Gidady Tony, can't make it to Galbraiths tonight but thanks very much for the invite!

Would love to, but it's my wife's birthday so I'm afraid I have to decline. Thanks for thinking of me - some other time, definitely.

Excellent news - I'll try and give him a call.

9 sugarloaf road
brooklyn
wellington

and yours? i have a stout i could you too....

ok, cool. once it arrives maybe what i will do is use the same box to get something in the post return - that way you get your box back!

Hi Tony - Saturday's visit to Hallertau looms large! My wife is giving me a lift across and will come and retrieve me when we're done. However we will probably go across early and have lunch (to keep my 6-year old entertained) so I don't know how this will work for you in terms of ride-sharing? We're up in Browns Bay but could cruise down the Shore to get you if necessary.

Drop me an email (martin dot bridges at gmail dot com).

And if you're free on Friday night I'm having birthday drinks at Galbraiths from about 6.30pm.

tony
got the beer this morning - am going to let it settle before trying it though (i'm assuming it is bottled conditioned - ?) - i think the postie left it upside down!

was off work today and pulled out all the stops and made two beers. first just an easy drinker helles lager, and just now have put the pot of altbier in the bath to cool.
thanks for the beer - will get one in the post to you soon.
Ed

Hi tony
drank your beer on the weekend - very nice. i found it a touch acidic at first, but as it breathed it mellowed within 2 or 3 minutes to be very smooth indeed. had a nice undertone of malt without being too heavy, and given it was 6 and a bit percent was very drinkable indeed! only thing is whether it could stand even more oats perhaps, just for that total silky experience. well done and thanks. your box is sitting next to my bed waiting for me to get my a into g and go to the post office.

Thanks Tony - yeh, check out my favourite brewery on my home page!
I guess you didn't make it down to Beervana? I missed it to but it was great for my Yeastie partner Sam to get thrown into the thick of the action there. I'll let you know if we get it out to Hallertau. Hopefully we can organise a free taste for SOBA members (it might convince you to finally put your signature on a cheque, ya bugger!).
Hope your brewing is going well.

hi tony
the recipe is here - no 49 on the list
http://www.countybeermakers.org.uk/oldbeers/book2-list.php

Hopefully soon, I joined SOBA when entering some beers in the NHC.

I'm in Mt Wellington.

hi tony
thanks for those comments
did you give it a reasonably rough pour? i found that if i poured it too gently it just doesn't produce a head but if i do it roughly then it throws a good head which fades slowly before disappearing about 3/4 through the pint. but then maybe it is also getting old too....

i used wyeast 1338 which was a bad choice - it's a good yeast in terms of producing a good carbonation (generally) but it has some inappropriate aromas for this type of beer. i was lead astray by wyeast information which talked about it being good for 'brown ales and porters'......it was quite low in carbonation which is my usual style for english beers, but as i say, i tend to pour quite roughly (into the centre of the glass from a decent height!).

Thank's Tony. I don't brew lagers - I'm an Ale snob haha.

Thank's for the offer thou and when I next get some fresh liquids I'll let you know. I do have a Weihenstephen 3068 with which I'm going to attempt a Weizenbock. Probably won't be for a couple of month's thou as I want Melanoiden malt. Is that of interest to you?

Good luck with your Mild. I'm away on holiday for a couple of weeks, so if I don't respond promptly that's why

Cheers

Absolutely mate! This is the first mild I've brewed, so not sure how it'll be, therefore no promises on the quality! However, more than happy to do a swap. I'll keg it next weekend and then force carb it for a few days. I can bottle a few for you after that.

Geez us - 1.065!? Yea, that probably is more towards a strong brown or similar. I'm certainly keen on tasting that when she's ready. I was a bit worried with mine as the fermentation temp got a bit high for my liking the first couple of days. However, since the weather has cooled off here in Welly it's down to 17 - 18, more of what I was after.

I've been lucky to never have a stuck fermentation, so wouldn't even know what to do. Do you just wait or is there something you can do?

Cheers - that'll be good times! I'm doing the Kumeu Festival - but thought hard about the waiheke trip!

I'll give you a call!

Will do, happy to help in any way i can
email me here if you like jameskemp3@yahoo.co.nz

Yep Leaving for Whakatane next week, gonna be shit of a drive.

G'day. I just bottled the mild from the keg last weekend. I ended up drinking about half of it out of the keg (I was supposed to be giving it to a mate). I've set a bottle aside for you - let me know your address details and I'll post it to you.

It came up really quaffable, a bit thin on the mouthfeel, but d*mn nice drinking! I made another batch on Sunday adding a wee bit more crystal and a bit of chocolate malt.

Happy to give it a try! I'll get you to send it to my work address (the dog tends to tear open any packages left by the front door at home). Send it to:

ATTN: Nolen Smith
Flexible Learning Network
Level 4
150-154 Willis St
Wellington

I'll get the Mild posted to you tomorrow hopefully.

Mate, got your bottle of Mild boxed up. I'll post it before I head home today.

Cheers,
Nolen

Glad it made it. I had been meaning to post it all week, so when the Post Shop asked if I wanted to overnight it, I decided WTF and paid the few extra bucks.

Keen to know what you think. I brewed another batch last weekend which I transfered to secondary on Sunday. The only difference between this one and the one I sent you is that I added a bit more Crystal and a wee bit of Chocolate Malt.

Glad you liked it. I wasn't over impressed when I first tasted it, but it has grown on men quite a bit. It is definitely a quaffer and I've managed to quaff most of it already. Yea, the nose is very subtle; too subtle. I re-brewed it two weeks ago with a few small changes, will keg this weekend - we'll see.

Your brown ale was waiting for me on my desk when I arrived this morning - awesome! I've put it in the fridge here in the office and will crack it open before I head home this evening.

Cheers!

G'day. I finally got a chance to open up your Brown Ale last night. I even shared a bit with my girlfriend. It had a really nice malty flavour, however I should have let it settle a bit more, the yeast was thoroughly mixed in the beer, which was evident in the taste - but I was too keen to give it a try. I thought the carbonation level was a bit over powering for the style, but my girlfriend preferred it (she thinks mine are too "flat"). We both really enjoyed it and found it WAY too easy to drink for the alcohol level!!. ... I wanted to keep drinking after that. Very nice - thanks for sending it!!

Hey Tony,
Hop Rhizome posted via couriermail thingy. Hopefully it'll be with you toute de suite. Racked my Half Nelson IPA. Sauvin hops are interesting aren't they?

used carefully they are pretty amazing! not an expert myself, but can only say they have a real full-on character that e.g. Goldings can only aspire to.

Maybe call into my work as I have a disc here.

How did you find those notes?

Beers that you left me for Tasting. Both bottle conditioned.
Pilsiner? - highly carbonated.Good compact head.Sulphury aroma with slight grassy herbly hop. Flavour, taste like it was fermented to high, alcohol is fusal, also a bit of yeast stress. Malt/bitterness balance good.Overall Just tastes like it was fermented to high and the beer has suffered.
Amber ?, Chocolate brown colour with meduim head,aroma of chocolate,maybe some munich? and crystal. Flavour chocolate,crystal, again tastes hot, with fusal alcohol. Good malt/bitterness balance, just seems like the fermentation got out hand with the fermentation temperature.
Not sure if I am right with your fermentation temperture, either that or your yeast selection isn't quite right or healthy.
Hope my comments are not putting you off, as I know how hard it is controlling a small system.

They both taste like the ferment went through to fast and at to higher temperature, ie thats were the fusal alcohols come in and the yeast stress in the lager, apart from that they are nicely balanced.

Cheers!

First weekend I have something on the Saturday evening. Then I'll probably have something on the 20/21st as it is both my folks birthdays that week. Weekend lunchtime ales are generally pretty good as my boys usually sleep for a couple of hours then. Would be great to catch up. By the last weekend we could drink some Pot Kettle Black!

Gidday mate - no worries. That's a good choice. Had a great time each of the last few times I've been in Chch... and I've still not met the Chch realbeer boys (even though i told them to come along and say hello the last time we were at The Twisted hop). Hopefully I'll be down again before the year is out (or up your way).

Cheers mate. Good to catch up with you. Keep brewin that stout. Flick me an email with your address sometime and I'll fire you up some of that beer with the "cranberry" hops. I'll send up some that I've bottled from the keg so there'll be no sediment.

Yep arrived yesterday and drank last night. Lovely, strong balanced, with honey overtones. Slightly depressing as my bitter's no where near as good. How did you get the honey? or did you dope the bottle with barley sugar? Good stuff anyway. What did you use the weetbix for?

And thanks!

As I said,I prefer it a bit flatter. It was a nice pint.
How long have you been brewing?

Hey Tony, I noticed you were using Wyeast. I'm still using the dried yeast I brought from the UK. are you growing on starters? maybe you could give me your pearls of wisdom..

Hey Tony, got into BoQ for a quick beer only, that place is pretty good! Unfortunately work colleagues, meetings, and seminars kept me busy, so missed out on Galbraiths...

Thanks Tony. Don't have a clue about any of this but very keen to learn. Looking forward to getting stuck into making my first brew.

18-21st November? I'm sure I can fit something in! I've got a hunting course around there sometime, but that's the w/e I think.brewing? no. Got an infection. 4 brews down the drain! Buying new fermenters this weekend though! Yes if you can manage it, I'd love some yeast to practice on

Hello Tony, I've done everything that you've mentioned!
I clean first with acidified bleach. That's a usually fatal for bugs cleaner. Good going over with a non-abrasive kitchen scourer and soak in the bleach for an hour. then rinse repeatedly with water than a soak in starsan. Both the bleach and the starsan get run through the tap. The brewing course I went on recommended that if you get the slightest suggestion of an infection chuck out the plastic, and I'm loathed to disagree with the professional brewer that taught me. That said, I don't pretend to know everything and I'm looking forward to the chance to watch others brew (I've had JT and Chris from Titahi Bay round to mine to brew). Looking to go gas soon too as I have an electric boiler...have to get it past the finance committee though!

Martin not Dan ;o) Yeah i think the price of my beer is largely dictated by the cost of electricity! And in NZ that mean $$$$. In the UK, most use electric as it is pretty cheap. Also had some exciting moments with melting plugs since coming to NZ

Yes I think it is more efficient. The odd thing is the scarcity of decent burners in this country. Or the high prices for them! There's a greater choice and better price to be had in the UK, where cooking outdoors on a burner/turkey fryer is something you can maybe do once a year :o). When I go gas, I shall be buying a burner over there and having it shipped

Hi Tony,
I,m based out in east Tamaki at the new Lion brewery.

Each to thier own.

Hi Tony,
I deleted the comments not because of thier nature, but because of my mild OCD.lol. (I hate lol but don't know smiley's).I like a tidy homepage, I even used to stack my aftershave in order of height. So don't worry I wasn't offended by anything said.
In my role at Lion I am a technical brewer for the group and part of that role is to increase beer appreciation as a whole. Personally, beer is my pasison. I have done a degree at Heriot Watt in Edinburgh in Brewing and Distilling, so its a lifestyle choice as much as job.
On the process side I,m not sure were the rumour came from of continuouse fermentation because Lion haven't carried that out since the 70's. All the brew's are now batch fermented.
As far as our beers go I know alot of the people on here don't appreciate them, but on the other side of the coin there are alot of people that won't drink a really hoppy beer, hence my comment "each to their own". In general I feel that beer is something that should be enjoyed socially with some good banter. So hopefuly see you up at the Hallertau Homebrew contest. Just did my brew and I,ve pleasently suprised myself! Might even suprise some other people too, you never know eh?

The thing is we're all just a bunch of nerds but instead of trainspotting or star wars, its beer!