Home brew

Anyone do this for a hobby?

I've had kit and equipment for around 18 months and haven't got round to doing it, but am going to make a point of starting between xmas and new year.

Anyone got any hints and tips?

I've got an American IPA to start with

Anyone do this for a hobby?

 

I've had kit and equipment for around 18 months and haven't got round to doing it, but am going to make a point of starting between xmas and new year.

 

Anyone got any hints and tips?

 

I've got an American IPA to start with

Don't rely on your own taste buds. You need an unbiased opinion and advice for taste tests. I am willing to offer my services for a small fee.

Anyone do this for a hobby?

 

I've had kit and equipment for around 18 months and haven't got round to doing it, but am going to make a point of starting between xmas and new year.

 

Anyone got any hints and tips?

 

I've got an American IPA to start with

1. Be crazy careful about the sensitization process. You don't need to confuse it with sterilization though.

2. Follow the instructions exactly. If you have a moment of panic, DO NOT do anything at all until you have calmed down and carefully considered your options. The beer will wait for you

3. See rule 1.

There is plenty of info about that first time kit brew on the forum here. www.homebrewtalk.com

If you're local, these people are the bee's b*****cks for ingredients, equipment, advice, courses and forums.

Make a trip up there, it's 10% off everything for cash money.

Move to full grain ASAP, at 25p a pint for most recipes you'll never look back.

It's fun and it's legal, what's not to like?

Sorry forgot the link

https://www.brewuk.co.uk/

Assuming you follow the instructions properly and use good quality ingredients / kits is it any good?

I mean do you drink it and think "wow thats a good pint" or is it just passable, stuff you only drink because its cheaper than the pub?

Assuming you follow the instructions properly and use good quality ingredients / kits is it any good?

 

I mean do you drink it and think "wow thats a good pint" or is it just passable, stuff you only drink because its cheaper than the pub?

Yep. My work mate brews nearly all my bears for me now. Porters, IPA, wheat bear - you name he will try it. Not had a duff one yet. I've tried it once but with a cheap kit and the results were ****e so waiting until I have space for a full kit.

Yep. My work mate brews nearly all my bears for me now. Porters, IPA, wheat bear - you name he will try it. Not had a duff one yet. I've tried it once but with a cheap kit and the results were ****e so waiting until I have space for a full kit.

Bears! Crazy fool! I bet he's the type of guy who goes down to the woods all alone and not in disguise!

Sorry forgot the link

 

https://www.brewuk.co.uk/

Thanks for the link, I've bookmarked it for future reference.

Can't wait to get on with it now.

Assuming you follow the instructions properly and use good quality ingredients / kits is it any good?

 

I mean do you drink it and think "wow thats a good pint" or is it just passable, stuff you only drink because its cheaper than the pub?

Like anything, it depends on how far and how seriously you take it.

A good kit brew will give you a reasonable pint if you get everything right, and a crap one if you are sloppy.

A decent kit brew started me off, but you soon find that if you have the will, and don't mind more financial outlay, you can happily tumble down a rabbit hole. I ended up making a boil kettle out of an old keg and immersion heater element (Most common practice) and buying imported malt from the UK 300 pounds at a time and setting up a mill to grind it............Brewing is something you either do once or twice or obsess over. BEWARE!!........However, if you DO go down that rabbit hole, you might end up making excellent beer at ridiculously low prices at the cost of testing the loyalty of your wife and family.

Like anything, it depends on how far and how seriously you take it.

 

A good kit brew will give you a reasonable pint if you get everything right, and a crap one if you are sloppy.

 

A decent kit brew started me off, but you soon find that if you have the will, and don't mind more financial outlay, you can happily tumble down a rabbit hole. I ended up making a boil kettle out of an old keg and immersion heater element (Most common practice) and buying imported malt from the UK 300 pounds at a time and setting up a mill to grind it............Brewing is something you either do once or twice or obsess over. BEWARE!!........However, if you DO go down that rabbit hole, you might end up making excellent beer at ridiculously low prices at the cost of testing the loyalty of your wife and family.

Started a few years ago doing all grain brewing after a few Mr Beer kit tries. Not looked back and now using an all electric setup in mate's garage with counterflow wort chiller and kegging option.

Like a lot of hobbies that involve patience and willingness to learn, adapt and improve - you'll either jump in or give up quite quickly! It can get pricey (depending on your urge to keep upgrading the equipment) but you can achieve decent results with a couple of large pots, a burner, an icebox, pump, copper tubing and some discipline.

The majority of what we make (and we alternate all the time - IPAs, porters, wheat with fruit, brown ales, goses, milds, etc) is pretty decent stuff now. Won a few local medals. Biggest issue recently has been a few over carbonation issues, rather than 'off' flavours in the old days due mostly to slower post boil chill time.

We also have a local home brewing club close by with monthly meet/pissups at a local craft beer pub. Other than getting drunk, it's a great way to taste what everyone else is doing and getting new brew ideas.