Kit but no cash...

[shirlthegirl43]

LOL. I did the definitive strawberry wine once, it was quite nice. I feel that the 30 bottle kit is better value though - if I am doing wine it might as well be a big batch. Don't worry about airing cupboard - my brew space is between the kitchen and dining room.

[KellsSimon]

I'm hooked!
Both the wine and the Cider are merrly fizzing and bubbling away.
I did have some interesting issues with the cider during the initial fermentation.... It went HUGE masses of yeasty froth everywhere. in the end i resorted to pouring some away as it was coming up through the air lock and threateing to take over the world.
Even then with less than 2/3 of a demi-john it was still making claims of WMD and needed a good shaking twice a day to break up the head that was building. By day three all was calmer in the world so i nearly added more apple juice, but then decided to experment by adding 300g of sugar disolved in the next litre of juice... it might be an interesting experiment... or just loony brew.
I've got my eye on home brewing beer now too, as at £3 a pint in the pub it's getting close to the price of a cheap bottle of wine!
in the book i've got and on line it all seems a little complicated with you needing a big bucket, then another bucket with an airlock then many bottles or pressure barrel... as cash is still tight i'm waiting to figure out if i can get away with less... and any cashsaving tips would be really welcome folks on this one. (other than go tea-total!)

[Hilary B]

I would just use a bucket with a lid (non-sealing) for beer, up to the point of bottles or pressure barrel. The 'old fashioned' version was a nice new plastic dustbin (easily holds the 5 gallons of the 'normal' batch), but there isn't any substitute for proper storage systems. Try e-bay, or freecycle, or car boot sales.
If the cider got.. over enthusiastic, don't add too much sugar at a time, or too soon...
I would recommend adding some tannin (a bit of strong tea will do) before the cider has fermented too far. It will not taste like proper cider without (might be nice, but not like proper cider). Cider apples have a significant tannin content.

[KellsSimon]

Hilary, i think you might just be a life saver.
I was donated a three gallon pressure barrel by a friend, so it's just the other end of the process i need to worry about.
As one of my hobbies is canoeing, i have a big plastic barrel lying arround which i use for keeping things dry when on the river etc. On reflection, it is 'food grade' as it was originally used for shipping Mango chutney.
The barrel is a bit big. 80 liters plus, so it will hold the three gallons, but is it too big?
With the speed of beer brewing, does it mean that it is not necessary to rack it off the yeast before it is finished?
Also, i wouldn't mind 'modifying' the barrel so that it would take an airlock if this was of benifit. I would really be gratefull for any ideas.

On a different note, just found a nice taste combination, Elderflower cordial with strongbow. (better than the cider and black my OH normally drinks any way.)
Bit sweet, but nice!
after all.... cordial with water? i ask you!

[Hilary B]

If you are only making 3 gallons at a time, 80litres might be a bit on the large size, but there are usually ways around that. I wouldn't bother 'racking' beer until ready to put it in the pressure barrel, nor should you need an airlock, just some sort of lid that is a close (but not sealed) fit. I would try to reduce the airspace above the brew in the big barrel (float something in it? A nice clean plastic ball, like they sell for beach use? If you got one which was almost the same size as the barrel it would usefully cut down the exposed surface area as well).
When it comes to improvisation, I have all sorts of ideas, but ones for solving the 'big barrel' problem are untested.....

[KellsSimon]

I've made booze!!!

While the wine kit is still very slowly bubbling away, i decided to rack off the turbo cider, and prime in some old cider bottles. I did a hydrometer reading and it was roughly1.000. I then drank the contents of the trial jar.... WOOHOO!! I made Booze! it's a bit dry, and very cloudy still, but it is now sitting in the bottles in the warm to prime, and hopefully clear a bit before it goes in the fridge, though the glass that didn't fit in the bottles is going down well, but in the guise of 'dirty scrumpy'.
I hope it sounds like i've done the right thing, if not too late but any advice appreciated.
At least now i have a spare demijohn for racking the wine thats going to have finished soon.
As an aside, I think i now know why some of the home brew forums i've been looking at in search of knowledge and advice are so illiterate. I'm haveing a hell of a job writing this and am having to do constant editing to even attempt to be understood, and i've only had half a pint.... (must be a light weight!)

On the beer front, I'm going for brewing in the big blue pickle barrel and keeping my fingers crossed. it got a good lid, and i recon it's only 50 liters on reflection so much more reasonable.
as of this morning it has 40 pints of geordie bitter in it as choice in my local health food shop was a little limited, but i like bitter / ale (ok i like drinking) so If i don't mess up and it brews ok it will get drunk. Does anyone know of any good online shop or mail order shop with a really good range? as it's my 35th coming up in july i'd really like to make something a bit nice to keep me and friends entertained... Maybe a weissbier or even a dunkle-weiss!
cheers!

[KellsSimon]

Oh one other thing, do i have to wait for the bubles to stop completley on the wine?
if it's getting very slow, one bubble every minute for example, should I rack it anyway and again put it under air lock? Or just leave it as is till it stops? then Campden tablets and bottle? Or can i get away without the chemicals?
42?

[shirlthegirl43]

I would wait for the ferment to stop. The kit should say what the ending SG is expected to be but basically when the bubbles have stopped totally and the SG reading is the same for 2 days you can consider the ferment stopped. I don't always use campden tablets (usually drink the wine too quickly to worry about it)

[Hilary B]

Oh one other thing, do i have to wait for the bubles to stop completley on the wine?
if it's getting very slow, one bubble every minute for example, should I rack it anyway and again put it under air lock? Or just leave it as is till it stops? then Campden tablets and bottle? Or can i get away without the chemicals?
42?

No harm in racking when slowly fermenting, but if it hasn't quite stopped, either 'stop' with camden tablets (I hate ethe things) or put back under airlock. If it is a kit, follow instructions on the packet!
For wine from ingredients, after racking (and with a bit of fermenting still going on) I tend to top up with sugar syrup. If it starts again, you get stronger wine, if it doesn't you get a sweet one. For me, either is good<g>.

[KellsSimon]

Many thanks,
Cheers!

[SarzWix]

UK Homebrew Shop | Beer kits | Winemaking Kits | Cider Presses | Home brewing | kegs | barrels | microbrewery | yeast | fruit is good for brewing stuff. The site isn't the best design you've ever seen though!

[KellsSimon]

Looks usefull Sarah,
i'll see what I can find, as localy all I have is a smallish wilkinsons. So limited to beers and lagers I can buy there.
All the Austrailian beers seem to get a good write up on different net sites, but the idea of shipping malt extract to england... from australia seems a bit wrong.
My first batch of Turbo Cider is now ready and being drunk,
though i could have done with racking it twice, as while it has cleared and the first glass is great with slight cloudyness, it then releases all the yeast trapped at the bottom when i pour... ho hum, you live and learn.
I'm now brewing some more, but with some added elderflower cordial i made as an extra flavour.

[Headfry]

I have some Elderflower wine on the go at the moment, Following a recipe that states to rack after 5 or so days and add a campden tablet....Why? surely that would kill the yeast.
any ideas please.

[shirlthegirl43]

I have some Elderflower wine on the go at the moment, Following a recipe that states to rack after 5 or so days and add a campden tablet....Why? surely that would kill the yeast.
any ideas please.

You are right, the campden tablet would kill the yeast. Is there any chance of an error in the instructions?

[Headfry]

They were a flyer from my local -ish supplier of wine making stuff, nice little shop in Burford. They always have wine on the go in the shop window....silly me I guess I should just call them. It is working but slowly.
I am desperate to make this wine, It was my lovely Aunts favorite and she was very good at wine making.