New brewer headed to the middle east

[MustangO4]

Howdy from California, for now. I'm in San Diego and have gotten the taste for craft beers with stone and many others being right here. I'm heading to Bahrain for a year (yes, alcohol purchase and import is legal there) and thinking it is an appropriate time to take up home brewing so I can have what I like there.

I found this site through google when looking for brewers in and around Bahrain, so I could figure out what it is like there. I'm thinking of getting together and shipping a small brewing setup (the northern brewing deluxe starter kit) and supplies for a few batches. It should keep me busy and in beer if all works out.

Any thoughts, suggestions or opinions would be very welcome.

Thanks...John

 

[kh54s10]

Be very careful! Make sure that homebrewing is legal there. After all the last state in the US only legalized it this year! Alcohol may be while brewing might not. Also be wary of possible radicals. We would hate to lose you to a fanatic!

 

[MustangO4]

Thanks. Yea, I have some feelers out to try to get in touch with brewers. It looks like it happens a lot, it is just difficult to find the exact law. Still searching....

 

[ncbrewer]

Good luck with your assignment and with brewing.

 

[toledoBrewer]

Good luck over there.

I know what you mean about the beer selection. I deployed to Egypt for my second deployment and we were allowed to drink. Not the best beer selection though, wished I would have been able to make my own. But there were standing orders against it.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I spent a number of years in Iraq...some on non-US contracts so purchasing, making and consuming alcohol was not an issue (no General Order #1). In case you are on a US DoD contract, plan on still not bing allowed the full freedoms you are used to while in the Middle East.

If you choose to brew overseas without knowing the definitive legal status, make sure your ingredients are not what give you away. DME is sold by health food stores. Yeast is yeast and if you get one packet in legally you can propagate from there. Hops...I know of no alternative uses of hops so just order IN BULK once a year.

Water will be a challenge so be prepared to use bottled drinking water and appropriate chemicals added to it if needed. Plan on small batches as you will likely have no option but an electric stove. Stockpile ice in your own freezer.

Extract brewing is easy and fun. I just stops being challenging after a while unless you are trying to figure out how to do it a tiny apartment in the middle of some dust bowl of a country (or in your case a steam bath).

Bahrain is not a bad place. I like Jordan and Qatar better.

 

[Ivypunx]

Make sure you get a feel of the place before you start brewing there. I have spent 3 years in the middle east. I am currently in Afghanistan. Certain countries may allow it but it is controlled through the country. And in certain countries that allow if there are places in them in which local law will not be different. You are not protected by rights of search are seizure like you are in America. Be careful