In general it is safe to say that 'saving money' is often an excuse for making your own beer but in the end, when you start adding up all the gear, you only 'save money' in the really long haul--- if you can refrain from continuing to buy more gear.
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Jason 'Kornkob' Robinson
I wanna move to Theory. Everything works in Theory.
Besides what would be the point of making it if it were cheaper in the shops (I make the exception with Tenants)
Some people enjoy the process of creating things, and want to make beer suited to their own tastes. I'll bet that very few of us are doing it just to get drunk.
If that's your reasoning, there's nothing wrong with it, but I suspect that you will find that the time invested in crafting your own beer will eventually turn you off to the whole thing.
-walker
__________________ Ground Fault Brewing Co. Proud member of the GRABASS Brewing Disorganization
Here's another use for your brewery control panel.
I dont wanna go too overkill as I'll most likely be rubbish at it
some people do John Bull no boil extract kits. i've never done one, but i think all you do is add water, hops, and yeast. let if ferment for 4-7 days in a primary fermentor (glass 6.5 gallon carboy or plastic food grade bucket), rack to a secondary fermenter to allow it too clear a bit for about 7 days, then bottle and let carbonate for 2 weeks. then chill and enjoy! try http://www.diamalt.co.uk/john.htm. this is making beer in it's simplist form (i would imagine?). just make sure what you get is "no boil". if you do get a kit that rewuires boiling, you'll need a 6 gallon stainless steel or enameled pot.
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Cheers!
DeRoux's Broux
Last edited by DeRoux's Broux; 11-16-2005 at 11:16 PM.
Read Palmer intro I guess the minimum equipment is a 6 liter/quart pot, a 25L/6gal food grade bucket, about 2m/6ft of plastic hose and an airlock. There are kits as mentioned. You can leave the ale in the primary fermenter and at two weeks use the hose to fill glasses! If you drink it fast enough, you don't need to worry about bottling.
Seriously, the Palmer URL will get you started.
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Remember one unassailable statistic, as explained by the late, great George Carlin: "Just think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of them are even stupider!"
ive never done a no boil kit, but thats gotta be the easiest...just not as much fun. getting a couple food grade buckets (or just one if you want to be really cheap), an airlock, siphoning equipment, and a capper isnt very expensive.you will need a large pot, but you can pick up an aluminum one for cheap, although stainless steel is preferable. do an easy extract brew, which is very cheap, and easy, and i guarantee you it wont be 'rubbish'. i bought a basic kit for 50 bucks and a recipe kit for an amber for 20 for my first brew. thats 70 bucks for 2 cases of beer that turned out great. do this one or two times and youre equipment kit is paid off, and then yes, it is much cheaper, and the beer will be pretty damn good too, and most of all, its fun and interesting.
Just remember that what you brew will be ales and not anything close to the Tennants Lager you mention.
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Scott
Primary: Empty
Secondary #2: Empty
Bottle Conditioning: Oatmeal Stout
Drinking from Keg: Ordinary Bitter, Kolsch
Drinking bottled: Brown Autumn Wee Heavy
Hefe Weizen
Peaches and Cream Weizen
"This is grain, which any fool can eat, but for which the Lord intended a more divine means of consumption... Beer!"
-Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, Friar Tuck.
Next up: Hefe Weizen
Cheap, easy?
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