Home brewing in Japan

[OppamaBrendan]

I"m in a house I built with my very own two hands. The walls, floor, and ceiling have 20cm of glass wool insulation. What with my wood stove, the challenge is not to have a fermentation get too warm during the winter. Hope this story warms your hearts!

Oh nice! Its funny, Im from Canada and im not used to the cold INSIDE although its still tshirt weather outside.

The temperature controller is what I want, something I can use with a cooler in the summer and a heat pad in the winter. Any ideas where they can be found and price ranges? Johnson Controls' factory or warehouse is near my place maybe I can ask for a sample haha.
That newspaper contraption looked alright but I wonder if it would get moldy? There is a ton of condensation on my windows these days and i dont want to have any spores getting cozy and contaminating a batch...

 

[mpearce]

Let us know on the Johnson's. would love to get one if they aren't too pricy.

 

[tektonjp]

The STC1000 can be had for cheap on ebay with easy delivery to Japan from Hong Kong. It's a simple build to give yourself a digital controller which will do heating and cooling.

 

[surume]

Ok, I'm planning to buy the bag of English Ale Malts from Asahi BM pretty soon. Anyone interested in sharing the bag?

 

[OppamaBrendan]

Ok, I'm planning to buy the bag of English Ale Malts from Asahi BM pretty soon. Anyone interested in sharing the bag?

Im still interested. I had only picked up specialty malts from AB and am almost out of base malt. Also, I am just plain curious how ordering from them will go.

 

[surume]

Im still interested. I had only picked up specialty malts from AB and am almost out of base malt. Also, I am just plain curious how ordering from them will go.

AFAIK, by fax and bank transfer.

 

[ShizuokaBrad]

My house is damn cold in the winter. To keep my fermenter warm I wrap it with an old sleeping bag and have a small pet bed warmer (1700Y) tucked inside. That keeps it at a pretty constant 20C. To adjust the temp I very scientifically loosen or tighten the sleeping bag around the fermenter.

 

[ShizuokaBrad]

If anyone is thinking of ordering some specialty malts I'd be interested in doing a group purchase... I'll even do all the leg work

 

[Ogri]

Alright there, all

Didn't realise there was a thread like this on the go:

Ok, I'm planning to buy the bag of English Ale Malts from Asahi BM pretty soon. Anyone interested in sharing the bag?

Would be interested in finding out the details for the sacks of English Ale Malts from Asahi. 67 yen per 100g of uncrushed Marris Otter from advanced brewing works out a bit expensive. Are they shipped from the big plant at Fukushima?? 25kg sacks?? How good is the price?

Oh nice! Its funny, Im from Canada and im not used to the cold INSIDE although its still tshirt weather outside.

Yeah, hotter inside than outside in the summer and colder inside than out in the winter. Keeps the kotatsu business going though,, I suppose

 

[tektonjp]

Asahi malt ships from Shiga. Not guaranteed MO, it's only listed as English pale malt. But it is a good malt. 20k sacks. 3700 to 3900 a bag. Crushed bags run a bit more. 2row, pale malt, munich, german (pils?), and wheat. And you might want to join the Kinki brewers FB group. We're always doing group buys on malts and hops and gear. Let me know if you're interested in that.

 

[srgwuggles]

Hi guys,
New to the brewing game and live in Tokyo. What do you think of adding amemizu as an additive as opposed to normal sugar?

 

[Ogri]

Asahi malt ships from Shiga. Not guaranteed MO, it's only listed as English pale malt. But it is a good malt. 20k sacks. 3700 to 3900 a bag. Crushed bags run a bit more. 2row, pale malt, munich, german (pils?), and wheat. And you might want to join the Kinki brewers FB group. We're always doing group buys on malts and hops and gear. Let me know if you're interested in that.

The Kinki Brewers!!!!!!! Steve "Pud" Newman and RayOsaka are pretty prominent guys on that, I think. Will pay closer attention.

BTW. That seems like really good prices for the grains. Thanks for the info. Definitely interested.

 

[surume]

Unfortunately, I live in Yokohama so I can't group buy with you Ogri

By the way Brendan, I'm planning on buying them crushed since I don't have a grain mill.

I plan on ordering the bag next monday. Prices are 4260 yen per 20kg bag for English Ale Malts, crushed.

 

[Ogri]

Hey surume,

No worries Shouldn't be very expensive getting it transported from Shiga to Osaka. The 4.5 kg of uncrushed MO from Advanced last time cost me about ¥3,000 so even including shipping this'll be a great deal and 20 kg will only last somewhere from 4 to 6 or maybe 7 batches. Might be handy to find someone down here that I can group with for specialty grains, though.

Don't know if you're interested but doing BIAB and crushing(?) or more accurately pulverizing, my grains in one of those "magic bullet" food processors I manage to get pretty good efficiency. Only a few hundred yen saving so maybe not worth it for you.

 

[WhoZiT]

I had a bag shipped to Shikoku a few weeks ago and it was 540 yen for the shipping portion.

 

[tektonjp]

Hi guys,
New to the brewing game and live in Tokyo. What do you think of adding amemizu as an additive as opposed to normal sugar?

Same thing, is it not? Use it for priming?

 

[tektonjp]

The Kinki Brewers!!!!!!! Steve "Pud" Newman and RayOsaka are pretty prominent guys on that, I think. Will pay closer attention.

BTW. That seems like really good prices for the grains. Thanks for the info. Definitely interested.

Different group. Ours is a closed group (invite only). Not because we're special, but to keep under the radar. Send me a pm with your FB name and I'll add you. We just had a meeting last week and are planning a simple competition for the spring.

 

[tektonjp]

BTW, the German malt from Asahi is indeed pils. I called and asked.

 

[OppamaBrendan]

Haha I dont check in for a day or two and its nice to come back to a few new faces on this thread! Welcome Ogri and srgwuggles!

WhoZit created a Japan group here:https://www.homebrewtalk.com/groups/japan/
(just reposting so you dont need to go back in this thread to find the link)

Surume that is totally fine with me on the crushed! I frankly dont feel like sitting out in the cold grinding for a half hour in this weather! I am not in a huge hurry for it so let me know how you'd like to get it to me. I dont mind picking it up in person at one of the yokohama craft beer bars sometime if you'd like to meet for a pint again!

srgwuggles, what is amemizu? Is it a simple syrup or something like honey? How are you going to use it? I would recommend using regular sugar, dextrose, or dry malt extract for bottle priming though as it might be tough to get the carbonation you want with an unknown fermentable.

 

[srgwuggles]

Hi,

Sorry it is called Mizuame. Mizuame is a syrup made from a malt and rice mixture that was converted from starch to sugar. There are no preservatives in it and I didn't want to put normal sugar in my batch so I tossed it in.
I figured most beers have rice in them anyways so this might be a similar alternative

 

[mpearce]

The STC1000 can be had for cheap on ebay with easy delivery to Japan from Hong Kong. It's a simple build to give yourself a digital controller which will do heating and cooling.

I looked this up on ebay and, wow they are cheap. Have you used one before? I need something that will turn on and off my heater while I am asleep or at work, can this do that?

 

[Ogri]

Hi,

Sorry it is called Mizuame. Mizuame is a syrup made from a malt and rice mixture that was converted from starch to sugar. There are no preservatives in it and I didn't want to put normal sugar in my batch so I tossed it in.
I figured most beers have rice in them anyways so this might be a similar alternative

As was mentioned by someone previously the only trouble with adding something like that is it's difficult to know the exact amount of fermentables this will contribute to the wort.

There's nothing wrong with using plain white cane sugar, light/dark brown sugar. I've done quite a few beers where about 25% of the total grain bill was one form of cane sugar, or another, so it can be a cheap effective way of boosting ABV and with the brown sugars you get a little residual molasses flavouring which has worked well with some of my beers.
Have a 1lb (454g) bottle of Lyle's Golden Syrup that I was thinking of using in an upcoming ESB.

 

[srgwuggles]

Thanks for the input on that. Sounds like that lyle's syrup was the kind of stuff I was looking for.
I guess I'll just have to wait and hope that the batch comes out ok.

 

[srgwuggles]

By the way I have a friend who wants me to make a yuengling clone. I check around but it doesn't seem that I can get ahold of the ingredients needed for it here. Namely crystal malt 10. Anyone ever tried this? Or any suggestions? Thanks

 

[OppamaBrendan]

Hi,

Sorry it is called Mizuame. Mizuame is a syrup made from a malt and rice mixture that was converted from starch to sugar. There are no preservatives in it and I didn't want to put normal sugar in my batch so I tossed it in.
I figured most beers have rice in them anyways so this might be a similar alternative

If you were putting it in as part of the main ingredients and not the priming sugar then I can't think of a problem, it sounds just like liquid malt extract except with some rice. Hows the flavor? Hows the price compared to liquid malt extract? See how your attenuation goes and decide if you got the fermentables you wanted out of it I guess.

I tasted some stuff the other day a friend he called "kuromizu" which had a flavor similar to buckwheat honey. Could be used for some kinds of beers I suppose.

 

[srgwuggles]

It cost me avoid 180 yen for 265grams of the stuff, which is cheaper than regular liquid malt extract I would think. Plus you don't have to pay shipping(^-^)
Honestly the stuff tasted like liquid sugar or Molasses if I were to describe it. It was extremely sweet and sticky. I read the Japanese wiki for it and it said it used to be used for making alcohol in Japan (like in the editor period) but I was apprehensive to use it because I don't know how it'll affect the flavor.
Anyway I guess we'll see in about a month or so

 

[srgwuggles]

Edo period

 

[OppamaBrendan]

Quick question for everyone; is anyone going to the Advanced Brewing customers homebrewer meeting tomorrow? I am currently trying to decide if I should go due to the ticket price; a pub session in Yokohama I will be going to soon will be pretty steep.

 

[JiBiru8]

Quick question for everyone; is anyone going to the Advanced Brewing customers homebrewer meeting tomorrow? I am currently trying to decide if I should go due to the ticket price; a pub session in Yokohama I will be going to soon will be pretty steep.

I wish it went for longer than 2 hours. I don't know if I can drink 6 pints (to make it "worth" the ¥5,000 entry) without getting a little silly. Are a lot of people going (from the mailing list)?

 

[OppamaBrendan]

I don't know, I sent Chuwy a message to see if he knows. A few of the people I met last time are busy and wont be there. Even then, with an event on Monday for me I can't let myself get too messy. I am thinking maybe I will pass this one up and we could try to get a small meetup together from the HBT group at a later date?