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I dispute most of the above. I switched to Coopers carbonation drops years ago and find them entirely consistent. I can't vouch for other carbonation drops. If you are getting inconsisten results, maybe the bottles aren't receiving the same temperature during secondary carbonation.

Quite a few years ago, CUB put out a special Epicure Steam Beer, brewed by Mark Shields. The tasting notes, and I'm relying on my memory here, said that it had been stored at 25C for a week to ensure secondary fermentation.

I now do the same. I use a plastic crate lined with a short, caravan-type ...

I'm with RWH. Carb drops are all I use now. I've used sugar, dextrose, malt and bulk priming. Carb drops are easy to use and give a very even carbonation I've found. Never had a problem with them being under or over gassed.

Too crumbly? Try getting one jammed cross-ways in a bottle and see how crumbly it is!

What's your driving like afterwards, Phil? Seen any pumas or Tasmanian Tigers crossing the road?

DJ, I ferment my beers at 18-20C but always give them 3-5 days at 25C for secondary fermentation. I had a CUB special brew a couple of years ago and the tasting notes said that it had been secondary fermented at 28C.

I've got two saflager brews going at the moment and haven't had a sulphur smell. But my third brew, cultured from a Little Creatures stubbie had a very strong smell until I got the temperature down.

I use a mix of Coopers PET bottles, long knecks and stubbies. A handful are clear or green.

Increasingly I like the plastic bottles. I store them in a box with the lids on, then move the box to the fermenter for filling - stops them toppling over. And so easy to cap. Haven't had any split and I've ...

Good question Chris. I haven't.

While we're on the subject, is that yeast sediment in Bundaberg Ginger Beer stubbies? Has anyone cultured that?

ddd,

1) I normally take a couple of vegemite jar fulls from the first sediment. Don't screw the lid on tightly, I've been advised, in case there is still some fermentation going on.

2) I just bring the jar up to room temperature prior to making the beer, then throw it in.

3) I've kept it for ...

T-bone,

I've been using carbonation drops for the past 18 months and consider that they give a more even carbonation than using sugar/dextrose and the little measuring dispenser. One thing I hate is a beer that comes out like coca cola. Kits and sugar give notoriously poor heads. Even using a ...

Morning Magoo, my technique with Coopers is this:

1) Carefully poor out Coopers Sparkiling Ale into glass, leaving dregs in stubby. Replace cap. Drink beer.

2) Carefully poor out Coopers Sparkiling Ale into glass, pour dregs into the first stubby. Replace cap. Drink beer.

3) Carefully poor out ...

'Fraid I don't tend to work off such things, gottleofgeer. I use Safale a fair bit and my experience is that it keeps on keeping on for a good week or so.

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Beertopia is on at the Royal Exhibition Building this weekend from Friday to Sunday.

$30.00 gets you entry plus 25 samples of beer.

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Gottleofgeer,

there's no doubt that da_damage_done's is the best way to do it but mine was slightly different based on Charlie Papazian's method:

slowly brought the roasted barley to boil, stirring all the time, turned off the heat and strained out the grains.
Then added the malt and hops as per ...

Lokpikn,

try typing "homebrew" into Ebay. There was heaps of stuff there last time I looked.

If you added some hops, Daznz, it's probably oil from the hops.

I use a Kambrook foot warmer but still have to wrap the fermenter in a sheepskin overnight to maintain the temperature. I have a heating strap too but prefer the foot warmer.

I stick by my assertion that the yeast in the normal Coopers kits won't ferment out fully. LLIW wrote that he/she had the original lager kit. Laurie Strachan in "Home Brewing in Australia" writes: "...the dried yeasts that come with most can kits...tend to quit on the job when faced with a wort of ...