As a self-proclaimed “beer nerd,” I’ve taken my fair share of dives into the frothy, hop-filled world of home brewing. From the first seductive whiff of malt to the last satisfying “pop” of a successfully capped brew, there’s a euphoria to the process that, dare I say it, rivals the taste of the final product. Yet, as any homebrewer worth their yeast will tell you, the journey from grain to glass can be as complex as a quadruple IPA. Enter Brewer’s Friend.
Anyone who’s tried homebrewing in many parts of Australia (I am in Queensland) knows it’s a battle against the elements. Scorching temperatures and stifling humidity can make it incredibly tough to maintain consistent fermentation temperatures. As any brewer will tell you, temperature control is key to producing quality beer. For a long time, I struggled with this, especially since I’m an extract brewer working without a dedicated temperature-controlled fridge. Enter the Cool Brewing Bag—a simple yet ingenious solution that has completely transformed my brewing experience.
When it comes to brewing, besides perfect sanitisation the other deciding factor is temperature. If your equipment is sanitised correctly, from the pot you boil in to the spoon you stir the mixture with the only thing you have to contend with is the temperature of your wort (especially during the initial fermentation stage). Depending on the style of beer you are making, your temperature will vary. One of the biggest problems I have as a homebrewer is cooling down the hot wort mixture before pitching my yeast.
When it comes to ale yeasts, most brewers will not look past the Safale US-05 yeast. As popular as it is, it is still relatively misunderstood in how it works and what the best practice is. I have been using the US-05 yeast for a long time now as I primarily brew IPA style beers. I always rehydrate my yeast in 110ml of water, the ratio is 10 times the weight of the packet contents in water.
Brewing with extract saves a heap of time and effort if you can’t afford the time and monetary investment in going the all-grain approach. The Coopers extract tins are fantastic, not only that but their website as a range of awesome recipes for using their cans, some even with inclusions of hops and additional cans of malt extract. If you are new to brewing or perhaps want to improve your kit brews a bit, here is what I have learned. I am definitely not an expert, I am an amateur like you, but I have put down enough of these Cooper’s kits to know what works and what doesn’t.
There is a lot of contention in the brewing community when it comes to cooling down your wort with ice. Yes, using ice can introduce contaminants if you go about it the wrong way. But ice can be the most cost efficient way to cool down your brew wort and fast as well. I am a hobbyist brewer and I just so happen to live in a tropical client here in Queensland, Australia. We get hot summers in the 30 – 40 Celsius range during summer, some parts even hotter. There is nothing like a nice cold glass of beer to drink to beat the heat.