Restarting brewing
Posted: Sunday Feb 27, 2005 2:41 am
Team,
I have been reading all I can on this board over the last few days - great site fellas. I used to make my own beer for years with satisfactory results (it was good but not bragging material) however stopped doing it about a year and a half ago. I am going to start up again soon when it is not so hot up here in the tropics, and was wondering if anyone can help out. I have never used chemicals in my fermenters (one 30 litr, one 60 l) due to my old man drumming it into me that chemicals will spoil your brew - he had a bad experience once with not washing out some metabisulphate which he then brewed over the top of - end result one dead drum. I have only ever cleaned with a chux and hot water for about 50 brews in my small drum and 30 odd thru the big drum and never had one brew go bad. Maybe more arse than class I imagine.
Anyway, the question i have is this. The two drums have now sat in my shed for the 18 months. I want to give them a proper clean before I start up again, as well as the 300 bottles i have to sort out. I realise that everyone on here uses chemicals and i think I have to do this also to get the stuff back into order - basically I'm just too scared to do it. Will chemicals kill my drums?? I just have this underlying fear that what the old man said may come true - chemicals are no good near your beer. Any kind words of reassurance would be most appreciated
I have been reading all I can on this board over the last few days - great site fellas. I used to make my own beer for years with satisfactory results (it was good but not bragging material) however stopped doing it about a year and a half ago. I am going to start up again soon when it is not so hot up here in the tropics, and was wondering if anyone can help out. I have never used chemicals in my fermenters (one 30 litr, one 60 l) due to my old man drumming it into me that chemicals will spoil your brew - he had a bad experience once with not washing out some metabisulphate which he then brewed over the top of - end result one dead drum. I have only ever cleaned with a chux and hot water for about 50 brews in my small drum and 30 odd thru the big drum and never had one brew go bad. Maybe more arse than class I imagine.
Anyway, the question i have is this. The two drums have now sat in my shed for the 18 months. I want to give them a proper clean before I start up again, as well as the 300 bottles i have to sort out. I realise that everyone on here uses chemicals and i think I have to do this also to get the stuff back into order - basically I'm just too scared to do it. Will chemicals kill my drums?? I just have this underlying fear that what the old man said may come true - chemicals are no good near your beer. Any kind words of reassurance would be most appreciated