Not a brewer but I tried making wine many years ago, 70's I think. Didn't know what a dry wine was and about using sugar or other in wine making so didn't have any in it. I found out what dry wine is, gad I needed a drink of water to wet my mouth again after one taste. Got rid of the bottle, fermentation lock and hygrometer. Not a wine drinker to this day though I use it in cooking.
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Home brewing
Are there any home brewers here that make beer or wine?
I used to make beer but haven’t brewed any for about ten years. I saw some of my brewing equipment in the basement the other day and have been thinking about brewing again and maybe try making some wine too.
I used to make beer but haven’t brewed any for about ten years. I saw some of my brewing equipment in the basement the other day and have been thinking about brewing again and maybe try making some wine too.
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Regularly made my own beer 30 years ago (still have the equipment) BUT I only did the canned extract (not hops, etc).
Honestly, I tried several different canned malts and I could never find a mix that actually tasted good after the ferment. Tolerable at best.
I gave up .
Honestly, I tried several different canned malts and I could never find a mix that actually tasted good after the ferment. Tolerable at best.
I gave up .
I made plenty of mistakes but I did make some decent beer too. Made friends with the guy at the local home brew supply shop and he was a great resource of information. I would write everything down that I did when making a batch and it helped with consistency and tweaking things when needed.Regularly made my own beer 30 years ago (still have the equipment) BUT I only did the canned extract (not hops, etc).
Honestly, I tried several different canned malts and I could never find a mix that actually tasted good after the ferment. Tolerable at best.
I gave up .
I used to be heavily into homebrewing. Why did I stop? 2 reasons: 1. I was living in Texas and didn't have a dedicated fridge for temperature control. I turned out a couple of bad batches. 2. When I moved away from Texas the military assigned moving company packed all my gear in a shipping crate that they then lost for 5 months and finally found in West Africa, where it had been jacked open and pilfered through.
But I was so into it at one point that I collaborated with some guys who had opened a micro brewery. My best bud and I had been brewing a bunch and they were used to seeing us in the local homebrew store. We went up to a certain brewery near Williamsburg, VA and it turned out the guys who worked the homebrew store had opened it. It was a crude operation in those days. They had acquired a bunch of industrial baking equipment at auction and hillbilly rigged it to serve for brewing. They were still experimenting with recipes. We tried a couple of test batches and I gave them some suggestions on a sorghum beer which they were trying to get right which they implemented.
I haven't ever replaced the homebrewing gear yet but I did buy some small scale wine making equipment. I don't produce a lot but I made a cranberry Christmas wine last year. I was hoping to do a bunch of Concord but, alas, the crop at the edible garden in the park was poor last year. I did a plum wine blend some years ago which was much in demand - I've lost the notes and don't remember what the other component of the blend was.
But I was so into it at one point that I collaborated with some guys who had opened a micro brewery. My best bud and I had been brewing a bunch and they were used to seeing us in the local homebrew store. We went up to a certain brewery near Williamsburg, VA and it turned out the guys who worked the homebrew store had opened it. It was a crude operation in those days. They had acquired a bunch of industrial baking equipment at auction and hillbilly rigged it to serve for brewing. They were still experimenting with recipes. We tried a couple of test batches and I gave them some suggestions on a sorghum beer which they were trying to get right which they implemented.
I haven't ever replaced the homebrewing gear yet but I did buy some small scale wine making equipment. I don't produce a lot but I made a cranberry Christmas wine last year. I was hoping to do a bunch of Concord but, alas, the crop at the edible garden in the park was poor last year. I did a plum wine blend some years ago which was much in demand - I've lost the notes and don't remember what the other component of the blend was.
I made a lot of different wines a few years back. The only one I deem a moderate success was the blackberry though I intend to revisit some of the others now that they have aged. That step seems to be very important. If you like a sweet or semi-sweet wine you will need to learn to adjust the brix after fermentation or do a forced stop. Mostly I made 4L batches which yields about 4 -750s and a pony or two.
I think I will open a bottle of the potato wine tonight. The recipe claims it like vodka light
The most interesting was the tomato wine, made the year of the bumper crop. It starts out looking like fermenting tomato juices and finishes clear. Tastes like a Chardonnay. Thers thought the watermelon one tasty.
I have a lot of recipes and will share if anyone is interested.
I think I will open a bottle of the potato wine tonight. The recipe claims it like vodka light
The most interesting was the tomato wine, made the year of the bumper crop. It starts out looking like fermenting tomato juices and finishes clear. Tastes like a Chardonnay. Thers thought the watermelon one tasty.
I have a lot of recipes and will share if anyone is interested.
My niece gave me a beer making kit a couple christmas's ago. I have barely opened the box. But I did see a big glass vessel some hoses and some caps for bottles. I have been waiting for her to ask me how I liked it as I would not want to tell her I haven't even opened the box. I think she forgot. I hope she forgot.Are there any home brewers here that make beer or wine?
I used to make beer but haven’t brewed any for about ten years. I saw some of my brewing equipment in the basement the other day and have been thinking about brewing again and maybe try making some wine too.
But this thread has me thinking to try it out.
Do I need a dedicated fridge as @Shane R mentioned? I am pretty sure it has everything included but not 100% sure?
Nah. BUT I only made mine in the winter. Used a big 5 gal green plastic garbage pail (seriously) and two bricks.My niece gave me a beer making kit a couple christmas's ago. I have barely opened the box. But I did see a big glass vessel some hoses and some caps for bottles. I have been waiting for her to ask me how I liked it as I would not want to tell her I haven't even opened the box. I think she forgot. I hope she forgot.
But this thread has me thinking to try it out.
Do I need a dedicated fridge as @Shane R mentioned? I am pretty sure it has everything included but not 100% sure?
Set the bricks to straddle hot air floor vent. Put the can on that (heated from bottom obviously and NEVER had an issue with temps--not warm enough then it just takes longer). Put the water (I used tap water but filtered is recommended BUT a lot is needed) , yeast, malt extract and fine sugar etc etc
Had a hygrometer to measure alcohol level/tube to siphon into sterilized beer bottles.
No special refrigeration needed IMO.
I haven't ventured in to beer and wine making but do make a heck of a good batch of mead now and then. I'd developed a following while doing Revolutionary War Reenactments but when I stopped they stopped bugging me 6-8 months later mostly because they couldn't find me.
I do have a couple of bottles from my last batch (15+ years ago) that I should crack open fairly soon to see if it's any good.
I do have a couple of bottles from my last batch (15+ years ago) that I should crack open fairly soon to see if it's any good.
For temperature, you have to know what kind of yeast you've got. Most of the common ale yeasts work best at 65-72 F. Prolonged periods over 74 will produce off flavors. Temperature swings will also produce off flavors. Good homebrew requires steady temperatures.
Lagers will require a dedicated refrigerator since most of those yeasts want 58 F or below. I risked lager in open air a few times when I lived in Virginia. Usually the first 3 weeks of October were a window for producing lager.
Lagers will require a dedicated refrigerator since most of those yeasts want 58 F or below. I risked lager in open air a few times when I lived in Virginia. Usually the first 3 weeks of October were a window for producing lager.
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