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Brewing noob |Birthday beers

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  • #16
    Originally posted by Toxxyc View Post
    I agree with both Dewald and Alex. I wouldn't recommend buying crappy equipment to get started, but if it's what you can get, go for it. Of course going for something like a Benonibrew or a Grainfather is epic to start with, but it's got a pretty high initial investment linked to it, so that gets pricey.
    What do you suggest as starting equipment? On a tight budget. there was no December bonus last year. Lol

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Dewald Posthumus View Post
      Best advice we can give you is to brew any beer using any method and the equipment you have on hand. Bottle it by any means possible and try it out, there's no better advice for anyone starting out.

      Just do it, brew something!
      Thank you for the encoraging words

      Comment


      • #18
        Originally posted by AlexBrew View Post

        When I started brewing I bought 'big' right from the start and integrated as much of kit I had lying around the house, like a 50 litre Colemand coolerbox became my mash tun - and that defined what other equipment I needed to buy. So, I usually do 45L batches and bottle them all. Usually 24x440s plus 3.5x12 crates SAB 750s - about 40litres gets bottled... and it takes some time - plan for it and make it your own time. Put some music on.. quite relaxing.

        I wouldnt start with Mickey Mouse equipment. That eventually gets shelved as you buy bigger better equipment. Brewing a small all grain batch takes amost as much time as brewing a large batch. Ayway that's my point of view.
        Do you mind detailing more of your starting equipment? I see Makro has 50l cooler boxes for like R500. I was going to buy one anyways. Lol

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        • #19
          Originally posted by hopingmadinZam View Post

          Why don't you just recap 2m bottles? I get about 8-9l per crate. Any deposit bottle that isn't twist top typically works fine, just wash them after drinking to avoid the mold on the bottom, sanitise before bottle and you're good.

          You say you are brewing in an apartment, electric might be a better option unless you have a balcony, I don't think gas would be ideal in an enclosed space.

          As it's your first brew I would keep it pretty simple, as you'll have a steep learning curve, lots to forget. I would do something like 90% pale, 10% , melanoid or dextrin. I love citra so that would be my choice 20g @ 60m and 50g @ 10m or 5m. That should make a pretty tasty pale ale.

          I brew in Zambia with no ferm temp control options and I find Kviek incredibly tolerant of temp changes, just put the fermenter in the most temp stable part of your house and you should be fine.
          I do have a balcony and we normally use gas in the apartments. I dont have a gas burner but can make a plan. Whats your equipment? Would like to read more of your experience as it seems temp wise we are on the same boat

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          • #20
            Originally posted by Maputo_Brew View Post

            I do have a balcony and we normally use gas in the apartments. I dont have a gas burner but can make a plan. What's your equipment? Would like to read more of your experience as it seems temp wise we are on the same boat
            I'm using a 50l logik urn I got from Game, I brew in a bag, all-grain, I ship in bulk and crush myself. Ferment in buckets in the laundry, almost exclusively Kveik voss cause I can't get fermentation temps below 26 - 30. I have been bottling for the last year, using 375 and 750 Zam brew bottles. Just started kegging, but not fully set up yet as my tap shipment went missing last year. Kegged my first beer for Christmas with a simple picnic tap then got sick so haven't touched it yet. Kegging is a pretty big investment straight off the bat, bottling isn't that bad until you've done like a thousand bottles and you're a bit over it at that point. as the others say, put on the tv and bottle away 23l won't take long at all it's the 45l batches which kill ya to bottle.
            I would recommend starting with bottling, caps are really cheap R144 for 1000, and a capper ~R250 for the red type which works for me. I'll still bottle some beers cause as was said, it's great to be able to take your beers for a sundowner or a braai which is a pain in the ass if you exclusively keg.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by hopingmadinZam View Post

              all-grain, I ship in bulk and crush myself.
              I would recommend starting with bottling, caps are really cheap R144 for 1000, and a capper ~R250 for the red type which works for me.
              What grains are you using? I wanted to try MO but cant find them in bulk, only Pale. Whos your supplier of choice?

              Whats your sparging setup?

              Comment


              • #22
                d
                Originally posted by Maputo_Brew View Post

                What grains are you using? I wanted to try MO but cant find them in bulk, only Pale. Whos your supplier of choice?

                Whats your sparging setup?
                Read the "How to brew" from John Palmer, an execllent doc when starting to brew.

                http://howtobrew.com/book/introduction
                Everyone must beleive in something, I beleive I'll have another beer

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by Maputo_Brew View Post

                  What grains are you using? I wanted to try MO but cant find them in bulk, only Pale. Whos your supplier of choice?

                  Whats your sparging setup?
                  http://bulk.beerguevara.com/

                  You can buy mo in bulk from here, if they have stock. Just request a qoute.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Maputo_Brew View Post

                    Do you mind detailing more of your starting equipment? I see Makro has 50l cooler boxes for like R500. I was going to buy one anyways. Lol
                    Your cheapest option would be to see what you can source from home or you can 'score' from friends and family. Ask around who's got a large preferably stainless steel 50 litre cooking pot and a old 50litre cooler box. If you can get hold of those then the 3 tier brewing system system may be the way to go. You'll need to make some modifications to the coolerbox to become a mash tun.. ok, if you cant get hold of 'those' items then the more expensive option is to see if you get a second hand BIAB (bag or basket) system - else buy say "fukkit" and buy a new brand new system, which are getting cheaper by the day with local guys supplying them now (imported from China I presume). Alternatively buy a 50litre urn for R1000 and make some modifications to it. There are threads on this site of guys who went this route and their build is recorded in detail in several threads. Just search and browse around.. also just a note on the 50litre pot size - you don't have to brew 50litre batches .. 15 - 30litre batches also fit nicely in a 50litre pot. You need boil over head space anyway
                    AlexBrew
                    Senior Member
                    Last edited by AlexBrew; 13 January 2022, 08:45.

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                    • #25
                      If I was starting again I would just skip all the aggravation and get a Benoni brew or any of the robozilla knock offs.

                      If you like DIY I would get:
                      1x 50L electrical urn
                      1x 1/2 ball lock
                      1x thermostat
                      1x voile bag

                      skip sparging and do full volume mashing. personally I preferred starting simple and adding stuff to make my brew day easier, it varies per person.

                      if you prefer 40-50L brews the above will still work but you will need to mash in a coolerbox.

                      I was dumb and tried to save money by spending a shit load on cheaper stuff, just to end up upgrading in the end.

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by Maputo_Brew View Post

                        What grains are you using? I wanted to try MO but cant find them in bulk, only Pale. Whos your supplier of choice?

                        Whats your sparging setup?
                        I have previously bought in bulk from beerplus, I'm now using cactus craft who use crisp malts. I bulk buy pale and pilsner 25 - 50kg at a time (also bought maris on the last order) then I buy 3-5kg of a bunch of specialty malts (typically only a few hundred grams go into the recipes), in my specialty bucket I have some crystal 150, dextrin, cafra, melanoid, and some others I can't remember.
                        I mostly brew pretty low strength beer due to the heat 4-5%, either blondes, pales or session IPAs (arguably just a extra bitter pale). I've played around with fruit and haven't been too impressed, you only get a hint of the fruit flavours after the yeast gets to the sugars. I have found that citrus peel works well to impart citrus flavours as it is the oils in the skin and not the sugar to gives off the flavour.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Originally posted by Maputo_Brew View Post

                          What grains are you using? I wanted to try MO but cant find them in bulk, only Pale. Whos your supplier of choice?

                          Whats your sparging setup?
                          Sorry forgot to answer your sparge question. I have a very hi-tech complex sparge process so stick with me. I pull the tray (the grid one) out of the oven, I lift my bag of grain and slide the tray under. I then get hot water straight from my tap ~10-20l (depending on batch size) temp is probably 50-60 deg. I pour the water over my grains (using a smaller jug) I flip it around a few times and give it a good squeeze. I can usually taste if there is residual sugar left, when it tastes like water I know I've done a reasonable job. That gives me a consistent mid-80s efficiency, I do crush very fine though. That's it, super complex I know!

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by hopingmadinZam View Post

                            Sorry forgot to answer your sparge question. I have a very hi-tech complex sparge process so stick with me. I pull the tray (the grid one) out of the oven, I lift my bag of grain and slide the tray under. I then get hot water straight from my tap ~10-20l (depending on batch size) temp is probably 50-60 deg. I pour the water over my grains (using a smaller jug) I flip it around a few times and give it a good squeeze. I can usually taste if there is residual sugar left, when it tastes like water I know I've done a reasonable job. That gives me a consistent mid-80s efficiency, I do crush very fine though. That's it, super complex I know!
                            Super hi tech. Man i cant keep up

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Originally posted by Jitters View Post
                              If I was starting again I would just skip all the aggravation and get a Benoni brew or any of the robozilla knock offs.

                              If you like DIY I would get:
                              1x 50L electrical urn
                              1x 1/2 ball lock
                              1x thermostat
                              1x voile bag

                              skip sparging and do full volume mashing. personally I preferred starting simple and adding stuff to make my brew day easier, it varies per person.

                              if you prefer 40-50L brews the above will still work but you will need to mash in a coolerbox.

                              I was dumb and tried to save money by spending a shit load on cheaper stuff, just to end up upgrading in the end.
                              Sheesh, I cant drop 10-15k on a brewing system. Might be able at the end of the year.

                              Going for a brew kit and adding the urn would that not be an option? My thinking is the kit comes with hydrometer, bottling wand, capper, fermenter, grain bag, spoon. then adding the urn, ball lock, thermostat like you mentioned. All this should come in under R3k right? Beer bottles i can get a case of 12x500ml for R30 each case. so 4 cases do a 20l batch.

                              There is a 25l urn in pretoria I can get for free. Thanks to Toxycc.

                              Whats your oppinion? Am i day dreaming?

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Take the urn from me (but work on 20l), buy a grain bag, spoon, hydrometer, thermometer, capper and build your own fermenter using a 25l white food grade bucket, an airlock and a regular plastic tap at the bottom. Buy some hose and a bottling wand and you're done. The lot should cost you under R1k.

                                Buy a meat probe thermometer to use during brew day for a few bucks more and you're good to go.

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