So we’ve spent some time brewing (and learning how to brew) with the BrewArt BeerDroid and accompanying equipment and it’s safe to say that, here at ManSpace magazine, we’re definitely still rookies at the moment.
But that’s exactly why the BeerDroid exists; it’s so simple even we could get the hang of things! It’s also much safer to brew with this tried and tested kit as opposed to brewing something in a bathtub.
We first brewed an American pale ale which received mixed reactions. I was a fan, it was nice but others in the office weren’t takers. We definitely needed help to master this brewing thing.
To get ourselves a little dose of direction, we’ve called in the big guns: Coopers Brewery community support coordinator Liam Yorke.
“If you’re a new brewer, the biggest tip I can give you is sanitise, sanitise, sanitise,” he says.
“Poor sanitation is the biggest spoiler of beer. As a brewer you’re fighting a war against wild yeast and bacteria, and thorough sanitation gives your yeast the best chance of winning that war.
“Also don’t open the damn lid to look! I know it is tempting to open the lid to see how your beer is progressing but every time you open the lid you are increasing the risk of an infection. Let the beer ferment out and wait for the BeerDroid to let you know when it’s ready.”
Well we didn’t take the lid off. But one thing we did muck around with was throwing fruit into the mix when fermenting for the second time in a smaller controlled jar. Not going to lie, it was pretty disgusting and Liam explains that it was because we introduced plenty of wild bacteria from the fruits that messed around with the flavours.
“You can add fruit to your brew but I would recommend that you understand the brewing process before experimenting. Fruits contain natural sugars which will ferment out, and they also can contain wild yeast and bacteria,” Liam explains.
“So it’s best to fully understand best practice when adding fruit to ensure your beer doesn’t fail. You can also add dry hops to your brew for additional flavours and aromatics.”
We didn’t really need to add fruit, there are plenty of flavour kits or BrewPrints with recognisable flavours and types of beers that you can make without thinking too hard.
Another thing ManSpace is excited to do is brew some sour beers. Liam explains that the BeerDroid is great for brewing pretty much any beer you want (a glance at the BrewPrints will tell you that) but sours are quite different.
“Sour beers are a tricky one. When making a sour beer, you’re introducing a bacteria or wild yeast to create the acid which gives it the sour taste. The problem is once they are introduced, they are very hard to remove. I would not recommend fermenting a sour beer in the BeerDroid if you intend to make non-sour beers in there as well,” Liam says.
The next step for us it to just keep brewing. We’re going to take Liam’s recommendation and try the Pineapple Crush, an IPA that sounds wonderful as we head into the hottest time of the year.
Until next time,
ManSpace magazine xx
