Who Sells Homebrew Equipment Near Strathalbyn?
This one gets asked a lot, usually by somebody who has been given a kit for Christmas and has no idea what to do with it, so here is the straight answer. We sell homebrew gear at H, we have done for years, and it is a bigger section than most people expect to find in a hardware shop.
What we actually carry
The equipment side runs from a first fermenter through to the gear people buy once they are taking it seriously. Fermenters, airlocks, hydrometers, heating belts, bottle cappers, kegs and temperature control. If you are starting out, a beginner kit gets you everything you need in one go and saves you working out what you have forgotten.
On the ingredients side we have malt, hops, yeasts, sugars and additives, so you can brew a kit beer or put together something of your own. Coopers is the main brewing brand we carry. For spirits it is Still Spirits, along with Edwards Essences and Samuel Willard's for the flavourings, and there are a lot more of those than people expect.
A fair bit of it is not on the website
This is worth knowing before you go looking online and decide we do not have something. A good part of the homebrew range carries our supplier's branding on the packaging, so it does not go up on the site, which means the shelf in the shop holds considerably more than the website shows. The hop pellets are the clearest example. There are varieties sitting in the shop that you will not find a page for anywhere on the site.
So if you are after something in particular, ring us on (08) 8536 4333 and ask rather than assuming. It is a thirty second phone call.
The advice is the part that matters
Nobody starts out knowing this. The first brew is where most people either get hooked or give up, and the difference is usually one small thing that somebody could have told them in two minutes at the counter. Why the hydrometer beats the airlock for telling you fermentation has finished. Why pitching yeast into liquid that is still warm ruins a batch. Why the second two weeks in the bottle are not optional.
Come in and ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question about brewing, and plenty of people who have been doing it for twenty years still get the basics wrong.
A note on distilling
Owning a still is perfectly lawful, and so is selling one. Actually distilling spirits at home is a different matter, because in Australia that needs an excise manufacturer licence from the ATO and there is no home use exemption. Flavouring a purchased base spirit with an essence is a separate activity and does not need one, and that is what most people are doing with the essences.
Shop related products
- Coopers Original Draught 1.7kg. A sensible first tin if you have never done this before.
- Coopers Brew Enhancer 2 1kg. Body and head retention, rather than just more alcohol.
- Coopers Light Malt Extract 1.5kg. For building a recipe rather than following one.
- Still Spirits Premium Classic London Dry Gin. One of the better essences to start on.
- Edwards Essences Irish Cream Essence. The cream liqueurs are the ones people come back for.
- Coopers Dextrose 1kg. Plain fermentable sugar, and what you prime bottles with.
Did you know we also stock fermenters, hydrometers, crown seals and carbonation drops in the shop, along with hop varieties that are not listed online. Give us a ring on (08) 8536 4333 to check what is on the shelf.
Have a look through the homebrew collection, the beer supplies and the Edwards Essences range. If you would rather work something out before you come in, Brewhilder is our homebrew helper and it will talk you through it.
We are at Building 2, 34-52 Milnes Rd, Strathalbyn, open Mon to Fri 7:30am to 5pm, Sat 8:30am to 4pm and Sun 9am to 2pm.
I blog about Strathalbyn and the surrounding area and my goal is to highlight all the organisations and events that make our area great.
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