Home Brew

[bicycleshorts]

Blown2CV said:

ok well that's the thing i'm trying to get to the bottom of - whether there are transferable skills between kit and full-grain. Say the latter is the same as the former with one extra step, and also you can use the same equipment as you bought with the kit, then great i'll start with a kit. If it is a largely different process involving different ingredients (or different formats of the same) using largely different items of equipment, I might chance my arm with the full grain route.

Ah sorry. Yes, a lot of the stuff you need for kit brewing is the same as jonboy says.

As I said, try to find a local homebrew shop, they'll be invaluable, especially if you start doing AG brews!

Started the Turbo Cider tonight! Going with a very simple recipe to start with; apple juice, super wine yeast, yeast nutrient and a cup of tea. Also added a bit of honey since I had it lying around.

Edited by bicycleshorts on Thursday 21st June 10:04

[Blown2CV]

great stuff, i think i understand now! It's not that different than how i had assumed, i just wanted to check. So the next thing is - which is 'the best' kit?

[wormburner]

Blown2CV said:

great stuff, i think i understand now! It's not that different than how i had assumed, i just wanted to check. So the next thing is - which is 'the best' kit?

As mentioned further up, Woodfordes Wherry is often recommended.

[Jonboy_t]

wormburner said:

Blown2CV said:

great stuff, i think i understand now! It's not that different than how i had assumed, i just wanted to check. So the next thing is - which is 'the best' kit?

As mentioned further up, Woodfordes Wherry is often recommended.

Definitely this! They do 4 altogether, Admirals Reserve is quite a nice one too. It's a bit stronger and more of a dark beer (like 'Old Peculiar') rather than Wherry which is more of an Old Speckled Hen kind of beer.

Just don't fall into the trap that I did with them and presume all 4 kits produce the same volume of beer, they are not! They reduce in quantity from 40 pints to (I think) 21 pints and I bought the 21 pinter, didn't read the instructions and just made it up to 40 pints so it tasted like piss!

[wormburner]

Jonboy_t said:

wormburner said:

Blown2CV said:

great stuff, i think i understand now! It's not that different than how i had assumed, i just wanted to check. So the next thing is - which is 'the best' kit?

As mentioned further up, Woodfordes Wherry is often recommended.

Definitely this! They do 4 altogether, Admirals Reserve is quite a nice one too. It's a bit stronger and more of a dark beer (like 'Old Peculiar') rather than Wherry which is more of an Old Speckled Hen kind of beer.

Just don't fall into the trap that I did with them and presume all 4 kits produce the same volume of beer, they are not! They reduce in quantity from 40 pints to (I think) 21 pints and I bought the 21 pinter, didn't read the instructions and just made it up to 40 pints so it tasted like piss!

If ever there was a case where RTFM applies, amateur brewing is it!

Also, making a Wherry kit to 37 pints rather than 40 is a little trick to improve the strength and body a touch.

[bicycleshorts]

Jonboy_t said:

wormburner said:

As mentioned further up, Woodfordes Wherry is often recommended.

Definitely this!

Another +1 for Wherry. Very easy kit to start with as it's all in one, no sugar needed before fermentation.

[Jonboy_t]

wormburner said:

If ever there was a case where RTFM applies, amateur brewing is it!

hell yeah!

[Blown2CV]

excellent, i bought a woodfordes kit! I was sitting on a kitty of money left over from something at work, so have used that which is even more of a bonus. More or less the same amount. We have lots of spare room in our office, with rooms that can be temp regulated. That, gents, is the thing that has made me happy today! Thanks

[Jonboy_t]

If you're just starting out, the most useful bit of kit I have ever had was the heat mat out of an old waterbed. They're difficult to find nowadays (waterbeds were a bit '80s I think!) but if you can get them, they are exactly the right size to fit round a 5 gallon fermenting bin and always have a thermostat on them so you can maintain exactly 21 degrees.

Good luck with the kit. Post some pics once it's done!

[bicycleshorts]

Blown2CV said:

excellent, i bought a woodfordes kit!

Let us know how it goes. Wormburner showed me this adaptation earlier in the thread if you're feeling adventurous: http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/discussion-for...

After a few hours of inactivity, the Turbo Cider is fermenting nicely, though quite slow compared to others I've seen online. I also need to invest in a sampling jar/turkey baster. Chucking a hydrometer in a fermentation tub is fine but if I put it in the ghetto demijohn I'm not sure I'll get it back out.

[wormburner]

bicycleshorts said:

Blown2CV said:

excellent, i bought a woodfordes kit!

Let us know how it goes. Wormburner showed me this adaptation earlier in the thread if you're feeling adventurous: http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/discussion-for...

After a few hours of inactivity, the Turbo Cider is fermenting nicely, though quite slow compared to others I've seen online. I also need to invest in a sampling jar/turkey baster. Chucking a hydrometer in a fermentation tub is fine but if I put it in the ghetto demijohn I'm not sure I'll get it back out.

Tape a thread to it?

[bicycleshorts]

wormburner said:

Tape a thread to it?

Good call! I was trying to figure out a way of tying string onto the Hydrometer last night, forgot all about the engineer's favourite: duct tape

I've already asked someone in the office to try and find a sampling jar and turkey baster on lunch, will be interested to see what the come back with...

[wormburner]

bicycleshorts said:

wormburner said:

Tape a thread to it?

Good call! I was trying to figure out a way of tying string onto the Hydrometer last night, forgot all about the engineer's favourite: duct tape

I've already asked someone in the office to try and find a sampling jar and turkey baster on lunch, will be interested to see what the come back with...

Nah, duct tape too heavy. A tiny sliver of sellotape and the finest thread or fishing line or horsehair you can find.

[bicycleshorts]

wormburner said:

Nah, duct tape too heavy. A tiny sliver of sellotape and the finest thread or fishing line or horsehair you can find.

True, I assume the extra weight could through off the reading? I'll give it a test run tonight on the 5L bottle of water I've got (ready for another TC this weekend).

[wormburner]

bicycleshorts said:

wormburner said:

Nah, duct tape too heavy. A tiny sliver of sellotape and the finest thread or fishing line or horsehair you can find.

True, I assume the extra weight could through off the reading? I'll give it a test run tonight on the 5L bottle of water I've got (ready for another TC this weekend).

Yes, do a calibration test before and after in a vessel with water at room temperature. Shouldn't make a noticeable difference, but good to know how much it does, if it does.

[bicycleshorts]

wormburner said:

Yes, do a calibration test before and after in a vessel with water at room temperature. Shouldn't make a noticeable difference, but good to know how much it does, if it does.

Cheers!

[Turn7]

Just started drinking a Woodfordes Wherry, and jolly nice it is too. Been brewing for a fair old while now, mostly kits, but I like to experiment occasionally.

The Woodfordes Nelsons Revenge is a very good brew.

Not got the time to go all grain, but theres a few kits out there that are a half way house.

Recommend the Design a brew Hobgoblin if you like that sort of thing.

Just ordered another premium Cider kit and a Better brew IPA kit with brew enhancer.

I have two king keg top tap barrells that I like to keep full, and I do have a load of PET bottles if anyone needs any.

[Jonboy_t]

I'm just about to bottle some Muntons Premium Gold and had a sneaky taste earlier. If I didn't know better, I would swear it was Old Speckled Hen! It's well worth the extra £5 a kit!

[Turn7]

Jonboy_t said:

I'm just about to bottle some Muntons Premium Gold and had a sneaky taste earlier. If I didn't know better, I would swear it was Old Speckled Hen! It's well worth the extra £5 a kit!

I tried the Muntons premium blush cider and wasnt overly keen tbh, but each to his own.

Really fancy doing a St Peters Ruby kit though.

[wormburner]

Turn7 said:

Jonboy_t said:

I'm just about to bottle some Muntons Premium Gold and had a sneaky taste earlier. If I didn't know better, I would swear it was Old Speckled Hen! It's well worth the extra £5 a kit!

I tried the Muntons premium blush cider and wasnt overly keen tbh, but each to his own.

Really fancy doing a St Peters Ruby kit though.

I also fancy that one. I've another Wherry to do (with the saracen tweak, as posted earlier) and then I'm going to try that one. Just tucking into a Wherry now, straight from the keg. Brewed with spring water to 37 pints instead of 40 and it is lovely. Creamy smooth and 'glossy' if that makes any sense.