and enough healthy yeast to do the job.
 
I'm making a low gluten Japanese rice Lager. I'm adding clarity Ferm which reduces the gluten even further.
I've used another product before from White Labs called "Ultra Ferm" which apparently makes a lower cab beer and also clears the beer up...if that's what you're after.

Image_20230118_142211_753.jpeg
 
White Labs are the gold standard in home brewing - or commercial brewing for that matter. If they say it’s true - it is.
 
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