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Home Made Beer Barrel DIY from supermarket materials

So, you want to have a go at brewing beer at home, or ginger beer, home_brewing_logoelderflower wine, apple cider, scumpy or suchlike?

Problem. Most people don’t just have a huge barrel for brewing laying about the house, or the shed.. well. maybe in the shed, but that had weed killer or petrol in it beforehand, so it’s a bad idea.

DON’T! just use a random old barrel that you found in the shed. It’ll end in tears.

What you need is a food grade container, of at least 10 litres capacity to make a small batch of beer or cider with. Ideally, it’ll be easy to clean, and have a bung and tap at the bottom.

Specialised home brewing barrels can be expensive- expect to pay in excess of $100 for one.

You used to be able to get brew kits from the local corner store, or supermarket, but they are harder to find nowadays. not enough profit in it I suppose. I had to do a lot of running around to figure out where to get home brewing supplies from, that was not an expensive specialty store.

Of all places I discovered that Dan Murphys, (a bottle shop??, where they sell pre brewed alcohol??)  you can buy a kit with all you need for $120.

A mass produced commercial home brew kit for $120

https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_730573/coopers-diy-home-brewing-kit

Big W has a lot of the gear you may need too, including bench cappers and other accessories, though for some products, they aren’t quite as cheap. It pays to shop around.

https://www.bigw.com.au/search/?pageSize=72&q=home+brewing%3Arelevance#

Dan’s also has a set of 15 bottles that are suitable for brewing. When brewing, its important to have suitable bottles to put your beverages in- Thin glass bottles- they have a tendency to explode. That can really spoil your DIY experience, as your brew could make a huge mess, blow holes in plaster walls, and possibly injure somebody, leading to a potential lawsuit.

Luckily, at the local coles or woolies supermarket, there’s something that almost fits the criteria- a 12 litre plastic water goon cask or brick, which will set you back a princely $4

http://shop.coles.com.au/online/national/coles-water-spring-natural

It’s big enough, it has a tap at the bottom, and with a little work, you can make a nice laHome_made_beer_brewing_barrelrge opening with a sharp knife or scissors

Empty it out, and cut a hole in the top of the water brick with a decent knife.

Use a stabbing and cutting motion, working from the corners to make a hole large enough to enable you to put your hand in to clean the barrel after use.

how_to_make_Home_made_beer_brewing_barrel

You may want to set up the lid with a closable flap so you can keep the dust out of the barrel during storage, but this was a Mark one version, so i just cut a hole. It works. water and ingredients go in, get mixed, and you can set it up off the edge of your bench to fill the bottles with ease.

For your first brew, you may like to take advantage of the sterile, pure and contaminant free water the spring water brick contains, especially if you live in a country area where the tap water doesn’t taste the best.

When you are ready to get serious about your brewing, it;ll be time to buy the proper equipment and get the right advice- if you live in ballarat, try http://ballarathomebrew.com.au

Gazania flowers in Ballarat and Melbourne

Gazanias ballarat markets all colours pottedGAZANIAS- DESCRIPTION, GROWING & CARE GUIDE

The gazania flower, named after the 15th-century Greek-Italian scholar Theodorus of Gaza, is a low maintenance South African annual (perennial in Australia) that will brighten up your hard-to-landscape areas, particular those with poor soil, or suffering from dry conditions

Origins and nomenclature of Gazania Flowers

Gazania flowers are a member of the daisy family Asteraceae, genus Gazania. Also known as the treasure flower, the ​​gazania is a hardy annual, or perennial (depending on the strain), and will bounce back from a light frost.  There are over 16 distinct species, but the majority of plants in cultivation are hybrids and crossbreeds, selected for their best traits.

In Australia, including Ballarat, gazanias typically perform as perennials, though some are technically an annual.

Gazania flowers thrive in full sun. Morning or afternoon shade may cause the flowers to stay closed for a portion of the day, and may cause the plants to grow lanky, exceeding their normal height of six to ten inches.

EASY TO GROW, AND UNKILLABLE

The leathery foliage of gazania plants is a clue to the high drought tolerance of this flower.

They quickly develop into small clumps of narrow lance-shaped leaves that can be downy and lobed near the base, often with lighter coloured undersides. Their showy flowers, which appear throughout the warmer months, are large, brightly coloured, often interestingly marked, and the ray florets tend to be darker at the base, with a contrastingly coloured central disc.

The species usually have yellow or orange flowers, but the garden forms are available in a wide colour range

IDEAL SOIL CONDIITONS- They grow well in any old rubbish soil of low fertility. Cheap-O $3 potting mix is fine

Gazanias do extremely well in pots, and look great on your deck and patio.

Their preference for sharply drained soil makes them a natural choice for the rock garden, low maintenance, or often neglected and drought affected gardens, such as rental properties, or holiday homes.

How to Plant Gazania Flowers

Gazania is easy to grow to a fault: it’s hard to make a mistake and kill these.

Plant young gazania plants about a foot apart, allowing them to reach their eventual spread of 25cm without crowding, which promotes mildew. If your soil is heavy, plant your gazanias in containers.

Gazania plants don’t mind the heat that radiates off the pavement, so you can include them in your footpath garden or alongside your driveway.

How  to Care for Gazania Flowers

In their native habitat of the rocky cliffs of South Africa, gazanias grow in soils of low fertility. Compost and supplemental fertilizer aren’t necessary. Deadhead gazania flowers to extend the blooming time of the plants.

Gazania plants are adaptable enough to overwinter indoors so you won’t need to purchase new plants or seeds for the next growing season. Cut the plant back and keep it in a cool, sunny window. Water when the soil surface is dry. Check the plants regularly for pests like mealybugs that may proliferate on indoor specimens.

DIVISION AND PROPOGATION

Perennial strains of this plant, most common in Australia may also be divided or can be grown from basal cuttings.

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