Home Brewing Questions...

[TylerD]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

I'm contemplating (95% committed) to start brewing my own beer, however, as I live in a flat and have foolishly spawned two offspring that are into everything and anything, I am limited for space and privacy etc.

So, after Google failed me, I thought I'd try to tap your collective knowledge on this subject

Do I have to keep the mix/liquid at a certain temperature or is the normal room temp ok?

I've searched for FAQ's etc and have not found anything that answers any of the stupid questions that randomly pop into my head.

Many thanks in advance for your help and patience

 

[spiritofold]

For general beer making using a king keg and brew kit at room temperature is fine.
You can use heat mats etc but to be honest i've never bothered. We started 80 pints brewing this evening. Guess that makes me a bit of a pisshead

You should see me flintknapping after a few beers!

Andy >>>>>----------------------------------<>

 

[TallMikeM]

in general slightly lower than room temp is good (I brew mine in the downstairs loo, as it's the coolest room in the house). I tend to find that beer brewed in the heat of the summer is not as good as that brewed the rest of the year. Not that that stops me drinking it .

 

[EdS]

wine want warm temperature.

ale brewed with proper top fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) want warmer temps than beers brewed with bottom fermenting larger yeasts (Saccharomyces pastorianus).

Most home brew yeast temps to be a mixture.

Warmer fermenting produces more secondary alcohols, ketones and aldehydes - which is why ales have a more complex fruity flavour than largers.

 

[African]

Hiya

Been brewing my own beer for years and have also at times been pressed for space. I reckon the minumum kit you need is a big brewing bucket and 2 king kegs. Kink keg is a plastic barrel that is pressurised and allows you to open a tap and draw off a pint and is much easier than bottles which take up heaps of space. 2 kegs so you can be drinking one while the other one "matures". If you buy a good quality kit and follow the simple instructions I think you will be suprised at the quality of the beer. Most home brew suppliers have a mail order arrangement as well as starter kits for people starting out. If the bug really bites there are loads of books and gear and clubs to get into!!! Otherwise at it's simplest it is pretty good beer at a very reasonable cost!!

Enjoy

African

 

[Tadpole]

Hiya

Been brewing my own beer for years and have also at times been pressed for space. I reckon the minumum kit you need is a big brewing bucket and 2 king kegs. Kink keg is a plastic barrel that is pressurised and allows you to open a tap and draw off a pint and is much easier than bottles which take up heaps of space. 2 kegs so you can be drinking one while the other one "matures". If you buy a good quality kit and follow the simple instructions I think you will be suprised at the quality of the beer. Most home brew suppliers have a mail order arrangement as well as starter kits for people starting out. If the bug really bites there are loads of books and gear and clubs to get into!!! Otherwise at it's simplest it is pretty good beer at a very reasonable cost!!

Enjoy

African

King kegs are the best for beer, it's just a shame they don't make one that will fit in my Fridge

 

[gregorach]

Well, everyone else seems to have answered that question adequately, so I'd just like to add one word of warning: it's addictive! You start out with one fermenting bucket and one keg, and a couple of years later you're sitting with 4 kegs, several assorted buckets, a 30L boiler, an insulated mashing tun, a dedicated beer fridge, and a freezer full of hops... Thinking about moving to somewhere with a cellar and a couple of out-buildings.

Seriously though, go for it! With kits, you can produce perfectly decent beer for about 50p a pint. If you get really serious about it, you can produce better beer than anything commercially available for less than 30p a pint. You should easily be able to recoup your investment in the initial equipment on your first two brews, if not the first one.

 

[TallMikeM]

keep an eye out on ebay for second hand barrels. Got both of mine on there fro about a tenner each (wish I had room for a 3rd, then I'd never be without beer). If you can wait till someone local is selling them you can snap up a bargain.

 

[gregorach]

I believe you can get a lot of second-hand brewing equipment on Freecycle too...

 

[spiritofold]

I love homebrew!!

I prefer the beer making to wine though. Theres a few king kegs on ebay at the moment.
A bit pricey but when you bought it its there to use for years. As others have said, it better to have a few, but it does get you drinking more

 

[spiritofold]

King kegs are the best for beer, it's just a shame they don't make one that will fit in my Fridge

If only! Or the size of waterbutts!

 

[TylerD]

Thanks for all the great comments folks!

I'm deffinately going to get a kit and attempt to knock up a batch for crimbo

So, has anyone got any ideas on how to make fruit beers? As Sainsbury's are selling a very nice raspberry wheat beer (it was on offer, &#163;2.10 for 4 bottles), and I'd like to shamelessly rip it off...

 

[brancho]

I would forget the fruit beer well thats up to you though.
I have made wheetbeer from a kit it was great.
I made some nettle beer earlier this year which was shall we say interesting.

Look up some of teh online homebrewing companies it amazing what you can get.

try HERE for fruit beers