Newby question - (first of many)

[Jitters Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jitters]

I had 3 pineapples going begging (started with 10), became obvious we were not going to get them down before they went off.
So having a still I I put 1.5 pine apples in each 20 lt bucket and 3.5 Kg suger to help it along. This is now bubbling happily.
A bit surprised as I thought I may battle with P/Apple.

Question is, when this lot has fermented, what do I make with it ?

Stook it and make mampoer? Otherwise that sounds like lockdown beer without enough pineapple.

[BruHaha Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BruHaha]

For someone starting the AG journey, how do you find something to brew that you'd like? May seem like a weird question but hear me out. I get pulling recipes off the net and making them... but 20l batches can be expensive in both time and money if it's not to your liking.

Is making smaller batches the answer; although that still seems like a lot of time/work for just a "taster".

Maybe a tasting afternoon somewhere? Any recommendations in the JHB area... but will they share the recipe?

[Andreas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andreas]

For someone starting the AG journey, how do you find something to brew that you'd like? May seem like a weird question but hear me out. I get pulling recipes off the net and making them... but 20l batches can be expensive in both time and money if it's not to your liking.

Is making smaller batches the answer; although that still seems like a lot of time/work for just a "taster".

Maybe a tasting afternoon somewhere? Any recommendations in the JHB area... but will they share the recipe?

An option is joining a homebrew club. Someone will have something interesting to taste.
Going to tastings work, so does drinking craft beer. You probably won't get the exact recipe but when you know what the style tastes like it is easy to play with it.
Option c - base wort, dry hop small batches with different hops, use different yeast ect.

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[jannieverjaar Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jannieverjaar]

I had the same question a while back. And one of the guys, either Jakes or jigsaw gave me great advice. And im just passing it on.

Start with a few blondes.

1) easy drinking not too much flavor (read not a hop bomb) so everyone from a castle to an Aeger drinker can enjoy it.
2) it will show you what you're doing wrong, there isnt big flavors to hide errors behind.
- mash to hot. You'll taste it! etc.
This will make you a better brewer overnight.
3 batches in and you can brew whatever you want.

As a PS. Some guys will disagree with me but the style guides overlap so much if you just add a bit of dry hop to a blonde you have a Pale ale. And that is most peoples go to brew for years

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[BruHaha Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BruHaha]

Thanks for the advice!

[Treeman Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Treeman]

I had 3 pineapples going begging (started with 10), became obvious we were not going to get them down before they went off.
So having a still I I put 1.5 pine apples in each 20 lt bucket and 3.5 Kg suger to help it along. This is now bubbling happily.
A bit surprised as I thought I may battle with P/Apple.

Question is, when this lot has fermented, what do I make with it ?

********************
Let me try again.
I had 3 pineapples going begging (started with 10), became obvious we were not going to get them down before they went off.
So having a still I I put 1.5 pine apples in each 20 lt bucket and 3.5 Kg suger to help it along. This is now bubbling happily.
A bit surprised as I thought I may battle with P/Apple.

Question is, when this lot has fermented, what do I make with it ?

[groenspookasem Banned Find all posts View Profile Close groenspookasem]

********************
Let me try again.
I had 3 pineapples going begging (started with 10), became obvious we were not going to get them down before they went off.
So having a still I I put 1.5 pine apples in each 20 lt bucket and 3.5 Kg suger to help it along. This is now bubbling happily.
A bit surprised as I thought I may battle with P/Apple.

Question is, when this lot has fermented, what do I make with it ?

This is South Arfica - so it'll be brandy. You could also make some pineapple liqueur, should be tasty. You can use pineapple bits and soak it in your distillate or dilute your distillate down with pineapple juice? Actually sounds refreshing for summer

[Treeman Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Treeman]

Please do superficially talk me through how you would go about the brandy.

[Langchop Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Langchop]

For someone starting the AG journey, how do you find something to brew that you'd like? May seem like a weird question but hear me out. I get pulling recipes off the net and making them... but 20l batches can be expensive in both time and money if it's not to your liking.

Is making smaller batches the answer; although that still seems like a lot of time/work for just a "taster".

Maybe a tasting afternoon somewhere? Any recommendations in the JHB area... but will they share the recipe?

If you aren't yet completely familiar with the common styles and what tickles your fancy, I would definately start off with craft beer... At a craft brewery. Most of them have taster boards where you get small glasses of 4 or 5 variants. Most breweries do the same typical set of styles in their range. In fact just up the road in Kya Sands there are two breweries in the same office park and I think they have once monthly joint open days. Agars and OC Brewery I think it is?

[BruHaha Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BruHaha]

If you aren't yet completely familiar with the common styles and what tickles your fancy, I would definately start off with craft beer... At a craft brewery. Most of them have taster boards where you get small glasses of 4 or 5 variants. Most breweries do the same typical set of styles in their range. In fact just up the road in Kya Sands there are two breweries in the same office park and I think they have once monthly joint open days. Agars and OC Brewery I think it is?

Ah excellent... very closeby.

Will reach out to them. Thanks!

[groenspookasem Banned Find all posts View Profile Close groenspookasem]

Please do superficially talk me through how you would go about the brandy.

oof, i've never made brandy, too sweet for me. The process is the same as whiskey though. there's a distilling thread on here somewhere which outlines the process for a potstill and reflux still. you'd definitely use a potstill for the brandy. the trick would be in the aging and charring of your french oak.

[Langchop Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Langchop]

Ah excellent... very closeby.

Will reach out to them. Thanks!

And in other news... my wife lets me out of the cage on some Fridays.

[Treeman Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Treeman]

Today I popped the first on my 7th batch of beer, and for the first time I can say I made a faultless beer - not its perfect,best beer ever, just it has no after taste or off notes.
The beer is by luck right up my taste street, light in taste with a hops after note.
Strangely enough I learnt that i like hops in my beer thats as close as possible to the way it smells, I do not know if that makes sense. I like the green taste.
How do you get the hops more to the taste front, my common sense tells me add it later in process ?, at moment it goes in early and boils half hour.
If I add hops at end of boil and let it stand, will that hops green taste smell be stronger ?

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

Yes, add some of it later or after boil and let it stand (whirlpool) ... you could even add some as a dry-hop

[Langchop Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Langchop]

Definately agree with the dry hop. You will probably love a saaz pilsner too though I reckon