Author Topic: homebrew? (Read 66154 times)

citoyen · « **Reply #150 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.

David Martin · « **Reply #151 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.

woollypigs · « **Reply #152 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

David Martin · « **Reply #153 on:** 07 November, 2015, 08:56:20 pm »

The blackberry is rather nice. Hedgerow IPA.

woollypigs · « **Reply #154 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.

David Martin · « **Reply #155 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.

David Martin · « **Reply #156 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.

woollypigs · « **Reply #157 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

woollypigs · « **Reply #158 on:** 03 January, 2016, 07:30:15 pm »

Naa, don't have the space or spare dosh for the extra gear.

ElyDave · « **Reply #159 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.

lahoski · « **Reply #160 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......

woollypigs · « **Reply #161 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

David Martin · « **Reply #162 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.

Pickled Onion · « **Reply #163 on:** 29 May, 2016, 06:09:45 pm »

That sounds rather audacious. Let us know how it turns out.

David Martin · « **Reply #164 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..

David Martin · « **Reply #165 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

SoreTween · « **Reply #166 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

SoreTween · « **Reply #167 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.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #168 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

It was funny how the placebo effect made them drunk,

SoreTween · « **Reply #169 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.

woollypigs · « **Reply #170 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 ...

andyoxon · « **Reply #171 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.

ElyDave · « **Reply #172 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

andyoxon · « **Reply #173 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...

ElyDave · « **Reply #174 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.