new and ready to brew!

dj_jaimej · 2025-03-10T08:57:46+0000

Hello folks, total newbie here! Have been browsing the forums a bit recently while getting ready to jump into the world of home-brew. Hoping to initially use the forum as a resource for all my newbie questions (apologies in advance), hopefully as time goes on and i become a bit more learned myself i'll be able to contribute and help others along their journey.

I'm a lager lover at heart, not actually into too much variation to be honest, love a consistent tasty lager... my go to beers are Moretti, Perone, stella, kronenberg etc... nothing to fancy there.

The reason i'm getting into home-brew is that I live in the republic of ireland where minimum pricing is an absolute killer for those who like to enjoy a few beers every evening in the house, with 24 cans costing no less than 40 euros, buying a 6 pack can of still will be about 15 euros, so i've decided to stick it to the man and brew my own.

I'm starting off by fermenting under pressure to see how i go, primarily because of the quick turnaround times. It's not exactly been cheap, but hopefully it will be worth it in the long run.

Equipment;

brewing kettle - 35L Klarstein mash kettle - £200 with discount code on their website
30L fermzilla all rounder - from GETERBREWED who have been an excellent resource also on my start-up journey
fermentation chamber - 198L Chest freezer (Logik) from curry's €199. Was going to go with the ferminator enclosure but i felt like i would have more longevity and better response (for heating/cooling) times with a chest freezer
for heating i have a slate on the bottom with an 8w reptile heating pad
for cooling i have the freezer itself
for control I'm using an ink bird wifi controller
i also have a fan inside the freezer to keep the air moving and hopefully keep the temperatures more constant

plus all the other bits and bobs.

already had a few hurdles to cross which i'm hoping to share my experiences and feedback in other areas of the forum.

dj_jaimej · 2025-03-10T09:00:20+0000

dj_jaimej · 2025-03-10T09:01:15+0000

in the 'chamber'

Rwilts · 2025-03-10T09:21:59+0000

Welcome.

Tongue In Cheek · 2025-03-10T10:04:16+0000

Welcome, glad to have you. Happy to answer questions - it gives us more chances to talk about something we all love!

Chippy_Tea · 2025-03-10T10:50:30+0000

I'm a lager lover at heart, not actually into too much variation to be honest, love a consistent tasty lager... my go to beers are Moretti, Perone, stella, kronenberg etc... nothing to fancy there.

Welcome to the forum and your new hobby.

Back in the day i only drank lager i did try real ale but didn't like the strong taste, due to health issues i had to stop and with advice from forum members moved to beers like Bishops Finger and Old Speckled Hen (see below) and i was amazed at the different taste to the ones i had tried years before, i have now tried most types of beer and am glad i made the switch, i don't want to sound like a beer snob but it would be a shame if you bought all that kit just to make lager when there are so may recipes and advice here on how to make other beers.

Bishops Finger - Fashioned on a firm, fruity foundation of Crystal malt, this rich, ruby-coloured Kent classic belies its burly appearance with a complexity of flavour. Mouth-filling fruit, prunes, plums and dried apricot spiked with palate-prickling pepper, cinnamon and a soft bitter blood-orange finish

Old Speckled Hen - A high proportion of Crystal malt in Old Speckled Hen provides the key toffee/caramel flavour. The yeast used to ferment the beer provides the other key character - estery or banana/pear drop. This estery note provides the fruity and refreshing balance. The hops used add a palate cleansing herbal note and very slight orange citrus. A very malty, full bodied and warming ale.