Where there is no homebrew store...

[nicoleg]

Hi, I have previously done a few all grain brews and some ciders.
However I recently moved to a tiny Caribbean island, where there is no homebrew store!
There is a lot of tropical fruit (banana, mangos, guavas, limes), sugar, and bread yeast available, and that is pretty much it.
Not really any local grains grown, though at great expense I can get imported oats, rice, etc. Also I can get imported apples, apple juice & orange juice but I would like to use local produce if possible.

I have an airlock and was thinking of using a 4 L water bottle as a fermenter.

I don't have a gravity meter, sterliser, or bottle caps. I do have bleach and lots of plastic bottles of various sizes however.

Any suggestions on what to do in terms of trying to brew something?
I was thinking of trying to cultivate some wild yeast but all the recipes I have seen require a malt extract which I can't get here.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Nicole

 

[Jasper18]

If you're in the Caribbean I'd say switch to Rum

 

[OswaldvW]

How about making meads (melomels) using honey and all the fresh fruit? Some results from studies indicate that bread yeast makes pretty tasty meads.

 

[ChelisHubby]

If you're in the Caribbean I'd say switch to Rum

Maybe wine?

 

[ncbrewer]

Wine should work - fruit wine is good. I know people who use bread yeast for wine with good results. Some make wine and just wash glassware with dish soap - no sanitizer - no problems with infection. A hydrometer for gravity would be helpful, but probably not necessary.

 

[Jaybird]

If you're in the Caribbean I'd say switch to Rum

Ha HA Ha HA ...You were reading my mind! I know, I know.."EASY READ"

Cheers
Jay

 

[Jasper18]

:d

 

[noefite]

Try living in Alaska! I have to go in with other home brewers in my area and order supplies by the pallet load. I have 100 pounds of 2 row in my garage now. Shipping rates are outrageous here. Most of the brewing supply stores think we are a foreign country!

 

[Sailingeric]

What island? I am going to sailing down there in a couple weeks, might have to do a beer exchange if you are in the path.

 

[RM-MN]

Try living in Alaska! I have to go in with other home brewers in my area and order supplies by the pallet load. I have 100 pounds of 2 row in my garage now. Shipping rates are outrageous here. Most of the brewing supply stores think we are a foreign country!

Talk to me about state income tax. My wife and I paid $5000 in state income tax. That would pay for a lot of shipping. The info I have says you pay no income tax.

 

[MeanLowerLow]

What island? I am going to sailing down there in a couple weeks, might have to do a beer exchange if you are in the path.

Where are you sailing Eric? Do you have a boat in Oregon as well? I'm a sailor down here in SF Bay... my wife and I chartered a 39ft Beneteau in the BVIs in 2014 for our Honeymoon and loved it!

 

[Sailingeric]

Where are you sailing Eric? Do you have a boat in Oregon as well? I'm a sailor down here in SF Bay... my wife and I chartered a 39ft Beneteau in the BVIs in 2014 for our Honeymoon and loved it!

I am sailing from Antigua to Grenada on a friend's Beneteau 456 that he and his wife have down there for part time cruising. I currently in boatless in Oregon

 

[MeanLowerLow]

Ha so you're the smart kind of sailor... The kind that has friends with boats

 

[jsguitar]

Are there any breweries at all? You might be able to purchase through them if there are. Worth a shot anyway.

 

[noefite]

Talk to me about state income tax. My wife and I paid $5000 in state income tax. That would pay for a lot of shipping. The info I have says you pay no income tax.

As of right now, we aren't paying income tax. The price of oil is so low right now that we may be going to an income or sales tax soon. Property taxes can get you, but there are ways around that, if you don't mind living outside of major towns. Just research the town before you move here.

 

[bobeer]

Where does the wheat come from to make bread with? I'd look into that and try and get some unmilled by whomever you can talk to.

You can look into Chicha too. It's made from germinated corn. It's not beer but it is fermented
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicha

Keep us posted on what you come up with!

 

[nicoleg]

Thanks for all of your tips everyone!
I am in St. Lucia.
There is 1 small brewery here, I will check with them on where they get their hops, otherwise there is a Henekein owned factory but they operate on such a big scale I don't think they'd be interested in providing supplies to home brewers.

The flour comes from Barbados or Trinidad pre-milled.

There is local corn, but the wine or mead options sound better.
However most of the recipes seem to require all sorts of special ingredients?

And yes the rum is good, but I want to do my own fermenting, and I don't really feel ready to try distilling!

 

[noefite]

Talk to me about state income tax. My wife and I paid $5000 in state income tax. That would pay for a lot of shipping. The info I have says you pay no income tax.

No income tax, but each city has their own sales tax and property tax. And our current budget just limited our annual PFD to $1000. A substantial cut to our bottom line.