Discussion
Engineer1 said:
What's the best way to get the yeasty residue out of bottles if it has dried in? I tend to get this with bottles that friends or family have returned, bottle brushes don't quite seem to shift it all.
I put fairly and hot water in, leave to soak for an hour or so. If its still there I chuck the bottle. We're up to 80 brown glass bottles now, enough for 2 rounds. Get drinking chaps!Engineer1 said:
What's the best way to get the yeasty residue out of bottles if it has dried in? I tend to get this with bottles that friends or family have returned, bottle brushes don't quite seem to shift it all.
Get some caustic soda granules and mix up quite a strong solution with hot water. That will shift just about anything.We do a fireworks night every year, where people gather, bring some booze and get sloshed. The current brew will be ready in time for it.
But I plan on being a bit sneeky. I know that when you offer something you've made to people, you'll get "oh that's nice", before they chuck it out when your back is turned.
So, I am obtaining a small 5litre keg from a local brewery (contents to be consumed this weekend) and I'm going to put my beer in it (I've bought spare bungs). The keg will be brewery branded, but not have the actual beer label on it. I can then offer a ale to people, stating its a new one from said brewery, and get their real opinion. Before watching their face turn when I announce it is in fact made by my hands.
But I plan on being a bit sneeky. I know that when you offer something you've made to people, you'll get "oh that's nice", before they chuck it out when your back is turned.
So, I am obtaining a small 5litre keg from a local brewery (contents to be consumed this weekend) and I'm going to put my beer in it (I've bought spare bungs). The keg will be brewery branded, but not have the actual beer label on it. I can then offer a ale to people, stating its a new one from said brewery, and get their real opinion. Before watching their face turn when I announce it is in fact made by my hands.
illmonkey said:
We do a fireworks night every year, where people gather, bring some booze and get sloshed. The current brew will be ready in time for it.
But I plan on being a bit sneeky. I know that when you offer something you've made to people, you'll get "oh that's nice", before they chuck it out when your back is turned.
So, I am obtaining a small 5litre keg from a local brewery (contents to be consumed this weekend) and I'm going to put my beer in it (I've bought spare bungs). The keg will be brewery branded, but not have the actual beer label on it. I can then offer a ale to people, stating its a new one from said brewery, and get their real opinion. Before watching their face turn when I announce it is in fact made by my hands.
Cunning, very cunning. I plan to do something similar and decant my brews into a pint glass before my guests can see the bottle. Honest opinions count. But I plan on being a bit sneeky. I know that when you offer something you've made to people, you'll get "oh that's nice", before they chuck it out when your back is turned.
So, I am obtaining a small 5litre keg from a local brewery (contents to be consumed this weekend) and I'm going to put my beer in it (I've bought spare bungs). The keg will be brewery branded, but not have the actual beer label on it. I can then offer a ale to people, stating its a new one from said brewery, and get their real opinion. Before watching their face turn when I announce it is in fact made by my hands.
Burgmeister said:
Cunning, very cunning. I plan to do something similar and decant my brews into a pint glass before my guests can see the bottle. Honest opinions count.
A handful of people have tried it so far, and they are family/close friends, so I do trust their opinion, but I can help but thing they'll drink it, but it isn't great. Kind of like Carlesburg, if someone put a free one in my hand, I'd drink it, but not want an other etc.If anyone in S Wales is interested in brewing Tiny Rebel, a craft brewery in Newport, are starting up a homebrew club. I think the first meeting is in November.
http://tinyrebel.co.uk/blog/2013/10/10/up-and-runn...
http://tinyrebel.co.uk/blog/2013/10/10/up-and-runn...
A few photos from yesterday's brewing session. Brewed a barleywine, will be approx 12% Single hopped with East Kent Goldings, fermented with Fuller's ESB yeast and will be aged on toasted French oak chips.
Mashing in:
My mate Andy looking after the sparge:
Coming up to the boil:
Ready to take a gravity sample:
Mashing in:
My mate Andy looking after the sparge:
Coming up to the boil:
Ready to take a gravity sample:
Just got directed to this topic on an other thread, so figured I'd add some more info.
We've made 6 or so more brews since my last post. We're trying to make it as cost effective as possible, so making it so we don't use half bags of anything etc. The main expense is the spraymalt. So, we decided to do a brew using only brew-sugar. We done that 5 months ago and it's still basically undrinkable, it's very sweet and lacks colour. But, we decided we could just a little of the brew sugar and the rest spray malt, to keep the colour etc. This worked out very well, and we're now up to 1/3 brew sugar, saving about £7 per brew. I don't think I'd want to up the ratio anymore.
We found our sweet spot recipe, something that has a little hoppy taste, but is light and refreshing, either from the fridge in summer or room temp in winter. Infact, we're doing a brew today.
We've also done some Vino. After a fair bit of research, we decided on "Beaverdale Pinot Grigio". Very straight forward, literally pour the juice into the bucket and add yeast. You're also meant to add finings to help clear it, but ours was crystal after 3 weeks. It took a good few months in the bottles to start tasting good. But now we've got a very enjoyable Pinot for around £1.40 a bottle, better than some supermarket stuff @ £6/bottle.
It has been decided to do some red wine this time, which is currently bubbling away, but I don't drink it, so I'll never know!
We've made 6 or so more brews since my last post. We're trying to make it as cost effective as possible, so making it so we don't use half bags of anything etc. The main expense is the spraymalt. So, we decided to do a brew using only brew-sugar. We done that 5 months ago and it's still basically undrinkable, it's very sweet and lacks colour. But, we decided we could just a little of the brew sugar and the rest spray malt, to keep the colour etc. This worked out very well, and we're now up to 1/3 brew sugar, saving about £7 per brew. I don't think I'd want to up the ratio anymore.
We found our sweet spot recipe, something that has a little hoppy taste, but is light and refreshing, either from the fridge in summer or room temp in winter. Infact, we're doing a brew today.
We've also done some Vino. After a fair bit of research, we decided on "Beaverdale Pinot Grigio". Very straight forward, literally pour the juice into the bucket and add yeast. You're also meant to add finings to help clear it, but ours was crystal after 3 weeks. It took a good few months in the bottles to start tasting good. But now we've got a very enjoyable Pinot for around £1.40 a bottle, better than some supermarket stuff @ £6/bottle.
It has been decided to do some red wine this time, which is currently bubbling away, but I don't drink it, so I'll never know!
If you want to make it as cheap as possible you need to head into all grain. At the brew club I go to there's a brewer who did two kits, decided that the results were not what he was after and changed to all grain. His Brew Dog Punk IPA clone was very very good.
Kits are limiting, all grain isn't hard and the results speak for themselves. I'm currently drinking this http://www.craftedpours.com/homebrew-recipe/ale-as... , worked out at 50p per pint
Kits are limiting, all grain isn't hard and the results speak for themselves. I'm currently drinking this http://www.craftedpours.com/homebrew-recipe/ale-as... , worked out at 50p per pint
Wow, over a year ago I posted.
We're on brew #30, we've moved onto using Co2 to gass rather than sugar as well. A filter kit is arriving shortly too, so we can get crystal beer. It is as good as branded beer, to the point I'm considering having a pop at selling it. We're only doing 28 litres at a time, but get say 3 of those done a month and we'll have 150 bottles to shift. Maybe a loccal farm shop or something.
Really enjoying the process and results1
We're on brew #30, we've moved onto using Co2 to gass rather than sugar as well. A filter kit is arriving shortly too, so we can get crystal beer. It is as good as branded beer, to the point I'm considering having a pop at selling it. We're only doing 28 litres at a time, but get say 3 of those done a month and we'll have 150 bottles to shift. Maybe a loccal farm shop or something.
Really enjoying the process and results1
illmonkey said:
Wow, over a year ago I posted.
We're on brew #30, we've moved onto using Co2 to gass rather than sugar as well. A filter kit is arriving shortly too, so we can get crystal beer. It is as good as branded beer, to the point I'm considering having a pop at selling it. We're only doing 28 litres at a time, but get say 3 of those done a month and we'll have 150 bottles to shift. Maybe a loccal farm shop or something.
Really enjoying the process and results1
Well done! I'd be interested to see what legislative hoops (if any) you need to jump through to sell home brew to the (unsuspecting and credulous) public.We're on brew #30, we've moved onto using Co2 to gass rather than sugar as well. A filter kit is arriving shortly too, so we can get crystal beer. It is as good as branded beer, to the point I'm considering having a pop at selling it. We're only doing 28 litres at a time, but get say 3 of those done a month and we'll have 150 bottles to shift. Maybe a loccal farm shop or something.
Really enjoying the process and results1
Unfortuantly, it is a bit of a mine field. You've got hygenie checks, alachol tax etc. It won't make much money, if any, but I'd love to walk into a shop and see my beer.
Keep looking at these kits too: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/homebrew-100ltr-microbre...
thats almost 200 bottles in 1 batch.
Keep looking at these kits too: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/homebrew-100ltr-microbre...
thats almost 200 bottles in 1 batch.
Hi, bit of a newbie question...have just started my first home brew it's in a plastic bucket and just about to finish first fermentation...my plan was to put it in a keg and then maybe bottle in a week or two?! Is that ok? I also heard that if I was to bottle straight away I have to leave fermentation longer? Thanks and sorry for the stupid questions
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