Belgian Ales, Weissbiers, Kolsch

MagooMan · Post by **MagooMan** » Sunday May 14, 2006 5:40 pm

Hi everyone...
I've just gotten back into homebrewing after a long break. Have promised myself that I will switch to glass bottles and be more adventurous with tweaking kits with extra ingredients. I work at Dan Murphy's so I have developed a taste for the above beers...HOW DO I MAKE EM????!!!
Can I buy straight kits for these styles or do have to use a converter. My favourite belgians are Gouden Carolus, Hoegaarden Grand Cru and Forbidden Fruit, Duvel, Kwak, Bush and Tremens. My fave German wheat beers are Weihenstephaner and Schofferhoffer. Would also be interested to know if anyone has had any luck making a Kolsch..love this german pale ale.

P.S Has anyone from Brissie been to the HBS at wacol? is it any good?

mr beer · Post by **mr beer** » Sunday May 14, 2006 6:09 pm

u work at a bottelo shurly you can get these beers cheaper than brew price

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Sunday May 14, 2006 6:23 pm

Surely the reason people invest in home brew is because it's cheaper than buying commercial, or from microbreweries.

As I recall, Dan Murphys employees get a tiny discount (5%?) - and despite their cheap prices, beer would still be way more expensive to buy than to brew. If he worked for a brewery however... that might be a different story

But regarding the recipes... sorry, can't help u Magoo. Maybe when I've had a few extra brews under my belt..

Best of luck with it though.

pharmaboy · Post by **pharmaboy** » Sunday May 14, 2006 6:48 pm

+Mr magoo, its all about the yeast, you can get a muntons belgian ale kit from HBS, add a morgans dark crystal 1kg malt, a 1.5kg amber malt and add the yeast of your choice from wyeast and ferment at 24 or so.

The kolsch is about the yeast as well, I've actually cheated with a kolsch and just used a blackrock whispering wheat, 1kg LDME from muntons and saf s-33 - gives that slightly fruity hit that I like from kolsch's - although different kolschs are all pretty different. there uis a specific yeast available from wyeast.

Wheats are the easiet to do from kits - I use the coopers wheat, add .5kg LDME, and .5kg dried wheat extract (again from muntons), brew with a good yeast the wyeast 3068 seems about the most popular for the german heffeweizen style - you can make better than the originals IMO.

Grand Cru - phew - I have had a go and it didnt work, others have been more successful. - you will need to go towards partial mash to have much of a chance though.

stevem · Post by **stevem** » Sunday May 14, 2006 8:13 pm

You could try some of these kits from Grain and Grape:

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/kits_brewferm.htm

I have not tried them so I cannot comment.

The Carbonator · Post by **The Carbonator** » Sunday May 14, 2006 9:43 pm

Ive tried 3 of the Brewferm Belgian kits, and the Diablo is the best ive tasted.

But yeah, you need a good yeast.
Ive been using white labs viles. Ask your HBS guy.

Ive had a crack at a duvel style beer - used a pilsner kit, light malt, and dex.
It turned out just under 9%, and tasted alright.

It will be a long way until I can brew something as good as duvel though.

Good luck mate. Lets us know how you go.

mr beer · Post by **mr beer** » Sunday May 14, 2006 9:46 pm

nah
working at a bottalo im shure u can get a better discount, a mate of mine who shal remain unnamed used to sell me 2 slabs of whatever even mixed drinks, and only scan a sixpack, or even just a stubby. Ive only got into brewing since ive mooved to melb. as paying 30-40$ a slab is not healthy, and homebrew does taste better

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Monday May 15, 2006 5:31 am

mr beer wrote:nah
working at a bottalo im shure u can get a better discount, a mate of mine who shal remain unnamed used to sell me 2 slabs of whatever even mixed drinks, and only scan a sixpack, or even just a stubby. Ive only got into brewing since ive mooved to melb. as paying 30-40$ a slab is not healthy, and homebrew does taste better

I think "shall remain unnamed" illustrates the difference between 'employee discount' and 'stealing from the office'.

ACTbrewer · Post by **ACTbrewer** » Monday May 15, 2006 10:10 am

NTRabbit wrote:
I think "shall remain unnamed" illustrates the difference between 'employee discount' and 'stealing from the office'.

I don't brew because it's cheaper, because it really isn't that much cheaper. especially when you factor in all your time and effort. Unless you are using sugar and a woollies kit, I think brewing is about enjoying the process and the expectation as much as enjoying a finished product that you created.

drtom · Post by **drtom** » Monday May 15, 2006 10:24 am

ACTbrewer wrote:Unless you are using sugar and a woollies kit, I think brewing is about enjoying the process and the expectation as much as enjoying a finished product that you created.

I'll drink to that!

Tom

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Monday May 15, 2006 11:59 am

ACTbrewer wrote:... I think brewing is about enjoying the process and the expectation as much as enjoying a finished product that you created.

Here here.

Cheers,
Greg

velophile · Post by **velophile** » Monday May 15, 2006 1:00 pm

ACTbrewer wrote:
NTRabbit wrote:
I think "shall remain unnamed" illustrates the difference between 'employee discount' and 'stealing from the office'.

I don't brew because it's cheaper, because it really isn't that much cheaper. especially when you factor in all your time and effort. Unless you are using sugar and a woollies kit, I think brewing is about enjoying the process and the expectation as much as enjoying a finished product that you created.

There are 2 types of homebrewers. Those that want cheap beer & those that want good beer.

Luckily you can make good beer cheaper.