Home brewing kits ....

Tonyator · 2 Sep 2011 at 16:22

AcidHell2 said:
What can I make.
I wanted to make mead but that takes to long and root beer just didn't work in the slightest, tasted horrible as well.

So what can I make from scratch, need ideas and preferably recipes. Be nice to make something from "fresh" ingredients rather than a kit and a bit unusual would be good.

Alcoholic Ginger beer, or if you've got the apples a ginger cider? I can't think of anything more unusual, as I'm not that creative...

Glaucus · 2 Sep 2011 at 16:26

ginger beers a good shout actually I enjoyed it in Australia. Most of their microbreweries seem to brew it.

The_blue · 2 Sep 2011 at 16:37

Pestilence said:
Well, couldn't resist and drew a couple of litres from my Wherry after 11 days in primary and 7 days in secondary. Tastes nice and bitter, but hasn't yet managed to absorb CO2 to make it fizzy. It means after a couple of pints it just starts to feel a bit like bitter stagnant water (the lack of head doesn't help the appearance in that regard, LOL).

I've heard it takes 3 weeks+ for carbonation to complete, so I'll leave it untouched until then and fire in a CO2 bulb if it still isn't playing ball.

Now you've removed a few litres you need to replace them with CO2. especialy if you want fizz.

The_blue · 3 Sep 2011 at 15:07

Next brew is on!

I've got a coopers English bitter kit with

500g Light Dry Malt Extract (delicious right out of the bag

)

500g Brewing sugar

To this i'm adding a tea of

150g Cracked Crystal Malt

15g Goldings Hops

Basically I'm boiling the Crystal for 20 mins then adding the hops to the hot liquid for 10 mins, then adding this to the kit recipe as normal.

The tea is made with about a 1.5 litres of water. I then strained it through a cheese cloth (or very clean teatowel) into the FV and squeezed it out. I then added another 1/2 litre of water to wash out any remaining flavours in the now pulp. I repeated this about 5 times as the run off was still dark drown and smelling like the 1st lot. The last wash was still light brown.

Anyway... I've ended up with an OG of about 1045. assuming i can get to 1010 i'll be a happy boy!

Vanquish-Storm · 3 Sep 2011 at 18:47

Can anyone suggest where to get one or two of the 5 gallon barrels for secondary fermentation for a cheap price?

Glaucus · 3 Sep 2011 at 19:41

Vanquish-Storm said:
Can anyone suggest where to get one or two of the 5 gallon barrels for secondary fermentation for a cheap price?

They aren't very expensive anyway, but due to size postage is usually expensive, so if you have q local brewery shop, in there. No name one shouldnt be anymore than £10 and could be considerably cheaper.

Vanquish-Storm · 3 Sep 2011 at 20:59

AcidHell2 said:
They aren't very expensive anyway, but due to size postage is usually expensive, so if you have q local brewery shop, in there. No name one shouldnt be anymore than £10 and could be considerably cheaper.

Thanks acid, as daft as it sounds i didnt even think to go check in a local brewery!!

Ill let you know how i get on!

Glaucus · 3 Sep 2011 at 21:15

Vanquish-Storm said:
Thanks acid, as daft as it sounds i didnt even think to go check in a local brewery!!

Ill let you know how i get on!

Sorry meant a brewery shop, not a brewery.

They are called fermentation bins, makes it easy to google.

Wilkinson sell them, but out of stock
http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/bin/ve...ntation+bin&searchsubmit.x=0&searchsubmit.y=0

Vanquish-Storm · 3 Sep 2011 at 22:03

AcidHell2 said:
Sorry meant a brewery shop, not a brewery.

They are called fermentation bins, makes it easy to google.

Wilkinson sell them, but out of stock
http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/bin/ve...ntation+bin&searchsubmit.x=0&searchsubmit.y=0

I think im confusing you mate sorry, I have the bin for fermenting it in initialy. But after that i want to put it in a barrel for serving from.

I dont have the barrel.

Glaucus · 3 Sep 2011 at 22:26

Ah in that case they are a lot more expensive.

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/home-b...Gs+JxdfTXZugIfGyetUvVhROIiefBd9j 31CRGiMTrg==

The_blue · 5 Sep 2011 at 18:11

Well my timing isn't bad. I've just finished the last of the lions pride - thank god!

Wasn't my favorite

The coopers english XL is starting to slow. I had foam to the lid yesterday

Ahleckz · 5 Sep 2011 at 18:43

Tonyator/Blue, where did you get your brew kettles/mash tuns from?

Using a converted cool box and copper piping or...?

Tonyator · 5 Sep 2011 at 18:48

I don't use one, I've only brewed Ciders and the like which I don't need them for.

Ahleckz · 5 Sep 2011 at 19:40

Oh, I thought you did full mash. My mistake.

The_blue · 9 Sep 2011 at 14:22

The_blue said:
Next brew is on!

I've got a coopers English bitter kit with

500g Light Dry Malt Extract (delicious right out of the bag )

500g Brewing sugar

To this i'm adding a tea of

150g Cracked Crystal Malt

15g Goldings Hops

Basically I'm boiling the Crystal for 20 mins then adding the hops to the hot liquid for 10 mins, then adding this to the kit recipe as normal.

The tea is made with about a 1.5 litres of water. I then strained it through a cheese cloth (or very clean teatowel) into the FV and squeezed it out. I then added another 1/2 litre of water to wash out any remaining flavours in the now pulp. I repeated this about 5 times as the run off was still dark drown and smelling like the 1st lot. The last wash was still light brown.

http://i55.tinypic.com/34hzb5g.jpg[img]

Anyway... I've ended up with an OG of about 1045. assuming i can get to 1010 i'll be a happy boy!

[img]http://i51.tinypic.com/33kqfzr.jpg[img][/QUOTE]

Down to 1010 today! I thought it has stopped at 1014..

PaulStat · 9 Sep 2011 at 15:16

I'm getting the brewing bug again, it's been a few months now. Think I'll make my four shades of stout again, gorgeous pint!

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13115871&postcount=29

Ahleckz · 9 Sep 2011 at 15:41

What you using as your mash tun Paul? Trying to get ideas to make one, I can't afford a big stock pot

.

PaulStat · 9 Sep 2011 at 15:52

A cool box with a home made copper grain filter in the bottom, works a charm. Just click the link in my sig, full explanation in there. Although I have since also made a copper hop filter for the errrr.....copper. Which also works a charm as it acts as a siphon

Edit: I can take photos of said filters if you like.

Ahleckz · 9 Sep 2011 at 16:32

Aye, that's what I've been thinking of (and what most people seem to use). Was just wondering if anyone else had anything. I see you also use a boiler, is that just a modified tea urn or something?

The_blue · 11 Sep 2011 at 20:52

OMG!!!

Just opened the last bottle of a Bru buddy cider kit I made over a year ago...

Fantastic! 7% of pure silk. It's turned from amber rum of the mill stuff to light straw A1+++ vintage scrumpy! Very much like westonsvintage organic..

Can't belive the difference 14 months has made!