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Question 1

What is Beer?

Accepted Answer

Ahhh…The Golden Nectar that finishes a day perfectly or is enjoyed amongst friends! We all love a beer but do you know what beer actually is and the history of how the beer came about? ….well, then read on! Beer is an alcoholic drink that is primarily brewed from malted Barley, Hops, Water and Yeast. In addition, other sources of fermentable carbohydrate (e.g. corn, wheat, rice) and other natural ingredients may be added to create different styles and flavours. Barley: Barley is to beer as grapes are to wine. It is the primary ingredient in making beer. Barley grains are low in fat and protein but rich in starch. Starch is the grain's food reserve that is made up of chains of sugar molecules. In nature this would feed the growing barley plant but in brewing we hijack the starch for a better purpose - to make beer! Malting starts the process of releasing the sugar and making it available for brewing. Brewers use specially selected varieties of barley that are particularly suited to being malted and making high quality beer. Hops: Hops are a vine-like plant that can grow to a height of over 6 meters. A little known fact is that hop's closest botanical relative is Cannabis! The cones of the hop plant contain resins and essential oils which give beer its distinctive bitterness, flavour and aroma. Hops are used in making beer like a spice would be used in cooking. They are typically picked in the late summer and then dried and compacted into pellets and vacuum packed in foil, like coffee, to preserve their freshness. Water: Good quality water is essential to the beer brewing process. The particular salts and minerals naturally dissolved in water in different regions of the world are particularly suited to brewing and that explains why traditionally you will find clusters of beer breweries together. Contrary to popular belief you cannot brew beer with distilled water or water that is low in salt in minerals as these are required by the yeast in the fermentation of the beer. Yeast: Yeast is a microscopic member of the fungus family. The Latin name for brewing yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae – which literally means "beer sugar yeast". Yeast grows on sugar with by-products being alcohol and carbon dioxide in a process called fermentation. Yeast also produces a vast array of flavour compounds and much of the subtlety of beer flavour comes from the yeast strain and the fermentation conditions. Brewers use different strains of yeast to produce the distinctive flavours of particular beers

Question 2

What Equipment do I need to Home Brew?

Accepted Answer

If you have found this page then it is likely you are interested in starting to make your own homebrew beer, cider or ginger beer. Starting out in the world of homebrewing can be confusing and a little daunting. The truth of the matter is making homebrew is very easy as long as you have the right equipment and follow some simple rules. The best thing about homebrewing is the equipment needed for a beginner is inexpensive and if looked after will last many years. Aussie Brewmakers is Australia’s leading Home Brew Starter Kit specialist. We sell starter kits in three levels (Basic, Deluxe and Premium) for Beer, Cider or Ginger Beer. These homebrew starter kits contain everything (except the bottles) to get your first brew underway, including the ingredients for your first batch. Full instructions are also included with the kits. Whether you are a beginner (Tin Kit or Hopped Extract Tin), Intermediate (Extract Brewing) or an Expert (All Grain Brewing) the equipment included in the starter kits is required for fermentation and bottling. Fitted Fermenter The fermenter needs to be at least 30L capacity as most Beer Kits are brewed to 23L and the headspace is needed so the foam caused during fermentation does not blow out the airlock. Fermenters need to be of food-grade material and need to be fitted with volume scales on the side, a temperature strip, an airlock and a tap with a sediment reducer. Cleaning / Sterilising Solution Every piece of equipment that comes into contact with your brew needs to be thoroughly cleaned and sterilised. Aussie Brewmakers recommends Stericlean which is 90% Alkali Salts and cleans / sterilisers in one action. Other popular cleaners/sterilisers include Sodium Metabisulphite, Phosphoric Sanitiser and Sodium Percarbonate. Paddle The paddle is used to dissolve the malts and sugars when making the wort. Heat Belt A heat belt or heat pad is used to warm the fermenter to maintain the optimum fermentation temperature in winter or if you live in a colder climate. Hydrometer A hydrometer is used to measure the specific gravity of your homebrew to ensure primary fermentation has been completed prior to bottling and to estimate your homebrew ABV (alcohol by volume). Little Bottler The Little Bottler attaches to the tap of a fermenter and is used to fill beer bottles without oxygenating the brew. Bench Capper A bench capper is used to cap beer bottles with crown seals. Hand cappers can also be used however, a bench capper reduces the risk of breaking bottles during the capping process. Consumables you will require for each brew include: A Beer, Cider or Ginger Beer Tin 1kg Fermentable sugars – typically Dextrose or wet / Dried Malts Crown seals for capping the bottles (60 if using 375ml ‘Stubbies’ or 30 if using 750ml ‘Long Necks’) Carbonation Drops or additional measured doses of Dextrose for secondary fermentation/carbonation in the bottle That is about it – there are many more gadgets and variations to the equipment listed above, however, what is listed is all you need!

Question 3

How to Make Beer, Cider or Ginger Beer

Accepted Answer

Making beer, cider or ginger beer at home is easy to do and is a great hobby! In addition to saving money over the commercial offerings, you can tailor your home brew to your own styles and tastes. Homebrewing beer, cider or ginger beer is easy however, there are a few things that you need to pay attention to for success: Cleaning and Sterilising – it is absolutely critical that all equipment and bottles are thoroughly cleaned and sterilised every time Take Your Time – do not rush the process! Fermentation takes time, both primary fermentation and secondary fermentation in the bottle. Do not rush these processes – especially the primary fermentation. If you bottle too early you will experience exploding bottles which is very dangerous and messy. Quality Ingredients – Only use quality ingredients like those stocked at Aussie Brewmakers. Stale malts, grains or tainted fermentable sugars, old yeasts etc. will not give you the best outcome. Below are our instruction manuals for making beer (via hopped extract tins), Cider and Ginger beer. These manuals are supplied with our starter kits and they will give you a great overview of the brewing process from start to finish. https://aussiebrewmakers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Beer-Home-Brew-Instruction-Manual-Deluxe_Premium_Ultra-Kit.pdf https://aussiebrewmakers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Cider-Home-Brew-Instruction-Manual-Deluxe_Premium_Ultra-Kit.pdf https://aussiebrewmakers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Ginger-Beer-Home-Brew-Instruction-Manual-Deluxe_Premium_Ultra-Kit.pdf

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