During one flavour sensation sampling session I asked that big question: how do they make this stuff? Surely it's a miracle. Some dark alchemy. Black magic.
This blog will describe my jaded and misguided efforts to learn the art of brewing. It’s a rough, rocky and winding road. I’m going in with one motto: the grander my mistakes the quicker I will learn.
I purchased a Coopers DIY brew kit for half price. I thought, 45 bucks is not much of an outlay, especially if I can create something drinkable. But I aim not to merely create adequate ales but rather outstanding beers: Brew Dog Punk IPA, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Little Creatures Pale etc. We all want to create something that can stand alongside our favourite brews – that’s the pinnacle, the grand vision.
I aim to start with some kit beers, then move to extract beers and eventually work my way towards all grain brewing.
First up I read chapter one of John Palmer’s brewing bible How to Brew – A Crash Course in Brewing. And threw my ingredients into the extract beer designer spreadsheet. Both, I think, invaluable free online resources any newbie should utilize.
Two valuable lessons I learnt straight up:
- Sanitize everything. Cleanliness is next godliness.
- Temperature control is vital during all stages - steeping, cooling, pitching, fermenting. Buy a thermometer.
Basic Gear:
All up the basic gear cost me about $100-150:• DIY Coopers kit
• 16 litre stockpot to use for steeping and boiling
• Thermometer
• Kitchen Scales
• Rinse Free Sanitizer
• Spray bottle – for spraying previously mentioned rinse free sanitizer
• Grain bag / cloth for steeping Speciality Grains
Righto, introductions out of the way. Let's get into some brewing!
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