Compiled by Sam Highley
For this second member profile, we thought we'd introduce you to a member that many people in the club will not have met, despite being a member since 2007. John lives all the way out in rural Royalla, about twenty minutes past Tuggeranong on the way to Cooma, so he doesn't get to too many club meetings. I guess the lack of carpool opportunities, along with the non-existent bus and taxi service out that way, makes meeting-attendance somewhat challenging.
In between being attacked by trees while mowing paddocks around his property, John leads the ideal semi-retired rural life: brewing beer in his garage, and then consuming it!
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When, and why, did you start brewing?
My first experience with brewing took place in the early ‘70s. In those days there were no kits. We used to get bulk malt and hop flowers from the health food stores. God knows what type of yeast we used – some ‘brewer’s yeast’. Boiling was done in small (by today’s standards) pots in the kitchen of my flat. Fermentation took place in a 10 gallon plastic garbage bin. It was open fermented with just a tea towel thrown over the top. Needless to say the beer was a shocker. I think I tried this once then went into brewing retirement for 25 years.
In the mid ‘90s a friend of mine was brewing kits and re-introduced me into home brewing. I haven’t looked back since, progressing to kit and kilo, partials then all grain. I have been a regular visitor to Col’s BYOAH up at Kambah for many a year.
What is your favourite beer (commercial or home-brewed) and why?
Fair to say I’ve consumed many beers in my lifetime and I would class myself as a beer nutter but I draw the line with commercial (non-boutique) Australian beers. Only if I’m absolutely desperate (or they are free at a barbecue) would I drink them. Having said that I do make an allowance for Cooper’s beers and their Vintage Ale is one of my favourites.
As far as home brew is concerned, I enjoy any beer where there is a mouthful of hops, particularly APAs. I’ve come to the realisation that I don’t particularly like dark beers and will usually steer away from them (except for an Irish Red experiment – see below).
My friends seem to like my brews too and are regularly trying to coerce me into brewing slabs for them.
What brought you to the Canberra Brewers?
This was a no brainer. Prior to joining, I had read every Ferm on the website - fascinating material and quite a number of recipes to try. As I went into partial mashes I realised the technique was so close to all grain that I may as well take that giant leap. (It was interesting how the Ferm articles moved from a kit focus to a grain focus over the years). It was only half a step from reading Ferm articles to joining the club.
Explain your set-up and process, from ingredients to packaging, and an average brew session.
My setup consists of a traditional three-tier gravity system. Using modified kegs and a 38L converted esky with a home-made false floor as a mash tun. My cooling coil is made of copper with hose fittings at both ends. No frills. It has served me well for a couple of years now.
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My brew days are pretty simple, starting about 8am with cracking the grain while the HLT warms up. A typical brew day is about 4½ hours.
Being in the country, I have to use tank water for brewing. I raised the issue of tank water, pH and brewing on the club forum. Sammy offered to come out with his pH tester while I was brewing an Irish Red. We found that the tap water was 7.1 while the modified mash water (salt additions to bring the water up to a Dublin profile) took the pH to 7.4. Our reading of the wort during the mash showed it to be 5.2 (at around 40°C).
This soft water seems to turn out very nice lagers during the winter months when the temperature in my laundry is consistently less than 15 degrees.
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What is your favourite or most-prized piece of brewing gear and why?
The brewing frame is a serious piece of metalwork by one of my work colleagues. I reckon it weighs 50+ kilos and is indestructible. It takes a lot of effort to carry the damn thing into and out of the shed. Being gravity fed I have to climb a small ladder to fill the HLT thus I get a modicum of exercise.
What is the best piece of brewing advice you've ever received?
I have received no memorable brewing advice that I could put a finger on. Rather it is a reading of web-based material as well as John Palmer’s book (How to Brew). I’ve found that brewers are like cooks - they all have their own little tweaks and fancies.
What do you hope to get out of being in Canberra Brewers?
I still avidly read the club forum to see what is going on and maybe, just maybe, I’ll overcome the tyranny of living in the country and make a club meeting (there’s not too many buses between Narrabundah and Royalla). I also hope to avail myself (and my son who I’ve got into brewing) to a brew day at the Wig and Pen.
Cracker Jack's Aussie Pale Ale
Batch Size: 24L
Total Grain: 5.20kg
Anticipated OG: 1.045 (11.15 plato)
Anticipated EBC: 11.3
Anticipated IBU: 37.7
Brewhouse Efficiency: 67%
Boil Time: 60Min
Ingredients
4.20kg (80.8%) Bairds Maris Otter 6EBC
1kg (19.2%) Munich Malt 16EBC
15g Galaxy (14.70%) 30.2IBU boiled 60min
14g Galaxy (14.70%) 7.5IBU boiled 15min
12g Galaxy (14.70%) 0.0IBU at flame out.
Yeast: US-05
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