So...Like... Another newbie G'day from FNQ...

[HoochHound]

G'day from Cairns,

So having been brewing my own beer for almost 10 years, I finally found the spare change to buy myself a new toy. I went with a Still Spirits T500 pack on the understanding that while it isn't the ultimate setup, it will get me started without too much mucking around. I've now got enough hydrometers to use them as decorations on the Christmas tree and you can never have too many fermenters to rack stuff off. :smile:

Having gone for the "complete pack" I'm doing the included dex wash "by the book" for the first run. I figure it's a good way to familiarise myself with the processes and procedures. That said, I'm so glad I found this site - I've never seen so much carbon in my life, looking at the black mixture I made three days ago gives me the shudders. It's the furthest thing from natural I've ever seen. There's cabron in the Dex, carbon in the yeast, liquid carbon to add to the wash, carbon in the clearing agents and carbon in the filter. I should just suck on a pencil. This site has reassured me that this can be a continuation of the relaxing, fun and cheap hobby that I love.

Then there's that Turbo yeast... I'm sure that it's a common newbie question. Is that shit meant to crank through the airlock like a dodgy curry? It's only 48 hours and it seems to have almost finished off 6kg of dex. It's unnatural when you're used to taking it nice and easy with a few weeks fermentation on a dark ale.

Cheers! And looking forward to hanging around.

[BIG D]

You got it its only natural if you wanna make fuel for internal combustion engines. :text-lol:

[BIG D]

Sorry mate welcome and once you've used that stuff have a crack at a tpw and do your cuts I think you will prefer it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[dogbreath vodka]

G'day from Cairns,

Then there's that Turbo yeast... I'm sure that it's a common newbie question. Is that shit meant to crank through the airlock like a dodgy curry? It's only 48 hours and it seems to have almost finished off 6kg of dex. It's unnatural when you're used to taking it nice and easy with a few weeks fermentation on a dark ale.

Cheers! And looking forward to hanging around.

Seems there's a couple of Cairnites here.

Welcome

As for the Turbos...... good for cleaning runs. ... or just the runs. :-D :D

As mentioned - give the tomato paste wash (TPW) a go or an Uncle Jesse Simple Sour Mash ( UJSSM )
The results will be far better and no carbon needed.
:handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:
DBV

[agro]

g'day from up the hill I'm on the tablelands just west of Mareeba :wave:
like you have read so far do the turbo wash to learn how your still works then do a tpw,
i did my first one and the wife said she didnt see why we are doing thing differntly then i did my second and she said it smells so much better and the taste is great :-D

[Teddysad]

TPW is a great neutral wash

Another to try is the weel/bix allbran type for a bit of flavour

[Andy]

welcome mate. having the beer experience is great and you will enjoy not having to sterilise everything a hundred times!!

[HoochHound]

Thanks for the welcome folks.

I'm mainly looking forward to not spending so much of my life with a bottle brush in hand.

I'm not going to stop brewing beer, but this should make life less of a chore and add some welcome variety.