Bunny-Blaster Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Home brewing...Ive not done it for many years now but I had some great and quite awful results in the past lol I keep saying I'll start again and maybe this post will give me a kick up the backside to start again. I used to use invert sugar bought from the local brew shop which aids clarity and speeds up fermentation along with greatlt increasing the alcohol percentage....instead of the standard granulated stuff. I thought it was pretty worth the while to be honest. My last batch of bitter turned out to be 11% according to my hydrometer...that and the fact that it sent me blind and I could no longer feel my face after half a dozen pints I used to add extra malt extract tho so as to help maintain the quality of the brew...just adding sugar increases the alcohol content but reduces the quality. I used to also mess about bottling it in crates of old Grolsch beer bottles with the ceramic stoppers but found it of a mess about with storing them and all the sterilising etc...then I moved on to 2 ltr plastic pop bottles, which were great for keeping in the fridge and you know you always have at least 4 pint chilled n ready to go at then. I also went for the pressure keg option in winter which I kept on my balcony so it was nice and cold...you cant beat pulling a pint of your own home brew straight into a pint pot. Wine making....now theres a nice little spin off...give it a try...but dont buy the kits have a look online for some old recipees using stuff you can forage for like rhubarb and ginger and elderberry etc...some brilliant tasting stuff can be made and its mind blowing gear. All in all its just great to sit back and know you have made something from scratch and when it tastes great its a great sense of acheivement. I still had some rhubarb and ginger wine that I had made from 23 years ago whenb I was 13/14......I stashed it in my dads garage with the intention of discovering a rare vintage in many years to come lol.....I found one bottle a few years ago ...took it home and drank it....It was brilliant and I was well happy with the result.......The next time I went back to my dads for it he said he'd found them n thrown them away as he thought it would have gone off!!!!! I could have cried lol Anyway enough of my rambling...But I really would give the home made old recipee wine a go as well....If you dont like it you can always give it away as gifts for xmas etc. Happy brewing mate n let us know how ya get on Jase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staglioni Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Camden tablets from boot's cost pennie's clean the lot for toopence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libs Posted May 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Camden tablets from boot's cost pennie's clean the lot for toopence Will have a look at the weekend. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Camden tablets from boot's cost pennie's clean the lot for toopence Boots tablets from Camden are good for that sought after 'feet' taste. Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libs Posted May 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Boots tablets from Camden are good for that sought after 'feet' taste. when I first saw camden and tablets I thought that something was up!!!!! Thats just nasty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny-Blaster Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Sodium metabisulpate...thats from boots as well thats good stuff...Have a butchers in your local Wilkinsons they sometimes have all the home brew stuff in and there cheap! Jase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hambone Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Just finished bottling 40 pints of lager (my first attempt) into newcastle brown bottles, all that work and effort just to get them empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neels Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Libs I use VWP (similar to http://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Brew-Winemaki.../dp/B001PQSNAW), but there are others.... Don't use dettol - you'll taste it, and I am not sure what it will do to your innards. You can use bleach for sterilizing but google to see what volumes to apply - see also http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/index.html probably one of the best guidance sites. Don't use dishwashing liquid to wash your fermenters and bottles, the taste will remain. I use VWP for cleaning equipment afterward Bottom line - don't make a big issue out of it, but ensure that the "stuff" that you use have been cleaned and sanitised (in a home environment you wont be able to sterilize things, as there are too many airborne bacteria, wild yeasts and other nasties about) Also remember, that nce the yeast starts converting the sugar to alcohol (the good part) it starts creating a difficult environment for many of those nasties to survive. The wort is most vulnerable at the start of fermentation. Oh, and use brewing sugar, not table sugar specifically when doing beers. Gives better mouthfeel, and less of a cidery taste to the beer Neels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Mung went thru a stage of making home brew lager. He memorably described it as "like Stella, but stronger" You need to get the home brew going again Mung. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nial Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 If you want something _really_ strong use champagne yeast. Most beer yeasts die at 8/9%, champagne yeast keeps going to 18/19%! Nial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulABF Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 (edited) I've been home brewing for a few months now - great stuff. On the sterilising side Milton fluid is good to use - the baby bottle stuff. Reference the turbo cider recipe posted earlier, you can jazz it up and introduce some body to it by adding half a cup of very strong tea, half a grated apple and a handful of raisons. Kits I can reccomend are anything by Cooper's - the stout one is lovely and the Wherry's kits. A good drinkable wine can be made using grape juice with raisons and tea added also. Agree with using brewing sugar too, although at a push, light brown sugar can be used. Edited May 20, 2009 by PaulABF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJaxeman Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 Ive juts finished doing 40 pints of Cider lovely stuff it was a Munton's kit. Got a Solum Grundy's 7 day red wine kit on the go at the moment makes 30 bottles of realy nice red and it's only £20 bargain.The Im back making some more ale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8landy Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 My first load of cider is now ready and very drinkable from last years apples. I went all hi-tech (sort of) none of this messing about crushing the apples by hand. £20 of ebay for an electric garden shredder, saftey gaurd removed ( ) to get a bucket of apples in at a time, and you can even use your hand to push them down Then, my mums un-used single vertical drum electric clothes spinner for exteacting the juic and leaving the pulp in the drum. All cleaned before hand and Y fronts removed. I then just put the juice in a 5 gallong tub with a pipe of the top into a large jar with water in to act as an air lock. A few months later a bottled of the fermented juice, but I added a couple of T spoons of sugar to start secondary fermentation. I then used metal crown caps. So now I have a very nice fizzy cider, crystal clear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 .......... and Y fronts removed ......... Should have left them in for that extra "je ne sais quoi" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeinVA Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 Well I have finally gone and got myself a brewing bucket, king keg with top tap and float (with pin valves) and a hydrometer.. And of course a cider pack to make my first 40 pints!!!!! So if anyone out there has little tricks of the trade to share please please please do as I am a totally brewing virgin! Let me know how you get on... this sounds both very promising and interesting at the same time. FM Hey libs, i am with Ferret Master on this one. Have always considered home brewing myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 My younger brother started brewing at home when we were teenagers, kept it up, then bought a license which led to a career Buffy's Brewery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 (edited) Mung went thru a stage of making home brew lager. He memorably described it as "like Stella, but stronger" You need to get the home brew going again Mung. I gave all my gear away to bald Dave. I don't have the time or inclination any more, not when Sainsburys are knocking out a case of Stella for £8. Incidentally, and this is my top tip for home brew - read up on everything on the internet, all the information is there. Once you understand how it works and the terminology then "rack off the brew (and the dead yeast cells) twice". That is the secret to a decent home brew and not one with a nasty "yeast bite" after taste. It's grief but the only way. Here endeth the lesson. Edited May 20, 2009 by Mungler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piebob Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 My top tip is- Do not, under any circumstances, place a bottle of home-brew black stout on top a TV which is on top of a student desk for the intention of syphoning into another receptacle for easier /smoother pouring. What you might do, is pull the bottle off the TV with the syphon tube, it could land bang horizontally on the desk and spray you all over with it's sticky black contents. The still frothing, spewing bottle could then roll onto the floor and soak the BRAND NEW PALE PINK carpet with black gunge and sediment. If that happened, your landlord would NOT be happy - oh no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 I think we need an official PW Home Brew thread you know. Which reminds me, I need to go and pick up some demi-johns and valves from my Gran's this weekend. Cider is calling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 When me n my mates brewed some it tasted like ****. Best way was drink about 5 cans then start caning the **** :( Also if cider dont forget the sugar or it tastes like vinegar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 If you have ever tried the german wine hock and enjoyed it "read on" ingredients: 1/2 pint fresh orange juice, 1/2 pint pineapple juice, 1 kg sugar, pectic enzyme, water to 1 gallon, vitamin B1 tablet, active yeast and nutrients Active yeast. in 1/2 pint bottle dissolve the yeast nutrient and 2 tsp of sugar in some 1/2 pint of warm water. Add the yeast and place somewhere warm until it begins to ferment. Bring 2litres of water to the boil in a steel pan and add the 1 kg of sugar and stir until dissolved. Add to demijohn. Add the fruit juice, top up to 1 gallon and then add the active yeast and pectic enzyme and Vitamin B1 tablet. (vitamin B1 acts like a yeast turbo charger) the initial s.g. will be around 1080 . After a weeks fermentation syphon off the sediment into another sterilised demijohn. Once the ferment has finished the s.g. will be around 990-1000 giving an %vol of 12%. Syphon off the sediment again and place somewhere cool. syphon again in a months time and age until 6-9months old. Enjoy.... especially mixed with orange juice and lemonade with lots of ice AKA a caribbean slammer hic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan147 Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 I made cider from a kit last summer, one of my shooting mates had the fermenting barrel and crown topper. I went out on ebay and got some newcastle brown empties 40 off! and its not bad. Then i split the proceeds of my work with the shooting mate. Tonight went round his house and guess what he was drinking a pint of. Tastes really good with quite a light fizz and lovely and clear. I usually make damson gin or sloe gin but at the moment I have a raspberry gin (lovely pale pink) on the go and a blackcurrant gin (claret red) in the demijohns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmooney Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 I've been messing about with this for a while. I've had great success with wine but only 1 out 5 batches of beer turned out. I'm going to give cider a go and I think I'll leave beer to the pros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 I made cider from apples picked from trees in our garden end of last summer, i put them through a garden shredder and then through a press i made and ended up with 20gallons of juice which is still fermenting tested it two weeks ago tastes good and at 6% vol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulABF Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 I usually make damson gin or sloe gin but at the moment I have a raspberry gin (lovely pale pink) on the go and a blackcurrant gin (claret red) in the demijohns. Is the rasberry and blackcurrant made the same as sloe i.e shoved in a demi with some sugar, turn periodically and drink after 3 months or so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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