Home Brewing

[bigAl-sa]

Was gonna brew today but I am out of energy. I did some maintenance work on the taps since today I also had to keg my clone:

View attachment 11831

I bottled a litre of this 3.2% bitter. You know for posterity.

Did the posterity beer taste nice?

 

[GreGorGy]

Did the posterity beer taste nice?

Don't know yet - only bottled it today.

 

[biometrics]

22L Coopers Draught done, 19L in the keg and 3L in a jug.

 

[Papa Smurf]

Started working on my home distilling kit just before my trip to Singapore... decided to build most of it to avoid the expense of buying a still and to take advantage of some customizations that some youtube videos have suggested.

If you want to understand the entire process behind home distillation then I suggest watching videos from this youtube channel:

• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCatCieEI4cPNteKXzBomVMQ

I started with freeze distillation which has reliably produced a way to fairly easily make some strong booze without too much hassle, but it doesn't quite get to the level of store bought whisky, rum, etc. hence I decided to go down the path of building my own still.

I'm still missing a few things to wrap up the build; delayed as i'm travelling ATM... but I'm hopeful to produce something good before xmas; good thing is I have my own oak trees, so part of the experiment will be to use dried out cuttings from my own oak trees to impart some of the color and flavour to my distilled alcohols.

This was 5 months ago. Are you still in Singapore?

 

[biometrics]

This was 5 months ago. Are you still in Singapore?

Last seen: Dec 3, 2020

 

[Papa Smurf]

Last seen: Dec 3, 2020

Covid?
RIP

Wonder what happened to all his brewing gear?

 

[biometrics]

i buy from banggood all the time
from ordering to having it in my hand its about 18 days
no post office involved
once it gets here Buffalo Logistics will email me to pay them the 15% VAT and then about 3 days later its here

its R239.47
Shipping R53.92
import duty R4.79
Insurance R4.79
15% VAT as well
View attachment 4610

Been a while, finally placed my first Banggood order. Had to find this post of yours to make sure how it works.

A recent order from Amazon was shipped from Hong Kong using China Mail and ended up at my post office two months later and I had to pay the PO R30. So any order from Amazon, if it says shipping from China then they can forget it. Hoping South Africa Direct Mail works as you described. Really don't want to go to the PO again (had to go eventually and brave that long queue of grant recipients, though I didn't have to join the queue, I don't like crowds).

 

[Spizz]

My post office has closed now. I don’t know what happens to post but at least I won’t get my speeding fines anymore.

I’ve also been sent a parcel from the U.K. a couple of weeks ago which has tracking. God knows where it is and I’m having a hell of a time trying to get the tracking number from them.

 

[Papa Smurf]

Been a while, finally placed my first Banggood order. Had to find this post of yours to make sure how it works.

A recent order from Amazon was shipped from Hong Kong using China Mail and ended up at my post office two months later and I had to pay the PO R30. So any order from Amazon, if it says shipping from China then they can forget it. Hoping South Africa Direct Mail works as you described. Really don't want to go to the PO again (had to go eventually and brave that long queue of grant recipients, though I didn't have to join the queue, I don't like crowds).

No Post Office involved with Banggood.
The courier here in RSA called Buffalo Logistics handles it

 

[GreGorGy]

I have just bottled about 20L of stout - a can, not my grain recipe (which is still not good enough). At the end of this exercise, I now know why I prefer the keg. At least though I have some bottles to take somewhere if I need beer away from home.

 

[biometrics]

I have just bottled about 20L of stout - a can, not my grain recipe (which is still not good enough). At the end of this exercise, I now know why I prefer the keg. At least though I have some bottles to take somewhere if I need beer away from home.

Bottling puts a huge strain on my lower back. Been struggling with it for years. Kegging is soooo much easier.

 

[GreGorGy]

Bottling puts a huge strain on my lower back. Been struggling with it for years. Kegging is soooo much easier.

Ja - my knees can't take it. But I had help today.So help got 5L and me the rest

 

[biometrics]

Making this this weekend, will be adding the upper end of the 1-1.5kg DME recommendation.

 

[GreGorGy]

Making this this weekend, will be adding the upper end of the 1-1.5kg DME recommendation.

Mmmm - my kegs are running dry maybe I should do the same. Or maybe I should do an all grain, since it is long weekend and I do have the time I suppose.

 

[biometrics]

Mmmm - my kegs are running dry maybe I should do the same. Or maybe I should do an all grain, since it is long weekend and I do have the time I suppose.

I assume you have a room where the steam isn’t an issue? My study with my electronics isn’t a good space to do it in.

 

[GreGorGy]

I assume you have a room where the steam isn’t an issue? My study with my electronics isn’t a good space to do it in.

Ja - if it is sunny, I go outside if not I use my garage

 

[biometrics]

Brewed the Hefe Wheat can. Expired nine months ago so if it doesn't bubble by tomorrow I'll add new yeast. Learned that the hard way with the dead stout yeast last year that I ended up tossing.

 

[scudsucker]

Brewed the Hefe Wheat can. Expired nine months ago so if it doesn't bubble by tomorrow I'll add new yeast. Learned that the hard way with the dead stout yeast last year that I ended up tossing.

The first beer I made was one of those Coopers cans. It was very underwhelming.

The second was a partial mash - which is more work - but orders of magnitude better. And each one since then has got better and better. I'm keen to start on full mash but I do not have enough equipment yet.

Why stick with the cans? Reliability?

 

[biometrics]

The first beer I made was one of those Coopers cans. It was very underwhelming.

The second was a partial mash - which is more work - but orders of magnitude better. And each one since then has got better and better. I'm keen to start on full mash but I do not have enough equipment yet.

Why stick with the cans? Reliability?

I've got all the gear and supplies. But when I tried my first grain brew the steam was an issue in my study with my electronics. I'm going to add a roof to an outside structure, that will become the brew room. So for now, cans are ok.

 

[scudsucker]

I've got all the gear and supplies. But when I tried my first grain brew the steam was an issue in my study with my electronics. I'm going to add a roof to an outside structure, that will become the brew room. So for now, cans are ok.

I have an outside shed too: