Home Brew

[Futtocks]

1 hour ago, Ullman said:

Was speaking to a bloke earlier who lives just round the corner from us who is growing his own hops. He reckoned there were quite a few people in the area doing the same.

Not just useful in brewing either; I used to work near a shop that sold nothing but sausages, and their pork & hop variety was very tasty indeed.

[Northern Eel]

On 02/07/2017 at 7:38 PM, Ullman said:

Was speaking to a bloke earlier who lives just round the corner from us who is growing his own hops. He reckoned there were quite a few people in the area doing the same.

I can't even wait a fortnight for the brew to ferment, so I'd have absolutely no chance of waiting for hops to grow! Caps off to these homebrew Ultras.

[deluded pom?]

Any cider makers out there? I did my second attempt last Autumn. Both batches have tasted tart. My question is what’s the best way to sweeten the cider without making rocket fuel? Thanks in advance.

[Shadow]

Just now, deluded pom? said:

Any cider makers out there? I did my second attempt last Autumn. Both batches have tasted tart. My question is what’s the best way to sweeten the cider without making rocket fuel? Thanks in advance.

I've been in a group making cider for over 10 years and we've never sweetened it, we do use eating apples which start off quite sweet.

We have also had varied results from one memorable year when it went green, and not in a good way to as good as you'd get in a pub.

[deluded pom?]

19 minutes ago, Shadow said:

I've been in a group making cider for over 10 years and we've never sweetened it, we do use eating apples which start off quite sweet.

We have also had varied results from one memorable year when it went green, and not in a good way to as good as you'd get in a pub.

I used mainly eating apples last time around but it still tastes tart. 

[Shadow]

We make it in barrels of around 6 gallons each using brewers yeast but that’s the only additive we use. Have you tried artificial sweeteners?

[deluded pom?]

15 hours ago, Shadow said:

We make it in barrels of around 6 gallons each using brewers yeast but that’s the only additive we use. Have you tried artificial sweeteners?

No, that's why I'm asking here. I need to know at what stage to use them, which sweetener gives the best results etc.

[Shadow]

9 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

No, that's why I'm asking here. I need to know at what stage to use them, which sweetener gives the best results etc.

I'll check with my brewer and get back by PM 

Give me a few days.

[deluded pom?]

Just now, Shadow said:

I'll check with my brewer and get back by PM 

Give me a few days.

Thanks, much appreciated.

[Kayakman]

8 hours ago, deluded pom? said:

Thanks, much appreciated.

 

8 hours ago, Shadow said:

I'll check with my brewer and get back by PM 

Give me a few days.

 

On 7/6/2017 at 3:39 PM, Northern Eel said:

I can't even wait a fortnight for the brew to ferment, so I'd have absolutely no chance of waiting for hops to grow! Caps off to these homebrew Ultras.

 

On 7/2/2017 at 4:12 PM, Futtocks said:

Not just useful in brewing either; I used to work near a shop that sold nothing but sausages, and their pork & hop variety was very tasty indeed.

This is the best song ever written about home made beer!!!!

Its a true story about a guy named Garnett, who made a famous batch of his own beer here in Canada..  Please listen to the whole thing and tell me what you think (prepare to laugh).  Its good.

 

[Copa]

On 01/02/2018 at 8:09 AM, Shadow said:

I've been in a group making cider for over 10 years and we've never sweetened it, we do use eating apples which start off quite sweet.

We have also had varied results from one memorable year when it went green, and not in a good way to as good as you'd get in a pub.

If only I lived near you. I’d love to join the group!

[Shadow]

1 hour ago, Copa said:

If only I lived near you. I’d love to join the group!

We made the best part of 40 gallons that day. First tasting was on 28th December and I can confirm it was a success. I don't remember a huge amount from 7pm to the following morning.

 

Edit to add:

This year we had a friend visiting from Perth (WA) and he was roped in to the production process, you'd be more than welcome.

The Cider press we are using was originally built in the early 1900s / late 1890s by the great great Grandfather of one of our gang who used to tour the local villages with it making cider.  It had a bit of a refurb in 2013 when a lot of the rotten wood was replaced but the metalwork and some of teh wood is original.

There's a real sense of living history when we use it, knowing that people living where I do and probably picking apples from some of the same places have been doing the same thing for over a hundred years.

[Copa]

29 minutes ago, Shadow said:

We made the best part of 40 gallons that day. First tasting was on 28th December and I can confirm it was a success. I don't remember a huge amount from 7pm to the following morning.

 

Edit to add:

This year we had a friend visiting from Perth (WA) and he was roped in to the production process, you'd be more than welcome.

The Cider press we are using was originally built in the early 1900s / late 1890s by the great great Grandfather of one of our gang who used to tour the local villages with it making cider.  It had a bit of a refurb in 2013 when a lot of the rotten wood was replaced but the metalwork and some of teh wood is original.

There's a real sense of living history when we use it, knowing that people living where I do and probably picking apples from some of the same places have been doing the same thing for over a hundred years.

What a wonderful thing to be involved with.

I had some great ciders last time I was in England. My partner is from Winchester. I had some great ciders from the Winchester farmers market and also when we traveled around Somerset.

[Shadow]

On 01/02/2018 at 1:29 PM, deluded pom? said:

Thanks, much appreciated.

PM sent

[deluded pom?]

Just now, Shadow said:

PM sent

Cheers mate (pun intended) 

[Shadow]

3 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

Cheers mate (pun intended) 

Best of luck

where in the world are you?

(wondering if we can sample each other’s concoctions)