home brew kit recommendations

[alexander72]

I bought it from a shop i walked into (old school) Kuga....http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/171053246944?var=lv&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y&cbt=y&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=66

if this is a lin it might do it or put brew belt into googlism....

[alexander72]

brewing is quick, waiting for it to mature is slow.  and i drink less home brew cos I have actually crafted it.  I used to drink 70 pints a week + wine and g+t so I think a few home brews (10 pints a week) is much better for me :-) 

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

I use a heating belt now too, because my 'brewery' in my current house is 14-16C almost regardless of outside as it's underground. Before, I used to put the fermenting vessel on the top of my 40 year old floor standing boiler. Brewing I leave for up to 14 days, and kegging with no priming sugar but just a smidgen of finings (AOB Kwik Klear). Many kegs full will drive out with natural condition - some need a little CO2 to help them out. My kegs are bottom tap and not those with floats.

 

Off to the cellar for another...... 

[KugaWestie]

I am going to go down the bottling route to start with.

I was thinking about setting up a little brewing station in the back of the garage, but wondered how effective a brew belt or heating tray would be in a unheated garage during winter?

[Norman Verona]

I say chaps, it sounds a lot easier to go to the pub.

[dombanks]

Coopers kits are great but dont forget the lager needs a cold fermentation over 28 days at 8 degrees C - that then gives it the sparkle (hic)......

Depends on the brew. The taste and lack of head indicate it to be too cold and sat in the fermenter too long before bottling.

[dombanks]

Kuga - I have a 25 degree brew belt and use the airing cupboard for the qucik brews of 5 -8 days. for my lager beers I have a fridge with a thermostat in as that is a cold ferment for a month or so...

my beers are about 5%

Lager about 6.6%

Cider 9% to 12%

Perry - 11%

I love brewing !!!

I've used the belt and am currently on a pad but my location is rubish theses days and i font think very good for contant temp. the pads seem to be good. Best place I had was a cupboard where I could keep the temp very constant. Shame I can't use the incubators at work.

The pad I used kuat is supposed to be ok for your situation but I'm not convinced.

Bottling is tedious but easy I found. Currently I'm using a german minikeg system using little 5lkegs. Easy to clean and store but I can't quite get a handle on the the amount if sugar to put in them so rend to get loads of head on the beer.

Havnt done it for ages so just getting back into it from a few yrs break with a friend.

[ALLADDIN]

anyone into the wine ?

[alexander72]

my ex wife is into whine.....

[ajpearson]

mmmmm I have been thinking about this for a long time, I think I need to investigate and do some pricing up.

Might be somthing to do whilst I am away for the summer

[dombanks]

dad makes wine from stuff he grows. parsnips, rhubarb and beetroot mainly but has done others. not sure of the recipe but its involved uses many buckets and takes ages.

 

the rhubarb stuff is very sweet and lethal. great desert wine chilled and good for a sip.

 

the kit stuff in my experience is chuffin awful. but that could be the brewers. never done it myself prefer the beer....

 

 

... still not convinced by this larger i did, to many dodgy esters.

[KugaWestie]

I have got my first brew underway

[alexander72]

Good brew skills Kuga.... 

 

Dom I have a fridge with a thermostat for my lager beers... i call it sparkle as it's always got clear colour and a good head

[KugaWestie]

Good brew skills Kuga.... 

 

 

Time will tell.

 

I have three brews planned to be done in quick succession, the thinking being that by the time I bottle the third brew, the first one may just about be ready

[ajpearson]

So what kit do I need to get started for a decent ale and maybe some wine?