Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Those are great, I've got a few like that and a couple of the big ones. You can buy something similar new from the shops.... but thats not as fun as drinking your way to an empty bottle!

I found the rubber seals on the Grolsch bottle deteriorate rather quickly, so you have to keep replacing the bottles with fresh ones, delicious but expensive!

Many years ago, a mate said he found some replacement rubber washers at a hardware store which worked a treat and it was a much cheaper option than drinking new bottles... but as I wasn't using these bottle any more, I didn't pay too much more attention at the time (now wishing I did).

Pretty sure they have new seals for those just down the road, but getting new bottles comes with its own benefits

I gave up on bottles real quick and went for the keg option. less hit and miss. but you do tend to drink a lot more beer.

You can buy the rubber seals in most home brew shops, at least my local has them...

Just noticed this thread. I used to be an avid homebrewer, but the kids/job/house/etc. kind of got in the way the past few years. I make more cider than beer these days (which the wife prefers) and have gotten pretty good at making a superior "brew" based on supermarket apple juice concentrate (with some tweaks, of course). This week I'm making a ginger-molasses cider and a "Belgian white" cider.

I swear I'll make some beer before the year is out, by god.

Tried my home brew tonight.

First impressions is it is quite bitter, too bitter for my usual liking but very drinkable. Sorta fruity and hoppy and clean to drink.

My question to those home brew dudes out there.... does the bitterness settle? What does the bitterness come from? Is it controlable? Is it too soon to drink? (2 weeks in bottle with carbonation drop)

It should settle a little bit more, but usually the character and hoppiness of the brew is
pretty well set at the 2 week mark. The next two months should take the sharp edges off
the beer and make it more pleasant to drink.
That's what I find with my brews.





The bitterness is from the hops. usually added at the 60 minute mark

peak flavour is around 20 minutes

peak aroma is about 7 minutes

http://www.brewsupplies.com/hop_characteristics.htm



Yes, by controlling when you add the hops and how much.



Usually they recommend two to three months, but it's hard to wait.

cheers Lou

Thanks Lou, very informative info.

cheers

Generally the more "stuff" you have in the beer, i.e. hops, fermentables, roasted malts, etc., the longer you should age it for best results. I've started in on hefeweizens and mild ales in as little as 10 days (kegged and force-carbonated, of course).

Went to a all grain home brew workshop on saturday. Very interesting stuff.

The beer is so much nicer. Watching someone go through the whole process and explaining it makes it so much easier to understand.

Hmmm, need to buy some stuff

Took a big bucket of the used mashed grain home for my worm farm.

The worms will love it

Tequila all the way for me!

At the moment I have a bottle of Espolon Reposado going, so nice! No need for slices of lemons or salt, just a good quality tequila you can sip with a decent meal. With a decent tequila there is no need to shoot it back

I'm saving to go back to Mexico for a Tequila tasting tour!

Unfortunately, I can't distill my own tequila I guess its for the best though, as I'd probably poison myself! :p

Watching the Rugby is a different story ... its jugs of Carlton - all class goes out the window

Having a crack at the fat yak tonight.

Quite nice. 345ml bottles, 4.7%. Lots of hops. $55 for the slab.

Oh yea, and my bottle brush...