Guate Brewing

[Curtis2010]

Re Mexico: One Mexican brew I have not tried is Noche Buena. So, if you run across it give it a try....better yet...bring some back!

 

[viso88]

Hi guys!!!! Back home now!!! Very good business trip to Mexico. The only problem I had was finding craft beers!!! Only had the chance to try Calavera, Tempus!!!! Mexicans in Mexico City do not know much of craft beers!!!! Seems that all of this movement is in the north of Mexico!!! Also restaurants and bars have contracts with major commercial brands and they only sell those kind of beers like Corona, Tecate and so on!!!! but still the beers I try very good!

 

[Curtis2010]

Similar situation in most of CA I think, but a few more interesting brews are starting to find their way into Guatemala (like Brooklyn Brewery products).

I may need to travel to the USA on business near the end of the month. I'm not looking forward to that, but access to lots of craft brews might help ease the pain.

 

[viso88]

Guys that do you recomend me to use as sanitaizer? That is not bleach!!!! Thanks for your help...

 

[pacayaforhops]

Iodophor or "tintura de yodo sin color" (yeah, I know it sounds stupid but the pharmacist will know what it is) or medicinal ethyl alcohol (make sure it's not isopropanol), be sure to rinse everything well though (same as if you were using bleach).

 

[Curtis2010]

Cerveza Rosa

Racked my first test batch of "Cerveza Rosa" (an ale with Rosa Jamica added for color and flavor) to another container today so that I can do some more sample blending with Rosa Jamica.

Its coming along, still needs some more time, and more Rosa Jamica to get the color I want (color shows up darker than actual in photo, that's about the color I want).

And, got a nice slurry of US-05 to bank!

 

[Curtis2010]

Iodophor or "tintura de yodo sin color" (yeah, I know it sounds stupid but the pharmacist will know what it is) or medicinal ethyl alcohol (make sure it's not isopropanol), be sure to rinse everything well though (same as if you were using bleach).

Hey, great addition to my Spanish for Home Brewers vocabulary.

Plugged it into Google translate, just to see what it came up with up, and believe it or not it translated it as "colorless iodine".

I have gotten ethyl alcohol from Distribudora del Caribe in the past.

 

[Curtis2010]

For the first time ever I've had brewing supplies held up in Customs. They are currently holding root beer extract and calcium carbonate pending my completing additional paperwork. Email from shipping service (CPXBOX) attached.

Anyone know any more about this?

View attachment PAQUETE RETENIDO EN ADUANA Guia 3761606.pdf

 

[pacayaforhops]

For the first time ever I've had brewing supplies held up in Customs. They are currently holding root beer extract and calcium carbonate pending my completing additional paperwork. Email from shipping service (CPXBOX) attached.

Anyone know any more about this?

Well that sucks, customs is getting real pissy about raw chemicals, Even my university is having trouble getting reagents for lab practices, it's getting friggin' insane.

If you want calcium carbonate, you can make it if you get about a quarter pound of finely ground lime (cal hidratada) and stick it in a keg full of over carbonated water (80 PSI) for about a week and shake it every night; the dissolved CO2 will produce carbonic acid (H2CO3) which will react with the lime (Ca(OH)2) to give you calcium carbonate (CaCO3).

Think I'll make a post on how to get/make water profile modifying salts in the CA-4 group.

 

[Curtis2010]

Well that sucks, customs is getting real pissy about raw chemicals, Even my university is having trouble getting reagents for lab practices, it's getting friggin' insane.

If you want calcium carbonate, you can make it if you get about a quarter pound of finely ground lime (cal hidratada) and stick it in a keg full of over carbonated water (80 PSI) for about a week and shake it every night; the dissolved CO2 will produce carbonic acid (H2CO3) which will react with the lime (Ca(OH)2) to give you calcium carbonate (CaCO3).

Think I'll make a post on how to get/make water profile modifying salts in the CA-4 group.

I expect most of the chemicals are available here in Guate, which maybe why they are getting pissy about it, but it is much easier to just add them to my order on-line than it is to spend days tracking this stuff down in the City.

Yes, a document describing where to get some common additives in Guate would be quite handy (and/or how to make them).

Coincidentally, before I knew my order was held up, I was talking with a friend who runs a hotel/marina here on the Rio. He imports high quality all beef hot dogs and has been having trouble with Customs over that. Their view is you can buy hot dogs in Guate. Who the hell knows what's in these, but they don't get the qualitative difference -- you want hot dogs -- we got hot dogs here is their view.

 

[rappyfreak]

Hi guys, I am finally back to brewing and other things, have had a rough couple of months but things are finally looking great. Had to separate from the wife a month ago so have been dealing with all sorts of stuff and focused on my daughter. Hope my beer is still good and not dead though!!! Need to bottle it asap or will take forever to carbonate LOL! So just wanted to say hi and let you guys know I'm doing great and ready to get into homebrewing really strong.

Curtis, authorities now think every friggin chemical is a "precursor" to make sythetic drugs so they will always bitch about it.

 

[Curtis2010]

Rappy, sorry to hear about your difficulties, but at least sounds like they are soon be behind you -- sometimes that is better. I joke that the best thing my first wife and I did for our relationship was to get divorced -- we became very close friends afterwards.

I think I will avoid any "chemical" shipments in the future. I have not had any problems just shipping normal beer ingredients. Can probably find or make chemical additives here in country anyway (just not always as convenient).

I will be in the City just briefly over Sunday night (Catching a flight Monday). So, if any of you want to hook up for a beer just let me know. I will be back on Dec 6 and probably be in the City for a few days after that -- maybe a better time to try and get every one together again?

 

[pacayaforhops]

I'm also sorry to hear things went south in the end, but I'm also glad to hear you're back on your feet. Don't worry about the beer though, you can always add sugar or honey and let it carbonate, as for aging; some people recommend extended primaries (up to 3 months depending on the kind of beer) so I believe you'll be ok.

On a happier note, the ESB at the bar ran out on thursday, so it did marginally better than I had expected after the 1st month went by. They still haven't paid for the porter so it's sitting in my beer fridge right now (less of it every weekend though), I can bottle a few and bring them over for our get together (whenever it may be).

Also, I uploaded some chemical descriptions and procurement guidelines at the CA-4 group's "where to get supplies in Guate" thread.

 

[Curtis2010]

Wow! I have been in the DFW and Austin, Texas areas for about a week now and the explosion in craft brewing is absolutely amazing! Even supermarkets have gotten in on the act. We were in an HEB (large chain supermarket) and they had a build-your-own-6-pack section with a good selection of craft brews. Some of the brewpubs and craft brew stores are just overwhelming -- the "Flying Saucer" in Austin has 4 page beer menu! SPEC's (a very good beer, wine, gourment food distributor) carries an amazing inventory of craft beers. An entire wall, of a very large SPECs store we visited, is nothing but beer.

The variety and range beer styles available here is just staggering. We've been like kids in a candy store.

Also visited Austin Homebrew Supply, I order a lot from them but this is the first time I have been in the store -- impressive shop.

 

[Curtis2010]

just stumbled across this thread, i am moving to Nicaragua and there was just about no info on the web about people homebrewing...

I think I missed your original post. Welcome aboard.

We traveled back from Panama last year via Nicaragua and really enjoyed it there. Especially Grenada.

Where in Nic are moving?

 

[rappyfreak]

Thanks for the support guys! Agree that the craft beer selection in the US is amazing, you even go to Wynn Dixie and they have quite a few. Love it over there.

 

[firefarmer]

I just joined the Cerveceros CA-4 group.

I've been poking around on the thread for a few minutes and already I've found a few bits of information that will likely make my next two years in Guate much more pleasurable.

I don't have much for equipment yet but I do have a batch of maracuja mead fermenting and a few packets of dry yeast and hop pellets waiting to be hydrated. I'm stoked to learn about Distribudora Caribe, as soon as I can get there to get some malt I'll be brewing. It's been years since I've done an extract brew, but any homebrew is better than none.

que chelero... I'm so happy to have found other brewers in Guatemala!!!

 

[pacayaforhops]

Glad to have you on board, if you'd like to know about malting grain I can also help you out, all you need for 5 pounds of pale malt is a 15 gallon plastic bucket, water and 6 ft of screen mesh (and a couple of days of sunny weather) if you'd like specialty malts you can go from there (it'd be mostly 6-row adaptations but they work out just as well).

If you'd like a different strain of yeast let us know, we have a decent selection: champagne, mead, british ales, german ales & lagers, american ales & lagers and even local funky bugs; Curtis, Rodrigo & I are willing to share.

Anything you'd like to know you can ask in this thread or by PM, we'll be happy to answer (as soon as life allows).

On an unrelated note, you guys up for a get together this weekend? I have some time & more importantly $ (and clearing O-chem 2 is as good a reason as any to celebrate), I could bring a few yeast cultures and a couple of quarts of the porter the bar hasn't paid for yet. As always, I'd be dropping in after 8:00 except if it's sunday; but really, who stays up late and drinks on sunday? that's just asking for trouble...

 

[Curtis2010]

I just joined the Cerveceros CA-4 group....

Welcome aboard! Out little group is growing.

Just got back to the City yesterday. Will be in town tonight and tomorrow night if anyone wants to meet for a beer.

 

[Curtis2010]

...
On an unrelated note, you guys up for a get together this weekend? I have some time & more importantly $ (and clearing O-chem 2 is as good a reason as any to celebrate), I could bring a few yeast cultures and a couple of quarts of the porter the bar hasn't paid for yet. As always, I'd be dropping in after 8:00 except if it's sunday; but really, who stays up late and drinks on sunday? that's just asking for trouble...

Sure, I will be around tonight and tomorrow (Friday) night.

 

[pacayaforhops]

Any place in particular? it seems revolver's also run out of Brooklyn brews and sold their soul to InBev, it was nice while it lasted... I'd suggest rattle & hum like the first get together, hopefully they still have Brooklyn beer, I'll still be bringing a couple of quarts of my porter. (I can be in zone 10 by about 8:30)

 

[rappyfreak]

Sucks about revolver. I have my daughter today so could get there until 10PM more or less, don't know if you guys will be there still?

 

[pacayaforhops]

Possibly, PM me your cellphone (text after 3:00), I'll text you to let you know. (I think I took it down last time but I want to make sure it's not the other Rodrigo that I know's phone)

 

[Andynewbom]

We opened the first Craft Brewery in El Salvador back in June, 2012. we now import everything directly and will be selling home brew kits and ingredients starting next year. only in El Salvador though for now. Brewing here is seriously hard work. We are Brew Revolution http://www.brewrevolution.com

 

[pacayaforhops]

THERE'S a travel destination, I'll keep it in mind for next time I go to ES. Feel free to join:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/groups/cerveceros-ca-4/

You have a wealth of knowledge we'd all like to share and hopefully share some back with you; and above all, we all like to have a good time, let us know if you're ever in Guate city, we'll see about getting together and sharing some brews.

 

[Andynewbom]

awesome Im there periodically. Lots friends in Guat. We also launched the first ever craft beer kickstarter in LAtin America http://www.kickstarter.com/projects...revolution-el-salvadors-first-craft-beer-brew

 

[Curtis2010]

We opened the first Craft Brewery in El Salvador back in June, 2012. we now import everything directly and will be selling home brew kits and ingredients starting next year. only in El Salvador though for now. Brewing here is seriously hard work. We are Brew Revolution http://www.brewrevolution.com

Cool, we will be returning to Panama via El Salvador in a few months. Will definitely stop in.

 

[rappyfreak]

Welcome guys! I will definitely make it a must see destination in january! This is the kind of thing we need here in Guatemala, hopefully one day we can do the exact same thing.

 

[firefarmer]

Thanks for the info. I drove across the city this afternoon and found Distribudora del caribe and bought some malt. I was a little dissapointed because they said it was 75Q for a gallon but the jugs were only about two thirds full. Still not bad for 3.5 kg. It's been a very long time since I've used extract and this seems like it is a little thinner than what I remember. I guess I'll see how it works. I just need to get myself a good sized kettle.

 

[Curtis2010]

Thanks for the info. I drove across the city this afternoon and found Distribudora del caribe and bought some malt. I was a little dissapointed because they said it was 75Q for a gallon but the jugs were only about two thirds full. Still not bad for 3.5 kg. It's been a very long time since I've used extract and this seems like it is a little thinner than what I remember. I guess I'll see how it works. I just need to get myself a good sized kettle.

Of course, large aluminum pots are readily available and inexpensive. The southern section of 4 Ave in Z1 that has cookware shops with these. The only place I've found large stainless pots in Guate is at "Home Green" in Torres de Gemini in Z10, but I have not searched extensively.

I am working on upgrading my batch sizes and am about to order a 15 gallon brew pot.