Guam Brewers

[Will_the-new-brewer]

I know there are several Guam brewers out there. What do you all do for supplies and ingredients? Is there anything you can get on island?

 

[Brewtallica]

Hi Will, shipping to Guam is killer. There's Homebrew in paradise in Hawaii, amazon and more beer. I use whoever has the cheapest price for shipping and try to catch ingredients I need on sale. I recently found a place called Hop Hero that has a flat rate shipping to Guam. As far as I know, there isn't a local place to get supplies but someone else may know of a place.

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

Ya...I have ordered from MoreBeer; however, I am more curious on liquid yeast--specifically, will it keep if shipped from CONUS or Hawaii?

 

[Brewtallica]

The only liquid yeast I've got from the states is Omega HotHead. It made it here fine and I'm on its 3rd generation. I highly recommend it, I've made a few IPAs with it fermenting around 80 degrees and they were delicious. It frees up my fermentation freezer for other things.

 

[Redtab78]

I am PCSing out to guam in 3 months....i will be bringing a couple hundred pounds of grain, hops and i plan to pack some yeast in a hydroflask with an ice pack in my checked baggage.

Having that said...i do not mind bringing a couple extra packs of yeast if there is something specific u want that u cant get there. I usually make a starter and grow yeast and then fill a glass tube and store it while using the rest of the starter for the brew. I have done this and used 1 smack pack for probably 15 beers by just regrowing it from the test tube.

If you have something special you want, PM me and ill see what i can do....

 

[Redtab78]

Last call, if anyone wants something, let me know! I have about 400lbs of grain and close to 15lbs of hops, along with 8 packs of liquid yeast I'm bringing.

I have about a month left to get something if anyone wants it!

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

Thanks again! Have a good PCS.

 

[Brewtallica]

Anyone know where to purchase empty 5 gal Pepsi kegs? I've tried the Pepsi distributor, Midpac, and Ambros. I would like to start kegging but shipping is rediculous.

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

I haven't found a place yet here on Guam. Did you try the Mermaid Tavern? I think that is the only micro brew on the island (still fairly new here).

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

So, found out this morning that The Mermaid Tavern closed. They are going to reopen as different establishment, but have a picture of a huge mug on the announcement.

 

[Brewtallica]

I haven't tried them yet. I'm thinking of buying a 5 gal keg of bud light on base and seeing what the core charge will be.

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

I haven't tried them yet. I'm thinking of buying a 5 gal keg of bud light on base and seeing what the core charge will be.

I haven't bought one from here yet, but I think the kegs are different. Still new to home brewing...I think what you want is a corny keg or sanke (if you have the money). Not sure you will get either of those when you buy a keg of beer on base.

 

[Brewtallica]

True, I'll have to swing by and see what they have. The search continues.

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

True, I'll have to swing by and see what they have. The search continues.

I actually started brewing here. Just finished my 3rd batch (another week for bottle conditioning).

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

Hey Guam brewers...

A few comments and questions:

1. You guys know when The Mermaid Tavern is going to reopen? I am told it is under new ownerhsip.
2. I also heard there is a 2nd brewery opening up--anyone know name, location, timeframe?
3. Anyone know where I can buy a 1L flask? Something like a highschool chemistry lab would have.
4. I might be headed to Hawaii in about 3 weeks. Send me a PM if you want something (Homebrew in Paradise is a LHBS in Hawaii). I will let you know when I know I am going.

 

[Redtab78]

I thino the second brewery you are referring to is the one at Brix pizza down in Tumon, but i havnt stopped there in a while to see what the progress was. When i talked to Kevin (if i remember his name correct) who was the brewer brought in to build it up, he was still working out the details about the ttb stuff.

 

[Redtab78]

Gave my rig a test run today... took me 2 weeks to get a yeast slant grown up enough to have a decent sized starter...long story short, 3 of the 5 smack packs i brought survived just enough to let me grow some, so hopefully here in a few weeks, ill be able to finally fill some kegs!!

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

Nice setup! I bottled and brewed today. No fancy pictures though.

 

[Brewtallica]

Very nice rig! I just have a simple BIAB setup, not worthy to post. I finished bottle conditioning a calamansi wheat and my friends destroyed it. Lol. I'll have to hide a few so we can do a bottle exchange.

 

[Bobble]

Hey everyone,

When I PCSd here back on March I did the same thing Redtab did but not as much. I only brought 75#’s of grain and a couple pounds of hops. I am almost out and will need to buy more base malt soon. I know MoreBeer ships to Guam but it’s expensive. I have used Amazon several times to buy 5#’s worth of grain for stuff I didn’t have on hand. Their base price for stuff is usually more expensive but shipping costs is cheaper.

Brewtallica, commercial kegs are usually different than home brew kegs. When i was in the states I bought all my kegging equipment from KegConnection.com I bought a keg kit that had everything I needed to setup a 3 tap keezer. They usually have sales of Used ball lock kegs for $30. With all that said, shipping will still be the challenge.



Redtab that’s a nice setup

 

[Brewtallica]

Bobble, I'm definitely looking at kegconnection, it's just the shipping quote they gave me, lol. I know the commercial kegs are different than soda kegs, but willing to adapt if I have to.

I buy grains in bulk from Amazon or places that have flat rate shipping. Sometimes I can get base malts for 1.50 to 2.50/lb after shipping. In a pinch I use homebrew in paradise in Hawaii, fast and reasonable on shipping costs. I have some extra base malts if you need some. I dont need anything yet but I'm down to go in on a bulk order in the future.

 

[Redtab78]

Where are you guys getting your co2 bottles filled?

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

I bottle and haven't seen a place that does it yet.

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

Anyone know where to find small CO2 canisters (food grade) to go into pressurized growlers?

 

[Brewtallica]

I recently ordered these.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FYRWNW4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
I used one yesterday on a SMASH experiment I put in a minikeg. They don't say food grade but I didn't detect any off flavors.

 

[Redtab78]

For you guys setting up keezers/kegerators, I have a 2 extra 5# CO2 bottles if anyone is interested

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

1 for me plz!

 

[Brewtallica]

I'll take the other one if it's not spoken for already.

 

[Redtab78]

Brand new asking $60

 

[Redtab78]

Both have been spoken for from Will and Brewtallica