Corksniffer Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 Cheers everyone. Well, a Helles is definitely on the cards then! Yea, the water's not 'brown brown' it looks perfectly clear in a glass or container but when you get a bunch of it in a big pot it's definitely discolored. Since seeing it I've not added any unboiled water at any given time to a brew. Even if it's a tiny top up I still boil it. I'd certainly look at bulk buying and just buy a mill. Least it's fresher that way. There's actually a FB page (I don't use FB anymore though) for Darwin brewers with about 50 ag members who do bulk buys from Keg King. I looked their shipping up and it's cheapest of anyone by far to here. So if I bought enough (can't remember qty's) it would work out pretty good. I'd have a LOT of grain though. . That's a bit daunting for some reason. Maybe cause I think I want/need lots of different specialty malts along with the base grain. I dunno. And alot of different hops, too My Dad seriously thinks I should do something business wise with this too (he brews too and is keen to go AG after tasting my first two) He's even willing to go partners.. but I'm really not sure about that. I love brewing, but have a good business already which keeps me pretty busy and I love that too! Most times anyway. . It's bloody hard work though and I'd probably take brewing over it if the money was good. From what I read though it's a tough game to get into, let alone make money from. As it stands now being a garden guy I have next to no overheads, no shop front or anything and make a good rate so it's very hard to beat for now. But I really do feel it's worth keeping in the possible pipeline. I do love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Up there it'd probably be almost impossible to be successful because I suspect 99% of the population drink freezing cold megaswill 100% of the time. And who can blame them really, in that weather. I've had the same said to me in the past but I've never bothered because to me, all the faffing around and red tape bullshit you have to go through, the stress over whether or not you've just wasted tens of thousands of dollars and whatever other pressures are involved would just take all the fun out of it, and I'd end up probably not bothering to brew at home anymore because I'd be sick of it from doing it at "work". I have a reasonable range of spec. grains here. They include Carapils, Medium Crystal, Caraaroma, Chocolate malt, Black (Patent) Malt, and Roasted Barley. These are kept in 5L handy pails from Bunnings. I also have some Acid malt and Brown Malt in the 5L pails, as well as Munich II in a 10L pail. This allows me to easily brew all the styles I enjoy drinking. Base malts I keep are Maris Otter and Bohemian Pilsner, which both sit in 60L fermenter style containers also from Bunnings. I keep the bag or the plastic insert to sit on top of the grains to keep the air off them as much as possible. Hops are all kept in their own drawer in the freezer in vacuum sealed bags. This keeps them fresh for longer. Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 Geez man, you've got a whole micro brewery going on. Sounds awesome! Will see how I go with the kits and go from there but for the time being, I'm happy Yea I'd say you'd lose interest in it pretty quick and it would kinda just become work. Like I've experienced a few times both with gardening and playing guitar. So probably best I stay away from any commercial side if things. I still don't really know enough and can imagine I'd lose sleep over stuff like worrying about sanitization but on a much larger scale so heaps more to lose. It'd be real hard to make money from it too Tell ya what I bought some Star San a few weeks ago. LOVE it. It's so handy in the spray bottle and works so quick. I was always a bit iffy about weather my percarbonate was actually doing the job because it has to be rinsed which kinda defeats the purpose so a little off topic but, I love it! Funny you mention the megaswill drinkers, of anyone I've given an ag beer no one likes the pilsner. . No taste, any of them!! They say stuff like 'I like the fruity flower beer' but the pilsner is kinda 'sharp' yea, that's cause its got taste!! My Sister described it as: it's kinda like a sharp knife that cuts, then after that the flavour comes through. I know what she means but just doesn't really like it. They're not the most cultured folk going around. I think they expect it to taste like Bintang pilsener. I have my 2nd Pils in fv now, lagering at propper temperature so will be interesting to see if it does come out much different. This one was fast chilled however so might be hard to say for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 There are plenty of other grains out there that I don't have in stock though . I only keep the ones I use regularly; if I am using a type of grain in a batch just once then I'll source it for that batch but otherwise I don't keep grains I don't use often because they just end up going stale. I think I could handle working at an already established brewery, because in that instance I wouldn't be responsible for all the setting up and all that crap that goes on, I'd just be in there doing the brewing or whatever. But yeah, starting one up myself, no thanks. Haha.. yeah, the megaswill crowd can be hard to please. If it doesn't taste like fizzy nothingness, they're not interested in it. Flavour scares them because they've been conditioned into thinking beer is pale straw coloured fizzy water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 3, 2017 Author Share Posted February 3, 2017 I'm actually suprised people aren't approaching you with job offers man to be honest. My latest American pale ale kit has just arrived and it looks perhaps a little light on hops. Apparently ibu is 32 though It has 25g Cascade @ 60, 15gm Amarillo @ 30 and 20g Amarillo @ 10. Is this about right or perhaps a little light? Malts are 5kg Briess 2 row base and 250g Simpson pale crystal EDIT: Pumped it into Beersmith and it stacks up. 19l so that's probably why I was a bit confused. Hopefully it'll be a nice session ale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Pirate Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 Do you have any more hops at home ? i still now like a big dry hop to really get some aroma / fruity hop flavours but i'm a little strange Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 3, 2017 Author Share Posted February 3, 2017 I think you're right Marko' I've just had a John Boston pale someone handed me and tell ya what, It literally tastes like nothing! I can smell the dry hop but no taste whatsoever. So I've just popped a week old IPA (yep, those same ones I accidently added 2g baking soda). It's a tadd green and undercarbed but it runs rings around the Johnny. Even with the 60g dry hops I'm now looking for 'more' so I just went shopping Ebay style for 100g Cascade. I seem to really like those in pales. Maybe I'll throw 50g and keep the rest for next batch Thanks for chiming in mate While I'm talking about the new IPA; it's alot less creamy than the one from NHB. More 'commercial' and thinner you could say. I like it! But I like them both. Scary thing is, this one tastes just like a nice normal pale, I'm probably going to hate the new one then! .. oh well, give em away if they're that bad. I did throw an extra couple litres of boiled watwr with the dry hop in though so that's most likely it. Bought a Munich Helles too by the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 The hops sound good although the schedule is a little different to how I hop my pale ales, however that's not to say it's wrong either. I usually chuck in a couple of 20-25g additions at either 5 or 10 minutes and at flame out, and then make up the rest of the bitterness with a 60 minute addition of something. They all get at least a 40g dry hop as well. That boil hops schedule is influenced by no-chilling as well though. Re job offers I guess I haven't really bothered looking either, I'm happy with it as a hobby at home for the time being, aside from the usual bullshit these days of seemingly having to have a PhD for just about any job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 UPDATE : You know, there's really something to aging. Now, about 3-4 weeks bottled the pilsner is realllly good. As good, if not a little tastier than the Powerstance Pils for sure. I was so used to negative aging that it had me a disbeliever. These sit in 30 degree ambient temperatures too so no diff there. I think there was something in my no-boil tap water. So yea, AG is all it's cracked up to be and I really love it. You can make any style, perfectly well if the recipe and technique is good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 It's great to see you enjoying your brewing properly mate. I've had a couple of dud batches here and there but I can imagine how frustrating it would be to keep brewing beers with off flavours or whatever constantly. I reckon you should do a kit brew again at some stage but boil all the water for it first and see if it makes a difference. From what you've described about the water and the AG brews being fine with being boiled, it sounds like it has been the issue. Either that or get a water still and distill all the water to remove the shit in the first place. I have one that I use for the water for my pilsners because distilling it and adding back small amounts of minerals is the easiest way I can find to make the water soft. They turn out bloody nice too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylon Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 If you get a 3V set up you will never regret it... Its 5 star brewing with options of making much larger batches that make brew day worth the while The keg king set ups are cheap and affective... I upgraded to a 100L boiler just love it mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 At this rate Waylon I probably will! You know what Kels', Think I'll do that. I've still got a Cerveza and APA kit I bought fresh in about December so maybe when I stick another one on I'll double up and put the APA on too. At least then I'll finally know once and for all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan8 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Hey corky, rays are running out the crab cook pot that you mentioned earlier. Picked one up at $65 today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 That's a sweet deal mate, half price! I saw you're just getting into AG too. Let us know how you go for sure and best of luck bud, I reckon you'll love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan8 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Yep mate brew day currently in progress. All going to plan so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 I've planned for a brew day tomorrow and just pumping my water report (from 5 years ago. .) Into the Brewers Friend calc and for 20l of American pale ale the calculator tells me to get a good balance (all green stars across all mineral levels for the style) between malt and bitterness level that 3g of Gypsum and 3g of Calcium Sulfate is perfect, playing around with these yields negative results (or even just 1g either way goes from balanced to bitter) so perhaps I've been adding too much Gypsum hence my hop aroma isn't as vivid as it could be. Who knows but I'm going to try this in the water treatment tomorrow and see how it turns out I guess I've been doing about 14g Gypsum and 3g chloride up till now. But who really knows what Darwin water is like from dry to wet season and everywhere in between so it's really guesswork unless I had a full test kit. I'd say by taste though that none of my beers are 'highly bitter' like the calculator says they should be so who bloody knows. Maybe highly bitter is just how pale ales are but just sounds potent on paper. Probably all in the wording. Forget you even read this ramble. Geez I come out with some sh!t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Gypsum is calcium sulfate . Anyway, most of the pale ale water profiles I've seen cats using online have the sulfate to chloride ratio at about 4:1, so it's definitely in the bitter side of things. I've used this on my last couple and the one that blew dry last night was really good. I've got another one 3rd in line to be fermented which contained 3 hops so I'm keen to see how that turns out too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan8 Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 This is a great thread. Finally finished reading. New AG brewers this is a must read. Thanks to all contributors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Well, all's going well, bar every beer I make is rocket fuel!.. I've got yet another hangover from 4 beers last nite. Yea I know I should just think of the amazing abv Govt tax savings but it's easier said than done next day.. I have another IPA kit and would like to scale it to APA territory. If I beersmith 30 litres bottling I get an og of about 1.050 ibu 48 (still a tadd up there for session beer) my question is: will it turn out too watery? I'd hate to ruin another one like the hefe Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Well' date=' all's going well, bar every beer I make is rocket fuel!.. I've got yet another hangover from 4 beers last nite. Yea I know I should just think of the amazing abv Govt tax savings but it's easier said than done next day.. I have another IPA kit and would like to scale it to APA territory. If I beersmith 30 litres bottling I get an og of about 1.050 ibu 48 (still a tadd up there for session beer) my question is: will it turn out too watery? I'd hate to ruin another one like the hefe Thanks! [/quote'] not the worst problem to have I suppose... Anyway, it could be scaled back to APA territory without even increasing the volume. All you'd have to do is reduce the amount of grains and hops used. What's the actual recipe for the IPA kit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Hmmm, bloody good idea, thanks mate! It's: 5.8kg Gladfield American Ale Malt 450g Joe White Caramel malt 350g Joe White Munich malt 110g Simpson pale crystal malt 60min 30g Magnum 15min whirlfloc 10min 30g Centennial 5min 30g Simcoe 0min 30g Amarillo I got another 100g of Cascade in the fridge too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 I feel a brew day coming along. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 I'll make my suggested changes in red below, but you might want to enter it into Beersmith to check the OG/IBU numbers before you go ahead and brew it: Hmmm' date=' bloody good idea, thanks mate! It's: 4.5kg Gladfield American Ale Malt 200g Joe White Caramel malt 350g Joe White Munich malt 110g Simpson pale crystal malt 60min 10g Magnum 15min whirlfloc 10min 30g Centennial 5min 30g Simcoe 0min 30g Amarillo I got another 100g of Cascade in the fridge too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Pirate Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Good thinking Otto ....unless the grainbill is just in one bag like most of mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corksniffer Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Thanks mate. Only problem with this is that the kits come pre milled and mixed into 1x bag so think I'll just have to maybe use a portion of the bag and pump that and the hops into BS I'm shooting for 1.044. Hope it's not watery.. I'll cry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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