Home brewing kits ....

GiraffePencils · 10 Aug 2016 at 10:52

Tbh I could get my hands on a pot etc.
But I've got a really shoddy electric stove, I've managed to balance the temp for the likes of making fudge before, but it was no easy task (and I was able to lift that pot haha)

Would it be possible to do a BIAB method in a Sparge Water Heater?
I'm thinking I could get that, as it's not going the whole way with the equipment, but I'm open to going further if needed

f00b4r · 10 Aug 2016 at 15:53

GiraffePencils said:
Tbh I could get my hands on a pot etc.
But I've got a really shoddy electric stove, I've managed to balance the temp for the likes of making fudge before, but it was no easy task (and I was able to lift that pot haha)

Would it be possible to do a BIAB method in a Sparge Water Heater?
I'm thinking I could get that, as it's not going the whole way with the equipment, but I'm open to going further if needed

You can use an electric tea urn (check here or the brewing forums though with a particular model to ensure no issues) but if you don't mind trying with a small batch you can just split the wort between two pans on your stove, the stove only needs to be able to boil the volume in each, you maintain the temp during the mash with by wrapping it up with towels or similar (or some people put it in a really low oven), although you can also just add bursts of heat whilst stirring if it is dropping too much (this may be better if using a couple of smallish pans).
I guess it depends on how deep you want to jump in.
There are always guys selling their older gear on the four UK brewing forums as well and quite a few who are more than happy for you to join them on an all grain brew day if you are local.

aceface57 · 16 Jul 2017 at 18:47

Resurrecting an old thread...

Finally got around to making a brew in my new flat, two years later! To get me back into the swing of things though, I've made up a Wherry kit but have made it up a bit shorter at 20 litres.
Left it in the FV for just over two weeks and have bottled it up today. Used three five litre mini kegs and the rest of it went into bottles, stashed away in the outside cupboard for at least the next month to condition.
I was going to be making up another brew this evening but I don't have any muslin cloth about for my hops. Got 3KG of DME, citra and simcoe, will be making a hoppy pale.
Going to stick with extract and kit brews for a while longer, I may have a bigger flat now, but all grain might be pushing the space a bit just now.

silent · 17 Jul 2017 at 11:55

good stuff. i brewed the wherry to 4.5-4.7%, can't remember exactly, but it was so much nicer.

Svack · 17 Jul 2017 at 16:30

Anyone else find they brew way more than they drink?

I have about 4 crates of homebrew in the garage to go through before I even consider putting something else on
(except the occasional gallon of mead of course)

silent · 18 Jul 2017 at 22:54

i have about 10 ltr bottles of porter and american amber ale left. now my new kitchen is nearing completion, i';ll be brewing a belguim and ipa in time for xmas and another porter or stout

aceface57 · 24 Jul 2017 at 17:32

I'm looking to build up a nice "stock" of homebrew again, all though I tend to give a lot of beer away, ether as presents or just to inspire friends to try their hand at home brewing.
Had to put brewing on hold for a little bit again, the temperature in Aberdeen got a bit too hot last week and my kitchen was over 30c, no chance of me doing much in that!
On holiday down in Yorkshire for a week not though, but when I get back up, I'll get that Pale ale made!

silent · 25 Jul 2017 at 12:05

my porter and amber seems to have gone off. the amber is far to sweet now and the porter tastes bad. been bottled for around a yr.

aceface57 · 30 Jul 2017 at 20:31

So managed to get a brew on today and I've always planned on taking a load of pictures and making a nice post, but forgot again!
Had the other half help me for the first time and it made things go a lot smoother, even got the go ahead to upgrade to a proper kettle, quite fancy the look of the SS brew kettle.
The beer made today though is 3kg of extract with 100g of citra and 100g of simcoe, split up with different timings but ending up with 45g of each hop for dry hoping.
It's already smelling great, hardest part now is waiting!

silent · 31 Jul 2017 at 11:45

very nice. i'm going to put my first brew on this year tonight or tomorrow. need to get some kits done for xmas. doing a youngs american ipa and a Belgium diablo.

PlacidCasual · 31 Jul 2017 at 12:31

aceface57 said:
So managed to get a brew on today and I've always planned on taking a load of pictures and making a nice post, but forgot again!
Had the other half help me for the first time and it made things go a lot smoother, even got the go ahead to upgrade to a proper kettle, quite fancy the look of the SS brew kettle.
The beer made today though is 3kg of extract with 100g of citra and 100g of simcoe, split up with different timings but ending up with 45g of each hop for dry hoping.
It's already smelling great, hardest part now is waiting!

Is that a 40 pint batch? It's been a while since I brewed but that sounds like a shed load of hops or is my jus mis-remembering my brewing.

aceface57 · 1 Aug 2017 at 20:55

It's closer to 33 pints... you are right it's a shed load of hops, the hops though are over a year old and haven't been stored all that well (they were vacuum packed at least), so likely won't be as "hoppy" as they once were.
I do really like my heavily hopped beers, so it should still be drinkable for me...

aceface57 · 1 Aug 2017 at 20:57

silent said:
very nice. i'm going to put my first brew on this year tonight or tomorrow. need to get some kits done for xmas. doing a youngs american ipa and a Belgium diablo.

Always fancied doing a diablo kit for Christmas, maybe I'll actually do one this year..
I've done the young america ipa and really enjoyed it last time, I'd recommend doing that for sure.

silent · 2 Aug 2017 at 10:07

my local brewshop who are really helpful, said do not brew the diablo to 9ltrs as it says but to 15ltrs. it calms the 9% volume down to a palitable 6% and makes it a nicer brew. i will do that i feel.

the youngs is a favourite of mine. i have done it twice now. the youngs amber ale is delicious as well, really enjoyed that!

i have a further belguim style kit to do as well. i need to do a porter too. chocolate one i feel. not sure on using chocolate essence or nibs/dark chocolate bar chopped up??? anyone know the best? i have both.

HeadlessChicken · 4 Aug 2017 at 09:41

The Brewferm Xmas beer is excellent too. TBH, all their stuff is always good, just needs to condition a little longer.

I did the Bulldog Easter Choc Stout last year and can highly recommend.

FortuitousFluke · 4 Aug 2017 at 09:50

I've been wanting to get into this for ages, now that I've just paid for a wedding and am therefore too poor to afford booze I think it's probably time. I'm looking to do a few of the kits in the first instance but does anybody have a recommendation for a starter pack including all the equipment I'll need? The links on the first page seem to be dead now, and whilst I've had a look around on my own advice from people with experience would be appreciated.

HeadlessChicken · 4 Aug 2017 at 10:19

This will start you off Barrel kit. Although it does depend on what kind of beer you want to brew - ale types or lager / pilsner, as you'll want bottles rather than a barrel for the latter.

The only shortfall of the kits like the linked is the barrel - I much prefer the King Keg top tap kegs (easier to clean, and dispense from the top rather than the bottom which is incredibly useful), but they are ~£50 just on their own.

seabiscuit · 4 Aug 2017 at 10:39

This is a very simmilar kit (it's what me and MrsSeabiscuit started with) to the one ablove, but also includes a beer kit...
https://www.brewuk.co.uk/complete-woodfordes-starter-equipment-set.html

silent · 4 Aug 2017 at 11:09

HeadlessChicken said:
The Brewferm Xmas beer is excellent too. TBH, all their stuff is always good, just needs to condition a little longer.

I did the Bulldog Easter Choc Stout last year and can highly recommend.

echo the easter stout, lovely beer! i want to do my own chocolate porter with a standard porter kit. not sure if i should use essence and/or dark/milk chocolate. want a nice rich silky chocolate porter.

silent · 4 Aug 2017 at 11:12

seabiscuit said:
This is a very simmilar kit (it's what me and MrsSeabiscuit started with) to the one ablove, but also includes a beer kit...
https://www.brewuk.co.uk/complete-woodfordes-starter-equipment-set.html

i started with that very kit as well. in my opinion, wherry is a bit pissy so i brewed it to 4.5% and 20ltrs and made a far nicer pint. used 2 kilos of sugar.