[nifta]

Terribly important subject :)

Any homebrewers in NZ? I'm sure there are - I know I've seen the subject mentioned on here before... :) How easy is it to get ingredients/equipment?

I'll be bringing my boiler, fermenter, and kegs. I'm unsure about my coil immersion chiller - I have no idea how to get all the water out before shipping?! :confused:

Anything else that I'd be better off getting here in the UK and shipping over rather than trying to find there?
:cheers

[sophiedb]

Watching this thread :) Hubby's bringing most of his gear to NZ too, sounds like you've got more techy stuff though!

[dilanium]

I have a friend who home brews here, and there's a store around the corner that is specifically for people who homebrew, so I know people are out there doing it, and you must be able to get what you need for it.

But I know nothing about it.

[Gran]

Not only can you home brew in NZ you can distill spirits too, hic!!
http://www.bininn.co.nz/
Gran

[ablears001]

I'm looking into this at the moment after seeing dark lager kits in my local Countdown. I know Mac's do a range of homebrew beer kits (http://www.beer.co.nz/digitiseshop/cat-58/Brew%20Your%20Own.htm) which I'm very excited about procuring :cheers

[mgbridges]

I'll try to get my OH to come and answer this as he is the Auckland rep for SOBA (Society of Beer Advocates) many of whom are keen home brewers. He has also started home brewing in a big way since our move to NZ and can probably answer your questions in detail.

Anneliese

[mgbridges]

OK, I think that's my cue!

There is a thriving homebrew scene in New Zealand. It's fairly easy to get access to grain, hops etc., although equipment tends to be a little bit pricey (because most things have to be imported). All the brewers I know are very much into cobbling together equipment from various sources.

Most big cities will have one or more homebrew shops. In Auckland there are several Brewcraft shops, though I get most of my stuff from Brewers Coop (http://www.brewerscoop.co.nz/) or Hauraki Homebrew (http://www.haurakihomebrew.co.nz/). There's also the Dunedin Malthouse (http://www.dunedinmalthouse.co.nz/) and Liberty Brewing (http://www.libertybrewing.co.nz/) (an online shop based out of New Plymouth).

Many homebrewers are members of SOBA (http://www.soba.org.nz/), and there's also a superb online forum called RealBeer (http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/).

You may have some difficulty with MAF if you bring your coil chiller, I guess, although copper tubing is easy to pick up on TradeMe.

If you've got any more specific questions, drop me a PM or take a look at the RealBeer forum. And get in touch when you get out here - us homebrewers always like to share the fruits of our labours!

Cheers,

Martin

[BigRod]

These guys are round the corner from me, and are a mail order specialist as well:
http://www.greatexpectations.co.nz

... never mind the brewing - get one of their stills and get on the spirits!

[Fern01]

Any homebrewers in NZ? I'm sure there are - I know I've seen the subject mentioned on here before... How easy is it to get ingredients/equipment?
As you've found out, we have everything. :cheers

[nifta]

awesome, thanks for the replies :)

anyone know of any shop(s) in wellington? mail order is perfectly fine though.. there's absolutely nothing near us in london so i've relied on mail order thus far.

looks like equipment is indeed expensive.. the cooper coil chiller is around 27 quid here, but i've seen it priced at $150 in NZ. hmm.. maybe i'll get a new one and ship it unused.. or i could use it as an excuse to buy a counterflow... :)


sounds like you've got more techy stuff though!
well, maybe, but i must assure you that i am a novice.. :) i've only recently started and have much to learn!

one problem with our current little london flat is our tiny kitchen.. i'm looking forward to having a bigger working space in NZ, and maybe even achieving my ULTIMATE DREAM: a shed. :)

i'll definitely be checking out SOBA when we get there!

[Ana&Steve]

Terribly important subject :)Yes!


I'm unsure about my coil immersion chiller - I have no idea how to get all the water out before shipping?! :confused:

could you run compressed air though it?

Great thread:nice1
BTW, does anyone know offhand how much bulk honey in NZ goes for? (gotta make the mead:))

[GrumpyGoat]

Yes!

could you run compressed air though it?

Great thread:nice1
BTW, does anyone know offhand how much bulk honey in NZ goes for? (gotta make the mead:))

I am really not sure if I remember this correctly but I think it is $6/liter for bulk.
I am in the process of researching/learning about bees and planning to get a hive. I have a friend who is building and organizing her first set of boxes now and am watching her progress before I jump in.
I have talked so much about bees and honey in the last couple of months that I could be confused but I am pretty sure it is $6/liter in bulk.
Much more in the grocery, obviously.

[Ana&Steve]

Thanks for that!

[nifta]

could you run compressed air though it?
hmm yeah good idea - i'll have a look into that.


(gotta make the mead:))
cool! i have no idea how to make mead.. is it difficult?

i would also love to learn how to make proper cider & perry (i.e. like you can get from farms in britain).. :) not sure if you can get the same cider apples in NZ, tho.

[Ana&Steve]

mead is easy, it just takes at least 6mo before it's ready. honey, water and yeast are really all you need for a basic mead (and a carboy or glass container, bubblers, a siphon, and all that other bric a brak:D) cider is quick and easy but you need a fridge to put it in to stop fermentation, so we use small (1 gallon) jugs. We used to have a dedicated fridge that could fit 4 carboys, but my sis needed a fridge in her new place. *sigh*

[IanW99]

...
i would also love to learn how to make proper cider & perry (i.e. like you can get from farms in britain).. :) not sure if you can get the same cider apples in NZ, tho.

Cider seems to be getting quite popular lately and there are many NZ brands entering the market especially from around the Hawkes Bay region, so I don't think that it will be a problem to get suitable apples - where you have to go to get them may be an issue though?

Ian

[sophiedb]

cool! i have no idea how to make mead.. is it difficult?

i would also love to learn how to make proper cider & perry (i.e. like you can get from farms in britain).. :) not sure if you can get the same cider apples in NZ, tho.

Hubby has made some awesome mead, and also apple wine - different to cider - and that was from my cousin's apple tree of unknown variety and vintage *lol*

[bluesky]

Cider seems to be getting quite popular lately and there are many NZ brands entering the market especially from around the Hawkes Bay region, so I don't think that it will be a problem to get suitable apples - where you have to go to get them may be an issue though?

Ian

Yes, it does seem to be a big thing this year. I had a great one the other day, called Weta. For all you beer connoisseurs out there, if actually reminded me of a gueuze, with that distinctive vinegary taste (albeit cidery). I also tried the Moa one - Moa beer is great, and I believe Weta is actually their brand as well. It's really strong, around 9%, but I didn't think it was that great.

[nifta]

nice - we love gueuze/lambic!

i had heard that there were a lot of new ciders on the market in NZ, but i just assumed they were all of the magners kind. good to hear there's an interest in proper cider!

we were talking to the owner of New Forest Cider the other day and he was very much of the opinion that only certain kinds of apples will do.. there are a number of suitable "scrumpy" varieties, but sadly i can only remember kingston black.. perhaps because we've enjoyed a lot of Hecks Kingston Black over the past couple of years :) (Hecks makes some damn fine cider & perry!)

[Ana&Steve]

Very glad to hear of a "Cider Renaissance" in NZ. Tried that "scrumpie" stuff, never thought to make apples taste like petrol before.:eek:

[nifta]

Very glad to hear of a "Cider Renaissance" in NZ. Tried that "scrumpie" stuff, never thought to make apples taste like petrol before.:eek:
what the.... petrol?! sheesh... heh ;) as with anything there's good scrumpy and bad.. some scrumpy is a bit sulphur-y (a "sulphur snatch" in beer lingo), which usually isn't unpleasant.. tho one cider we had one time had an intense sulphur taste - not nice! :no

[Ana&Steve]

can't remember the name, bought it in Auk at King Dicks...came in a plastic 2liter bottle. blek!

[AlastairUK]

can't remember the name, bought it in Auk at King Dicks...came in a plastic 2liter bottle. blek!

That's how all the best scrumpy is sold! :) All the wacky southwest cider I used to drink certainly came like that. It's great stuff but it used to numb my legs and impair vision after a pint or two.

[nifta]

heh yeah, the first proper scrumpy i ever had was bought from a random farm when i was wandering the country lanes in the new forest years ago. that too was in a generic plastic bottle. went back to the youth hostel, sat outside on the step and had a very enjoyable evening :) cracking stuff.

[nifta]

completely forgot to mention.. there's a rather good aussie beer magazine that includes home brewing articles etc. from what i understand they recently launched in NZ (and they do cover the NZ scene).

http://beerandbrewer.com/

if you sign up to their mailing list you can read (and search - very handy) the recent issues online for free for 6 months :)