Home Brew Who does it?

[ICT_GUY]

I currently have 6 gallons of cider (6-7%) 5 gallons of dark ale (7%) and another 5 gallons of pale larger (8%).

 

The cider is made form smart price apple juice (56p litre) with a bit of yeast nutrient and pectolose added (to help reduce pectin haze) . It should taste a lot better that shop brought stuff which is normally pumped full of additives.

 

Its BBQ season, and parties are interesting when home-brew is put in the mix.

 

I have also started using ASDA 2 litre fizzy water containers for bottling (10p each) as they are able to take the pressure and don't need to be sterilised.

 

Also 5 litre water bottles with a 30mm hole drilled in the top (for the air lock) make excellent demijohns.

[Jamo]

haha! I tried making lager a couple of times wasnt as good as the bought stuff but was still ok. The first lot was really tangy though thanks to the massive amount of sediment in the bottles!

 

I like the idea of using apple juice! Too bad I don't like cider though

[danrhodes]

I currently have 6 gallons of cider (6-7%) 5 gallons of dark ale (7%) and another 5 gallons of pale larger (8%).

 

The cider is made form smart price apple juice (56p litre) with a bit of yeast nutrient and pectolose added (to help reduce pectin haze) . It should taste a lot better that shop brought stuff which is normally pumped full of additives.

 

Its BBQ season, and parties are interesting when home-brew is put in the mix.

 

I have also started using ASDA 2 litre fizzy water containers for bottling (10p each) as they are able to take the pressure and don't need to be sterilised.

 

Also 5 litre water bottles with a 30mm hole drilled in the top (for the air lock) make excellent demijohns.

 

How's your liver holding up? They will dig you up in hundered of years and you will have been preserved by pickling! ;-)

 

D

[ICT_GUY]

What you need for 1 gallon of cider. (just for cheapness)

Demijohn (can be had for £2 -£5) or brewing bucket.

Airlock (£1.25)

Yeast nutrient (£1 enough for 10 gallons)

Brewing sugar (50g to 250g for added strength) <50p

Bottles for bottling (13p from asda)

Yeast (depends on type but 25p - £1)

Cleaning powder (for disinfecting everything) £1

Syphon £1.50

4.5 litres of apple juice. £2.25

 

Method, clean everything following disinfecting instructions on cleaning powder. Pour apple juice in demijohn, add yeast and nutrient and sugar (make sure it dissolves). Put airlock on, wait a 10 days (for fermentation to finish, no more bubbles and for some clearing). Syphon off the cider into your clean pressure bottles adding 1 teaspoon of sugar to pressure it. Put lid on and wait for the cider to clear.

 

Then drink and enjoy!

[ICT_GUY]

Once you have bought the equipment the price gets real cheap real quick.

[ICT_GUY]

haha! I tried making lager a couple of times wasnt as good as the bought stuff but was still ok. The first lot was really tangy though thanks to the massive amount of sediment in the bottles!

 

I like the idea of using apple juice! Too bad I don't like cider though

 

I reckon either you did not disinfect it properly, didn't use brewing sugar or did not let the yeast settle (using finings) before bottling. Doing any of these will adversely affect the quality of the beer.

[ICT_GUY]

Beers need to be kept at room temperature to fizz then need to be stored in a fairly cool room that wont be damaged by exploding beer (you should check the bottles regularly). They should clear in 1 - 2 weeks. they will improve in flavour if left for another week or two. They will remain drinkable for up to 6 months.

[Robot]

I have made mead a few times following these instructions with success . My Apple Mead Or Homemade Apple Honey Wine Recipe

[Jamo]

Mmm it was a syrup can from Wilkos so I will blame the funny taste on that! hehe It wasn't that bad definitely drinkable and the smell is really nice around the brewing barrel.

 

I did see a shop in Salisbury that did raw hops and malt in a bag which was measured so you added sugar yeast and water. I did try that one but I left it too long so it went like vinegar. I think what I am saying here is that I don't make good homebrew o well!!

[Sarconia]

I've always wanted to give this a go, chances are I'd completely deviate from the recipies and chuck lots of random ingredients in there.... mmm, lime juice. I'll have to gather up some ingredients and try it out

[ICT_GUY]

Current dark ale is a wilkos kit plus a load of demera sugar and that raw dark sludge stuff that is meant to be healthy. It will be very strong and it tastes great.

 

It also has a pot of honey in there for good measure.

[danrhodes]

I'm going to have to have a go at this. :-)

[jamesb]

Just put a batch of strawberry wine on a few days ago which I've got high hopes for. I did make some chocolate wine before, which came out quite well (despite fermentation restarting after bottling and resulting in my kitchen ceiling being spattered with the result of a couple of bottles exploding).

 

Usually comes out quite well and makes brilliant gifts. I need to invest in some labelling equipment though.

[Rydra]

I made an ale a few years ago as a venture scout, a whole 5 gallon barrel of it. My dad used to do it annually for an xmas dinner we went to each year.

The ale was drinkable, though not great by any measures, but damn was it strong stuff.

Smuggled a bottle or two of it into 6th form too, went down a treat sat out on the field watching everyone else play sports!

[ICT_GUY]

Home brew is what you make it. It is not the same as shop bought, but that is why it is the stuff of legend. My brews are usually very drinkable and VERY strong.

[jamesb]

Home brew is what you make it. It is not the same as shop bought, but that is why it is the stuff of legend. My brews are usually very drinkable and VERY strong.

 

My last homebrew was a little stronger than expected, more liquer than wine.

 

Wonder if it'd be worth starting an edugeek group about this, since a lot of people are talking about starting? More importantly, would anyone be interest in exchanging homebrew samples to get a greater variety?

[cheredenine]

I started up homebrewing just after Xmas after being interested in taking it up for a year or so previously, but not really having the room. Prior to this i had one successful kit whilst at university, though in hindsight the resulting beer was nasty (dodgy kit from Boots that recommended using white sugar for the fermenting phase - a good way to intoduce nasty flavours).

 

I don't have the room to mash my own grains (so to speak) so mainly rely on malt extract and small amounts of speciality grains to add colour/flavour, etc. I bought a kit of equipment off the internet - huge stock pot off ebay and the remaining equipment from a shop called Hop and Grape (not sure on the web address while at work, but prices and service so far have been faultless). You don't need much to get good results; I sprung for a 5 gallon plastic fermenting vessel with tap, a hydrometer and thermometer, a plastic jug, some funnels - other stuff such as a long metal spoon and a sieve i already had. I prime and store the beer in 2 litre coke bottles - perfectly suited to the pressures involved and freely available due to the amount of coke and lemonade we drink at home. Sterilising stuff involves immersion or a wipe down with VWP powder mixed in warm water, then a rince off with cold water.

 

First brew was a cross between a special bitter and a red bitter - 2 big tins of malt extract, some roasted barley grains steeped for colour and a slight nutty flavour and Worcester Goldings hops in two batches, mid and late boil. End result was about 3.7% and tasty, if lacking a bit of body - the hoppy taste was amazingly fresh compare to commercial beer.

 

Second brew was a stout - 2 tins for extract again, this time steeped with roasted barley, black malt and crystal malt and Northern Brewer hops mid boil only. End result was about 4.5% and an improvement on the first brew. In terms of taste - somewhere between Guinness at its best and worst, if you see what i mean. Should have been stronger, but i don't think i steeped the grains enough.

 

Currently maturing a cider for the better half. This was a kit bought for me by brother-in-law, perked up with a bag of Granny Smiths apples wizzed up in blender, 3 litres of Lidl apple juice, approx 250g of pale spray malt (dried malt extract) and three tea bags (for extra tannin!). Hopefully when matured and chilled it'll be a pleasant scrumpy - can;t be worse than Strongbow, anyway.

 

As you can tell - homebrewing gets under your skin! A fine tasty hobby, though...

Edited May 7, 2010 by cheredenine
speeling

[ICT_GUY]

Nice, brewing sugar is the way to go to boost the strength, 0.5kg to 1kg and you will be adding 1 - 2.5% abv. The fermentation times won't increase much either.

[cheredenine]

I've got another brewing kit to go from the brother-in-law - a lager kit, though not it seems with lager yeast, so i have my doubts about it - and then i think i'll have a go at a proper strong IPA. Lots of extract, lots of hops. Lovely! Temperature control will be tricky, however - can only really store the fermenter in the kitchen and i think it'll get too hot during the summer...

[danrhodes]

I love a pint of pale ale, they have a lovely brew near me, Wentworth Pale Ale its a beaut on a hot day in the beer garden! Ahhhhhh!

 

D

[ICT_GUY]

I opened a bottle of cider last night (2 litre pop bottle). I may have over done the added sugar. Two glasses seemed fine (not pint glasses, regular sized ones). By the middle of the third I was away with the fairies. I still have a jug almost full of cider that did not get drunk. (it takes 10 days from start to finish to make a gallon of cider btw)

 

It also tasted great. I have 40 pints of beer and 40 pints of Larger ready to drink too. (enough to see me through to winter at a guess).

 

Go on put the price of alcohol up, see if I care!

[soveryapt]

I'm going to have to have a go at this. :-)

 

My thoughts exactly!! Whoop!!

[ICT_GUY]

A gallon of cider is quite expensive, 8.5% ABV comes in at almost 38p a pint! But it is worth it for the taste. (£2.50 for the apple juice and 250g of brewing sugar 50p).

[Guest Nibbler]

Years ago me and friend make 10 gallons of potato wine which we decided wasn't strong enough so we went and built a still and ran it through that twice. The end results were interesting to say the least

[danrhodes]

What % did it turn out at, a mahooosive one?