Phil
Hi, I'm Phil and I live in Basingstoke. I'm proud to say that I'm one of the original, founding members of the North Hampshire Brewers. I am also the administrator of the club web page and forum.I've been brewing for over 20 years on and off. I started brewing with kits while I was still at school. These tasted pretty appalling although this has more to do with my lack of knowledge and my desire to bump up the alcohol at the expense of taste than anything else.
Like many home brewers, I soon wanted to try brewing from grain but the information and equipment available back then was limited. I didn't know anyone else who brewed beer either so I felt like I had to make a massive leap of faith if I was going to move on. I read Graham Wheeler's book, Home Brewing, time and time again but, comprehensive as it is, it didn't give me the confidence to move to all-grain. In the end it took me over 5 years before I eventually purchased my first plastic boiler and gave it a go.
My first attempt at mashing involved a large bucket, a grain bag and wort all over my Mum's dining room ceiling! That was the first and last time I used a grain bag hung over a bucket by way of a mash tun. The very next day I went out and bought a cool-box mash tun and never looked back.
So having realised that all-grain brewing was within my capability I didn't exactly throw myself headlong into it. In fact I brewed only once a year, every year, for Christmas until about 2006. Since January 2006 I've rediscovered homebrewing and have brewed in excess of 500 gallons of beer in my garage. I've upgraded the brewery a couple of times and now brew on a 55 litre, semi-automated, stainless steel, HERMS brewery.
I enjoy hosting brewdays for club members. We always have a great time (well I do) but, I must admit, my best beers are brewed when I'm on my own. I wonder if it has anything to do with the amount of beer that gets consumed when I have visitors.
I normally get to brew about once a month now so if anyone fancies joining me drop me a line and I'll sort something out.
I have been culturing yeast on slants for a little over a year and have had good success in growing 4 litre starters from a scraping of cells. I am also just getting into cell counting and checking the viability of my yeast.