Calling on the Hawkes Bay brewing fraternity!

[Max Ballbagz]

I'm relatively new to the bay and keen to establish a network with fellow Brewers in the area.

Does anyone know of any existing groups local to Havelock, Hastings, Napier etc.? Or are there any solo Brewers looking to share notes, knowledge, beers, brew days, recipes etc?

chur in advance!

Daniel

[Cain Harland]

I'm in Napier always keen to drink beer and talk about beer with fellow brewers.

[Fairlane]

There's a few of us around mate, check out this lot

I'm in Napier also and always keen to try someone else's efforts...

[Max Ballbagz]

Are you guys actively brewing and if so, at what level? Capacity wise etc?

[Cain Harland]

I'm doing 40L brews. Probably brew every second month lately so not as active as I would like.

[Harry]

Off topic but what do you use to ferment 40l batches? Im looking at increasing my capacity and the fermenters seem to be the chokepoint.

[Pierre Malan]

something like this

http://www.brewshop.co.nz/fermenting-barrel-60.html

[Harry]

Ah yes, now I remember it was the price that put me off not the availability.

[Sam DT]

Pick up some 50l kegs and a couple of orange plastic carboy caps and you'll be away laughing. Brewing in stainless for a fraction of the price, if you use blow off tubes you can even stack them - just make sure you have a racking cane when it comes time to empty.

[Cain Harland]

How do you get the clean when you can't get you arm in to scrub

[Sam DT]

I just give them a good blast out with a hose and then fill then with hot water and percarb and leave to soak for a few days to a week. Seems to do the trick, if you're worried you can also throw them on a burner and give them a boil but I've never bothered.

I've got a big glass demijohn which I give the same treatment and it allways cleans up nicely so I figure the same will happen inside the kegs.

[Cain Harland]

I got a 50l keg my grandad converted to a fermenter back in the day it has a threaded opening welded on the top and a half inch thread with ball valve at th bottom.

[Fairlane]

yip 50L of pilsner tomorrow for example..

working on being able to do much larger brews though..