homebrewandbeer.com

It's been in bottles since New Year's Eve, dying to crack one to try but want to give it a decent amount of time. Thinking after a month in bottles should be fine, if I can resist.

Thanks for all the tips all, finally put this one down overnight. Very interesting process, but the smell of the Fuggles & Goldings was amazing! Interested to see how this one goes.

So I have some malt, but wondering, does anyone suggest a hop bag, and would muslin/cheesecloth be better than nylon for steeping the grains?

Cheers!

Think I've answered my own question, looks like they use a pale in Brains Bitter.

Cheers!

Picked up a Toohey's Special Draught tin as it was on special (and thought this would be fine for just a base).

Have made a standard K'n'K Cooper's Cerveza (only my second brew) and it has come put top notch so going to have a crack at this Bitter next, as want to step up to K'n'B.

The recipe I ...

Doing a little more research and thinking, as the TCP Draught uses Cascade hops, I'd be better off using the TCP IPA or Coopers International English Bitter as these kits use Styrian Golding hops instead.

The recipe goes as such...

Brains Bitter

Ingredients
Beermakers Draught (I'm substituting in Thomas Coopers Premium Draught)
Crystal grain 200g crushed
Dextrose 400g
Bittering hops Golding Pellets 20g (I'm substituting in Challenger)
Finishing hops Goldings Pellets 10g (I'm substituting in 10g ...

Cheers emnpaul, I thought that might have been the case with that book. Does have some good recipes though.

My local homebrew store don't sell Beermaker's kits, but recommended the Thomas Coopers Premium Draught instead.

Cheers for tips on the hops too. Hope to get this one started soon.

Found a clone for Brains Bitter in Brewing Crafts by Mike Rodgers-Wilson.

Will post recipe on here late but talks about using Golding hops. Was thinking of changing it up a bit an using Challenger as a bittering and both Goldings & Fuggles for aroma.

Anyone have an idea about balance regarding how ...

I bottled the brew on 21st of December & cracked the first one around 4th January. Tried it again on the 11th and still a bit cidery/green. Going to leave it for a few more weeks before trying again. Ended up with 30 tallies full and found a home for them on tiles under the laundry sink as swmbo ...

Found a cheap fridge (apparently working) with measurements 1535mm x 585mm. Any idea if this would be big enough to fit a standard, plastic, fermenter in?

Have thought about an old fridge, the insulation in it, even if not turned on, would help with keeping temps consistent, wouldn't it?

Almost at bottling stage (been 2 weeks today) Only place aid have to store my bottles is my well shaded tin shed. Any tips to keep them at the right temp this Queensland summer?

Just an update, have been successfully keeping temp between 24 - 26 degrees with the ice & wet towel method. The initial banana smell had changed into a delightful beery smell.

Until last night that is. Got home much later than anticipated and found that it was sitting between 26 - 28. Put ice I ...

Fingers crossed eh?

Well, I finally got my brew on yesterday.

Used a Cooper's Australian Pale Ale kit.

Fiddled with things (I have read WAY too much and for some reason just couldn't follow the straight instructions.) Used a Saflager S-04 sachet which I activated with a teaspoon of the kilo of Brew Enhancer from ...

Hey Damn, thanks for the heads up!

My project has stalled with some unexpected bills popping up (had my car broken into, good times)

Slowly getting back to piecing my kit together, hope to have about 90 crown seal tallies soon (planning ahead), and might have a second fermenter coming soon too ...

Cheers for the advice, will let you know how I go once I get everything together.

Hi all, this is my first post here after reading for quite a while.

I'm full of ideas but want to try and keep things simple to start with.

Have been putting some bits and pieces together, have myself a fermenter, bottle tree, bench capper, 30 tallies plus a stack of PET bottles (not so keen on ...