The Beer Debate

[dirtrider]

I am looking into buying a complete home brewing kit.

 

Which kits are the best to buy?

 

 

Where in Jhb are these available from? Will be in the area during the course of the week.

 

Thanx in advance.

 

If you just want to brew beer to impress your friends and have cheap Craft beer then buy the Mangcrove Micro breweries starter kit . It's got all the stuff that you need to brew your first 23lt of beer . If you want to start experimenting with different hobs and start mashing and cooking stuff then the Grain Farther is what you want (expensive) . I have been brewing with my small unit now for 3 years and after about 2000lt only had one brew that did not taste to nice . You can buy almost any beer flavor out there already in a concentrate , just add water and wait . 

 

www.brewcraft.co.za in Jetpark .

Edited October 3, 2016 by dirt-rider

[shova1]

Anyone tried the new Lion Lager that's making it's umpteenth come back? 

 

Had some over the weekend, not a bad quaffing beer, but not particularity distinctive in taste either. Although the label says 4% alcohol, it seemed very 'light'.  

[Pure Savage]

Went for a beer tasting at woodstock brewery, really enjoyed the Pot Belge , others were not mind blowing. 

 

Took a keg of Pot Belge for the rugga.

Edited October 3, 2016 by Pure Savage

[DubbelBuys]

Anyone tried the new Lion Lager that's making it's umpteenth come back? 

 

Had some over the weekend, not a bad quaffing beer, but not particularity distinctive in taste either. Although the label says 4% alcohol, it seemed very 'light'.  

The new Lion doesn't taste anything near the original. I'm not a fan of it. (same goes for almost all SAB beers)

[DubbelBuys]

If you just want to brew beer to impress your friends and have cheap Craft beer then buy the Mangcrove Micro breweries starter kit . It's got all the stuff that you need to brew your first 23lt of beer . If you want to start experimenting with different hobs and start mashing and cooking stuff then the Grain Farther is what you want (expensive) . I have been brewing with my small unit now for 3 years and after about 2000lt only had one brew that did not taste to nice . You can buy almost any beer flavor out there already in a concentrate , just add water and wait . 

 

www.brewcraft.co.za in Jetpark .

lekker!

 

Thanx dirt-rider!

[Grebel]

I am looking into buying a complete home brewing kit.

 

Which kits are the best to buy?

 

 

Where in Jhb are these available from? Will be in the area during the course of the week.

 

Thanx in advance.

 

You could "build" a kit for a lot less of you are that way inclined. Also check out Beer Bros for an online option.

 

You need a 25lt plastic bucket (With a tap is handy but not necessary), a hydrometer to measure specific gravity, some sanitiser (Bleach will also work), an airlock (You can build one with some fishtank tubing and a plastic bottle) and a stick on thermometer to keep an eye on the brewing temperature. A bottling syphon is useful when bottling as is a sanitising bucket but again not absolutely necessary.

 

I found it more satisfying "building" my own kit rather than buying it.

[lechatnoir]

Went for a beer tasting at woodstock brewery, really enjoyed the Pot Belge , others were not mind blowing. 

 

Took a keg of Pot Belge for the rugga.

 

Their Belgian is stunning, as is the Californictor (IMO). Their food is good too, but their bike shirts are the bizznizz!!!

[lechatnoir]

I'm not the biggest fan of Weiss beers. :-/

That Butchers Block is very good though.

 

Try the CBC Amber Weiss. Pretty damn decent IMO

[dirtrider]

You could "build" a kit for a lot less of you are that way inclined. Also check out Beer Bros for an online option.

 

You need a 25lt plastic bucket (With a tap is handy but not necessary), a hydrometer to measure specific gravity, some sanitiser (Bleach will also work), an airlock (You can build one with some fishtank tubing and a plastic bottle) and a stick on thermometer to keep an eye on the brewing temperature. A bottling syphon is useful when bottling as is a sanitising bucket but again not absolutely necessary.

 

I found it more satisfying "building" my own kit rather than buying it.

 

After a year of brewing and cleaning my plastic home made fermenter I had to chuck it . Brew one stout in that baby and you will not get that taste out of the plastic . Maybe a better quality container would have worked . I am very happy with my stainless steel drum , it clean easy and looks bloody cool . I know there is a big hoo-haaa about the temperature while brewing , I have found that if it gets a bit cold you just brew longer . I had one brew in there for 8 weeks and it was the best brew to date . Like they say , "slow brewed . extra matured " or something like that .

[Grebel]

After a year of brewing and cleaning my plastic home made fermenter I had to chuck it . Brew one stout in that baby and you will not get that taste out of the plastic . Maybe a better quality container would have worked . I am very happy with my stainless steel drum , it clean easy and looks bloody cool . I know there is a big hoo-haaa about the temperature while brewing , I have found that if it gets a bit cold you just brew longer . I had one brew in there for 8 weeks and it was the best brew to date . Like they say , "slow brewed . extra matured " or something like that .

 

I did my first brew over December. Plan was to have it ready to drink at New Year's. Everything went according to plan during the preparation. I put it into the bathroom to do it's thing. Unfortunately we experienced a heat wave here in Durban over December and the temp in the bucket went up to 28deg... Now THAT was a fruity flavoured beer!!!!

 

Since then, I use an adjustable cooling tower thermostat (-30 to +30 degrees) wired into a 15A plug that I plug an old fridge in the garage into. Temp is set at 18deg and that seems to be the sweet spot. Just finishing a Coopers Dark Ale batch and have my eyes set on a partial mash Irish red ale next....

[Serious Panda]

"Please note drinking and riding can affect your performance."

 

I have to disagree.

 

Riding does not affect my drinking performance.

 

It definitely does effect me, I drink much better after a long mtb ride, and I ride much better with beer in the camelbak

Edited October 3, 2016 by I act like a pro racer

[King Dean]

Just bottled 40 liters of Black IPA on Sunday.

This beer has loads of potential so far. 

 

Vital statistics are: 

OG: 1.070

FG: 1.012

7.6% ABV 

100 IBU's 

 

4 different malts & 4 different hop varietals. 

 

Can't wait to taste this beast! 

 

:-)

[dirtrider]

Will bottle the brown ale Thursday an bottled a ginger flavored stout  last week . The Stout is just experimental but the few tasters I had last night is promising . 

[Fruity]

Just give me a Hansa and I'm good. Heineken for special occasions.

[Pieter1]

After a year of brewing and cleaning my plastic home made fermenter I had to chuck it . Brew one stout in that baby and you will not get that taste out of the plastic . Maybe a better quality container would have worked . I am very happy with my stainless steel drum , it clean easy and looks bloody cool . I know there is a big hoo-haaa about the temperature while brewing , I have found that if it gets a bit cold you just brew longer . I had one brew in there for 8 weeks and it was the best brew to date . Like they say , "slow brewed . extra matured " or something like that .

I once made a lager, left it in the fermenter in the frige for three months, slowly bringing the temp down. Then botlle conditioned for a month. Was damn tasty.

[Pieter1]

I am looking into buying a complete home brewing kit.

 

Which kits are the best to buy?

 

 

Where in Jhb are these available from? Will be in the area during the course of the week.

 

Thanx in advance.

Somewhere here is a thread called beer brewing kits. There was plenty of info there. I just cant paste the link now.