Rossco89 Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 Anyone do any home brewing? Sister in law got me a home brew kit for Christmas and got the first brew on the go. Should be ready to be bottled next week. Any tips or tricks for the next batch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 Biggest tip I can give you is to make sure everything is sterilized including any bottles you use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 Yes i do, what kit did you brew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haynes Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 Get a barrel. My first few brews were bottled but cleaning and sterilizing was such a faff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 Just now, haynes said: Get a barrel. My first few brews were bottled but cleaning and sterilizing was such a faff. But the beer is better from the bottle and keeps better imo, its not hard once you have a system and are disciplined, a quick swill and shake straight after pouring and immediately on to the bottle tree ready for sanitising. Theres not too much you need to do to a kit, as mentioned sanitising is very important, get some star san(no rinse sanitiser). You can brew it short by a litre or two or add some dme to up the final punch. some recommend using a better yeast than that supplied with the kit, safale 04 is what i use for all my brewing. Oh and dont follow the instructions . I leave it in the fermenting vessel for 2-3 weeks, then batch prime and bottle then back to where you fermented(same temp) for another 2 weeks then move to the cold until you can wait no longer, time and patience are your friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haynes Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 The bottles are good if you want keep it or transport it. Bbq etc. I'm just lazy so the barrel works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 Not knocking you haynes, each to their own mate, i started with barrels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haynes Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 (edited) That' fine Ollie. My uncle went the whole hog with two barrels under pressure with pub style taps. He liked a drink. I put Cider into bottles to condition for longer. Well summer at least. The safale yeast makes a real difference tho. Only just found this out. Edited January 8, 2018 by haynes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 Just now, haynes said: The safale yeast makes a real difference tho. Only just found this out. Thats the joy of brewing trial and error, learn as you go. I,ve produced some right horrors, they're the ones you drink when youve already had a few Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haynes Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 Cheers!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 (edited) I have never done any kits but i do make elderflower champers and damson vodka each year both of which are very agreeable. I have put a link to my thread, let us know how your brew turns out, hopefully it will be a gooden. I have had some disasters over the years. Keep everthing clean and follow the instructions and you should be imbibing in no time I Edited January 8, 2018 by 7daysinaweek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Nice darts there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Elderflower champers sounds nice 7 days, do you dish it out further afield . I would be grateful if you PM'd me the method/ingredients Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 14 hours ago, Mungler said: Nice darts there Cheers Mungler, wish i was as good a shot with me gun 14 hours ago, Ollieollie said: Elderflower champers sounds nice 7 days, do you dish it out further afield . I would be grateful if you PM'd me the method/ingredients Hi Ollie it does not travel well, it is a little unstable/fizzy and can be a bit explosive when opening the plastic bottles. (you would be advised to watch my exploding glass bottle video that is why i use plastic)If you click on the link below the picture (very agreeable) and scroll to the last video at the bottom of the page you can watch the 8 short videos i made. These are a complete instruction on the ingredients and complete process start to finish and then drinking. It is a wonderful brew and once you start making it you wont stop. the other videos show what it is like on opening after brewing. atb 7diaw 22 hours ago, 7daysinaweek said: I have never done any kits but i do make elderflower champers and damson vodka each year both of which are very agreeable. I have put a link to my thread, let us know how your brew turns out, hopefully it will be a gooden. I have had some disasters over the years. Keep everthing clean and follow the instructions and you should be imbibing in no time I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooder Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 bottling is a real pain! I have 4 x king kegs, which make life easier, keep an eye on popular auction site you can pick them up second hand for about £25. remeber to change the band seals on the valves regularly as they perish. I would also advise you go for the large gas bottles as oposed to the pin type, as when the beer starts to run out of gas from the secondary fementation in the barrel it needs an injection of CO2 to force the last few pints out of the barrel. wooodfords kits are good, you can get them in Wilko at the moment for £18. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 I will be doing the first kit I have done in a long time soon as Woodfordes have a newish kit out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooder Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 I did a "tinsel toes" which is not ready yet, and was produced for Christmas. I like to leave in the Keg for at least 2 months before we drink it. do you make yours with tap water or bottled water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossco89 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 On 1/8/2018 at 17:47, Ollieollie said: Yes i do, what kit did you brew? Brewdog lager. Its been fer!entin for 12 days now. Temp has been lower than expected so going to give it some extra time before bottling. Which reminds me must get the bottles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 6 hours ago, Wooder said: I did a "tinsel toes" which is not ready yet, and was produced for Christmas. I like to leave in the Keg for at least 2 months before we drink it. do you make yours with tap water or bottled water? Bottled, 5L bottles. They do improve with age Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 (edited) I use bottles. Wash in soapy water, rinse, then stack in the oven to dry at about 150 degrees. Definitely improves with age. I tend to use kits but often with a little modification. Usually you can get a good bit more from them than the instructions suggest by using the malted sugar substitute and adding extra water. Currently I am drinking a raspberry wheatbeer that started as a wheetbeer kit but gained a few kilos of raspberries pressure cooked to sludge then added with a little extra sugar also. Next time however i will just add a couple of bottles of the raspberry syrup from the polish corner of tesco as it still needs a very small drop to get the flavour the better half wanted. Next will be a cider kit but likely with some elderflower cordial added, aiming for something fizzy and suffolk style but with the hint of elderflower. I have made from scratch before but i was never convinced the extra effort was rewarded (bar one year when i was given about sixty kilos of apples), lacking a press i essentially made apple sauce and worked from there to good effect. I have only ever used tap water. Edited January 23, 2018 by Wb123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yod dropper Posted January 28, 2018 Report Share Posted January 28, 2018 I've had some brews that have taken a long time to mature so don't despair straight away if it hasn't gone right. I find mine normally take several weeks to be ready, much more than they say and I had one which I was drinking up out of the way and then at somewhere over 12 months old it turned so bootiful I didn't want to finish it, savouring and cherishing my diminishing stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted January 28, 2018 Report Share Posted January 28, 2018 On 23/01/2018 at 19:06, Wb123 said: I use bottles. Wash in soapy water, rinse, then stack in the oven to dry at about 150 degrees. Definitely improves with age. I tend to use kits but often with a little modification. Usually you can get a good bit more from them than the instructions suggest by using the malted sugar substitute and adding extra water. Currently I am drinking a raspberry wheatbeer that started as a wheetbeer kit but gained a few kilos of raspberries pressure cooked to sludge then added with a little extra sugar also. Next time however i will just add a couple of bottles of the raspberry syrup from the polish corner of tesco as it still needs a very small drop to get the flavour the better half wanted. Next will be a cider kit but likely with some elderflower cordial added, aiming for something fizzy and suffolk style but with the hint of elderflower. I have made from scratch before but i was never convinced the extra effort was rewarded (bar one year when i was given about sixty kilos of apples), lacking a press i essentially made apple sauce and worked from there to good effect. I have only ever used tap water. Turbo cider is good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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