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Home Brew News No.13 12th February 2010
Welcome to Newsletter No.13. This year, Aussie Brewmakers will continue to keep you up to date with the latest and the greatest in Home Brewing News. Our Open Day in December was very successful and thanks to everyone that supported it. Welcome also, to every new Home Brewer and registered user. In the past month we have added another 100 from all across Australia and New Zealand. Great Stuff! This month we have received several enquiries regarding the Instructions included with the Air Still which recommends using Ceramic Boil Enhancers and Distillation Conditioner. The Ceramic Boil Enhancers come in a 12g pack. They are just small rings of ceramic material which you add into the air still before distillation. The idea here is to provide a more even temperature inside the still. Are they necessary and do they do anything? Our opinion is - Not really.  The Distillation Conditioner comes in a 50ml bottle. One cap is added to each air still before distillation. It is designed to stop the wash foaming and coming out with the distillate. Is it necessary? If the wash has completely fermented, it will not foam during distillation and this product is not required. This can be checked with the hydrometer which should be about 990. However, if the wash has not fully fermented and the reading is much higher than 990 then we would use it. Drambuie Taste Test Recently, we compared the real Drambuie with Edwards Wee Dram, Essencia Scottish Liqueur and Top Shelf Skybuie. The outstanding winner was Top Shelf Skybluie mixed with a pack of Still Spirits Liqueur Base B.  It is very close to the real thing and is a most enjoyable liqueur on its own. Marula Cream Just before Xmas last year we were told about Top Shelf Marula Cream mixed with Still Spirits Cream Liqueur Base. Never having tried this before, it was a great surprise to sample this liqueur. It is similar to Irish Cream but better and would have to be everyone’s favourite this summer.  We were also informed that it goes even better in shot glasses drank alternatively with Crème de Menthe. Thanks to Coenraad for this one. Mansfield Beer Workshop Our first workshop for 2010 is on 3March between 5-7pm at the Mansfield Men’s Shed. Everyone is welcome and if you need more information please contact us. Beer & Brewer Expo Australia’s Premier Beer Event is on again this year at Federation Square May 20-22 2010. Includes: Beer and Food Matching Home Brewing Demonstrations and Beer Tasting The best selection of local and imported beers on show to taste and experience Tickets are available online at ticketek.com or call 132 849. EZ Filter The old faithful Z Filter System has been replaced with the EZ Filter System. It is specifically designed for the maximum purification of alcohol or water.  The system includes: Upper 10 litre reservoir Filter cartridge Lower 10 litre collector unit and outlet Please note: The cartridge is designed for 1 batch only. Beer Making in Hot Weather Beer fermented at high temperatures will taste different to the same beer made at cooler temperatures. Our preference is the cooler fermented beers, ideally between 18-22C. However, most all purpose and ale yeasts will work between 18-30C. Special Lager yeasts will work between 5-30C but ideally between 12-15C. Anything over 30C will kill the yeast. To keep the fermenter below 30C we suggest you don’t place it in the garden shed. Ideally, leave it in an air conditioned room but if this is not possible, use any means available to keep it under 30C. This could include: Placing it in a tub of cold water and ice. Wrapping it in a wet cloth and filling the lid with water. Keeping it in an old fridge with a heat mat and temperature control box hard wired into both. Better Bundy Recipe To make a better Bundy, try soaking 50g of Samuel Willards Rum Soakers in 2.25 litres of spirit for a week. Then filter through a funnel with cotton wool or a coffee filter, then add one 50ml bottle of Samuel Willards Premium Queensland Rum essence. Magnificent! Happy Home Brewing Regards Aussie Brewmakers |