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Home Brewing

KnowAll27KnowAll27 Posts: 2,639
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in Food and Drink #1
Anyone here ever brewed their own ale? I was bought a home-brew kit for Christmas, and I'm steadily draining bottles so when the time comes I have enough empties to hold the first batch!

Any hints and tips for the actual brewing and/or bottling process?

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    closedbookclosedbook Posts: 384
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    #2
    As a total novice myself (I have a gallon of elderflower wine fermenting as we speak ) I found trawling through this website very helpful.

    http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/index.php

    Covers all aspects of wine, beer and cider making
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    KnowAll27KnowAll27 Posts: 2,639
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    #3
    Thanks. At the moment I'm focusing on gathering enough empties, and will probably start brewing in a week or two - did a great Click and Collect last night which has upped the stocks. All I have to do is empty them.......
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    degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    #4
    What are you brewing?

    My dad used to brew lager and beer. He used to transfer from the bucket using a tube. I used to be the one to suck it to get it started then was there for what seemed like hours filling up the bottles. A mini production line :D


    He used to collect Grolsch and Fischer bottles with the funny reseal cap.
    There must have been a couple of hundred of bottles in the garage.
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    KnowAll27KnowAll27 Posts: 2,639
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    #5
    St Peter's Ruby Red Ale - I prefer ales to lagers, so one person bought me the equipment and another the St Peter's kit and a bag of brewing sugar - don't know if I need anything else to actually make the beer apart from water?

    I ordered a bag of caps and a capper, so all I need to rely on now are a stock of empty bottles! I have promised a few folk that if they give me empty bottles they'll get full ones back........

    A mate is brewing a Coopers Pale Ale (sheer coincidence that we both got these kits as Christmas presents!) so we've agreed to do a trade somewhere down the line as well.
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    barbelerbarbeler Posts: 23,827
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    #6
    I always used to use plastic 2-litre cider bottles. Saves loads of messing about. I used to use two mild kits to make the quantity specified for one. I was into the dark, full-bodied ales at the time and that seemed to give a reasonable approximation.
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    PorcupinePorcupine Posts: 25,250
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    #7
    I received a wine making kit for Christmas. My sister bought me the kit and fermenting jar along with empty bottles and stoppers. It makes 6 bottles of white wine apparently.
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    evil cevil c Posts: 7,833
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    #8
    I guess you've already searched the forum for previous threads but if not, here's one at least: http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1905700&highlight=home+brew
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    KnowAll27KnowAll27 Posts: 2,639
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    #9
    I had done a search but missed this one - thanks.
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    Isambard BrunelIsambard Brunel Posts: 6,598
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    #10
    I don't actually do home brewing, but stumbled across this page on the Robert Dyas website.

    How on earth can they charge £2.49 for an empty beer bottle when Aldi are currently selling bottles of beer for £1.25, and normally do them for £1.49. Many off licences and shops I know also sell bottles of well known beers for £1.49, and there are plenty of cheap brands in glass bottles for 99p.

    I can't imagine anyone pays £2.49 for an empty beer bottle, or even buys six for £13 which still works out about £2.17 per bottle.

    What next, a microwave ready meal for £2.99 or just the plastic tray and cardboard cover ready for adding your own meal (at additional time and expense) to for £9.99?!
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    gemma-the-huskygemma-the-husky Posts: 18,116
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    #11
    Beer is dead easy. Makes up quickly, too.
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    jazzyjazzyjazzyjazzy Posts: 4,865
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    #12
    If you want to make home wine - try Solomon Grundy kits.
    When I first saw them I thought that it would be a load of rubbish but the reviews were good so gave the 6 bottle one a go - they are brilliant. Now buy the 30 bottle kits.
    http://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/solomon-grundy-rose/

    They do take a bit of de-gassing so bought this which fits on to a drill and is well worth the money. The one at £9.95.

    Don't tell anybody it is home made and had no complaints - I also collected empty wine bottles and people think it is what the label says. :D

    http://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=de+gassing+to+fix+to+drill

    Love this wine and the price.
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