Any beer brewers down here?

[masoth]

Scurrilous Cur, (SORRY, I mean Christopha of course) not knowing where you are hiding can make advice giving longwinded/useless, but:
Check your local 'Smoke-signal' or 'Tom-tom' Yellow Pages under "home brewing", make a visit, grab the freebie bitsa paper - go to the closest pub to relax and read the info.

After a coupla hours go back to the shop to see if the bloke/shiela are good enough to explain/sell the needs, at a discount 'cause yer a good knock-a-bout sorta bloke, or have a peep at the web site I gave earlier, then go to the shop an' start again.

Seriously though, setting-up and getting started is a long haul. You may wonder if it's worth the effort - IT IS!!!!!!! Get to know the brew shop people - they are not too busy to make time for you.

The brewing is like the drinking. It can become a habit.:eek:

[Christopha]

Scurrilous Cur, (SORRY, I mean Christopha of course) not knowing where you are hiding can make advice giving longwinded/useless, but:
Check your local 'Smoke-signal' or 'Tom-tom' Yellow Pages under "home brewing", make a visit, grab the freebie bitsa paper - go to the closest pub to relax and read the info.

After a coupla hours go back to the shop to see if the bloke/shiela are good enough to explain/sell the needs, at a discount 'cause yer a good knock-a-bout sorta bloke, or have a peep at the web site I gave earlier, then go to the shop an' start again.

Seriously though, setting-up and getting started is a long haul. You may wonder if it's worth the effort - IT IS!!!!!!! Get to know the brew shop people - they are not too busy to make time for you.

Local brew shop??? surely you jest sir, the only places thar sell anything in that line in this huge metroplis are aour local supermarket where the high school girls work and they aren't exactly known for their brewing expertise or the local engineering supply place, the brewing "stuff" shares the shelf with the fuel additives, the CRC and the cans of grease.... and I kid you NOT! I shall have a look at your site.... thanks mate!
The brewing is like the drinking. It can become a habit.:eek:

[outback]

I know this is probably pointless, but it can't hurt.

I have maybe 200 bottles, a lever type top putter onner, probably some caps. If anyone in or travelling through my neck of the woods is interested, Lemme know, I have given brewing away, and I can use the space. I can guarantee a good deal.

[Iain]

Bummer, too far away, always need bottles
Another thing I have found is that if you buy the Coopers or No Name caps they work on twist tops, the HBS editions need an opener.

[himzol]

I just scored 150 Grolsh bottles so capping will become less of an issue, but I have found that the bench capper is better for screw tops.

Christopha,

If you can get to a "brewcraft" store they can set you up with a kit for about $40, I just baught my second fermenter from them and it came witha beer kit as well. you will need to get some bottles from somewhere though

Himzo.

[masoth]

Outback, are you in the Central Australia Time Zone part of NSW?

[masoth]

Himzol's post reminded me - brew shops often run Father's Day Specials, so after considering all the gen, here and there, September might not be too far off.
Discounts IS discounts.

soth

[Iain]

I would also suggest that anyone who is starting out on the homebrew trip, always rack your brew, much cleaner outcome.
Racking is taking the brew from the fermenter upon completion to a second fermenter, carefully, allow to sit for a week then bottle, all the crud is in the first fermenter and you finish up with less crap at the bottom of your bottle.
I find that even my partials (kit beer with addition of malt or whatever) are far superior to any 'shop' brew and you will eventually learn how to fine tune to your own taste.
Now fuggle* off and get on with it
*look it up on google

[outback]

Outback, are you in the Central Australia Time Zone part of NSW?

I'm not that farking far out. I'm only a few hours North of you.

[namtrak]

I just scored 150 Grolsh bottles so capping will become less of an issue, but I have found that the bench capper is better for screw tops.

Now thats a great score!!!!!!

[ozwinner]

I'm not that farking far out. I'm only a few hours North of you.

Ahh................
Broken hill?

Do I get a prize?

Al

[Ratbag]

I would also suggest that anyone who is starting out on the homebrew trip, always rack your brew, much cleaner outcome.
Racking is taking the brew from the fermenter upon completion to a second fermenter, carefully, allow to sit for a week then bottle, all the crud is in the first fermenter and you finish up with less crap at the bottom of your bottle.
I find that even my partials (kit beer with addition of malt or whatever) are far superior to any 'shop' brew and you will eventually learn how to fine tune to your own taste.
Now fuggle* off and get on with it
*look it up on google

OK, Iain, I'm fascinated. I can see where you're coming from in regard to minimising sludge, but don't you still get a fair bit of sediment from the secondary fermentation in the bottles? Is this where those proprietory fining come in or am I completely barking up the wrong tree? I fing sludge in the bottles really only a problem in my ginger beers/sassy beer. Do the same rules apply?

[Iain]

You get a lot less sludge in the bottom of the bottom of the bottle after racking, however, if you are used to SA beers, it really doesn't matter, they seem to think it is a benefit

[masoth]

Some fun and useful posts, so far.
I am sooooooooo careful when bottling I rarely have sediment, and providing not too much collects no harm appears to be done. On occasions I will stir (gently) before drinking - as I said, I experiement, this way you may get a surprise like the unexpected extra herb in an exotic meal.

outback:
"I'm not that farking far out. I'm only a few hours North of you."
- as ozwinner said, and I guessed Broken Hill because it is a couple of hours drive (not strictly North, if you're sober and can read a map) UP THE ROAD. 'The Hill' really is W/NSW, and is on Adelaide time (explaining this for the city folk who might think the only time's a good time).

:

[himzol]

You get a lot less sludge in the bottom of the bottom of the bottle after racking, however, if you are used to SA beers, it really doesn't matter, they seem to think it is a benefit

We call that carbo-boosting

Actually I don't get much sludge in my bottles because they generally have to sit around for four or five days after fermentation before I've got time to bottle, I guess the time of inactivity in the brew helps settle things to the bottom.

After bottling the sludge goes to the chooks, happiest chooks in the Adelaide hills. - just kidding, it actually goes on the compost heap, - where they get at it.

Himzo.