Guam

[Brewtallica]

if you like podcasts there are some really good ones. When i was first starting out I learned a lot from BeerSmith. I use the BeerSmith program on my Mac. It has all the calculators and everything else i would ever need. My goto podcast now is Brulosophy. Their exbeeriments are all fun and very interesting.

Starting out brewing is much easier in the states then it will be on Guam. Once you decide you are going to get into it, I would recommend buying the good stuff from the start. I started with the basic bucket kit, simple turkey fryer kit and a crap load of bottles. Within a year I upgraded 95% of all the stuff I originally bought. Here is a good list of equipment the creator of brulosophy uses

http://brulosophy.com/methods/equipment/

My first three batches were extract (which i think you mean by "go straight to wort/fermentation") but I think you will have trouble keeping extract cool as it is mailed to Guam. Some companies (MoreBeer for example) ships their yeast with cold packs so I am sure you could get extract mailed with it also.

I personally only do BIAB (Brew in a Bag) and keg all my beer now.

www.brewinabag.com

I built a keezer from an old chest freezer I found on a facebook yard-sale page. Here is what I used as a template to build mine.



I am currently stationed at Vandenberg AFB, CA and I order most of my ingredients and equipment online. I use (www.morebeer.com) and I know they send to Guam. I buy my kegging gear from (www.kegconnection.com). Their starting kits are actually really good. I just bought stuff the other day from them in preparation for my HHG pickup next week and Guam was an option. When I used Guam to estimate my shipping as a test it kept the shipping cost the at $7.95 flat rate they offer for their stateside orders.

Hmm, I placed an order with Kegconnection and they emailed me back giving me a quote for Guam shipping. It was something like 65 bucks for 2 kegs and a draft kit. Also more beer charges a lot to ship to Guam. Norcal Brewing and Hop Hero gave me a low flat rate though.

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

Brewtallica...

Good to know. Thanks for the heads up! I know where to look when it's time.

Will

 

[John671]

Guam home brewer here. Just found this discussion. Would like to meet others and beer share if anybody's interested.

 

[Brewtallica]

Yes, I'm down!

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

I am down, but just starting...my first brew is this Saturday--LME kit from MoreBeer, American Pale Ale.
Maybe after my second or third brew...well see.

 

[Luckynug]

I'm down. Another guy I work with brews as well. we do 1-2 brew days a month, generally a drunken good time

 

[John671]

Nice! I've got a grapefruit IPA kegged and maybe a growler left of a belgian quad brewed in December. Itching to try a horchata recipe I found. I'm not usually the organizing type. Anybody know a good venue for a beer share?

 

[Jake671]

What’s up Guam brewers?! Nice to know there are more of us out there brewing. Just wanted to join the thread.

 

[Namako]

I'm still in negotiations with the Navy, but my wife, daughter and I are planning on relocating to Guam in April/May from Anchorage/Eagle River, Alaska. During one of our more recent meetings up here of the Great Northern Brewers Club, I was talking about the relocation, and one of our members mentioned that he knew about the interest in starting up a new brewery on Guam, and I thought he said that the brewer they brought in was a local guy from up here in Anchorage. I may be wrong - the homebrew was really flowing at that meeting, and my ears are always the first to go!! It would sure be nice if he would be willing to part ways once in a while with a couple bags of grain at his cost (including shipping), plus a little extra for all of his troubles. I know I'd likely be a regular in his brewpub.

I started brewing in the kitchen back in 2005 while on Okinawa, and I'm now an all-grain, all-electric brewer with a 3-kettle, 3-pump, 20-gallon automated rig that runs on a BCS-462 using a touchscreen. I guess my other hobby is industrial automation/process control - that and wasting money chasing rabbits down holes. I'm just hoping that some of the homes on Guam have a 240V/30A electric dryer outlet that doesn't blow the panel up.

Looking forward to hooking up with some other homebrewers.

 

[Heath Edwards]

Man! Who knew there were so many homebrewers on this rock. Brew share day would be pretty awesome. I have a Coffee stout on tap ( primarily because I’m a sports guy and sports come on at F****** early here and coffee beer makes it seem okay) and a Citra IPA in the fermenter. Just finishing up my keezer this weekend actually. I’m lacking one tap that’s coming VIA Florida? I had been using a picnic tap until a guy at work forklifted by me with a pallet made out of 2x8’s. SCORE! Looked this island over for a month for non pressure treated 2x8 or 2x10’s lol.
As far as supplies here, I get grain and everything out of Hawaii from Bill at Homebrew in paradise. Shipping is pretty reasonable. Oh and Amazon.
The brewer from Alaskan brewing. His name is Mike and he’s the head brewer for the brewery Brix is supposedly building in Tumon. He’s a cool old school cascade shinook brewer. I ran into him again at gun beach last week and they are still waiting on the bbl system and the canner.
Fermentation temp on Guam is tough. I have been sticking with US 05 and a swamp cooler ice bath. It’s really hard to get anything other than pretty good beer from us05 it’s one hardy yeast! I can keep steady around 68 if I swap out 9 frozen bottles before and after work. I think it will be cheaper and more efficient to bite the bullet and just pick up a another freezer for fermentation.
After moving to Guam I decided to go minimal brewing and not rebuild my 3 kettle system. I got one of the Brewers edge mash and boils. I love that thing. Keeps things simple and Less stuff to clean lol.
I look forward to hearing from you guys!

 

[John671]

I brew with Jake671 who just joined the thread too. Here’s some pics of our setup:

There’s a milk chocolate stout in the fermenter brewed yesterday.

Anybody know a place to fill co2 tanks besides island equipment?

 

[Heath Edwards]

Island equipment is the only place I know of over in Agat. The Island equipment in Harmon will exchange 20# bottles only.

My 20 pounder lasts forever though. I only use them to transfer the beer from carboy to keg and force carb.

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

Good to see more jumping in on this Guam thread. I just bottled my first batch this past Friday night--sitting in my SoFC @ 74F right now. I came back to this thread because someone mentioned using CO2 and kegging--I think I might go that route (bottling 50 beers...wow). Anyhow, I see once questions is answered--where to refil CO2. Can I buy the CO2 tank/regulator at Island Equipment as well?

 

[Heath Edwards]

You can buy 20 lb co2 bottles from island equipment but that’s it. If you want to use 5 lbs you will need to purchase from amazon. Just floated a keg of coffee stout with some peeps

 

[Will_the-new-brewer]

I recently contacted HomeBrew in Paradise. They mentioned that someone on Guam had ordered some liquid yeast. Although they are reaching out to you, have any of you had good experience with shipping from Hawaii to Guam (liquid yeast, that is)?

Edit: I also made a post in the international forum. If you guys want to head over there and make a post so it is easier for us to keep up with each other (I hate using this thread just to reach out to Guam Brewers).