Yet Another Cycling Forum

Off Topic => The Pub => Food & Drink => Topic started by: mrcharly-YHT on 09 December, 2013, 12:51:31 pm

Title: homebrew?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 09 December, 2013, 12:51:31 pm
Thinking of getting MrsC a starter homebrew kit for xmas.

Recommendations, kits to avoid, etc, please.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 09 December, 2013, 03:18:15 pm
I was given the Young's Microbrewery (http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Home_Brew_Starter_Wherry_Woodfords_Kit.html#.UqXc6bY_16w) for my birthday last year, which I recommend. It took me a while to start using it, but I've done three brews with it in the last two months.

It comes with all the basic kit you need to get started, including a two-can extract kit (it's advertised with a Woodforde's Wherry kit but mine came with a St Peter's Ruby Red Ale kit). You just empty the contents of the two cans into the fermenting vessel, add water, add the sachet of yeast, leave it to brew for about a week, then rack it off into the pressure barrel, leave to condition for a couple of weeks, then start drinking. And I must say that the results are pretty good.

If you want to bottle your beer instead, you obviously need to provide the bottles (I've just collected a load over the months rather than putting them in the recycling), as well as a capper (about £10-£15) and some crown caps (about £3 for a bag of 100). It's also a good idea to get a bottling wand (a syphon tube with a valve in the end) and a bottle drying rack.

Obviously that set comes with an extract kit to get you started, but further kits are readily available - one-can kits are cheaper (£10-£15) but need you to add a bag of sugar to make up the fermentables and the resulting beer will have less body than an all-extract kit. Two-can kits cost around £20-25 but don't need anything added and tend to give better results (according to what I've read, rather than personal experience). Of course, you can use dried malt extract instead of sugar in the one-can kits, but then you're ending up not really making a saving on the cost of the kit. Tesco Direct have some pretty good deals on kits - when they're in stock, which isn't often. Wilkos also stock a good range and have some good offers.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Woofage on 09 December, 2013, 04:57:55 pm
Freecycle is a good source of beer bottles. As well as your own used bottles of course ;).

In fact our fermenting vessel came via Freecycle together with a load of bottles. We got the rest of the stuff on-line from http://www.home-brew-online.com/. Our first brew will commence this evening :).
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 09 December, 2013, 08:46:48 pm
I don't think a voucher for freecycle will quite cut it as a christmas present.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Woofage on 09 December, 2013, 09:26:36 pm
No, of course not, but when you get your second and subsequent brews on and the first lot has used up most of your bottles then you may need some more ;).

If you use a pressure vessel there is no need for bottling but it creates a storage problem all of its own.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 10 December, 2013, 08:32:03 am
Just remembered another bit of kit that mrscharly might find useful: an aquarium heater. This is a tip I've picked up from home brewing forums - it ensures the brew is kept at a steady temperature during fermentation. Get a decent one from a proper pet shop and just drop it straight in the fermenting vessel.

I need to get one myself - I suspect the stout I've currently got on the go has stuck due to the room the FV is in getting too cold overnight, even though the house is centrally heated.

The more elaborate solution is to build a brewing fridge.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 10 December, 2013, 08:45:17 am

Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 09 December, 2013, 10:59:03 pm
Or do what I do: find a beer you like that isn't too expensive and has a good bottle. It's a convenient excuse  ;D

A good bottle is one with beer in it! I've amassed about 150 bottles, all different shapes (but all basically the same size, ie 500ml). The only ones I consider no good are the ones with a bulbous neck, as the capper won't fit on them. Brown bottles are definitely best, but I store mine in the dark anyway.

Quote
Also, I would avoid using table or cane sugar in your beer, it can make it thin and watery ime. Some DME or generic LME would make a tastier beer, and it's not that expensive if you source it from an online home brew shop.

Indeed. From what I've read, plain sugar is good for alcohol and carbonation (so fine for priming) but nothing else. Though the possibilities for using different kinds of fermentable material are seemingly endless. Again, the home brewing forums are a good source of advice on this matter.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Woofage on 10 December, 2013, 09:09:27 am
Quote from: citoyen on 10 December, 2013, 08:32:03 am
Just remembered another bit of kit that mrscharly might find useful: an aquarium heater. This is a tip I've picked up from home brewing forums - it ensures the brew is kept at a steady temperature during fermentation. Get a decent one from a proper pet shop and just drop it straight in the fermenting vessel.

That's a good idea. I got my first brew going last night and the bucket's in the bottom airing cupboard so I'm hoping the temp will be about right but I'll keep a check (there is no tank in the ac just pipes so it doesn't get overly warm in there).
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 10 December, 2013, 10:23:52 am
Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 09 December, 2013, 10:59:03 pm
@ the OP: Don't take this the wrong way (I'm not judging you or the Mrs., and please correct me if I'm wrong) but might your idea be akin to when Homer offered Marge a bowling ball as a present ?

MrsC seriously considered starting a 2year course in brewing. So I don't think it is like Homer offering Marge a bowling ball ;)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 10 December, 2013, 11:01:49 am
Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 10 December, 2013, 10:06:14 am
What temperatures are you fermenting at ?

At the moment, "room temperature", which is usually in the range 18-20ºC, but probably dropping to 16ºC or lower overnight, which does increase the chances of the yeast crashing out - though presumably the fermentation generates its own warmth, so the temperature of the brew will be a little higher than ambient temperature.

One of the chaps on the brewing forum I visit ferments his stout at 22ºC using an aquarium heater. Having seen the photos, I'd say this is not advisable if the room you keep the FV in is carpeted.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 11 December, 2013, 07:07:44 am
If you had an insulating jacket around the vessel, couldn't you have a temp sensor inbetween the vessel and the jacket?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 12 December, 2013, 12:04:41 pm
I was thinking of the sort of jacket you use around hot-water cylinders.

Heating could be by micro-bore plastic pipe, wrapped around the keg, under the jacket. Circulate warm water, heated to the correct temp. Actually, if the water was temp-controlled, it would act as a temp moderator for the keg (removing heat if keg got too hot).
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: padbeat on 12 December, 2013, 12:18:17 pm
I've got a coil of copper pipe I use to reduce the temperature of the wort quickly so I can get the yeast in - it's simply a case of dropping it into the FV and clagging a water supply to one end and a drain line on the other. It wouldn't take much molishing to use it to cool the wort mid-brew. You'd have to keep the flow rate pretty low so as not to over-cool it though. It's potentially messy, so it might be better for an outdoor brewhouse.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: padbeat on 12 December, 2013, 01:35:35 pm
It's barely worth it - at the moment I'm doing about 2 brews a year, and I live in Scotland - water shortage, hosepipe bans and metering are alien concepts up here.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 14 December, 2013, 06:08:49 pm
I was idly browsing in the local Range (like a super woolworths) and noticed that they had apparently very simple beer brewing kits available.  http://www.therange.co.uk/make-your-own-home-brew-ipa-bitter-kit//the-range/fcp-product/51086 for an example. I already have a mash tub and a barrel so was thinking it might be a good idea to try.

I presume temperature regulation is key? If I can get that sorted (peltier and pi?) then it should be fine to give it a go.

Edit: Merged threads as I hadn't seen this one.
Title: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 14 December, 2013, 10:14:45 pm
I'd say those look a tad on the pricey side for what they are - definitely too expensive at full price but better at the reduced price.

In terms of what you get in the kit, they're equivalent to the Coopers single can kits, which usually cost £10-£14 depending on where you buy them. Wilko's own brand kits are cheaper still.

I recommend the Coopers kits based on my limited experience but I don't know how the Range kits compare.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 14 December, 2013, 10:48:38 pm
Just found out that there is a HomeBrew shop in Dundee which stocks Coopers so I may pay them a visit.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 15 December, 2013, 09:44:02 am
I think have to start playing with a home brew.

- At least two shops in town are doing homebrew kits, one is around £65 and contains everything.
- PGtips gave me some bottles and various brewing kit, four gallons glass bottles etc.
- Neighbour is growing hops and brews herself, I didn't know that it would grow this far up north, I have to ask her if I could get a cutting.
- I have been talking about this for ages.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Jon P on 15 December, 2013, 10:19:32 am
Here's how I (and a work colleague I exchange ideas with) do it (I've read the posts above, bound to be some overlap) -

- normally only use all-malt kits, though using a single can and supplementing with brewing sugar still gives a 'real ale'-type end result and is slightly cheaper.  If there's no local shop then Ellie Claire from eBay is totally reliable and won't charge for postage if you spend enough.

- I use a brewing belt to raise the temp slightly, my house is minimally 10-12C in the winter; after primary fermentation (6-7 days) I rack it off into one of the Wilko large vessels under airlock.  It can take ages to ferment out but prevents off-tastes from the yeast getting into it (people recommended skimming the brew on a previous thread too).  The point is to try to rack it while fermentation is still active so it build up a layer of CO2 over the brew which keeps spoilage organisms out - if the airlock goes dead shortly after transfer you'll need to bottle it within a few days.

- sometimes I'll bottle it before it's quite finished and use slightly less priming sugar - about half a cup for a 5-gal brew is normal, which I dissolve into a small amount of water on the stove.  I usually rack it off back into the first container but do this with a tube (as I do for the first racking) to minimise the amount of oxygen getting mixed in by splashing around - I've bastled something with different widths of tubing and jubilee clips, held in place on the tap by laggy bands.  I've brought several German crates back and collect bottles from the recycling when I need them - some are a pain to cap when the neck is widely-flanged so try different sorts out.  This takes about 2 hrs from start to finish.  Then give as much warmth as possible for a few weeks; they're much better after about 2 months in bottle.

- if you like lager as AQ says use a special yeast and Pilsener enzyme, it will then ferment at a low temperature, I'm going to get one on shortly and anticipate it will probably take 2 months to ferment out, at least.  The end result is worth it, IMO, and in general I'd always rather have a pint of home brew because it's not pasteurised, much more wholesome.

- my colleague recommends a procedure called "Krausening" to get secondary fermenation going where you start off a new yeast culture instead of relying on what's left in the brew - anybody else tried this?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Canardly on 19 December, 2013, 07:28:47 pm
Rather good value atm given the brew kit is circa £22 upwards retail.

http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/micro/complete-st-peters-starter-equipment-set.html
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 21 December, 2013, 08:45:08 am
Coopers kits back in stock in Tesco at £10.

I've bagged a couple of the Stout kits. Might try the APA too...
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 21 December, 2013, 07:15:14 pm
I asked one of my colleagues and he insisted that I shouldn't bother with any kits but do  a full mash from scratch as it would make much better beer. Seems like a lot of work for a first try.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 21 December, 2013, 08:18:41 pm
There are some perfectly acceptable kits out there. We find that bottling and then forgetting them for a few months makes for better beer.
I agree with you DM, do a few kits first and then see if you can be bothered with the added faff of mashing from scratch...


Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 22 December, 2013, 08:54:47 am
Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 22 December, 2013, 08:33:34 am
On reflection, making beer is 10% actual brewing and 90% cleaning. Hope you like cleaning :-)
arrggh why didn't anyone tell me this before! I didn't know I had to work that hard to get a brew going :)
Title: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 22 December, 2013, 10:02:25 am
Quote from: David Martin on 21 December, 2013, 07:15:14 pm
I asked one of my colleagues and he insisted that I shouldn't bother with any kits but do  a full mash from scratch as it would make much better beer. Seems like a lot of work for a first try.

My long term aim is to get a proper brewery set up but there's nothing wrong with a decent kit, and it takes up minimal time, space and effort, so it's perfect if those are limiting factors for you.

Getting a kit right still requires care and patience, but can produce very good results. And Mrs P is right - the beer does improve with age.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Woofage on 22 December, 2013, 01:02:22 pm
Just sampled my first bottle of cider. Not bad <hic>, not bad at all. It's not supposed to be ready just yet but it's quite drinkable as is. Very potent though: needs treating with respect.

I discovered yesterday that a local shop sells all the separate ingredients for beer making. Although kits are easy, I don't really want to make 23 litres of beer each time. What is the panel's view of making a small batch, say a demijohn or two, rather than a big bucket's worth?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Ewan Houzami on 22 December, 2013, 01:23:32 pm
I've pretty much given up with kits, and also become more frustrated with the taste from my extract brews. I'm wondering if something happens to some of the molecules in the malt extract during the freeze drying or concentrating process now (possibly something known as a Maillard reaction to the biochemists - it's a well known phenomenon in wine kits) -  leaving them as unfermentables in the wort and giving that distinctive but subtle homebrew 'tang'. Although my latest Fullers ESB extract clone is OK, after ten weeks in the bottle, the carbonation and colour are both fine, but it lacks the top-end marmalade hoppiness, punch, and sweetness of the real thing, and it has that slight 'tang'. It's at best, an approximation. I used the Fullers yeast too.

For those (like me) who would like to go all-grain, but don't have the space (or the justification for spending money on all the kit either), there are two other possibilities to explore.

1) BIAB (brew in a bag) where you put your grains in a large muslin bag and mash them in your boiling vessel, before hoisting the bag out, letting the wort run-off into the vessel, and boiling that up as per usual with hop additions at various times. But there's no sparge (rinsing the mash) involved which means low-efficiency and you'll need a very large pot and hoist for lifting out car-engines or similar.

2) Partial Mash. You place your grains in a large picnic drinks cooler (about £25 from Argos),  mash (steep the grains) for an hour (the cooler keeps  the temperature constant) and then either tip the resulting wort into the boil vessel and proceed once again as normal but with a smaller volume*, or adding more water and a lot less dried malt extract (DME) than you would have for a straightforward extract brew for a full-volume boil. Again - low efficiency because you're not carrying out a sparge.

Even better is to bodge a tap into the side of the cooler (with a filter if you're posh), so you can run the wort off after mash, and also sparge the grains - meaning you extract more from the grains - resulting in a higher efficiency. This is pretty much the start of an all-grain boil, as you should end up with the full amount of wort to boil up if you've done your sums right. But for all grain, you'll need a mahoosive (30+l) pot to put on the stove, so it's preferable to do get something rigged up outside or in the garage if you have one.

*you can stop at this stage if you want to do smaller brews (@woofage)

Title: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 22 December, 2013, 02:10:52 pm
Woofage - Nothing wrong with that at all. If you're using a two can kit, you can make it up to 20 pints using just one can.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Ewan Houzami on 22 December, 2013, 04:34:17 pm
Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 22 December, 2013, 02:18:53 pm
Quote from: Goldilocks on 22 December, 2013, 01:23:32 pm
I've pretty much given up with kits, and also become more frustrated with the taste from my extract brews.

Care to share a recipe in case we can give any tips ?

I can't find my recipe sheets but my last London Pride would have been something like this (Saracen from Brewuk's recipe - basically one of Graham wheeler's from 'Brew your own British ale', and retweaked by running the numbers through the Beer Engine*.)

13g Target Hops

7g Challenger

7g Northdown

19g East Kent Goldings

370 g Crystal Malt

2.5kg Light dried malt extract

Steep Crystal grains in 6l water for 30 mins @ 65-67oC (I use a stocking bag to hold the grains). Remove bag and bring to boil. Add some DME (can't remember how much at this stage - maybe 1 - 1.5 kg? Maybe all of it?!**)  Add 13g Target @ 60 mins, 7g challenger, Northdown and 12g EKG @ 15 mins with a Protafloc tab. (the remaining 7g EKG added either @ flame-out and left to steep, or dry-hopped after a few days. Can't remember which!) Place boil vessel in sink-full of cold water for the cold-break (no wort-chiller) then strain wort into fv through sieve and sparge hops with more water to make up to 23l. Add remainder of DME and stir like billy-o to remove lumps. Take OG reading. Pitch pre-smacked Wyeast 1968 or Safale S-04 at 20oC and leave lid loose-ish until krauesen has died down. Seal and leave 18-20 days in total for diacetyl rest. Rack to bottling vessel, bung in some finings and leave a further couple of days to clear. Bottle with 1/2 tsp table sugar per bottle, and leave to condition - my rule of thumb being at least four weeks for a 1040 OG ale.

Although  LP is a malt-forward beer, this one ended up too malty and cloudy. It had the characteristics of the commercial product, but like the ESB I did (which is pretty much the same recipe, but with a bit more grain and brewed short), it lacked the zest and punch of the real thing. It was 'muddy' and had a tang. I Sent a message to Saracen at Brewuk and he said he'd look at the numbers but I don't know if he adjusted the recipe. The only things I think I might be slack on are keeping a constant mash temp (although I use a thermometer), and keeping a good vigourous boil. I don't think there's a problem with the boil volume itself wrt hop utilisation.

This tang thing is something people do or don't seem to taste. There's a similar thing in kit wine-making and I've pretty much given up on the mid-range kits for this reason.  I pick up a strong bubble-gum taste when the wine is young, and I don't have the patience to lay them down for a year for it to (supposedly) disappear. I'm just about to get cracking on a Winexpert Luna Rossa which has a higher percentage of pure juice, so hopefully none of this 'kit-taste'! So my primary fv will be in use for at least six weeks and no beer-making for me for the time being.

* http://www.practicalbrewing.co.uk/main/calculators/beerengine/

** Have read discussions about hop utilisation vs boil gravity and from what I gather it doesn't seem to matter at what stage of the boil you add the extract. Some say you can omit it entirely (effectively making a hop tea) and add all the DME directly to the fv post boil, without affecting the taste of the final product.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Ewan Houzami on 22 December, 2013, 11:14:02 pm
Aaargh! I just spent over an hour typing a lengthy reply, but then my effin' login timed out so it wouldn't post - and I CBA to type it all again! Probably for the best....I used to hang out on a couple of homebrew forums, and still crop up on one from time-to-time, and am aware of most (if not all) of the issues you've raised.

I don't actually leave the lid off at the start, but just loose, as I read the initial fermentation is aerobic and it might stop the yeast going into oxygen debt (joke), and in any case this is only something I've recently started to do. I also generally batch-prime too using a calculated amount of sugar in solution , but might resort to the sugar-traight-in-the-bottle method if my schedule gets messed up through work. I've only recently started using the same primary bucket for both beer and wine too, but understood this not to be a problem with proper cleaning and sterilising. (I might come across as a bit slap-dash, but in reality I'll spend hours consulting forums and poring over techniques and tweaks before I put them into practice)

One thing is, if I go for a full volume boil then I might as well go AG anyway (I fancy knocking up a mash tun of some description just for the lolz) as the grain is cheaper than extract for a start. However, my limiting factor aprt from money is SPACE! I live in a 55 m2 flat which is already taken up with bicycles, and bits of bicycle and motorbike. I'll soon need a room just to keep all my brewing stuff in!
 
One other thing that's starting to irk is time vs money. It costs about £30 for a good extract brew (using Wyeast or White Labs) ending up with 40 or fewer bottles. Factor in the cost of the equipment and the four hour's total labour, and I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it to save what, £30? With a large AG set-up (say 60 litres at a time and a cheaper grain bill to boot) I can see the point. But I'd need a much larger kitchen or  a garden for that sort of operation. Or perhaps an RV and a desert...

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pickled Onion on 23 December, 2013, 08:55:46 am
Quote from: David Martin on 21 December, 2013, 07:15:14 pm
I asked one of my colleagues and he insisted that I shouldn't bother with any kits but do  a full mash from scratch as it would make much better beer. Seems like a lot of work for a first try.

He is correct on one count - to make the stuff that dreams are made of you have to mash. But a decent kit or extract based recipe can easily beat 90% commercially brewed stuff.

There's no way anyone should try mashing for their first go, there's just too many techniques to learn. Start with a (non-boil) kit, move on to using extracts & hops, then mash. It also means you don't splash out on all the equipment in one go.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 23 December, 2013, 09:23:57 am
Well I have a bucket and a pressure keg so will drop by the brew shop today and seek appropriate advice.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 23 December, 2013, 05:14:38 pm
You have a brew shop in Dundee?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 23 December, 2013, 05:43:46 pm
Yes, and very helpful she was too. I came away with a coopers IPA kit, a hygrometer and some sterilising stuff. Beer bottles? Ask your local pub (there are three within 200m of my house.) Having read the instructions I popped back in to ask about the 'mix it with malt and other sugars' which was a bit indistinct in th einstructions and she said that for a first brew just use ordinary sugar, then when you see how it all works, spend the money on malt etc.

So if I have time this evening I will sterilise and set up the brew. It will then sit at a bit cooler than intended (probably around 16 instead of 18-23) for a week before checking to see how it has gone.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 23 December, 2013, 08:30:31 pm
And it is up and going. Everything well sanitised, then well washed. Probably a few degrees to cold but hey ho, there is a 25 litre bucket in the cellar that I can ignore for a week or so.
SG(start) 1038
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 24 December, 2013, 04:25:22 pm
Daughter (16) on discovering me brewing said 'How long does it take?' and then on hearing 'about a month'  replied 'Oh good, can I have some for my birthday?' and proceeded to regale us with the stories of what she had been drinking on her mongolia jaunt (allegedly dry!)

I think it might be too cold in the cellar - have to add some heat down there.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 25 December, 2013, 09:57:21 pm
I have added a small oil radiator to the room to raise the ambient a little. There is a pleasing amount of pressure under the lid so I presume things are working. Will investigate further in 10 days.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 28 December, 2013, 07:17:36 pm
The lid on the bucket is definitely rounded. I am in the process of acquiring bottles into which to deposit the fetid brew nectar of the gods.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 29 December, 2013, 10:19:42 am
Quote from: David Martin on 25 December, 2013, 09:57:21 pm
I have added a small oil radiator to the room to raise the ambient a little.

This may be of interest: I've just ordered an Eheim Thermocontrol 25W heater off eBay for £16. This is rated to heat an aquarium of 20-25L, though perhaps if the room your FV is  in is very cold, the 50W version might be better.

Quote
There is a pleasing amount of pressure under the lid so I presume things are working.

You might want to crack the lid open slightly to let some of the pressure out occasionally - before it lifts itself off of its own accord.
Title: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 29 December, 2013, 10:36:44 am
Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 10 December, 2013, 09:55:04 pm
Ok, my long/boring post comes to an end now :-)

Not boring at all - very useful! My fears about my stout proved unfounded - it eventually fermented down to 1011, then I racked it into a barrel primed with 90g muscovado sugar and it has been conditioning away nicely for five days now - and I can tell it's working because I cracked the lid slightly and there was a hiss of escaping gas (I had to let a little out because I don't like my stout too fizzy).

Had a little taste as well and, by Jove, it's splendid!

It's a Coopers stout kit made up to 20L with 1kg of dark DME, 250g white cane sugar and 30g Fuggles boiled in some wort for 1 min then left to steep for 30 mins. I thought priming with muscovado might add an extra dimension but it's not very noticeable - just a slight caramel hint. But I'm very pleased with the result - smooth, strong, very dry.

So anyway, my "room temp" is obviously fine for ale brewing, especially on a small scale, but I still want the aquarium heater for that bit of extra control and consistency.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 29 December, 2013, 05:40:51 pm
The lid, when placed under pressure, seems to vent OK. I pushed gently on the bulge and could hear gas escaping so presume it regulates the pressure OK and won't suddenly blow off.

So once it has fermented, I could rack it off into a barrel or bottle it. I have to source some bottles - PET or glass? Crown or Screw?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 29 December, 2013, 06:03:44 pm
Glass crown top. We usually use empty beer bottles, but that assumes you've been drinking bottled beer and saving the empties!
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 29 December, 2013, 06:33:28 pm
I'll have to pop into the pub across the way then and see if they have any spares they will let me have.

Into a barrel or straight into bottles? It is a coopers IPA made to 23L with 800g sugar.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pickled Onion on 29 December, 2013, 06:52:46 pm
Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 29 December, 2013, 06:03:44 pm
Glass crown top. We usually use empty beer bottles, but that assumes you've been drinking bottled beer and saving the empties!

Agree, for perfection, but it can be a bit of a palaver sterilising, rinsing, filling, priming and capping 40-something 500 ml bottles, or worse still, 80 half pint bottles. But larger bottles means you have to have a large jug to decant and once it's poured it has to be drunk. A good compromise is screw top flagons or glass litre cider bottles if you can source them. PET is absolutely fine as long as you're not hoping to mature it for many months, and yes they can definitely take the pressure, much more so than glass bottles. The only issue is they tend to be 2 litre and it all has to be poured out in one go! If you use clear ones, keep them in the dark.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 29 December, 2013, 06:55:48 pm
500ml PET bottles are readily available and there are loads on the recycling market (in the shape of Coke or other pop bottles. And they are even cheaper ready sterilised (just pour out the Tesco value sparkling water and replace it with a far better sparkling water). What is the issue with ageing in PET?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 29 December, 2013, 07:36:40 pm
If it's going into a barrel you're drinking in out of the barrel.
We have a giant BDH barrel which used to contain 50Kg NaCl which is very useful for sterilising bottles with the correct number of Milton tablets dissolved in the water. We then put about half a tsp of sugar into each of the clean bottles before we decant from the fermenter for the 2ry fermentation. (I have a disposable plastic cup fashioned into a funnel to get the sugar into the bottle.)

The kitchen floor usually needs a good clean after we've done this bit!
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 29 December, 2013, 07:45:01 pm
I was thinking of decanting into the barrel as a temporary and easy way to then fill lots of bottles after adding the sugar to the barrel so the whole batch is consistent.Yes it is one more handling step but would make bottle filling much easier. (Think of it as a mixer/funnel with tap). It would be in the barrel for a few minutes (long enough for me to carry upstairs and into the kitchen from the cellar)

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 29 December, 2013, 08:03:04 pm
Why is a bottling bucket different to a barrel, or can I just use the barrel as a bottling bucket?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 29 December, 2013, 08:04:31 pm
We do rinse, lots :)

I guess to do it DM's way you would have to make the sugar a solution before putting it in the bucket, otherwise you'd have to stir it and mobilise all the crap. Never really thought of doing it that way.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 29 December, 2013, 08:36:17 pm
A separate vessel. I am fermenting in a 25l bucket. The plan would be to decant into the barrel (a pressure keg). And then add the sugar and immediately decant to bottles.  The barrel makes it easier to move the brew from the cellar. It was entertaining enough moving it down there.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 29 December, 2013, 08:48:50 pm
I was thinking I could put it in the barrel then decant on to it. With a suitable tube it can mix without aeration
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 30 December, 2013, 11:25:54 am
Quote from: citoyen on 29 December, 2013, 10:19:42 am
This may be of interest: I've just ordered an Eheim Thermocontrol 25W heater off eBay for £16. This is rated to heat an aquarium of 20-25L, though perhaps if the room your FV is  in is very cold, the 50W version might be better.
I'd probably put one in a wider bucket (trug or similar? ) and place the brew bucket in that so it acts as a water jacket. It (the bucket) shouldn't need to be more than half immersed My bucket won't take one of those without modifying the lid and I'd rather not have yet another thing to sterilise.

Still pressure being generated so bottling is a few days off yet.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 30 December, 2013, 12:32:26 pm
Quote from: David Martin on 30 December, 2013, 11:25:54 am
I'd probably put one in a wider bucket (trug or similar? ) and place the brew bucket in that so it acts as a water jacket.

Various people on the brewing forums advocate exactly this. It also means if the heater fails, it won't risk contaminating the beer.

OTOH, it's a less efficient way to heat the contents of the vessel and for me, the risk is low enough to make it worthwhile. As for sterilising, it's just a case of dropping it in the vessel along with all the other bits you're sterilising.

You wouldn't necessarily need to modify the lid either - just leave a crack for the wire to trail over the edge. The blanket of CO2 generated by fermentation will protect the brew from oxidation. You could put a bit of clingfilm or something over the gap to stop creatures getting in if necessary.

Quote
Still pressure being generated so bottling is a few days off yet.

Don't rely on this as a guide - use a hydrometer to be sure, especially if you're bottling.

Talking of bottling, using the barrel as a "bottling bucket" is exactly what I did with my first brew, which is the only one I've bottled so far. The main reason being that it has a tap, so it was much easier to fill the bottles than fannying about with a syphon tube in the fermenting vessel.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: andyoxon on 01 January, 2014, 04:07:42 pm
I was given this for Christmas  http://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/brewmaker-high-gravity-victorian-bitter/

Can I ask here... Any good source of a 5 gallon pressure barrel/ other tips?

edit. reading through thread helps.   :)  Want to try and do this with min. expense.
Title: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 01 January, 2014, 05:29:28 pm
Try Wilko's - they had a sale on recently, don't know if it's still going, and 5gal pressure barrels were £16.

For your kit, as per earlier posts in the thread, I'd recommend 1kg of Muntons Beer Kit Enhancer or Light DME (Dried Malt Extract) rather than sugar - again, both available in Wilko's or homebrew specialists.

Generally, just exercise care (especially with regard to sterilisation) and patience.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 04 January, 2014, 04:05:36 pm
I now have just enough bottles (courtesy of the Queen Anne) to hold 23 litres. 11 litres in 500ml and 12 in 300ml. Currently washing and de-labelling rather a lot of bottles.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 04 January, 2014, 09:27:00 pm
Sounds like a plan - maybe I should see if I have some milton or similar. They were 'fresh' bottles so still damp inside rather than many days old, and I have rinsed them well. The larger bottles are all done, it is the 300ml bottles that will take some time as they seem to have a more soak-resistant glue.

I've got a few days yet before bottling so plenty of time.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 05 January, 2014, 04:09:34 pm
Maybe a few more days - this is taking it's time. Now at 1020 (from 1038 on 23rd). Still appears to be live so live and let live for a while longer.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 05 January, 2014, 06:24:53 pm
I've never done this before so pick a number :)

All the bottles are cleaned. I might stop by the pub on the way home from work and pick up some more bigger bottles.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ian on 05 January, 2014, 06:51:41 pm
Quote from: David Martin on 04 January, 2014, 09:27:00 pm
Sounds like a plan - maybe I should see if I have some milton or similar. They were 'fresh' bottles so still damp inside rather than many days old, and I have rinsed them well. The larger bottles are all done, it is the 300ml bottles that will take some time as they seem to have a more soak-resistant glue.

I've got a few days yet before bottling so plenty of time.

You're a scientist. Surely you should have a big fuming vat of dichromic acid for getting rid of those pesky labels?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 05 January, 2014, 07:00:01 pm
And not to forget and deep manic laughter.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 05 January, 2014, 07:03:23 pm
Having carried out considerable research I can now write a short paper ont he durability of bottle labels by brand, and whether they are a neck band, front, or back label as they all seem to use different glues.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 05 January, 2014, 07:14:41 pm
For those interested, the easiest tosoak off are Magners and Koppaberg. The hardest are Budweiser.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 05 January, 2014, 10:14:11 pm
We are lazy scientists and never bothered fighting to get the labels off. The stuff inside the glass still tastes the same, after all :)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 07 January, 2014, 10:55:42 am
I have been loaned a brew belt so this evening will endeavour to raise the brew temperature to a point where it will not take another month to complete. It is still progressing, albeit slowly.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 07 January, 2014, 11:13:14 am
It's not necessarily a bad thing to let it take its time - longer, slower fermentation allows the yeast to "clean up" after itself.

I left my stout in the fermenting vessel for over three weeks before transferring it to the pressure barrel, and it's turned out beautifully. After two weeks of conditioning, it's a cracking pint, but I'm trying to do the dry January thing so I'm having to resist the temptation to get stuck in. On the plus side, this means it should be even better by the time February rolls around...
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: tiermat on 07 January, 2014, 01:02:02 pm
FWIW, David, I have found that some (mainly the ones with the plastic coated labels) come off easier if you use heat rather than water to lift them.  Obv. with plastic coated labels the water cannot get at the glue to dissolve it, but heat softens it up enough to get a fingernail under one edge.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 07 January, 2014, 11:15:23 pm
1012 after I put the heater up a notch or two. I have borrowed a brew belt which is now installed 1/3 from the top and on a 1hour on 1 hour off timer.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 08 January, 2014, 02:54:10 pm
Ambient is probably around 15 or possibly lower - I've not measured it. Yeast - whatever came in the coopers kit.
It was a bit perkier this morning after having the belt on.

Will check the SG tonight.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pickled Onion on 08 January, 2014, 03:18:49 pm
I'm surprised you need the belt on a timer - they're only about 25 Watts or so, and at 15 deg ambient the temp will stabilise long before it gets too hot. It's just a plastic bucket without lagging, is that right?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 08 January, 2014, 05:00:50 pm
Well I didn't know whether I would need it on a timer, and the timer was available so I used it. I'll find a thermometer and see what the actual temperature is.

Edit: still no tempreature reading (couldn't find the thremometer) but SG now at 1008. Getting there.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 09 January, 2014, 06:37:05 pm
It is worth bearing in mind. I have culture facilities at work so could do interesting things with yeast (like sequence the genomes if at all bothered)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: mike on 10 January, 2014, 12:40:05 pm
does anyone want a home-brew cider kit?  I was given it for christmas and a) can't stand cider, b) have no ambition to make my own (see (a))

quite heavy for posting, but free to anyone passing...
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 13 January, 2014, 11:10:13 pm
Bottled it. Decanted into the keg with some fructose syrup for secondary fermentation. Then ended up using the second siphon to fill bottles with the assistance of the children. I must confess to being a little concerned at their professed competence in assessing the quality of beer..

With three of us the bottling went quite smoothly (just over 2 hours from start to finish and washed up) A filler, a passer and a capper. And it doesn't taste too bad - quite summery but a little bit of an aftertaste which may be the 'kit taste'. Anyhow, many bottles to lay down for a few weeks.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 01 February, 2014, 06:45:17 pm
Mildly sparkling, quite bitter as the sweetness has gone. Reasonably pelasant but I wouldn't drink lots of it in one go. Should try chilling it next time instead of at ambient (about 15C)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 02 February, 2014, 07:32:52 pm
+1 to leaving it a few months. I don't think we've drunk anything less than 3 months old. Mind you, there's stuff in the shed that must be about 4 yrs old now!
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 02 February, 2014, 08:10:15 pm
Actually it tastes all right at 15C. I've got a bottle in the fridge to try later.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 14 February, 2014, 02:32:21 pm
Today I am bottling the Brupaks Belgian Christmas Ale that my sister gave me for Christmas. It's been fermenting for nearly four weeks - didn't intend that to happen but I was ill the weekend I'd originally planned to bottle it, and I haven't had time to do anything with it since.

Sitting on the trub that long doesn't seen to have harmed it - it tastes fine.  Slight estery flavours but I think that's normal for style anyway. From an OG of about 1040, iirc, it's down to 1010, which is lower than I was expecting - instructions said to expect FG of around 1015. That puts it at about 4% abv, by my reckoning. I've batch primed it with 50g of sugar (for a 9L batch) prior to bottling, which should give it a bit more oomph after conditioning.

Now to see if I can keep my hands off it until next Christmas...

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 14 February, 2014, 11:53:12 pm
My efforts appear to have found universal favour. Definitely tastes less than 4% though. I find a 300ml bottle to be just right.
Title: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 15 February, 2014, 09:57:23 am
Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 14 February, 2014, 11:39:58 pm
4% for a Christmas beer seems a bit low?

It does, doesn't it. I may be misremembering the OG...

I've found someone's home brewing blog and using the same kit, he got an OG of 1050. That would put it at a bit over 5%, which sounds more like it.

The kit included a teabag of coriander and juniper, and another of chocolate malt, to be steeped in boiling water in the can with the residual wort.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 10 March, 2014, 03:26:49 pm
I'm planning my next brew. My sister wants me to do something for our family get together for her 40th in June. I had the idea that something like a Saison would go down well. I asked for tips on the JBK forum and was pointed at this recipe on the Cooper's site:
http://www.coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/beer-recipes/ale/detail/biere-du-mois-saison/

1.5kg can Cooper's APA
1.5kg can Cooper's Wheat Beer
500g light DME
25g Saaz hops
11g Belle Saison yeast

Brewed to 20 litres, that should make a good, strong, flavoursome brew. I'm going to get it on asap to give it plenty of time to condition ahead of June. Mmmmmmm!
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 15 March, 2014, 02:00:10 pm
Ingredients bought:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k170/smutchin/7EDC83C4-6DF5-466E-9484-CE705217C714_zpsd59zpc4o.jpg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/user/smutchin/media/7EDC83C4-6DF5-466E-9484-CE705217C714_zpsd59zpc4o.jpg.html)

I've also got a Coopers Stout on the go at the moment. I've used my fish tank heater for the first time in this brew, to ensure consistent temperatures. However, I didn't think to calibrate the thermostat before starting and I think the gauge is reading substantially under - I set it to 20C but the thermometer strip on the outside of the FV is showing 22-24. Result: overpowering estery banana smell! (Isoamyl acetate, I believe, caused by overworked yeast.) Which might be a desirable quality in the Saison when I make it, but isn't really to style in a stout.

Oh well. One to chalk down to experience. I'm not going to chuck the brew - might yet turn out drinkable.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 15 March, 2014, 05:53:26 pm
The Coopers IPA is good at 23 litres. I brewed at the lower limit of the temp range (probably below)and it is very nice.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 06 April, 2014, 06:09:03 pm
I bottled the Saison today. Tastes flipping great already and should be even better after a couple of months in the bottle. It's come out at about 7.2% abv, which is higher than I was expecting, but that's because the final gravity was considerably lower than I was expecting. Interesting.

I've put the next one on already - a Coopers APA beefed up with a bunch of Fuggles and EKG hops. 

Unfortunately, because the last two brews have been for special occasions, I've got nothing ready to drink at the moment except the overheated stout, which has turned out drinkable but not great. And it gives me a stinking hangover.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Clare on 28 April, 2014, 10:15:02 pm
On Saturday Vernon started a brew (15l) using Milestone Green Man and the dregs of 4 Duvel bottles. It already smells very Belgian.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 19 May, 2014, 09:05:54 pm
The pilsner (Coopers Pilsner, with Youngs beer enhancer as a sugar source) is underway in the usual brew it cool and long method. Seems to be doing well and smells good. 1010 now after 2 weeks, might have to assist it a little with a modicum of warming if I am to get to bottling next weekend.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 20 May, 2014, 06:31:12 am
Probably around 14-15C ? Whatever temperature the cellar is at. The bumpf in the kit said that they used a different yeast for the Pilsner than the other kits. I was thinking a mild increase of a degree or so. It certainly didn't seem quite as enthusiastic as last time, but I used a spray malt/dextrose mix rather than plain white sugar.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 24 May, 2014, 10:08:28 pm
Didn't raise the temp. It had finished a couple of days ago so I bottled it tonight. Light, citrussy. Sweet as I had added priming sugar (Add an amount as a solution to the intermediate transfer vessel so it is a consistent priming.)

(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5277/14260435324_e7a4edf0d1_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nJ9sAy)IMAG2203 (https://flic.kr/p/nJ9sAy) by davidmamartin (https://www.flickr.com/people/62034421@N00/), on Flickr
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 25 July, 2014, 02:20:32 pm
oops, I got myself a DIY kit from Coopers today and it is brewing away with a lager, only thing they had in the shop. Good news if I fail, it's only lager and I can start on something with taste sooner.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 01 August, 2014, 01:37:11 pm
Bottled 38x500ml today, now two more weeks of waiting to go ...

While I wait any Home Brew Kits recommendation, especially IPA or APA? I do like them hoppy so was thinking about doing a bit of dry hopping.

Will ask for a Leffe Blonde like beer later :)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 30 August, 2014, 11:22:05 pm
Hmmm the lager is still not right. I think it is because I had it in the FV at 28c the first two days before the temp started to drop.

Though the Authentic IPA, a Coopers' recipe (http://coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/beer-recipes/strong/detail/authentic-ipa/), I bottled today tasted really good. Wonder if I can wait the four weeks I had planned to leave it in the bottles.

Next up a crimbo beer clone of Tuborg's brilliant Julebryg, again a Coopers' recipe.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: lahoski on 02 September, 2014, 01:35:19 pm
Quote from: woollypigs on 01 August, 2014, 01:37:11 pm
While I wait any Home Brew Kits recommendation, especially IPA or APA? I do like them hoppy so was thinking about doing a bit of dry hopping.

You could try adding some hop oils in secondary/bottling bucket instead of dry hopping (which can be a pita due to the hops floating around). You could add to any kits you like but reckon could do with some extra hoppiness...

I believe the Malt Miller sells small bottles of Cascade and a couple of others with syringes and instructions - the Cascade would obvs be ideal for American style beers.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 19 September, 2014, 06:24:53 pm
Well the Authentic IPA have now lived for three weeks in the bottles and is going to struggle stay much longer in these bottles, tasty!

Well I can now say I have brewed beer - colour me chuffed :-)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 05 October, 2014, 09:56:56 pm
Was that the Coopers IPA? A very good kit that IME was far too morish.

I have just got a new brew on. It uses spray malt as the sugars and has 'teabags' to steep the hops/grains before fermentaiton. I more or less followed the instructions (sort of) but boiled up the teabags for longer as I have a suitable cannibal pot (along with a coulpe of extra secret ingredients just for fun to see what happens with that). Then dissolved the malt in the hot liquor before making up to 23l. Waiting for it to cool down before adding the years and transferring it to the cellar.

It should be an 80/- when done. Probably be awful or at least not live up to the standard of the Coopers kits which were most excellent.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 05 October, 2014, 10:14:27 pm
Yes it was with added extra, just like this one - http://coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/beer-recipes/strong/detail/authentic-ipa/

I think it got too much sugar in for the carbonation. The next time I brew it up I will do 100-110g instead of the 150g I used.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 07 October, 2014, 06:44:00 pm
I think I used about 75g of fructose for my carbonation.
The 80/- is progressing well.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 12 October, 2014, 07:30:37 pm
The 80/- was bottled today. Very dark and quite a lot of suspended yeast. However there is the very faintest hint (if you know what to look for) of the seekrit flavours. It seems to be drinkable, a suitable winter ale. Give it some conditioning and then see.

So far so good. 40 pint bottles and a small 'leftovers' as well. An ideal present for a friend who is being inducted as a minister this week (and likes a pint or two).

..d
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 27 October, 2014, 09:49:34 pm
Very dark. Not stout dark, but getting that way. The extra ingredients defintiely make it interesting. A hint of sweetness, a long lasting head, a malty aroma. Slightly earthy with a taste that seems to be growing, and at a readily drinkable strength. A suitable winter brew.

I probably should have let it sit a little longer before bottling - it was very keen to exit the bottle.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 28 October, 2014, 08:25:08 am
Sounds lovely.

I currently have a Coopers stout on the go, which I've beefed up with some extra malt so it should come out around 5% abv. I've also added a hefty dose of Amarillo hops, and I'll be dry-hopping it with some more Amarillo tonight. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.


Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 01 November, 2014, 09:29:56 pm
It has recieved rave reviews farm various of my colleagues.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 01 November, 2014, 09:38:34 pm
Got trouble times ahead I think, it is getting too cold to brew ale in our house, the nutella is getting harder to spread on toast, and I'm running low on stock. Don't really have a place in house that is kept warm. Most nights we are in jumpers and a fleece thrown over our legs, when it gets really cold we put the heating on the room we are in. I would like to get my next brew going a Golden Ale, but I worry it will be too brrr for it.

I can only atm wrap it in some fleeces, but I don't think that would be enough. Don't have the funds or space to get something that could keep it warm - big water tank with fish tank heater or heat wrap thing.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Poly Hive on 09 November, 2014, 01:58:09 pm
It dawned on me that being 12 miles from Burton on Trent that I really might consider some IPA. I am using an American IPA kit from Cheers in Long Eaton. Wendy runs it and is very helpful and knowledgeable. The beer is awesome stuff.

We got a very lucky response on freecycle, in fact the only one in a year, and got barrels and so on.

We have country wines on the go and kit wines too and very good value they are too. We also have a device for making "essential oils" LOL

Just spent the afternoon decanting country wines and can report some serious successes. The parsnip is looking good, (for look read sip) and the dandelion is promising.

FWIW we have found that having some half gallon demijohns is incredibly handy. Slurp some cloudy cider and you have a free dj. ;)  Bulk your wine in bladders from the HB shop. Our five litre ones cost just under £8 and have had some four or five lots in them and are fit for at least the same again.

Setting up is costly there is no argument here as we have spent a fair bit on it but are now reaping the benefits which is kind to the pocket as well as the taste buds. We are finding that the wine kits are so good now (talking GOOD quality ones at some £45) the wine is pretty much drinkable instantly though a second clearing makes a fair difference.

PH
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 20 December, 2014, 05:51:47 pm
GN: The local homebrew shop had a 20% sale on.
BN: It is a closing down sale
GN: They may well reopen elsewhere with new management/owners.

And I have a Woodfordes Nelson's Revenge kit to try. I also bought some Goldings (Slovakian) to add a little bit more aroma to the brew.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 27 December, 2014, 09:47:51 pm
And it is bubbling away. The original kit was for 36 pints but I have added a little more spray malt and some styrian goldings hops and the wort is bubbling for a bit longer before allowing it to cool, diluting appropriately and fermenting.

Smell in the kitchen is quite powerful.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 04 January, 2015, 12:00:31 am
Smells great but with fermentation being between 14-17 degrees it takes a while. Been running for a week and has dropped from 1042 to 1020. I'll give it another week then rack off for secondary fermentation.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Wowbagger on 04 January, 2015, 01:16:26 am
Quote from: woollypigs on 01 November, 2014, 09:38:34 pm
Got trouble times ahead I think, it is getting too cold to brew ale in our house, the nutella is getting harder to spread on toast, and I'm running low on stock. Don't really have a place in house that is kept warm. Most nights we are in jumpers and a fleece thrown over our legs, when it gets really cold we put the heating on the room we are in. I would like to get my next brew going a Golden Ale, but I worry it will be too brrr for it.

I can only atm wrap it in some fleeces, but I don't think that would be enough. Don't have the funds or space to get something that could keep it warm - big water tank with fish tank heater or heat wrap thing.

How about one of these, Woolly?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Home-Brew-Heater-Heating-Brewing-Belt-For-Wine-Beer-Spirits-Fermentation-Pails-D-/261579224490
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 05 January, 2015, 11:40:40 am
I use one of those. You probably want to combine it with an insulating blanket as it isn't very powerful and is barely keeping the temperature up with my brew.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Gattopardo on 07 January, 2015, 03:02:08 am
Quite fancy making a parsnip wine, any hints and tips?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 08 January, 2015, 05:45:39 pm
SG only down to 1020. I've racked off into the keg but it has been at a fairly steady 16-17 degrees so might take a while longer.

Parsnip wine? You probably need parsnips.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Gattopardo on 10 January, 2015, 05:14:39 am
Changed my mind about parsnip wine as it is just parsnip water.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 18 January, 2015, 12:01:26 am
Bottled. Doesn't seem too bad at all. Might be drinkable in a few weeks.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 14 February, 2015, 10:58:14 am
Mixed up my Draught/lager yesterday at about 22c overnight it fell to 18'ish. The blurb on Coppers says - We recommend pitching Lager yeast at 22C-24C then allowing the brew to drop to as low as 13C over the next day or so. http://www.coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/beer-recipes/lager/detail/fresh-draught/

1.7kg Thomas Coopers Traditional Draught
1.5kg Thomas Coopers Light Malt Extract
23 litre water

(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTAwWDUwMA==/z/qG4AAOxy4dNSrNKW/$_12.JPG)
I got two small fish tank thermometers which are on the outside atm. I'm going to make a little hole so that one can go for a swim. I'm going to invest in a big plastic top and a fish tank heater so that I can keep the FV cosy.

Now I just got to wait, bottle and wait before I can drink.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 15 February, 2015, 06:48:22 pm
I'm getting obsessed with checking the temp...

Overnight it climbed to 19.2c from 18.8c in the drink. Outside, the FV under a fleece, it is keeping a steady 18.6c.

Already had a 1" krausen and there is clearly something going on in FV.

There isn't any talk about cooling the FV down, to under 5c to start the "largering", the last few days before bottling in the recipe. Would it be worth it?

No, no, no I'm not hooking it up to a RaspberryPi, even though it well tempting - the spare cash isn't there.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 22 February, 2015, 05:13:33 pm
The temp has been a pretty steady 14.7-15.5c the last five days. Will move it the cupboard sometime this week so it gets the last week at about 10c. That should be good enough for the draught

I'm pretty sure that I can keep a steady 15-16c with a fleece* wrapped around the FV. Would that be ok for a brew(blonde ale) that should ferment at about 18c, if I leave it a few extra days?

*/ I just got to make sure that the mutt don't grab the fleece again and try to drag it around the kitchen. The draught got a right old shake about but didn't flood the kitchen.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 01 March, 2015, 11:09:21 pm
Should be fine and better than 20-22.
all mine are done far cooler than on the label and taste fine.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 13 March, 2015, 10:53:06 pm
After a week at mostly 15c it is at 1011 and the IPA got a week too go. I sampled the draught tonight, only one week in bottles, but tasted pretty good. Just hope we don't get a long warm summer because I'll run out double fast then :)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 14 March, 2015, 07:16:51 pm
My latest one has matured well. Nw planning on a brew for summer - thinking of a pilsner with an elderflower infusion.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 20 March, 2015, 02:38:47 pm
38 bottles of the IPA at FG1009, so should be a 5.9%, capped and stored away today. Was more cloudy compared to the last time I brewed it. Though I used 500g hopped light spray malt and 500g light spray malt, instead of 1kg of light spray malt. Tasted very dry and fruity, let's see how it is in four weeks.

Brewed up the next one, an American Blonde Ale named after Marilyn Monroe. First time doing a mini mash and there will be some dry hopping in five days too. Smelled hoppy and tasted very interesting, not good at describing things like that. But I'm looking forward to this, if it started this good I got high hopes.

Tonight I'll test out the Draught, been in bottles for two weeks now.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 29 March, 2015, 06:45:03 pm
My last brew up is going well. Tried Thursday night, after six days in the FV, to take a sample to test the FG. It was still bubbling away like one of these fizzy headache pills, think it was at 1020. Took a sample today, 1011, still bubbling away ok not as wild as the Thursday test. I think I'll give it a day or two more before I dry hop it. Can't tell the taste yet, too yeasty, though very fruity smell.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 03 April, 2015, 12:09:48 am
I have just set up a brew of ginger beer. Deciding that the biological bomb approach(1) was daft, I have established a demijohn of mix, and when that stops bubbling will decant into bottles with a small amount of primer. Tastes reasonable at the start - maybe I need more ginger or a jalapeno pepper.
 
(1) described in threads passim where excess sugar could lead to overgassing of glass bottle shaped fragments.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 04 April, 2015, 03:25:45 pm
Bottled to at 1007, very fruity and dry. Looked very yellow and cloudy like a homemade cider, in my clear sample bottle. Looking forward to this one.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 11 April, 2015, 09:15:47 pm
After one week in bottles I did a test sample. The recipe said to enjoy early, so rude no too. Boy is that a good drop, I have tasted that kinda flavour before but can't remember the name. I will for sure brew up another pot of this since I got spare hops.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 12 April, 2015, 10:54:18 pm
The ginger beer was a dismal disaster. It may make the drains smell funny though. I shall repeat with somehting more akin to a proper recipe rather than a makey uppy guestimate. I think there may have been too much lemon juice
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: leeg on 19 April, 2015, 07:11:59 am
After a short hiatus from home brewing I'm getting back into it.  In the past I've done quite a few all grain batches using the brew-in-the-bag method in a 40L tea urn. 

Last week I converted a fridge into a fermentation chamber,  STC-1000 temperature controller switching power between the fridge and a 60w greenhouse heater in the fridge. I have had my first brew bubbling away in it since then, a simcoe, citra and cascade ipa.   

I'm much more of an ale/bitter fan but fancy having a go at brewing a lager (hence the fridge).  It's getting quite expensive as the dried lager yeast is the most expensive and most recipes I've seen say to chuck a couple of packs in.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 05 June, 2015, 09:20:35 pm
So, brewing question - I'm brewing a lager, the kit came with plastic bottles and to each a carbonation drop is added (as far as I can tell just sugar for secondary fermentation).

How full do I fill the bottles? Because the not very informative dvd that came with the kit showed them filling to damn near the brim but surely this doesn't leave much headspace for the CO2 produced - I know they won't shatter like glass bottles but even a split one or two will make a hell of a mess of the cupboard I'll be sticking them in.

On the other hand less headspace would, I imagine, mean less chance of contamination/spoiling right?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 05 June, 2015, 09:55:23 pm
I leave about an inch.

If you got one of these filling "wands", which I do, I fill to the brim and move the wand out and that leave the inch or so.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 05 June, 2015, 09:59:11 pm
I have indeed got one of those wands though I've just given a rinse out and it seems a tad temperamental. Think I'll be filling with a bucket underneath just in case.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 05 June, 2015, 10:14:10 pm
Yup I forgot to tell you that :) I think I have only managed to drip/drop about 1/4 of a bottle from a 25 litres. Though once did have a panic when it came lose and lost a bottle or more onto the floor. That was when I learned to have something to catch the spillage.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 05 June, 2015, 10:19:20 pm
Luckily at least the tap I've got seem to be a sprung type rather than a twist, it does hold open but only takes a knock to spring shut.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 02 October, 2015, 01:11:50 pm
Just put down a Coopers Saison, now the wait begins ...
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 02 October, 2015, 03:18:54 pm
Quote from: woollypigs on 02 October, 2015, 01:11:50 pm
Just put down a Coopers Saison, now the wait begins ...

Ooh! Hope you have as much success as I had with mine. Really good stuff.

I should warn you though - my brother-in-law had a couple of bottles explode in storage. I avoided that problem by drinking my way through them before they had a chance. I'm not entirely sure why that happened though - I left it in primary fermentation for a good long while, so I don't think there was any residual fermentable material (according to my measurements, I achieved very high attenuation). I did go fairly high on the priming sugar when bottling, but still well within what I would consider to be a safe limit.

I haven't made any beer for a while but it has been on my mind to get the kit out and fire it up again. Getting to the right time of year for it.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 02 October, 2015, 03:22:43 pm
Thanks for the warning, I'll leave it in the pot for a few more days.

I tend to prime below what Coopers say as I find them a bit too keen in getting out of the bottle and the glass I poured it into.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 02 October, 2015, 03:26:44 pm
Yes, I always tend to go below what Coopers suggest. I think their suggested priming levels are based on the Australian preference for chilling all the life out of your beer.

I'll have to check my records to see how heavily I primed my Saison. I remember it being pretty lively.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 04 October, 2015, 10:14:26 pm
Just put a new brew on. Started with a coopers IPA kit with which I have good results before. I put the ingredients into a big pan and make sure they are well dissolved, adding any other bits I feel like to augment it.

So with today's kit was added as fermentable 500g dark spray malt and 500g muscavado sugar. To add flavour I put a handful of stygian hops and 500g fresh picked blackberries in a straining bag and heated that lot to boiling in 6l, holding it there for 20 mins or so. Then decant into the bucket, top up to 23 litres and curse because it was slightly over temperature (34degrees). Add yeast anyway and put into the cellar. OG 1038@34C - that will go up as it cools then drop as it ferments.

Tried a wee taste of the wort - should be really good when it is done.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 04 October, 2015, 10:28:58 pm
I pitched at 26C and over two days it dropped to a steady 18.3C. I have read that the Belle Saison Yeast gets very "funky" at 24-27C. So to give it what I loose with running cool, I might do a spot of dry hopping.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 04 October, 2015, 10:34:25 pm
I find that cold is no problem. Quite often down in the mid teens, sometimes lower for a bit. I imagine the brew temp will drop substantially overnight and then I will start thinking about the brew band. Aiming to bottle in a couple of weeks so next weekend will be a bottle cleaning session. Mostly label removing. I have heard that the easiest way is to use a hot basic solution to dissolve the glue.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 05 October, 2015, 01:15:47 am
Hmm - some googling suggests that I have used the wrong beer type and not enough blackberries for the brew. We shall see how it turns out. It is an autumn ale, not a summer one.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 05 October, 2015, 07:36:50 pm
A good thick inch and a half head have been and slowly going down at 18c.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 05 October, 2015, 10:25:25 pm
The new brew is looking and smelling really good - much better than previous ones. There is definitely a hint of sweetness from the blackberries.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 14 October, 2015, 09:53:50 am
First check, after a week and a half in the pot, it tasted very dry. I think it needs a few more days, than the normal 14 days I do. Though the FG is at 1007, so on target to be 6.6%. I think it will be very clear looking, as there were not much of colour in there, when the yeasties have settled out.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 14 October, 2015, 01:04:19 pm
Sounds good.

I just remembered that when I made the Coopers Saison, I brewed it a bit short - around 20 litres - so that may explain some of its liveliness. If you're going the full 23L brew length, you may find it less temperamental.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 14 October, 2015, 01:31:34 pm
Yes I did the full 23L. Coopers say about 180g of primer, I think I'll drop it down to about the 100g. Got too used to drink flat beer :)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 17 October, 2015, 10:20:33 pm
Just bottled the blackberry. I had made up the fermentables with the careful abandon of any kind of weighing and deciding that the 1kg pack of spray malt and a 500g block of muscavado would do the job just fine. Very lively initial brew but has settled down and SG went from 1038 to 1008 over the two weeks so should be just fine.
Took the lid off - a glorious smell. Notes of muscavado - played fffff - and a delicious fruity crumble aroma to go with it. Primed with 165g fructose, 22L bottled (I think, might be 21L) and a deep reddish brown colour (obviously picked up from the muscavado and the blackberries.)

The few drips that didn't get bottled taste like liquid honey - nt quite as amazing as cloudberry but doing a fine job. This could turn out to be an amazing brew. Or it could fail to mature and be awful. But my money is on the former at the moment. Looking forward to a few weeks time.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: andyoxon on 17 October, 2015, 10:47:06 pm
Still have some of my first attempt Victorian bitter left - will be trying Woodeforde's Wherry next...
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 19 October, 2015, 07:49:19 pm
Time to see if I can collaborate on some new science 'experiments'.

http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/2015/10/17/hoppy-days-for-beer-drinkers-as-rare-crop-sprouts-up-near-dundee/
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 21 October, 2015, 12:46:02 pm
43 bootles bottled with a very fruity tasting Saison, clocking in at 6.6%, now four more weeks of waiting, before I can enjoy them.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 28 October, 2015, 10:56:23 pm
Two new efforts on the go. First, a 5L demijohn of very fiery ginger. Basically 500g dark muscovado, a sprinkling of malt, boil up with a bag containing 1 aldi root ginger finely chopped/sliced and the zest of an orange and two lemons. And a shake of powdered ginger. Dark destroyer - very powerful. Using a light sparkling wine yeast.

And the christmas brew. Brupaks 80 shilling kit with 1kg dark spray malt, 500g muscovado added to the kit. Get that lot dissolved, have it boil over on the stove. A sticky mess to clean up. Pour half into the bucket. Then in the other half put the grain and hop bags from the kit and another bag containing a handful of goldings, three chai teabags, and the zest of two oranges. Boil up for a half hour or so. Decant into cold water in the bucket. Pitch in yeast.

And now the fun starts. The demijohn is under an airlock, and the other is just in a bucket.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 30 October, 2015, 10:37:42 pm
I had an ex budweiser bottle (I think) with 2/3 fill of the latest brew. I was in the kitchen, had turned away to get a glass and there was a boom - the bottle had disintegrated. Fortunately I was not within line of sight - it was behind the demijohn so didn't hit me. The explosion blew the top off the siphon on the demijohn and spread glass shard around the kitchen Not the usual break type but disintegrated.
Feeling very glad I wasn't looking in that direction when it went off. The bottle glass seems quite thin, so I am thinking it may have been a bad bottle.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 30 October, 2015, 11:02:28 pm
Fecking heck! Glad you survived :)

Just mixed my Pale Ale up today, should have been a Little Creatures clone, but I had remembered wrong. I had Saaz not Cascade hops in the house, not too bad I think but not as close as I wanted the clone.

The Saison haven't gone boom after a week in bottles, but have gone very clear and lack of colour compared to the other brews I have done.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 31 October, 2015, 12:03:12 am
The smell of exploded beer was quite wonderful - the blackberry definitely comes through in the aroma.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 31 October, 2015, 11:34:40 am
One of the reasons I always store bottles in boxes. The other reason being to keep them out of the light. The other other reason being that it's easier to stack them.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 02 November, 2015, 10:53:11 pm
8 bottles of ginger beer. Drinkable but a bit too white whiny for my taste (maybe that was the yeast?). TODM likes it so it won't go to waste. Hot and fiery.

And the second (non-exploding) bottle of the blackberry is better than the first. Another couple of weeks and it could be very nice. Like a dark beer but sort of not. MAybe a touch too much goldings (if such a thing be possible) but that will mellow out with time.

Christmas brew should get bottled at the weekend. I bought a bottling stick which works very well.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 06 November, 2015, 07:31:22 pm
Enjoying the two weeks tester of the Saison. Very young, reminds me very much of Grimbergen, Leffe and other Abbey ales. Looking forward to next test in two weeks, well if I can wait that long :)

EDIT TO ADD: The mutt likes it too, she licked the drop off my finger with more keenness than the other brews :)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 07 November, 2015, 08:56:20 pm
The blackberry is rather nice. Hedgerow IPA.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 13 November, 2015, 02:13:45 pm
Bottled 41 bottles of the failed clone (wrong hobs), looks/smelled/tasted good so lets see in a few weeks time, should be around 6.4%. Gotta brew at least one that is much closer to - even below - 5% :)

After all that work, I'm now enjoying the Coopers Saison, three weeks in bottles, it is coming on nicely, might need a wee bit more sugar the next time for bottling, because I will brew this again.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 15 November, 2015, 04:37:02 pm
Bottled the advent brew earlier in the week. Looks dark and mysterious. Should be interesting to try next weekend.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 26 November, 2015, 11:23:01 pm
The advent brew. You know that thing with coke and mentos? Well it does that when opened. Nice and tasty though. Have to chill it next time.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 24 December, 2015, 09:13:23 pm
Must say I got this home brewing down to a fine art, got three different kinds atm and heck I enjoy them :)

A Pale Ale, a clone - Little Creatures' Pale Ale - for which I got the wrong hobs for so not really what I was aiming for, but still rather enjoyable.
Blonde Ale, probably my favorite brew so far, so I had to brew a second time.
The Saison is going down just brilliantly too, I'm having one of them as I type.

Crimbo and new year sorted :)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 03 January, 2016, 07:30:15 pm
Naa, don't have the space or spare dosh for the extra gear.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 04 January, 2016, 06:34:32 am
Working through my gallon of Cox Cider and two of Conference Perry made with fruit from the garden.  Both drinking very nicely at the moment.

Once those are drunk I have a can of pale lager goop, which I plan to add some hops to and also do some fruit and herb additions, just for fun.   
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: lahoski on 06 January, 2016, 11:56:41 am
Bottling a porter with star anise this evening. Based on the current aroma, I am gonna regret only making one gallon......
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 26 February, 2016, 09:12:23 pm
Just put down the Scotch Ale from Cooper's. LBH didn't have the Amber Malt so I got the Light Malt. Added about 1.5l of really strong tea for some colour. Hope I can keep the temp 21c long enough for the yeasties, Nottingham and Young's ale, to start off.

In other news it is the 500 year anniversary for German clean beer and they have just found nasties in many of the top beers. http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0VY222

And other news BrewDog released all their recipes, 215, boy have they been busy. https://www.brewdog.com/lowdown/blog/diy-dog
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 29 May, 2016, 04:51:26 pm
Just made up some Bavarian Weissbier for summer - from Craftybrews with a proper weissbier yeast (allegedly).  So we shall see how it goes. 2 weeks to ferment, then bottle and two weeks to condition. Should be ready for graduation. I have a Coopers Sparking Ale kit and another bucket, so maybe I should do something with that.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pickled Onion on 29 May, 2016, 06:09:45 pm
That sounds rather audacious. Let us know how it turns out.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 30 May, 2016, 09:49:25 pm
So far it is fermenting well, if the smell of the cellar has anything to do with it..
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 15 June, 2016, 10:48:09 pm
The weissbier has been bottled. I tried the 'last half bottle' tonight. Still a bit sweet as it has only had a couple of days conditioning, but it seems very nice and light, and will be very refreshing when a bit drier. So far so good.

..d
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 19 June, 2016, 05:19:20 pm
BN: I haven't done a homebrew in about 5 years.
GN: Just started a Woodforde's Admiral's Reserve.
BN: The BBE date was Nov 2013.
GN: I have no time for BBE dates on stuff in tins.  The yeast I was a little unsure of so I used an extra half sachet of generic 'Beer Yeast' from a local brew shop.....
BN: ....that closed down 2 years ago.
GN: The yeast looked plenty lively in a cup of warm water before it went in the FV.
MGN: I have 3 more kits waiting to go on.
BN: I only have enough bottles for 2 brews.
GN: Only one way to fix that ;D
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 25 June, 2016, 09:18:36 pm
39 bottles bottled.  A memorable afternoon, during bottle cleaning I came across this:

Warning!  It's not nice.

(click to show/hide)

The bottles have been living in a shed since we moved nearly 4 years ago.  Anyhoo moving on Woodford's Nelson's Revenge in the FV.  Probably the same thing except that the instructions say to make up to 36 pints instead of 40.  I added a 1/4 kilo of dark demerara.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: rogerzilla on 27 June, 2016, 09:38:01 pm
Now I have the world's largest airing cupboard I suppose I could try this.  We had a go when we were students but the house was too cold and nothing ever actually fermented, so we just gave the stuff to visitors  ;D  It was funny how the placebo effect made them drunk,
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 08 July, 2016, 03:18:31 pm
This time of year you don't need an airing cupboard (IIRC you're UK?).  Anything over 12°C is fine, I was more concerned they'd brew too quickly which can affect the taste just as much as too slow.

Nelsons Revenge was bottled last weekend, there will now be a pause while I collect more bottles.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 08 July, 2016, 05:58:01 pm
My parcel arrived today so right away I started the Festival Summer Golden Stag Ale, with Elderflower. Now the wait commences ...
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: andyoxon on 27 August, 2016, 06:18:36 pm
Can anyone recommend a good auto-siphon suitable for using with the standard plastic (~30L) vessel with screw cap, for brewing 23L of beer.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 27 August, 2016, 06:22:59 pm
Quote from: andyoxon on 27 August, 2016, 06:18:36 pm
Can anyone recommend a good auto-siphon suitable for using with the standard plastic (~30L) vessel with screw cap, for brewing 23L of beer.

My experience with those is pretty poor to be honest

My first 200km audax tomorrow, then I'll take advantage of the BH to start some brewing.  Have a can of lager gloop that I intend to split into smaller batches and do some additions of hops, hedge fruits and herbs to. Also likely to have enough sloes and rosehips leftover to do a combined country wine with them
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: andyoxon on 27 August, 2016, 07:15:59 pm
Have fun on the Audax. 

atm I have a £2 wilco manual siphon, but can stick with it if the autos are tricky.

As of this pm, I have my Woodfordes Wherry brewing...
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 30 August, 2016, 12:00:40 pm
bit of a balls up on the brewing front, but not a disaster.

Mixed sloe/rosehip wine went off OK, but that's a no-brainer.

On the beer front I had a can of lager goop that said 4% abv.  I did it as 3 experimental gallons
1 x extra hopped IPA
1 x herby/spicy with a bit of fruit
1 x sloe and rosehip beer

Checking the SG this morning before pitching the yeast 1034?? ???  I was expecting nearer 1050
Brain not working, in my haste to come up with recipes and manage the boilings etc., didn't occur to me that single goop-can recipes need extra sugar, so I'll have 3 gallons of 4.5% beer instead of 6.5% beer.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 09 September, 2016, 08:43:26 pm
Sterilising done ready for bottling Woodfordes Sundew in the morning.  There will then be another pause while I collect another set of bottles, it's a hard job but I'll muddle through.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 09 September, 2016, 09:10:06 pm
I hope it will cool down soon as some of my bottles are a bit keen on the opening. Once or twice a cap has hit the ceiling with a mighty pop sound. And the are rather happy to see me, so some loss of beer. Sadly I don't have a cool enough spot to store the bottles. I'll wait a week or so before I start the steam ale.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: andyoxon on 09 September, 2016, 10:22:39 pm
My Woodfordes has been going two weeks now,  I sterilised the bottles in the oven (two batches) a week ago, but decided to wait on bottling.  Will see what the s.g. is doing tomorrow - maybe leave an extra week.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 September, 2016, 07:46:11 am
Surprisingly the beer is still fermenting, had planned on bottling it last weekend, but no go.

I'm home for most of this week and next so no great disaster.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 17 September, 2016, 11:27:51 pm
Slowly working my way through some of the cellar. My winter brew is now a sparkly (but not heady) sharp and sweet with some hops  interesting dark brew. Slow drinker, which is a good thing as it apparently has some alcohol in (I have not bothered checking SG for a while with the brews as they are all one offs, and I don't use the data for anything.)

One of my colleagues has labelled the wheat beer 'not for a school night'. 'So you won't want another bottle then?' 'Too damn right I want another bottle'
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 17 September, 2016, 11:34:04 pm
Bottled two demijohns of mine today, ran out of crown caps.

Both fairly low in alcohol so not keepers, but should be good for Christmas. The leftovers that wouldn't fill a bottle were good, particularly the herbed and spiced one.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 17 September, 2016, 11:37:59 pm
I should make a solid effort to clear out the cellar. I don't drink much so the 20 or so bottles will require some help.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 18 September, 2016, 11:37:42 am
[Trevor McDonald]
Bong!
On tonight's news at ten.
Bong!
Dr David 'Oi you' Martin of Somewhereshire crushed to death in a stampede in his own cellar.
Bong!
...
[/Trevor McDonald]
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: andyoxon on 18 September, 2016, 12:36:43 pm
I bottled my Wdf's Wherry ale yesterday (after 3wks), with equiv of 1/2 tsp sugar/ bottle (x41). Probably leave it 2-3wks before sampling.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 19 September, 2016, 08:55:35 pm
I've done that one before, it stands a bit of aging
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 25 September, 2016, 08:16:21 pm
That's the last beer bottled. The fruit one with sloes and rosehips, a quick taste while siphoning says this one is going to be good.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: andyoxon on 29 September, 2016, 06:52:47 pm
Quote from: ElyDave on 19 September, 2016, 08:55:35 pm
I've done that one before, it stands a bit of aging

Tried the first, 12 days after bottling, with a phizzzzt on opening - so a decent amount of 'life'.  Seems pretty good, but I should get some independent adjudicators around to test.   :)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 29 September, 2016, 06:59:03 pm
Quote from: andyoxon on 29 September, 2016, 06:52:47 pm
Quote from: ElyDave on 19 September, 2016, 08:55:35 pm
I've done that one before, it stands a bit of aging

Tried the first, 12 days after bottling, with a phizzzzt on opening - so a decent amount of 'life'.  Seems pretty good, but I should get some independent adjudicators around to test.   :)
see you in an hour or so?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: andyoxon on 02 October, 2016, 02:36:54 pm
Quote from: woollypigs on 29 September, 2016, 06:59:03 pm
Quote from: andyoxon on 29 September, 2016, 06:52:47 pm
Quote from: ElyDave on 19 September, 2016, 08:55:35 pm
I've done that one before, it stands a bit of aging

Tried the first, 12 days after bottling, with a phizzzzt on opening - so a decent amount of 'life'.  Seems pretty good, but I should get some independent adjudicators around to test.   :)
see you in an hour or so?

Still plenty left.   ;)

I took some bottles along to a party last night...  Some comments:

'tastes quite yeasty'  - wasn't keen, & didn't have any more than a sample in plastic cup.  Apparently it's common for kit yeast to leave a 'bit of an after taste'.
'that's nice' - (someone with a passion for homebrew) - had a glass.
'tastes continental'
'I'll have some more, as I prefer ale not so 'malty''  - had a whole bottle.

There was stiff competition from a box and pack of Loose Canon's Abingdon bridge (http://www.lcbeers.co.uk/beers/abingdon-bridge/); which I drank....  ;D
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 02 October, 2016, 09:32:10 pm
Tried one of my IPA style beers this evening, cleared well, nice phhzzzt on opening and a good clean taste
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 04 October, 2016, 10:43:45 pm
Warning, time sink: The Electric Brewery (http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/)

The Brew Day: Step by Step (http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/brew-day-step-by-step) stole a chunk of my Saturday but was quite educational.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 05 October, 2016, 07:59:20 pm
1/ Drinking my Festival Golden Stag Summer Brew atm, very nice I do like the Elder flower in it.

2/ I got the Festival Steam Ale to go next, just waiting until it is cool enough to do so, which it is now, though not enough space or free bottles, hence #1.

I'm wondering how would you make a brew nice a creamy, I had a Leeds Pale Ale the other day, and really enjoyed the creamy feel to it. Would about 250/500g in 1-2 litres hot water seeping for a while then drained into the FV, do the job?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 28 October, 2016, 08:43:36 pm
Set off the Festival US Steam Ale today, now I wait and wonder what to brew next.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 29 October, 2016, 12:15:48 am
One of my spiced ales this evening.

New brewing book on the way as well.  THinking how to do a proper mash brew from my available kit, if possible.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 06 November, 2016, 08:39:21 am
Anyone doing all mash brews?

I'm thinking of having a go, and looking at the kit requirements. 

I have a 5 gal polybucket, which has been my beer fermenter normally
Wide necked 5 gal wine fermenter, which could have a tap fitted and potentially become a mash tun/lauter tun combined (would need to work out a false bottom or other manifold arrangement that I could jiggle through the opening)
I have a home made wort cooler

Which leaves me needing a boiler/brew kettle. I'm thinking another 5-gal poly bucket with a couple of after market electric elements, which could then be fitted with a tap as well.

Anyone have any comments on that lot?

,
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Poacher on 06 November, 2016, 10:02:26 am
It's been quite a few years since I last brewed, and the memories may have faded somewhat. I had a heated polybucket (Electrim, but nowhere near as sophisticated as their current model), which served as both mash tun and boiler. The malt was held in a deep cylindrical bag with strong sailcloth(?) sides and a mesh bottom, with cord loops at the top so it could be held firmly in place with a strap round the outside of the bucket. This kept the malt from contacting the heating element and scorching. When mashing was complete, the wort was strained off into another 5 gal container. If I started brewing again, I'd probably do the mash in my large Coleman extreme coolbox, to save both time and electricity.

Sparging is crucial to getting the maximum extract; I used to sprinkle hot water from a kettle as evenly as possible, but a modified watering can might be better. I then had to remove the malt bag, clean the Electrim, return the wort and start the boil, bypassing the thermostat to prevent it from interrupting the boiling. Like you, I had a home made cooler, made from a coil of 8mm copper pipe.

Your suggested setup sounds more efficient than mine was. If you use loose hops, you'll need a hop filter to stop them clogging your tap; the malt bag can do this job at a pinch. Will you fit a heating element to your mash tun, or will it be well enough insulated to keep the temp within a couple of degrees of optimum? Why two elements in the boiler? A single 2.4kw kettle element should be enough, I reckon. How wide is the neck on your wine fermenter? If you need to jiggle the false bottom through the opening, getting the spent grain out might take a while!
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 06 November, 2016, 11:11:05 am
thanks poacher,

I reckon insulation shouldn't be a problem, I can build jackets from a load of carpet underlay I have, bubble wrap, space blankets etc.

The wine fermenter has a wide enough neck to get my arm in to the shoulder, so not a massive problem.  Thinking more about this I reckon one poly bucket inside another with holes in it to act as a false bottom for a combined mash tun/lauter tun.  Another one with an element as a boiler for the mash/sparge water and the boil vessel, and the wine fermenter as a fermenter, with a tap to help bottling.

A three tier stand to help with a bit of gravity, knocked up from a few shelves and there's only the need to move one full vessel around.  Boil tank at the top, mash tun below, fermenter to receive the liquor.  Swap the fermenter up to the middle, boiler to the bottom, empty one into the other, add the hops, bobs your uncle.

Boiler then goes to the top, runoff through the cooler into the fermenter and away you go.

Shopping list = 2 poly buckets and a heater element, plus a hop strainer.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Poacher on 06 November, 2016, 11:42:40 am
Hey presto! A tower brewery in your own home! Sounds good to go; let us know when the first brew is available.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 06 November, 2016, 09:49:40 pm
It's already planned

Might wait until after the current building works though, so new year.

Racked my sloe and rosehip wine.  Looking good, crystal clear and a lovely ruby/tawny colour.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 16 November, 2016, 08:48:02 pm
Bottled the Festival American Steam Ale today. It tasted good already, might have to sample it tomorrow ... I'll be a good boy and give it at least two weeks ... but one sample can't hurt, can it?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 31 December, 2016, 10:33:05 am
Coffee stout started boxing day. I should have started it sooner as it now looks like it won't be ready to bottle before I go back to work and so will have to sit until the 7th.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 02 January, 2017, 08:36:39 pm
Took a chance.  It was down to 1.010 yesterday and about the same today so I have just bottled 4.5 gallons of the most wonderful smelling concoction.

My beer shed is colder than ideal so I'm going to have to be very patient.  It is not going to be easy.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 08 March, 2017, 10:00:38 pm
Quick run down of the results of my 2016 brewing:

Need to get 40 bottles emptied to get some summer ale on.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Canardly on 08 March, 2017, 10:19:32 pm
I have a new kit stowed away somewhere watch this space.......
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 09 March, 2017, 10:05:04 pm
I was just thinking about a new batch the other day.  Thinking of getting some unhopped malt extract and playing around.

I have a gallon of Sloe and Roesehip wine to bottle as well.  Tastes good, but needs to rest to get rid of that sloe astrigency/tannins
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 15 March, 2017, 07:59:15 pm
Anyone know how to equate liquid malt extract with all grain recipes?

Or is it just a case of a bit of experimentation? 
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: lahoski on 16 March, 2017, 11:09:42 am
Quote from: ElyDave on 15 March, 2017, 07:59:15 pm
Anyone know how to equate liquid malt extract with all grain recipes?

Or is it just a case of a bit of experimentation?
In terms of quantity you would use 0.75 by weight, i.e. 1kg grain = 0.75kg liquid malt extract.

When I used extract, I just used pale or extra pale extract, and the steeped any 'speciality' grains if the recipe called for them. 30mins in ~66 deg C water for the steeping grains, strained through something reasonably fine - muslin or sommat.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 16 March, 2017, 12:01:48 pm
Quote from: lahoski on 16 March, 2017, 11:09:42 am
Quote from: ElyDave on 15 March, 2017, 07:59:15 pm
Anyone know how to equate liquid malt extract with all grain recipes?

Or is it just a case of a bit of experimentation?
In terms of quantity you would use 0.75 by weight, i.e. 1kg grain = 0.75kg liquid malt extract.

When I used extract, I just used pale or extra pale extract, and the steeped any 'speciality' grains if the recipe called for them. 30mins in ~66 deg C water for the steeping grains, strained through something reasonably fine - muslin or sommat.

Cheers,

that's kind of what I'm thinking.  I have a porter recipe I want to try out, but I'm not set up for all grain.

Also thinking about a bit of beer strength mead this year.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 23 March, 2017, 07:58:59 pm
GN - All the stud has arrived for my experiment with unhopped extract and steeped grains

BN - Far too busy at work to do anything about it
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 04 April, 2017, 10:35:48 am
Started my porter yesterday.  Yeast has kicked off well, first time I've used one of these Wyeast smack packs.  Fermenting well, looking and smelling like a bucket of thin frothy treacle, though my wife thinks it smells like soy sauce.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 April, 2017, 03:40:18 pm
And here they are

(http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa370/dneilson01/IMG_20170413_104456_zpsmtazo4xb.jpg)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: lahoski on 19 April, 2017, 07:33:32 pm
Quote from: ElyDave on 13 April, 2017, 03:40:18 pm
And here they are

(http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa370/dneilson01/IMG_20170413_104456_zpsmtazo4xb.jpg)

How did it taste when bottling?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 01 May, 2017, 12:19:23 am
I have repeated the bavarian wheat beer. Went down a treat last summer and I am a few weeks earlier this year so it should be spot on for June. My bottles do seem to last and be quite drinkable, even a year on.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 04 May, 2017, 05:45:54 pm
Quote from: lahoski on 19 April, 2017, 07:33:32 pm

How did it taste when bottling?

Excellent, and even better just a couple of weeks down the line. I think I may have underdone the priming sugar though as it's a bit flat.

The black malts and roasted barley have given it a nice smokey, chocolateyness, and there's a good amount of fruitiness as well. Good mouthfeel with the addition of oats, and has come out crystal clear with no use of finings   

With the level of hops in it I think it would also work well as a spiced porter, or even with a bit of coffee.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: David Martin on 02 June, 2017, 12:26:07 am
The weißbier is now ready. Very good. And with a kick like a carthorse. After 1/3 pint I could murder a kebab.

Ideal refreshing summer brew to drink slowly.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 05 June, 2017, 03:11:27 pm
well the Belle Saison clone/experiment with St Peter's Golden Ale went into 40 bottles today at 6.5-7% ... hick!
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 10 June, 2017, 04:42:00 pm
Rather late getting my summer beers on.
In late April a Bulldog Raja's Reward (IPA 4.8%) was started and two weeks later went down the toilet, the yeast didn't start at all.
A Wilco IPA kit (4%) went straight in the fermenting bin after that.  Slightly low on water and with half an kilo of extra sugar that went like a train.  For a bit of extra zip a teabag of Fuggles was added after a week which split >:(  38 bottles seem to be clearing even so.
After that a Bulldog Evil Dog (American IPA 7.1%) got under way which I've just bottled.  Timings didn't work out well so it spent probably 4 days longer in the bin than it ideally wanted.  Very lively going into the 42 bottles today and clearer than usual. Smelled gorgeous.

I think I have enough bottles to start an autumn ale, Bulldog Bad Cat (Imperial Red 7.5%) looks interesting.  I'm going to need a new fermenting vessel :-( After something of the order of 25 years the click down edge on the lid of my Boots bin is separating.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 10 June, 2017, 04:44:42 pm
Do let me know how the Evil Dog works out, been thinking about that one for a while.

Four days longer in a pot ain't going to hurt it. I have read about people forgetting (how could they?) and bottling it after a few months in the FV. 
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 26 June, 2017, 01:56:03 pm
I started this in 2013.

*finally* there are jugs of crab apple wine brewing in the kitchen.

I was hoping for beer, but I'll settle for the crab apple wine, particularly as the crab apples are from our garden.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 08 July, 2017, 09:40:54 pm
Just started a batch of rhubarb wine, rhubarb from the garden, dry extract method which never fails. Ends up like a sauvignon blanc.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: lahoski on 10 July, 2017, 09:00:46 am
Quote from: ElyDave on 08 July, 2017, 09:40:54 pm
Just started a batch of rhubarb wine, rhubarb from the garden, dry extract method which never fails. Ends up like a sauvignon blanc.

Dry extract method?

I'm quite keen on starting wine-making - irritated I missed the elderflowers.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 July, 2017, 09:12:22 am
Chop the rhubarb, throw it in a big bowl, and layer with the right amount of sugar.  Reverse osmosis pulls the juice out into the sugar and you end up with a nice syrup.  No boiling so reduced the pectin-related hazes that rhubarb can produce.

You may need a bit of gentle warming to dissolve all the sugar, wash the pulp into your ferment vessel, add the yeast and off it goes.  Very simple recipe.

If you haven't got it, I heartily recommend First Steps in Winemaking by C J J Berry, he's no longer with us, but I'm not sure if the book's still around.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: lahoski on 10 July, 2017, 10:05:15 am
That does sound good. I think I might have to give it a go

A quick google shows it's still in print - duly ordered. No time like the present, eh?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 10 July, 2017, 01:29:59 pm
Order arrived with my next few month entertainments

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DESfTS4XUAEU0Yu.jpg:large)

Coopers Marilyn's Secret Blond IPA (my favourite home brew I have done) , the same again but with Belle Saison yeast (just for the heck of it) and Sierra Nevada Pale Clone (as that will remind me, if I get it right, of our trip to the US)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 July, 2017, 02:00:57 pm
I was just thinking about ordering deadlines to get a brew on for Christmas with a bit of maturation time.

Looks like you'll be busy
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 27 August, 2017, 04:48:19 pm
Pressed some apples yesterday, 1 gallon of cider going well
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 27 August, 2017, 06:26:30 pm
The St Peter Golden Ale with Belle Saison Yeast test, is turning out to be rather good and at about 3 month down the line, I'm really enjoying it. Sadly constantly quality testing has depleted stock.

The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Clone, is turning out to be a pretty good Pale Ale. Haven't tested it against a real one yet. Though I think I would do it again but maybe dry hob it a bit more.

The Marilyn's Secret Blonde IPA, is being tested as I type right now and as always a very good drop.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 29 August, 2017, 11:21:39 am
We decanted the crab apple wine last night. Was a bit sharp, but a teaspoon of honey in a glass made it about perfect. Well, we all thought so after a bottle and a half or so. Didn't measure ABV, tasted and felt to be about 8-9% to me.
There is another 6l to be decanted, then we have another 4kg of crab apples in the freezer for another batch.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 04 September, 2017, 08:57:14 pm
Quote from: woollypigs on 10 June, 2017, 04:44:42 pm
Do let me know how the Evil Dog works out, been thinking about that one for a while.

Four days longer in a pot ain't going to hurt it. I have read about people forgetting (how could they?) and bottling it after a few months in the FV.
The Evil Dog is in one word Dangerous.  Not the hoppiest IPA you'll drink but a lovely crisp and clear beverage.  It kicks just as hard as you'd expect for the headline ABV and I call it Dangerous because it doesn't taste stronger than an upper end session beer, upper 4's territory.  One per evening stuff for me bookended by something saner.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 15 September, 2017, 09:40:40 pm
8 bottles of cider bottled this evening, plus a bit left over for immediate consumption.   It's the archetypal scrumpy, no punches pulled, around 5.7% based on the SG readings.

Rhubarb wine racked to clear, looking good tasting good. About 11% by SG change
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 28 October, 2017, 08:59:28 pm
Well that was an eventful day!

I set off a Blonde Ale only to find that the seal around the tap had had its day, Managed to stem the flow of beer with some tape. Got a bucket with air lock from the LHBS. Transferred the ale over into the new pot. Got a new tap for the old pot. Were I will transfer the beer back into when the yesties are done and then dry hop.

Then the bread mixer blew up mid mix and filled the kitchen in oily smoke.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 03 November, 2017, 09:36:42 pm
Tried one of the remaining bottles of my porter, made back in April, it's very dark and rich and had developed an interesting fruity, liquoricy flavour.  6 bottle left.

I've just put in an order for some ingredients as well, I bought a new book of recipes to brew commercial beers, and I'm planning to make a couple of gallons of an Eldridge Pope bitter, and a gallon of a barley wine.

I think I'm a bit late for the barley wine and I might end up storing most of it for next Christmas
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 03 November, 2017, 10:19:39 pm
Dry hopped with Vic Secret today and it taste good already looks like a tad over 6%, for the blonde saison. One week to bottle day and then lets see how long I can keep it in there :)

Started off the Presidents Sierra American Pale Ale – Beerworks Craft Brewery Series - today started off at OG 1047 so right on target.

EDIT TO ADD : Just as I posted this, the first bit of bubbling from the air-lock happened and it spooked the dog :)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 08 November, 2017, 01:23:14 pm
Clone brews started, yesterday one gallon of a barley wine Thomas Hardy's Ale, made as closely as possible, but without going daft on the extra ingredients.

Made it with a Belgian high alcohol tolerance yeast as I couldn't get the recommended English yeast.  Slightly disappointed that the OG is a bit on the low side, but should still hit the 10% mark hopefully.  Always difficult adjusting recipe quantities like that.  A nice ruby red colour I think.  I have 330ml bottles for it.

Second one, also Eldridge Pope, Royal Oak Bitter, again as close as poss, but 2 gals of this one to be bottled for Christmas.  Smelt good in the boil. Whitbread Ale yeast for this one.

Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 10 November, 2017, 11:05:24 am
Bottled 40 of the "Dirty Marilyn" today at just over 7%, hick. Reason for calling in dirty is that it is my favorite homebrew from Coopers called Marilyn Secret Blonde Ale. That I brew up this time with some spare Perle Barley and Belle Saison yeasties.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 17 November, 2017, 07:42:30 am
Best bitter was bottled last night, should be about 4.8% by change in gravity.  Quite a dark ruby red and nicely fruity from the bramling cross.

Barley wine was put into its secondary fermenter with some dry hop additions.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 25 November, 2017, 07:29:37 pm
Drinking the Dirty Marilyn and boy we got a winner. Utterly gob smacked that I can brew such a good drink in a pot in a corner of my kitchen.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 25 November, 2017, 07:49:57 pm
Tried one of my best bitter yesterday, after a week in the bottle, needs a bit longer but carbonating nicely.  Has a very pleasing balance of malt/fruitiness/bitterness, but oddly considering I added nothing other than malt/hops/water/yeast, it's developed a spicy coriander and clove note.

The barley wine is still fermenting
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 December, 2017, 06:14:10 pm
Barley wine bottled, got 14 x 330ml bottles, came out around 9% based change in gravity, should have been a bit more.

Tastes nice and rich as it should. Hopefully ready for a try before Christmas, but will continue to mature in the bottle
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 12 December, 2017, 01:25:46 am
Quote from: woollypigs on 10 November, 2017, 11:05:24 am
Bottled 40 of the "Dirty Marilyn" today at just over 7%, hick. Reason for calling in dirty is that it is my favorite homebrew from Coopers called Marilyn Secret Blonde Ale. That I brew up this time with some spare Perle Barley and Belle Saison yeasties.

That sounds fun! I've just looked at the Coopers website for the recipe and it looks right up my street. The addition of the Belle Saison yeast sounds interesting too. I'm also keen to have another go at the Coopers Saison recipe.

My homebrewing kit has been lying dormant for some time for various reasons. I dug it out back in September and put on a Brewferm Christmas kit, but thought it had stopped prematurely so left it and finally got round to dealing with it last week. Had a quick taste before I poured it down the sink and it seemed surprisingly palatable, so I bottled it. Will be interesting to see how it turns out after maturation. Think it's at about 6% abv. Might be drinkable by next Christmas.

This weekend, I put on two more brews - a Coopers Stout and a Coopers English Bitter. Both are old cans I've had knocking around for ages so somewhat out of date, but nothing ventured... they're both bubbling away nicely in the fermenting vessels and smelling good, so I'm hopeful.

I've been looking at some kits for my next brew. The Beerworks kits look interesting. I'm very tempted by the Sierra Nevada clone.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 12 December, 2017, 11:23:29 am
I have just done the Sierra Nevada clone from BeerWorks, tasting very good mind still very young yet. I hope for peak tasting in two week :)

Yes the Belle Saison to the Marilyn has really created a wonderful drop. I have to restrain myself not because it is over 7% but because there is a limited amount of bottles.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 07 January, 2018, 10:31:12 pm
Quote from: citoyen on 12 December, 2017, 01:25:46 am
This weekend, I put on two more brews - a Coopers Stout and a Coopers English Bitter. Both are old cans I've had knocking around for ages so somewhat out of date, but nothing ventured... they're both bubbling away nicely in the fermenting vessels and smelling good, so I'm hopeful.

I kegged the stout just before Christmas, after it had been on the go for four full weeks. It doesn't taste right. Possibly oxidation - not really surprising with the can being so old. It's borderline drinkable but I might just chuck it - I'm not that desperate.

Bottled the bitter today. It's been sitting in the FV for nearly a month and has definitely stopped fermenting. Would have bottled it sooner but haven't had time. Sampled it and it seems a bit more palatable, still not quite right though. Will leave it for a bit to condition and hope it matures into something more drinkable.

Still thinking about what to do next - might have a go at the Dirty Marilyn but probably won't get round to it for a couple of weeks at least...
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 07 January, 2018, 11:38:18 pm
Some stouts need a few months to come into life. If space is not needed I would give a while yet before binning it.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 08 January, 2018, 10:16:08 pm
Quote from: woollypigs on 07 January, 2018, 11:38:18 pm
Some stouts need a few months to come into life. If space is not needed I would give a while yet before binning it.

Good advice, but i don’t think it will keep that long - it’s in one of those cheapo plastic pressure barrels that don’t actually hold pressure very well, so is likely to be exposed to air. I wish I’d bottled it, but it needed dealing with and I didn’t have time for bottling.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 12 January, 2018, 11:18:04 pm
If it's not a high alcohol content it probably won't last well in the keg. Bottling gives better maturation in the 4-5% abv beers in my experience, kegging is for drinking now. 

As an example I still have a couple of bottles of a porter from May that are drinking nicely now, and a barley wine that I bottled in December which I fully intend to keep until the next Christmas, but that's about 9.5%
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 10 February, 2018, 04:49:28 pm
Hmm my last two brews has become very gassy. I know I used less primer as I have learned that many recipes are often more fizzy/gassy than I like.

They are clearly not polluted as they taste very nice after the head have settled. Glad I got a stein glass and two big 750ml glasses to decanter the 500ml into.

The ones I know I have over primed or were polluted normally his pop and out the bottles the moment I put a bottle opener on the cap. This lot need 2-3 seconds to wake up or only fizz up when I pour, no matter how slow and steady I do it.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 15 February, 2018, 08:24:54 pm
Called in at the homebrew shop earlier to get what I needed for a batch of Coopers Saison (http://store.coopers.com.au/recipes/index/view/id/58/). Hoping to get that on the go tomorrow, so it should be ready for drinking by the summer. Came to £40 for all the ingredients, so that works out at about £1 a pint. Quite expensive for a kit brew, but if the results are as good as last time, it will be worth it. Had to get the Muntons Wheat Beer kit though, as they didn't have the Coopers version in stock. I presume they are much of a muchness.

Currently supping one of my Coopers English Bitter that I made before Christmas. It has turned out surprisingly OK - a little bit of a twang to it but drinkable enough. The stout is a write-off though. Not even good enough for cooking with.

I have also sampled a couple of bottles of the Brewferm Xmas that I made a few months ago. Not bad at all, though I think it will definitely benefit from longer maturation.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 17 February, 2018, 06:00:45 pm
Quote from: citoyen on 15 February, 2018, 08:24:54 pm
Called in at the homebrew shop earlier to get what I needed for a batch of Coopers Saison (http://store.coopers.com.au/recipes/index/view/id/58/). Hoping to get that on the go tomorrow...

...and it's already bubbling away nicely. OG of 1063, so should be quite lively.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: D.A.L.E. on 27 February, 2018, 01:44:24 pm
Set a couple of Turbo Ciders away this morning. 3.5l* of apple juice, 0.5l cranberry, cup of tea (4 bags), yeast**, nutrient.

*2l now, 1.5l added in a few days.

** 2 Different yeasts - Gervin and Harris cider yeasts
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: lahoski on 27 February, 2018, 03:14:33 pm
PROTIP.

Don't add a metric fuck-tonne of fermentable sugars in the form of pureed fruit and a sizeable dry hop charge to a fermenter with very little headspace*.

*Raspberry milkshake IPA. Raspberries, vanilla, lactose and a healthy dose of Mosaic.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 27 February, 2018, 08:18:47 pm
Nothing brewing here, I tried one of my barley wine yesterday, mellowed very well since bottling. Now nice and rich and raising. The hops are still there but less harsh
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: citoyen on 03 March, 2018, 07:12:40 pm
Quote from: citoyen on 17 February, 2018, 06:00:45 pm
Quote from: citoyen on 15 February, 2018, 08:24:54 pm
Called in at the homebrew shop earlier to get what I needed for a batch of Coopers Saison (http://store.coopers.com.au/recipes/index/view/id/58/). Hoping to get that on the go tomorrow...

...and it's already bubbling away nicely. OG of 1063, so should be quite lively.

Now down to 1008, so 7.2% abv. Tastes good too - I used loads of Saaz hops so it has a nice spicy flavour. Not as funky as I like my saisons, probably could have had the fermenting temperature higher.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: D.A.L.E. on 04 March, 2018, 12:58:48 pm
Quote from: D.A.L.E. on 27 February, 2018, 01:44:24 pm
Set a couple of Turbo Ciders away this morning. 3.5l* of apple juice, 0.5l cranberry, cup of tea (4 bags), yeast**, nutrient.

*2l now, 1.5l added in a few days.

** 2 Different yeasts - Gervin and Harris cider yeasts

Set another couple away - 2.5l of apple juice, 0.5l of blueberry juice, cup of tea (4 bags, gives me about 200ml), Harris cider yeast and nutrient. I'll add another 1/1.25l of apple juice in a couple of days.

I've got a Brewferm Diabolo to go in the big bucket, last one turned out very nice.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 12 March, 2018, 06:43:57 pm
Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 12 March, 2018, 05:02:09 pm
Did you take a Final Gravity reading ? If yes, what was it ? (ie: VSOF being no longer visible does not mean that the beer is ready...)
Brew lives in the FV for two weeks and the fermenting is well and truly over. I can't remember the numbers but both about 1005-7 and started above or near 1050.

Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 12 March, 2018, 05:02:09 pm
What was your fermentation temp? (Too low can lean to sluggish fermentation or stuck fermentation, meaning there is still unfermented sugar in the beer)

Were there any changes in temp ? (Yeast do not like swings in temp. If it drops quickly by only a few degrees you can shock the yeast)

Dunno, I know the start temp (about 22-26c) was good and then the temp slowly drops over the week to about 18c. Come second week it did get a wee bit nippy (16c) as I do not have heater or anyway to control heat. This system has worked fine for about 15 brews.

Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 12 March, 2018, 05:02:09 pm
How clean are your bottles? (do you do separate cleaning / sanitisation soaks?)

10 Empty bottle into a glass, rinse dregs out, squirt in some starsan, store, drink content in before mentioned glass
20 GOTO 10 if not have had enough
30 WHILE 10 (always drink while brewing) take out of storage dunk into a pot of VWP, rinse in clean water, squirt starsan, fill with new beer
40 GOTO 10

Quote from: AwfulQuiet on 12 March, 2018, 05:02:09 pm
When is the last time you replaced all of your hoses / filling equipment that touches beer ?
Just got a new valve from Coopers when I wore out the old one. Rest still the same.

The fun part is the brew afterwards other than being a bit tame in taste (20g Cascade didn't have enough oomph in the flavour department as I had hoped, but hey it was a leftover brew) they are behaving well.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 21 April, 2018, 04:30:47 pm
My barley wine has also ended up a bit gassy, with one bottle frothing over about three seconds after I opened it.  With no glss to hand, the only vessel available was my mouth. Never mind.

This was did actually have a bit higher FG than planned, but was stable when I bottled it. I put it in smaller bottles than usual, just 330ml vs the usual 500ml so may have overdone the priming sugar.

I had planned to do a batch in March, but have had no chance to even order ingredients.  I fancy making a single hop pale ale, targetting about 4-4.5%, nothing too strong but well hopped, maybe with a touch of star anise and raspberry.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 25 May, 2018, 09:09:58 am
Rhubarb wine started - extracting the juice under sugar

Planning to brew my rhubarb beer this weekend as well, I had kept a sample of yeast in the fridge from the trub of my last batch made with an English ale yeast and bramling cross hops which turned out nice and fruity.  I threw in a bit of sugar and put it on the windowsill and it appears to be reactivating nicely  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 06 July, 2019, 04:29:10 pm
It's rhubarb wine time again.

This year will be rhubarb and rosehip as i found a bag of dried rosehips when I rearranged my office this week.  Dry extract method started on the rhubarb, 2lb of it with 1kg of sugar.

Will leave that a couple of days and add the juices to some hot-water-extracted dried rosehip juices with more sugar.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 31 May, 2021, 09:00:02 pm
Started a Simply IPA 10 days ago with the called for kilo of beer enhancer and 900g of extra sugar (1054 starting sg).  Tonight it's blurping was down to ~8 seconds so a reading was taken, 1013. Out of the freezer came 2 small vacuum packs of hops from the vine just outside my window, 2019 crop.  Oh boy the smell was simply wonderful!
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 05 June, 2021, 08:40:15 am
IPA bottled :-) A day later than ideal, fg 1006 is a bit low but should give 5.4% all being well.

UKbrew dark ale started using up 2 very old bags of spray malt and 750g extra sugar (1042 ig).
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 09 June, 2021, 09:15:03 pm
Dark ale bottled, seems it comes with turbo yeast.  Not hopeful of this one, it was fizzy out of the fermenting bin & seemed very sticky as if not fermented.  When the yeast got going the airlock was a constant stream of bubbles not the usual bloop........  bloooop.  Then after 2 days of that it virtually stopped (1011) & took two more days to get to 1009.  5.4% estimated.

Mk2 version of my legendary Coffee Stout started.  I didn't want to put the lid on it, I could have stood there inhaling the aroma all night. 
1x Simply Stout kit.
Whisk into warm water:
  2x 500g Extra dark spray malt
  1x 500g Dark soft brown sugar
  50g Azera Americano
Make up to 23ltr.  1044 ig.

Bonus of the silly fast dark ale fermentation is I should be able to get a 4th brew done this trip home :-)  I've never done chain brewing like this before and I've never done a mild....
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 09 June, 2021, 09:38:29 pm
This weekend I'm going to try to "bottle" in these mini kegs, you get get in the super market full with beer. Got three 5 litres ready, then the rest of the 25 litres brew goes into bottles.

If it goes well I hope to go to full "keg" as it is so much less to clean and bottle every time.



Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 09 June, 2021, 10:46:43 pm
Interesting, I've not seen those, which supermarket?
I keep being tempted by corny kegs. A colleague at my last job swore by them & claimed he'd successfully kept a half empty keg over 6 months in his navy days. Anyone tried it?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 10 June, 2021, 07:32:13 am
I think you can get them from all supermarkets, here's one from a local brewery - https://shop.ilkleybrewery.co.uk/collections/mini-cask-beers/products/blonde-mini-cask

I know a fair few who brew with kegs. I haven't had the dosh to keg. So that's why I go the cheap way :)

Proper stainless kegs can handle the pressure therefore you can make sure no air comes into them so you can get a brew to last. The cheep kegs can't handle the pressure and needs to be drunk in a session or over a weekend.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 10 June, 2021, 08:19:12 am
Ah thanks.  I have seen those but had no idea they could be reused.

I have quite some investment in bottles so I'll probably stick with them for a few more years despite the faff.  I started collecting 550ml 6x bottles in 1997 and got 80 matching before they changed the design.  When I moved in 2012 & had more space available I started collecting 500ml Moorland (sixty something) & Wychwood (77).  Once I get 80 I'll stop, that's 6 full brews I can store which I intend to achieve by October.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: John Stonebridge on 10 June, 2021, 09:24:39 am
I had a tidy out of the garage yesterday and found some home brew bottles that pre date my son who will be 23 in September.

We last had some of this maybe 8-10 years ago, it was a pretty powerful brown beer made from a syrup based arrangement and I added molasses and cloves with the aim of creating a winter ale.  May try some later - looks like they have a serious sediment now though. 
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: woollypigs on 10 June, 2021, 01:55:46 pm
Here I was, thinking that's an old bottle, when I found one that's 12 month old :)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 27 June, 2021, 12:35:54 pm
The stout got bottled after 9 days.  The gravity had dropped to 1012 in 4 days, it was sitting in the 22-24deg range despite my best efforts at cooling with wet towels etc.  In a further 5 days it barely moved, fg 1011-12 ish so 4.4% estimated.

I've had enough of this uncontrollability lark so I've upgraded my brew bucket to one with a cooling loop.  A few years ago I had temperature problems brewing in winter so got a heat pad & later an Inkbird (crimbo present).  Now I can cool too, a sink full of cold water & a £1 submersible pump does the job.

First go at a mild has been delayed, Mrs Tween asked me to do another IPA & flavour it with elderflower which is blooming at the moment.  A Wilko First Gold IPA is sitting at 20deg blooping away at a much more sensible rate, I'll do a steep of the flowers around day 4 or 5. ig 1044.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 20 November, 2021, 07:44:34 pm
Quote from: SoreTween on 09 June, 2021, 09:15:03 pm
.

Mk2 version of my legendary Coffee Stout started.  I didn't want to put the lid on it, I could have stood there inhaling the aroma all night. 
1x Simply Stout kit.
Whisk into warm water:
  2x 500g Extra dark spray malt
  1x 500g Dark soft brown sugar
  50g Azera Americano
Make up to 23ltr.  1044

Is the coffee added as a liquid or solid?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: SoreTween on 28 November, 2021, 09:45:39 am
Quote from: Pedal Castro on 20 November, 2021, 07:44:34 pm
Is the coffee added as a liquid or solid?
Add the sugar and 50g of dry coffee to a pan of warm water then when all dissolved add to the fermenting bin.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 26 May, 2022, 06:54:23 am
Two gallons of rhubarb wine started yesterday, and blooping away happily (i see we all itself that term  :) )
First steps in winemaking dry extraction technique works every time,
3lb chopped rhubarb
3lb demerara
Leave in a large bowl for 3-4 days and stir daily until the sugar is dissolved
Pour syrup into a demijohn, top up/rinse the pulp with fresh water and add yeast. Normally something like a hock yeast works well, but I couldn't find any locally at the weekend so used gp yeast this time.
Normally makes a nice light white about 10-12%, something like a sauv blanc.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: aidan.f on 08 October, 2022, 06:14:23 pm
Trying first 30 litres cider as the community orchard has produced 70 litres of apple juice. (And expect another 70-100 in a fortnight), have sulphated the juice, OG 1050 and added pectolayse. Yeast is going well will pitch in 24 hours. Notice a mention of tea up thread, and should I add a yeast nutrient? Also wondering whether to sugar up to 1055-60 just to ensure plenty of alcoholic preservation
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 16 October, 2022, 05:06:41 pm
My latest brew is a liquorice stout.
A Wlico velvet stout kit, 1kg soft dark brown sugar, 500g brewing sugar and extract from 200g soft liquorice twists boiled for an hour.

It is a 5.6% abv delight.  ;D
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 16 February, 2023, 06:47:11 am
After a few part grain efforts I have now moved into all grain production following a bargain ebay purchase of all the kit needed.

First brew is a Ruddles County clone, OG 1055 rather than planned 1050 due to unfamiliarity with the kit and ending up with only 25l in the FV but decided not to add extra water at that stage. 4 days in and down to 1016 already.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pickled Onion on 18 February, 2023, 01:04:03 pm
I'd be interested in your set-up. Last time I brewed was using a burco boiler as a mash tun and it involved a lot of monitoring of the temperature and starch conversion.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 18 February, 2023, 01:52:29 pm
I'm currently brewing in Northampton at my mum's until I get my garage sorted but after tahr you'll be welcome to pop round.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 10 April, 2023, 03:48:57 pm
3rd brew of the year, 2nd was Working Monk's Lunch, a Chimay Doree clone, this one is another Northants County as brew #1 was/is so good.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 22 May, 2023, 08:20:57 pm
Quote from: Pickled Onion on 18 February, 2023, 01:04:03 pm
I'd be interested in your set-up. Last time I brewed was using a burco boiler as a mash tun and it involved a lot of monitoring of the temperature and starch conversion.

I've set up my beer fridge now, 3 beers available on tap if you want to pop by one evening this week and taste judge them PO?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pickled Onion on 24 May, 2023, 09:55:03 pm
Quote from: Pedal Castro on 22 May, 2023, 08:20:57 pm
Quote from: Pickled Onion on 18 February, 2023, 01:04:03 pm
I'd be interested in your set-up. Last time I brewed was using a - boiler as a mash tun and it involved a lot of monitoring of the temperature and starch conversion.

I've set up my beer fridge now, 3 beers available on tap if you want to pop by one evening this week and taste judge them PO?

Oh wow, what an offer, unfortunately I'm in London all week :-\
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 26 May, 2023, 08:04:42 am
(https://nrtoone.com/allowhotlinking/brewing_1.jpg)
Brew day
(https://nrtoone.com/allowhotlinking/brewing_2.jpg)
Pressure transfer to keg after fermentation
(https://nrtoone.com/allowhotlinking/brewing_3.jpg)
Beer fridge
(https://nrtoone.com/allowhotlinking/brewing_4.jpg)
Beer fridge inside
(https://nrtoone.com/allowhotlinking/brewing_5.jpg)
Northants County on it's way to maturation, a month to go...
(https://nrtoone.com/allowhotlinking/brewing_6.jpg)
A fully conditioned Landlord clone (only 3.2%abv)
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: ElyDave on 26 August, 2023, 08:27:57 pm
1 gal rhubarb, ready for bottling

Today, picked a bunch of elderberries, so have a litre of elderberry vodka steeping, and will start some wine tomorrow.  Remainder to be frozen, as I need to get some honey to try an elderberry mead
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: aidan.f on 15 October, 2023, 09:26:12 pm
I am thinking of mashing up some beer for Chrismas, can anyone recommend a mail order supplier?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 16 October, 2023, 06:33:09 am
For ingredients, equipment or both?
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: aidan.f on 16 October, 2023, 10:33:44 pm
Just ingredients. Full mash. Malt Ajuncts Hops, winter ale 6-7% abv
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 17 October, 2023, 06:00:07 am
https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product-category/ingredients/recipes/all-grain-recipes/

https://darkrockbrewing.co.uk/product-category/beer/?product-cat=all-grain-beer-kits

Unlikely they'll have kits in the 6-7% range though but just add dark muscovado sugar to get the abv up. [edited to add that Geterbrewed do have some high abv kits although for some reason the abv is not shown]

If you already have a recipe then Malt Miller or  https://www.geterbrewed.com/ are both good for low quantity ingredient purchases.
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: aidan.f on 17 October, 2023, 09:26:28 pm
Thanks, things have changed a bit since I last brewed...
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Pedal Castro on 18 October, 2023, 02:24:02 pm
BREW DAY!

And kegging day. Approx 32l of my first go at a Oktoberfest Marzen (reverse) kegged, half will be bottled. Sample taste was superb, but I must be patient with this...

Today's brew was going to be another Working Monk's Lunch (a Chimay Gold clone) but I added 600g of caramunich 2 instead of carapils so it will be darker than it should be.  :o
Title: Re: homebrew?
Post by: Woofage on 21 November, 2023, 03:41:06 pm
I dusted off my gear as I had an unbrewed ale kit idling in the shed. It was a bit past its best before date but I got some new yeast and got it going. I bottled up on Saturday so we'll know soon if it's turned out OK.

Also, the mead I made last year has been very successful. Quite potent too! I have loads of scrap honey (mixed with wax cappings from the comb) so I can make another batch :thumbsup:. Might try some flavourings this time.

In other news, Mrs W & I have some wine on the go too (from our own grapes). It's only a small quantity but I'm keen to know how well it will turn out.

I'm loving this (nearly) free booze thing ;D.