Home Brewing / Micro Brewery / My own beer

[SukkaFoo]

Ah, the old "home brewing will save me money" approach.
A lie I'm still telling myself, one year later...

Hahahahaha touche. I reckon my brother and I must have spent somewhere around R20k on equipment alone in the last 3 years. But it is TOTALLY worth every cent. The beauty of this hobby is even though the first few beers you make will be cr@p, you'll love it and cherish it cos you made it. But once you get on top of the process and start to really make decent beer, man oh man, that's an incredible experience.

 

[Gothan]

Ah, the old "home brewing will save me money" approach.
A lie I'm still telling myself, one year later...

Jip my wife also wants to know when it's actually going to become cheaper

 

[BigAl-sa]

Agree with the previous posters. Ingredients are relatively cheap, but the equipment can be expensive. But then so is the equipment used in most hobbies - try golf

 

[Ripstorm]

By the way - who has the cheapest ingredients in the CPT region? Beerguevara?

 

[Necropolis]

Try them or www.beerlab.co.za

 

[Ripstorm]

Try them or www.beerlab.co.za

Thanks!

I've already tried my 1st ale (Coopers real ale) only 2 days after bottling. I know, I need to wait at least 2 weeks but I couldn't help myself.
Already tastes amazing!

 

[MongooseMan]

Nice. If you are in the CT region, definitely make a plan to come along to a Southyeasters meeting. The next one is on 14 may at the devils peak taproom.
It's a "people's choice" competition, which essentially means you get to taste a bunch of people's home brewed beer for free, and vote on your favourite.

 

[MongooseMan]

By the way - who has the cheapest ingredients in the CPT region? Beerguevara?

I think BG and Beerlab are similarly priced. One big difference is that BG will sell you grain "pro-rata", whereas Beerlab only sell in kilogram units.

 

[Necropolis]

Nice I didn't know BG did that...

 

[MongooseMan]

Nice I didn't know BG did that...

Yeah, very useful when you want 200g of Patent Black

 

[acidrain]

Ye i also noticed that at BG. Thought they were the same as beerlab and when I went to pick up the stuff they were like "We can sell you 150g if thats all you need"

At least now I know.

The only problem I have with BG is parking unless theres another entrance besides main road :/

Will be a good while before I brew again though seeing as I just bottled 3 brews over the weekend... now what to do with 110 bottles of booze.

 

[MongooseMan]

The only problem I have with BG is parking unless theres another entrance besides main road :/

There's a parking lot around the corner, the guards are just sometimes a bit thick and don't let you in.
Here: http://goo.gl/7uO0Nh (it's changed since the streetview was taken, it's now a proper tarred parking lot )
Free on weekdays, R10 on Saturday (coz of Biscuit Mill traffic)

 

[Dimpie (COMPUTEK)]

Ah, the old "home brewing will save me money" approach.
A lie I'm still telling myself, one year later...

LOL

 

[GrootP]

Will be a good while before I brew again though seeing as I just bottled 3 brews over the weekend... now what to do with 110 bottles of booze.

PM me and I will gladly sort that problem for you dude!

 

[Ripstorm]

I bought 3 crates of empty quarts last week. R25 per crate (plastic crate included) at my local liquor store.
So much cheaper than paying R3 - R4 per empty 440ml that the local brew shops charge!

Only downside is having to hand beer out to my mates. Instead of giving 440ml away at a time, I now give 750ml away

 

[Necropolis]

I got very selfish with my beer very quickly

 

[MongooseMan]

I bought 3 crates of empty quarts last week. R25 per crate (plastic crate included) at my local liquor store.
So much cheaper than paying R3 - R4 per empty 440ml that the local brew shops charge!

Only downside is having to hand beer out to my mates. Instead of giving 440ml away at a time, I now give 750ml away

There are places in Cape Town that give away 500ml bottles in exchange for a bit of homebrew. B&U in town, for example.

 

[Ripstorm]

There are places in Cape Town that give away 500ml bottles in exchange for a bit of homebrew. B&U in town, for example.

Awesome, didn't know that.
Looks like it's me and Brewers&Union this weekend

 

[MongooseMan]

Awesome, didn't know that.
Looks like it's me and Brewers&Union this weekend

Just email them first and ask nicely, and generally they'll keep a few boxes aside for you.

Be nice and don't spoil it for everyone (not directed at you, just people in general )

 

[GrootP]

I bought 3 crates of empty quarts last week. R25 per crate (plastic crate included) at my local liquor store.
So much cheaper than paying R3 - R4 per empty 440ml that the local brew shops charge!

Only downside is having to hand beer out to my mates. Instead of giving 440ml away at a time, I now give 750ml away

When I started brewing I collected 440ml Windhoek Draught bottles from the recycle bin at Makro.
It was a BIG job to clean but now it is not to bad if you give away some.
I use the Sedibeng Brewery crates (Amstel/Guinness) that takes 16 x 750ml also from Makro @ R11.00 each and the Windhoek 440ml dummies fits perfectly.