Beer at home, easy or difficult?

"RedMan" a écrit dans le message de news:cblcrr$15i6$ snipped-for-privacy@otis.netspace.net.au...

Lots of kits use the term Lager when it shouldn't be used, a real lager use a different type of yeast that is made to work in colder temp. The yeast provided by Coopers for their lagers kits is the same that they provide for all kits, it only have the name in common whit a real lager unless you change yeast and make it at cooler temp.

As for the $4000 kit, i never said that it's a must for going all grain, it's like a BMW or a Ferrari, you don't need one to go from point A to B but if you ask how much it cost to go for A to B the answer is that it depends on what transport type you use, you can use a bus tiket or a BMW and the price will varry in consequence. The example of the $4000 kit was just to give perspective of how large the options where.

I know the brewer of an excellent brewpub around here and his receipes are elaborated and tested on top of his stove with basic and inexpensive material. Same thing with beers by Bièropholie, a french speaking website of beers lover who made some beers distributed locally (Calumet, IPA, Golding Pale Ale, Imperial Stout and Na Zdravy) who where brewed at professionnal outlet but elaborated on kitchen stove.

Altair, I actually think your signature says it all! I think Cooper's call their yeast Ale Yeast, but that is probably another misnomer. Cheers, Red

Sorry, my bad typing...try

---------->Denny

Thanks, I was aware of that...it _still_ doesn't make it correct, though!

I hope not to discourage new brewers, either, just to help them do it right! IIRC, the poster was talking about fermenting at 76F...i've certainly never made a batch of beer anywhere near that temp. that I'd consider worth drinking (outside of a couple Belgians). The poster should try something cheap and easy like ptting the fermenter in a tub of ice water...or maybe just develop a liking for the splitting headaches fermenting at that temp will produce! :)

"strict adherence to procedures and terms"...I just figure you might as well start off learning the correct things, so you can make beer good enough to get you excited about the hobby...I've run across too many people who didn't take the time to learn, then made crappy beer and gave it up. Besides, that way you don't have to "unlearn" anything and start over.

I love talking beer! Just tryin' to help!

----------->Denny

$18 a dozen here in New Brunswick Canada. Very cost effective.

The original poster has had lots of good advice but I'll throw in my two cents. My best advice would be to hook up with a local club. You can brew with someone else to learn all the tricks and you can usually pickup inexpensive equipment as other brewers upgrade.

As for the economy of home brewing it all depends on how much you drink. The break even point for me is about 1.5yrs. So like the others said, do it for the hobby.

Personally I'm into it for brewing beers that I can't purchase. One of my favorite beers is mac-and-jack brewed in seattle, wa. It isn't available in the bottle so my only choice is to drink it at $3-4/glass or learn to brew it myself.

Dave