Homebrewing. Any experts?

[t8yman]

There isn't a thread on this, and I'm interested in getting into it. I'm guessing theres got to be loads of budding brewers in the efestivals ranks.

So any tips, pitfalls to avoid, great resource pages, do's/dont's etc etc etc.

I intend to brew some proper ales, and also some nice wines. where should I start? wine or beer? is one easier or better than the other?

Once I get into it, I fancy experimenting a bit, I have great access to loads of different fruit, so would be looking at strawberry beers, raspberry beers, banana beers, and different fruit wines.

I know its a massive subject, and many will probably be able to write pages and pages of advice, but a dedicated thread to share tips and discuss the subject might be a welcome addition to the forum.

over to you......

[eFestivals]

my old man used to run a homebrew shop, selling all of the stuff you'd need. Unfortunately I never took any interest in his brewing ... apart from the consuming of course.

But if such things still exists and haven't been killed off by the likes of Boots and the poor range of stuff they sell, then try and find one in your local area, and ask the guy there for advice.

Best of luck with it anyway.

Edited October 5, 2011 by eFestivals

[5co77ie]

Best bet find your local shop and talk to them, before getting a starter kit and ensure you have space for it in the airing cupboard. Best to start with kits for both wine and beer until you know what you're doing and then try some real fruit wines.

this is our local shop:

http://www.quaysidehomebrew.co.uk/

I've not done it in a couple of years, (teenager = no airing cupboard space these days as it's in her room - and she doesn't like the smell of beer - yet) but personally my favourite was Woodfordes ale.

[5co77ie]

I meant to say beer is probably easiest - but both are pretty simple with starter kits.

[t8yman]

I did a bit of youtube research, and the coopers kits seem pretty popular, and straightforward. I took the plunge and bought a lager starter kit, I have been warned that lager can be a bit disappointing, but again - the youtube results look lovely. I also bought a brewkit for IPA for when the lager has been bottled, and will move onto a real ale after that. I do drink a lot of beer. They also do a 20 pint ginger beer kit, which mrs t8y will like I imagine. we have got an ace airing cupboard, so I reckon I have the perfect conditions. A guy I know has got some lovely bottles, might invest in some of those too. clear glass with grolsch type closers, and they are a lovely shape.

another plus side, is that I have tons of sodium metabisulphite at work!

[timespeedsup]

For the last few years have tried to make use of the excess apples in our garden, without the use of a cider-press - using the freeze/thaw method. Finally seem to have stumbled across a way for it to work well this year, according to last weekend's mild hangover following easy consumption the previous night.

But also cam across the author of this book at Alchemy Festival a few weeks ago, and his methods seemed pretty simple. So currently working through the book which has many suggestions for the various bits of free fruit and veg that grow all year round: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781905811700/Booze-for-Free

Also found a tree bearing bullace round our way. Anyone know what that is? Will be turned into wine in due course.

Do keep us updated t8yman on your efforts, and good luck with it.

& Scottie, what's with the airing cupboard? That to keep the brewing things at a decent temperature?

[t8yman]

I'm really looking forward to it arriving now. My mate came round with a bottle of his brew last night for me to try, and I know by the way he has described his process that he was a little bit slapdash. But his beer was awesome, a lovely nut brown colour, with a nice flavour. Homebrew kits have come on in leaps and bounds since I last tried it in the mid 90's - as they should have I suppose. 20p a pint or thereabouts is not to be sniffed at.

This video of a guy comparing a coopers commercial beer with his coopers homebrew beer is what really caught my attention.

[5co77ie]

& Scottie, what's with the airing cupboard? That to keep the brewing things at a decent temperature?

[Rufus Gwertigan]

Tried that ginger beer in a bottle thing which that twat on Channel 4 did. Did it for sons birthday and it turned out extremely well by all accounts. In the military We tried a few of those brew in a bag beers, stout mainly. Also did a few of our own namely using fruit juice, yeast and sugar which was amazingly nice.

[t8yman]

It's being delivered today. woohoo!

[Rufus Gwertigan]

It's being delivered today. woohoo!

[t8yman]

it is this exact kit. makes 40 pints a go. and is very well spoken about on internet homebrew forums and youtube etc.

Edited October 7, 2011 by t8yman

[timespeedsup]

Capello makes homebrew??

[eFestivals]

Capello makes homebrew??

that's not Capello, it's Postman Pat.

[kaosmark2]

Capello makes homebrew??

[t8yman]

first brew is in. original gravity is 1.036. temp is stable at about 24c may not be warm enough in the utility room all the time so I'm going to have to monitor it closely for a coupla days.

Edited October 8, 2011 by t8yman

[t8yman]

I hope it comes out ok, I was really anal about the cleaning, I even sanitized the can opener and the scissors I cut the sugar bag open with.

next brews coming up will be

scottie - is that the woodfordes one you were referring to?

also - I found a fantastic homebrew shop 5 minutes from my work, and ironically 200yds from the house I was born in. its a sign I tells ye!

Edited October 8, 2011 by t8yman

[mikeb]

Edited October 9, 2011 by mikeb

[t8yman]

24 hours in and its starting to look a bit more lager like, and the yeast has started working its magic. i was a bit worried about what looked like a massive mountain of sugar at the base, but its obviously doing its stuff. the temp is definitely steady at 24c. it also smells like beer now, which is a bonus.

i'm optimistic.

[gratedenini]

<p class="mbm" id="MessagingScroller" style="width: 626px; margin-bottom: 92px; height: 9593px">

• The Recipe below is for GATTERBURG..its very basic ,but does at it says and is a decent standby when yer dole has ran out....

  [*]

  • Cider is a piece of piss to make and will get you really gattered (a southern term but I think you can guess what it means). You will need:

    1 x demijon, bung and airlock

    1 x hydrometer

    1 x syphon & tube

    5 x 1l cheapo apple juice - the cheaper the better

    1 x funnel

    Super wine yeast compound 60g tub (Wilko's/hop & Grape).

    Pour four of the five litres of AJ into the DJ, add teaspoon of yeast compound, fit bung and airlock, shake to mix. Half fill airlock with cooled boiled water. Leave for 5 days somewhere around 20C (not airing cupboard). After about 12 hours it will start to bubble (probably quite violently). After 5 days top up the DJ with AJ from the 5th carton (if you put it all in at once it will bubble thru the airlock). When bubbling has subsided tie bit of cotton to the hydrometer and take a reading. You should read somewhere around 1.000 but it could read anywhere between 1010 and 996. When the reading has been static for 24 hours, fermentation will have finished. If using 1 litre pet bottles add one tsp sugar per bottle (so half for a 500ml bottle and 2 for a 2ltr bottle) then syphon out from the DJ into the bottles. Cap them and invert them to mix the sugar then leave them in the warm for a week then into the cold for 4 weeks.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

I thought that lager yeast was a coldish yeast below 15C. Just remembering from uni as we used different yeast all the time.

[t8yman]

I thought that lager yeast was a coldish yeast below 15C. Just remembering from uni as we used different yeast all the time.

[t8yman]

its going well so far, did a hydrometer reading today, its at about 2.93% abv, which - halfway through initial fermentation appears to be about right. its still quite cloudy, but smells right, should be ready for bottling around sunday/monday.

[5co77ie]

Looks good!

The cloudiness should clear - I can't remember if Coopers use finings for lager - it's worth knowing that if once bottled you put it in the fridge - you may well get cloudiness through 'chill haze' - there are ways to correct but it involves adding them earlier in the process - I can't remember how but I know it involves Irish Moss.

[t8yman]

Looks good!

The cloudiness should clear - I can't remember if Coopers use finings for lager - it's worth knowing that if once bottled you put it in the fridge - you may well get cloudiness through 'chill haze' - there are ways to correct but it involves adding them earlier in the process - I can't remember how but I know it involves Irish Moss.