Topic: Home Brewers?

[Uncle Joshua]

This one won the `National` (Pale Ale) in 1984:

7lb Pale Malt
6oz Crystal Malt
9oz Flaked Maize
500g Muscovado Sugar
2 oz Goldings
2oz Hallertau

Cheers Cleo. I'll have a go at that at some point.  :)

[cleo]

This one won a few prizes around the circles

7lb Pale Malt

8oz Crystal Malt

3 oz Torrified Barley

6oz Flaked Maize

4 oz Goldings

My notes show I used a starter from a bottle of White Shield and I was younger back then- 5th July 1980!!

[Uncle Joshua]

What made you give up Cleo?

I'm brewing a beer I call Garden Of Eden Ale tomorrow.

[cleo]

What made you give up Cleo?

In November 1984 I met my to be ,and now late, wife. I guess my prorities changed!!

Some folks want in the village want to try a `micro brewery` and with the price of a pint these days I can see the point. Who knows? I could be tempted back.

Nice name-Garden of Eden

[palmski]

I am hoping to buy some 2nd hand home wine making kit from a colleague who no longer makes his own; so this is a thread i am watching closely.  Never made home plonk before so will be starting with wine making kits. 
[/quote]

Take a look on Ebay. its amazing how much cheap stuff comes up on there.

Yes Mick thats where i have just got alot of my brewing gear from (Ebay)
Just finished bottling up 40 Bottles of Lager.
Will let you know how it taste in the coming weeks as its my first time on Lager.

Down side is i have also just finished my last bottle of red tonight not planned but still went down a treat. So off to get another kit so i can start the next batch of red wine next week.

[Uncle Joshua]

Yes Mick thats where i have just got alot of my brewing gear from (Ebay)
Just finished bottling up 40 Bottles of Lager.
Will let you know how it taste in the coming weeks as its my first time on Lager.

What lager was it? I have a Muntons Connoisseurs Continental Lager ready at the moment that is going down well.

I just looked at the brews I have on the go...around 300pts of ale, 40 of lager and pear cider plus 22l of vodka. this week I got hold of a hand pump that I hope to rig up fairly soon...I'm almost a pub!!

[palmski]

I just looked at the brews I have on the go...around 300pts of ale, 40 of lager and pear cider plus 22l of vodka. this week I got hold of a hand pump that I hope to rig up fairly soon...I'm almost a pub!!

Well if you need a hand drinking it im always happy to help need a big straw though to reach me...
My Lager was a buddy Kit my wife bought me for Xmas. i opened 1 last nite to see what was going on in the bottle but it was a little early really. Nice but i will try again in a couple of weeks to see the difference.

[Uncle Joshua]

Have you started another kit palmski? its to build a stock and let it age.

[palmski]

Have you started another kit palmski? its to build a stock and let it age.

No not yet.
Going to try a real Ale / Bitter next though
What do you recommend i get?

[Uncle Joshua]

No not yet.
Going to try a real Ale / Bitter next though
What do you recommend i get?

Try a St Peter's Golden Ale kit. fantastic beer.

[palmski]

Try a St Peter's Golden Ale kit. fantastic beer.

Where do you get your kits from?

[Uncle Joshua]

Where do you get your kits from?

I always use my local homebrew shop. (Morley Homebrew) You may pay a few pennies more for your items but the knowledge you can gain is priceless.

[palmski]

Thanks Mick off to my local Home Brew shop (www.homebrewcentre.co.uk) this weekend may just try your choice.
Sorry if i have asked before but do you bottle your Beers / Lager.
What bottles do you use? New or 2nd Hand?

My shed is now home to approx 100 Bottles collected since xmas. The wife likes a drop of that Crabbies Ginger beer and i found these to be good bottles? Whats your thought on using these 2nd hand bottles?

[cleo]

palmski,second hand bottles will be fine. A new bottle might give you a slight edge if showing but for social drinking there is no need.

[Uncle Joshua]

Just make sure your used bottles aren't those modern very thin ones. They would blow up under carbanation.

[ToniD]

Just make sure your used bottles aren't those modern very thin ones. They would blow up under carbanation.

Newcastle Brown bottles are very good, plus, of course the fun you can have emptying them ;D

[KMARKSnr]

We do beer kits (mostly the £25ish ones although right now I'm drinking Geordie with enhancer) & wine kits, as well as the lovely Orange Juice Wine (have 10gal of that in fvs at the mo!). Being able to get drunk for under £1 makes it taste even better.

Ollie can you pass on the orange juice wine recipie please ?

[Hazelb]

as a student I used to brew wine from wine kits. I had a go from black currents about 5 years ago...came out a nice red coloured vinegar!!!


So after a long gap...I'm having a go at brewing mead.


a quick question.

Fermentation in the demijohn has stopped and is clearing. Should I transfer the mead to a clean demijohn and let it settle more, or just bottle?

from my student days I vaguely remember something about cambden tablets? are they added at some point?

I may be bottling at the weekend ( sorry sampling and bottling  ;D)

[BarriedaleNick]

Campden tablets can be used to sterlise your bootles or demis but they can be added as preservatives or to stop fermentation.
In your case it looks like fermentation is complete as it is clearing but there is always a bit going on as long as sugar is present.
I'd let it clear, syphon off to another DJ and add campden tablets but you wont get any fermantation so no fizz.. 

[ACE]

Just got my first batch on the go ;D