The Ultimate Beer Thread (No Carling allowed)

[Elite]

How quickly do you have to use those kegs once open?

[Sugar Ape]

14 minutes ago, Elite said:

How quickly do you have to use those kegs once open?

30 days, 10.5 pints in them. It counts down the days on the machine so you know who many days are left and how much is in them. 

[Elite]

2 minutes ago, Sugar Ape said:

30 days, 10.5 pints in them. It counts down the days on the machine so you know who many days are left and how much is in them. 

That's pretty cool.

[Raymond Duck]

1 hour ago, Sugar Ape said:

I love Hitachino nest. Picked some up in Waitrose the other day along with some Erdinger Pikantus which is a 7.3% variety of Erdinger. 
 

Bought myself one of those Perfect Draft machines @paddyberger was talking about and took delivery today of kegs of Franziskaner, Hoegaarden and Hertog Jan. 

 

 

Great selection, I hope you enjoy it.

[Raymond Duck]

I’ve been dying to try this for ages, what a great beer. Goes down lovely.

[Barrington Womble]

1 hour ago, Sugar Ape said:

I love Hitachino nest. Picked some up in Waitrose the other day along with some Erdinger Pikantus which is a 7.3% variety of Erdinger. 
 

Bought myself one of those Perfect Draft machines @paddyberger was talking about and took delivery today of kegs of Franziskaner, Hoegaarden and Hertog Jan. 

 

 

Do those machines keep it chilled? They're a great idea. 

 

As I brew my own, I don't really have a need for something like that. I buy odd cans and bottles to try things, but I keg my own so have a fridge with 3 taps. I then also have those 5L mini kegs I'll "can" to too - they're a bit like the ones you've got there but a different style. You see maybe ghost ship in that style in the supermarket. I've got a little tap and co2 connection for them so they stay fresh for around a month. 

 

 

 

[Sugar Ape]

31 minutes ago, The Gaul said:

Do those machines keep it chilled? They're a great idea. 

 

As I brew my own, I don't really have a need for something like that. I buy odd cans and bottles to try things, but I keg my own so have a fridge with 3 taps. I then also have those 5L mini kegs I'll "can" to too - they're a bit like the ones you've got there but a different style. You see maybe ghost ship in that style in the supermarket. I've got a little tap and co2 connection for them so they stay fresh for around a month. 

 

 

 

Yeah it keeps them chilled to 3 degrees. It’s just a hassle free way to do it, each keg comes with its own tube that you throw away after you use it so there’s no cleaning involved and you don’t need gas or anything like that so there’s no maintenance. 
 

There is a good variety as well with about 40 different kegs with everything from lager to IPAs to Belgian beers. Only thing it’s missing really is a cider which they can’t do at the minute. 
 

Your setup looks boss but I haven’t got the patience for it!

[Barrington Womble]

9 minutes ago, Sugar Ape said:

Yeah it keeps them chilled to 3 degrees. It’s just a hassle free way to do it, each keg comes with its own tube that you throw away after you use it so there’s no cleaning involved and you don’t need gas or anything like that so there’s no maintenance. 
 

There is a good variety as well with about 40 different kegs with everything from lager to IPAs to Belgian beers. Only thing it’s missing really is a cider which they can’t do at the minute. 
 

Your setup looks boss but I haven’t got the patience for it!

Sounds perfect. And really smart they can work for a month with no co2. Do they pour perfectly from the 1st pint or are they a bit lively to start? 

 

I have seen the range I think in the past, in fact I first noticed them as I think someone sent me a link to goose IPA, which for me is a classic, it never ceases to amaze me how good it tastes (although they have surpassed it with new coast IPA imo)

 

As for my setup, I really enjoy it, I find it relaxing and I enjoy discovering about the whole process and balancing the grains and hops. You are learning all the time. But I reckon it's for people who enjoy cooking, it's a pretty similar process. It does take time to be fair - both on brew day and waiting for it to be ready, but with something like a NEIPA you can go grain to glass in about 10 days. It also increases my enjoyment of a beer out. I was in a bar last week that had Brooklyn Sorachi Ace. I've recently bought the sorachi ace hop as I'd read about it, but never tasted and I haven't used it yet, so I had no idea how to get the best out of it - it's meant to be fucking weird and as I discovered it is! But when I came across it, I was like a kid at Christmas, just brilliant. 

 

 

[Sugar Ape]

34 minutes ago, The Gaul said:

Sounds perfect. And really smart they can work for a month with no co2. Do they pour perfectly from the 1st pint or are they a bit lively to start? 

 

I have seen the range I think in the past, in fact I first noticed them as I think someone sent me a link to goose IPA, which for me is a classic, it never ceases to amaze me how good it tastes (although they have surpassed it with new coast IPA imo)

 

As for my setup, I really enjoy it, I find it relaxing and I enjoy discovering about the whole process and balancing the grains and hops. You are learning all the time. But I reckon it's for people who enjoy cooking, it's a pretty similar process. It does take time to be fair - both on brew day and waiting for it to be ready, but with something like a NEIPA you can go grain to glass in about 10 days. It also increases my enjoyment of a beer out. I was in a bar last week that had Brooklyn Sorachi Ace. I've recently bought the sorachi ace hop as I'd read about it, but never tasted and I haven't used it yet, so I had no idea how to get the best out of it - it's meant to be fucking weird and as I discovered it is! But when I came across it, I was like a kid at Christmas, just brilliant. 

 

 

I’ve only had the one keg so far which was a Stella one it came with. It’s the Belgian stuff as they are kegged on the continent which is stronger than the shit brewed in the UK. I’m no fan of Stella at all usually but it was really nice to be honest, poured perfectly every time. 
 

They’ve got loads of IPAs on there Jaipur, Magic wire, Tiny rebel and the Goose island ones but I’m not a fan of them. I’ll be sticking to the lagers and the German and Belgian wheat beers. 
 

I’d love to have a setup like you’ve got but just haven’t got the time to even look into it with a young kid in the house. I barely even have the energy to pour myself a pint by the time she’s gone to bed!

 

This was the first pint I poured out of it, not a bad effort. 
 

 

[Raymond Duck]

26 minutes ago, Sugar Ape said:

I’ve only had the one keg so far which was a Stella one it came with. It’s the Belgian stuff as they are kegged on the continent which is stronger than the shit brewed in the UK. I’m no fan of Stella at all usually but it was really nice to be honest, poured perfectly every time. 
 

They’ve got loads of IPAs on there Jaipur, Magic wire, Tiny rebel and the Goose island ones but I’m not a fan of them. I’ll be sticking to the lagers and the German and Belgian wheat beers. 
 

I’d love to have a setup like you’ve got but just haven’t got the time to even look into it with a young kid in the house. I barely even have the energy to pour myself a pint by the time she’s gone to bed!

 

This was the first pint I poured out of it, not a bad effort. 
 

 

That’s pretty good for your first. I find the first half pint a little lively but fine after that.

[Raymond Duck]

1 hour ago, The Gaul said:

Sounds perfect. And really smart they can work for a month with no co2. Do they pour perfectly from the 1st pint or are they a bit lively to start? 

 

I have seen the range I think in the past, in fact I first noticed them as I think someone sent me a link to goose IPA, which for me is a classic, it never ceases to amaze me how good it tastes (although they have surpassed it with new coast IPA imo)

 

As for my setup, I really enjoy it, I find it relaxing and I enjoy discovering about the whole process and balancing the grains and hops. You are learning all the time. But I reckon it's for people who enjoy cooking, it's a pretty similar process. It does take time to be fair - both on brew day and waiting for it to be ready, but with something like a NEIPA you can go grain to glass in about 10 days. It also increases my enjoyment of a beer out. I was in a bar last week that had Brooklyn Sorachi Ace. I've recently bought the sorachi ace hop as I'd read about it, but never tasted and I haven't used it yet, so I had no idea how to get the best out of it - it's meant to be fucking weird and as I discovered it is! But when I came across it, I was like a kid at Christmas, just brilliant. 

 

 

The kegs have a foil bag in them and the machine pressurises the keg to force the beer out.

 

 

They are faff free as @Sugar Ape said, very little maintenance. 
 

Interestingly, there are people who are putting their own home brews into PD kegs and using the machine for chilling and dispensing so may be an option for you.
 

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/refilling-philips-perfectdraft-kegs.76385/

[Barrington Womble]

1 hour ago, Sugar Ape said:

I’ve only had the one keg so far which was a Stella one it came with. It’s the Belgian stuff as they are kegged on the continent which is stronger than the shit brewed in the UK. I’m no fan of Stella at all usually but it was really nice to be honest, poured perfectly every time. 
 

They’ve got loads of IPAs on there Jaipur, Magic wire, Tiny rebel and the Goose island ones but I’m not a fan of them. I’ll be sticking to the lagers and the German and Belgian wheat beers. 
 

I’d love to have a setup like you’ve got but just haven’t got the time to even look into it with a young kid in the house. I barely even have the energy to pour myself a pint by the time she’s gone to bed!

 

This was the first pint I poured out of it, not a bad effort. 
 

 

That pint looks belting. I always remember I loved Stella and then went off it and thought it was my taste buds changing till about a year later I'd found out they'd watered it down to save tax in the UK. 

 

As for time, if you've little one, I get it. Mine are getting a bit older now. In fact my 9 year old enjoys it too, she often "helps" me out on brew day. I don't brew so many lagers though. They take too much time to clear and I'd sooner drink an IPA or a porter. 

[Barrington Womble]

34 minutes ago, paddyberger said:

The kegs have a foil bag in them and the machine pressurises the keg to force the beer out.

 

 

They are faff free as @Sugar Ape said, very little maintenance. 
 

Interestingly, there are people who are putting their own home brews into PD kegs and using the machine for chilling and dispensing so may be an option for you.
 

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/refilling-philips-perfectdraft-kegs.76385/

Thanks for that, I'll take a look at that thread. 

 

I've actually seen that type of technology on a commercial scale. I think some craft brewers are now adopting them as it saves on cleaning, you get the keg back, remove the bag, put a new one in and fill. I think they're called keykegs. I think they're still pressurised, but like you're system it doesn't need to be co2. I think the principle is based on the idea that the bag is inside the keg, there is gas pressurising the bag inside the keg, but as the gas only touches the bag and not the beer, any old gas will do the trick. I normally keg condition or force carb in the keg, but they'd deffo be dead handy to package and share with people. I fucking hate bottling. 

[Raymond Duck]

8 minutes ago, The Gaul said:

Thanks for that, I'll take a look at that thread. 

 

I've actually seen that type of technology on a commercial scale. I think some craft brewers are now adopting them as it saves on cleaning, you get the keg back, remove the bag, put a new one in and fill. I think they're called keykegs. I think they're still pressurised, but like you're system it doesn't need to be co2. I think the principle is based on the idea that the bag is inside the keg, there is gas pressurising the bag inside the keg, but as the gas only touches the bag and not the beer, any old gas will do the trick. I normally keg condition or force carb in the keg, but they'd deffo be dead handy to package and share with people. I fucking hate bottling. 

The cleaning and the bottling pretty much put me off home brewing a few years back. Saying that, there is nothing like drinking you own beer, very satisfying.

[Barrington Womble]

8 hours ago, paddyberger said:

The cleaning and the bottling pretty much put me off home brewing a few years back. Saying that, there is nothing like drinking you own beer, very satisfying.

That's why I keg! The only issue is when you need to empty a keg. It's either get hammered or bottle/mini-keg  if off. The mini kegs done with a beer gun aren't too bad. 

[Sugar Ape]

Best thing about working at home is my seat in the room where I work puts me within arms reach of my beer machines when I log off. 
 

First pint of Franziskaner. 
 

 

[cloggypop]

Liking that Jupiler tap. 

 

Some good get ups here. The Gaul seems well sorted. 

[Red_or_Dead]

22 hours ago, paddyberger said:

I’ve been dying to try this for ages, what a great beer. Goes down lovely.

Never had that one, what's it like?

 

20 hours ago, The Gaul said:

Sounds perfect. And really smart they can work for a month with no co2. Do they pour perfectly from the 1st pint or are they a bit lively to start? 

 

I have seen the range I think in the past, in fact I first noticed them as I think someone sent me a link to goose IPA, which for me is a classic, it never ceases to amaze me how good it tastes (although they have surpassed it with new coast IPA imo)

 

As for my setup, I really enjoy it, I find it relaxing and I enjoy discovering about the whole process and balancing the grains and hops. You are learning all the time. But I reckon it's for people who enjoy cooking, it's a pretty similar process. It does take time to be fair - both on brew day and waiting for it to be ready, but with something like a NEIPA you can go grain to glass in about 10 days. It also increases my enjoyment of a beer out. I was in a bar last week that had Brooklyn Sorachi Ace. I've recently bought the sorachi ace hop as I'd read about it, but never tasted and I haven't used it yet, so I had no idea how to get the best out of it - it's meant to be fucking weird and as I discovered it is! But when I came across it, I was like a kid at Christmas, just brilliant. 

 

 

Great set up you've got there.  I'd love to brew my own but just don't have the space (live in pokey flat).  Sorachi Ace hops are brilliant.  An acquired taste but there are not that many beers which use em as some are put off by the taste.

[Duff Man]

Who knew ISeeRed was a metropolitan liberal elite who secretly hated the working class.

[Red_or_Dead]

I picked up these two beers from an auction house today, paid £3 for the pair and £5.00 postage.  Apparently the original (Swiss) brewery was bought out then they stopped making this in 1997 then the recipe was sold to Eggenberg Brewery in Austria in 2000 who now make their own version of it.  The BBE isn't legible, but at 14% they would be expected to last a while.  I can only hope that they've been stored well for the last 27 years!  Still, for 8 quid it is worth a punt!

 

[Karl_b]

After a long walk in the sun, I had my first pint in months today, a pint of Heathen from the local Abbeydale Brewery. Absolute fucking nectar. 

[Barrington Womble]

1 hour ago, Red_or_Dead said:

Never had that one, what's it like?

 

Great set up you've got there.  I'd love to brew my own but just don't have the space (live in pokey flat).  Sorachi Ace hops are brilliant.  An acquired taste but there are not that many beers which use em as some are put off by the taste.

Yeah mate, it takes up loads of room and it's messy. I actually brew outside when I can, but the relentless fucking rain in this county makes it hard. I'm planning to get the kitchen done next year and making a room at the end that will be split between some washing machine/dryer area, my brew kit and a nice splash area I can clean all my equipment. 

 

I loved the sorachi ace, but I have to say, one pint of the brooklyn was enough, which I believe is a single hopped beer - although it also weighed in at 7.2% I think, so it was a good job of wasn't something to kill a load of!

[Section_31]

Had a hankering for some Miller lately but can't get it anywhere. Would you like a fucking Birra Moretti with that Birra Moretti?

[Elite]

2 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

Had a hankering for some Miller lately but can't get it anywhere. Would you like a fucking Birra Moretti with that Birra Moretti?

I can't stand Birra Morretti or Perroni, horrible stuff.

[Section_31]

1 minute ago, Elite said:

I can't stand Birra Morretti or Perroni, horrible stuff.

It's alright, save for the fact everyone who drinks it thinks they've discovered it. 

 

All the supermarkets: Estrella, Moretti, Peroni, Sol, or Budweiser. 

 

Bargain booze, all of the above with the addition of 20 Coors for three quid.