Bored and thirsty

[HAP-BR3W Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close HAP-BR3W]

It would be interesting to see by how much this specific forum's numbers have climbed in the past weeks.

I am one of those. Always wanted to make my own beer, but just never got around to doing it. Now with all the regulations binding us, I brewed my first batch. Even though it is only pineapple beer, it came out quite nice, albeit without incident.

Now I want to pursue that first proper beer. Trying to get a starter kit for now and will then attempt something similar to windhoek.

I have a kitchen that I can dedicate to this shenanigans, and intend to use it to its full potential.

Have been reading a lot lately, have learned plenty, but I am also confused. Hopefully all makes sense once I start converting everything to the practical side. Hopefully the first brew will be ready in the next 6 weeks or so...

Keep safe,

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[FriedPiggy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close FriedPiggy]

http://thehomebrewshop.co.za/windhoek.htmlThat is a recipe I found for "windhoek lager" Just remember that Lagers need to ferment at very low temps. I think I read that they need to be done at around 10 degrees C. Easier to stick to ales. Although, that said, my starter kit came with a Belgian Lager kit and kilo set that according to the instructions needs to be between 18-30 degrees so what do I know.

[camsaway Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close camsaway]

Hey Hap-Brew, we've put some demo brew vids up on the SouthYeasters YouTube channel that might help and any of the homebrew clubs will happily help with your questions (as well as the good people here of course!).

[jannieverjaar Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jannieverjaar]

Some great advice I got from the forum when I started going to all grain was to brew a few blondes to ensure you get your system tuned in properly. Its light so it reveals any issues you might have. It's also quick so you can turn out a beer much faster then a lager or something you have to dry hop. If you really want you can with a basic setup go from grain to bottle to glass in 14 days. If you really get going. Use kveik yeast and keg you can drink a blonde 4 to 5 days after pitch

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[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

Welcome mate! If there's one thing I can recommend for you when starting out, it's this: Don't try to replicate a commercial beer. I think that's the starting point for many home brewers - making a Windhoek Lager in your own kitchen. However, you need to consider how much work goes into making a Windhoek, the equipment the brewery has and the experience of their brewmasters. I'm not saying you won't make a beer as good, not at all, in fact, I believe some homebrewers make beers WAY better than commercials. I'm just saying don't let that be your goal. Rather let your goal be to learn, get with the process and start off with a few simpler recipes at first. A lager is work. A lot of work, and I think it'll be VERY unrewarding for a beginner to do a true lager as one of the first few brews.

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

+1 Besides the Kit&Kilo Coopers lager that came with my Starter kit, I dont think i brewed a true lager in the first 5 years.

the Ales and Stouts tasted so nice

[HAP-BR3W Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close HAP-BR3W]

http://thehomebrewshop.co.za/windhoek.htmlThat is a recipe I found for "windhoek lager" Just remember that Lagers need to ferment at very low temps. I think I read that they need to be done at around 10 degrees C. Easier to stick to ales. Although, that said, my starter kit came with a Belgian Lager kit and kilo set that according to the instructions needs to be between 18-30 degrees so what do I know.

Thanks Fried Piggy! Will check it out!

Hey Hap-Brew, we've put some demo brew vids up on the SouthYeasters YouTube channel that might help and any of the homebrew clubs will happily help with your questions (as well as the good people here of course!).

Thanks a mil, briefly checked out your channel today, will spend some time there over then next couple of days. I might take you up on he offer for advice, I guess my questions are going to come when I start with that first brew. Or rather just before when planning. But they are going to come, I'm sure.

Some great advice I got from the forum when I started going to all grain was to brew a few blondes to ensure you get your system tuned in properly. Its light so it reveals any issues you might have. It's also quick so you can turn out a beer much faster then a lager or something you have to dry hop. If you really want you can with a basic setup go from grain to bottle to glass in 14 days. If you really get going. Use kveik yeast and keg you can drink a blonde 4 to 5 days after pitch

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Epic! Thank you! I think I might go this route. Will be a good learning curve. I would like to go all grain, but first have to read up a bit more!

Welcome mate! If there's one thing I can recommend for you when starting out, it's this: Don't try to replicate a commercial beer. I think that's the starting point for many home brewers - making a Windhoek Lager in your own kitchen. However, you need to consider how much work goes into making a Windhoek, the equipment the brewery has and the experience of their brewmasters. I'm not saying you won't make a beer as good, not at all, in fact, I believe some homebrewers make beers WAY better than commercials. I'm just saying don't let that be your goal. Rather let your goal be to learn, get with the process and start off with a few simpler recipes at first. A lager is work. A lot of work, and I think it'll be VERY unrewarding for a beginner to do a true lager as one of the first few brews.

Hi Toxxyc! Thank you for the advice! Will do so, I am not set on brewing a commercial beer, but rather something similar. Although, I might find something new that I like more while learning the ropes!

+1 Besides the Kit&Kilo Coopers lager that came with my Starter kit, I dont think i brewed a true lager in the first 5 years.

the Ales and Stouts tasted so nice

Very nice! I might find a hidden gem as I go along!! Going to try and see if I can find a starter kit over the next few days, hopefully can get a brew going next week. In the meantime, I will gooi another pineapple batch. That wasnt too bad.

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[HAP-BR3W Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close HAP-BR3W]

How big pot do I need to prepare the wort (for a 23l brew)?

8-10l should be sufficient?



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[jannieverjaar Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jannieverjaar]

You Could. BUT That will take a long time. You will have to do batches of 1.5 to 2kg of grain for a mash and add 2l water per 1kg of grain. so at least 3h of mashing (3 batches.) And some interesting acrobatics with 10kg of 70C wort and grain. Then 3h of boil (or you do a raw beer- toxyc this is your area)
I use a 40l hart pot from game. For BIAB. Topically fill it to 28l. With a rapid boil and the hot break the extra 10l capacity comes in handy

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[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

For 23l I would say you'd have to have the capacity to boil around 30l. Pre-boil would be around 25l to 26l and the little headspace is required to avoid you peeing yourself before hot break due to the overboil. Trust me, it sneaks up on you...

[FriedPiggy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close FriedPiggy]

I mentioned in another thread that the Hart alu pots are expensive. If you have one near you go look at Gorimas (Indian spices shop) they sell those massive pots for biryani and are around half the price of a Hart one. I am doing extract at the moment so don't need one, but the Gorimas across the road have a pot that is about 36L going for R450. Just take a ruler and a calculator along to work out volume as their pots are labeled small/medium/large/x-large and they don't know what the volume of the pots is.

[StevenD (Slainthe) Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StevenD (Slainthe)]

I see Makro still has the 3-pot combo going at a reasonable price. I use mine mostly for heating water these days, but used to brew small batches in the larger units.

https://www.makro.co.za/catering/cookware/aluminium-cookware/aluminium-cookware/hendler-hart-3-piece-catering-pot-set-/p/000000000000381074_EA

Hart Pots.jpg

[HAP-BR3W Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close HAP-BR3W]

You Could. BUT That will take a long time. You will have to do batches of 1.5 to 2kg of grain for a mash and add 2l water per 1kg of grain. so at least 3h of mashing (3 batches.) And some interesting acrobatics with 10kg of 70C wort and grain. Then 3h of boil (or you do a raw beer- toxyc this is your area)
I use a 40l hart pot from game. For BIAB. Topically fill it to 28l. With a rapid boil and the hot break the extra 10l capacity comes in handy

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For 23l I would say you'd have to have the capacity to boil around 30l. Pre-boil would be around 25l to 26l and the little headspace is required to avoid you peeing yourself before hot break due to the overboil. Trust me, it sneaks up on you...

Ok, back up a little, i am completely confused now.... What I have picked up now is with your method (pre-boiling about 28l) you are making the wort from scratch ie. making a mash and that entire product will go into the fermentation vessel once cooled down.... (this will be all grain)

When they are using for instance 1.5kg superfine malt, this is an extract, and boiled only in 3-4l water and added to say 20l pre-boiled cold water into the fermentation vessel. (this will is not necessarily a kit brew, but some shortcuts taken?)

[groenspookasem Banned Find all posts View Profile Close groenspookasem]

add some money and buy the urn...pots... aint nobody got time for that

[jannieverjaar Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jannieverjaar]

Extract brewing. Sorry my bad. You dont even need to boil that stuff. Just heat the tin in hot water so the syrup is les viscose. The 1.5kg malt you can do 1cents off in your 8l pot no issue.but long term. What groen said

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