The Big Growler Blog

Today my first grains/hops/yeast arrived in the courier in about two years. I was very excited. After a year off last year (enforced due to post graduate study) and the year before (enforced due to space requirements) I thought it was time to get back into something I love. After dabbling with commercial contract brewing for nearly three years, I’m actually genuinely looking forward to just brewing.

My good wife has let me purchase a Robobrew, which arrived on Saturday. I had the same mash tun (a converted chillybin) since 2010; a beast with a fifty litre capacity, but also very slow and bulky. I thought about the Grainfather as they look super swanky, but this was half the price (the main reason) and has less things that can break.

My first brew is a faux NZ Pilsner using US05. I’ll brew it coldish at 18C but basically it’s meant to be a beer my father in law will drink (he lives off Waikato). The grains are Maris Otter with some light crystal and Vienna. Hops are Styrian and Riwaka.  Styrian only because I have some already. My next blog will be a review of the Robobrew.