Home brewing beer
Discussion
I don't know if its a bit sad or not (must be otherwise it wouldn't have occured to me) but I thought I might brew some nice beer for Christmas. Quite fancied something like Deuchars IPA or something similair. I am just getting into bitters after years of Stella Heaven!
Has anyone else tried any of the kits out there or done their own thing. Just seems a waste of space in the airing cupboard otherwise. And I'm fed up of throwing perfectly good beer bottles away.
Has anyone else tried any of the kits out there or done their own thing. Just seems a waste of space in the airing cupboard otherwise. And I'm fed up of throwing perfectly good beer bottles away.
Lots of forums about such as http://www.homebrewtalk.com/ . Xmas might be a little soon as it can take a week or so to ferment, then ideally move it to a secondary for a week to settle out.
Bottle conditioning ought to be done for about 3-4 weeks min etc.
Home brew is cracking stuff if done carefully, it currently has a bad rep due to crap kits from yesteryear!
Bottle conditioning ought to be done for about 3-4 weeks min etc.
Home brew is cracking stuff if done carefully, it currently has a bad rep due to crap kits from yesteryear!
I made a Woodhams Wherry kit I bought from Wilkinsons recently and it was the best I have ever achieved. Exactly like "proper" pint. I stored it in a pressure barrel rather than bottles.
Have recently made another 40 pints from grains. It is not too late to make for xmas. Only takes a couple of days to ferment if you make up a yeast starter culture first.
Couple of weeks in the barrel and Robert is very much your father's brother.
Have recently made another 40 pints from grains. It is not too late to make for xmas. Only takes a couple of days to ferment if you make up a yeast starter culture first.
Couple of weeks in the barrel and Robert is very much your father's brother.
I have just kegged a 40 pint batch and I have to say that it really is too late for Christmas if you're kegging, unless you don't mind a little haziness. Bottling might well be okay - I don't do it so cannot say. Wherry is excellent, but some of the cheaper kits are very good these days too. Nothing less than a 1.8kg kit though. Try Art of Brewing for some excellent kits and very good service. Nothing to do with me, in case you wondered.
Here's one I made earlier!
Here's one I made earlier!
Edited by motco on Sunday 23 November 16:47
i'm not so sure if you'd have it ready for christmas - i always reckon on a good 4-6 weeks.
and it depends on the barrel you use.
ferment it in a pressure barrel is the easiest option, but depending on weither the barrel had a top tap or bottom tap will effect how quick you can drink the beer.
a top tap has a float inside the barral that skims beer from the top, and requires pressure inside the barrel to deliver the beer (if your low on pressure no beer will come out, but you can get CO2 canisters from home brew shops cheaply enough to bring the pressure up)
the bottom tap doesnt have the float, still requires pressure inside the barrel as it is a sealed system like the top tap. but the main differance is the length of time till you get drinkable beer.
the yeast needs to settle out before you drink it - so because the top tap style means that as the beer clears, you can drink the cleared top layer... where as the bottom tap means you have to wait till all the barrel has clears before drinking. But that extra time means that it gives the beer time to mature and develop more of a taste.
I have in the past brewed 2 barrels, one with a top tap, and one with a bottom tap, so i can be drinking the top tap barrel while the bottom tap is clearing.
But then i've alot of barrels
that reminds me i have to get that next kit on!
if you want to start and have something ready for christmas then a wine kit will be ready for christmas - have a look in morrisons they do nice red and white wine kits, as well as some beer kits. I have a red wine kits currently brewing for christmas 5 gallons for £10
and it depends on the barrel you use.
ferment it in a pressure barrel is the easiest option, but depending on weither the barrel had a top tap or bottom tap will effect how quick you can drink the beer.
a top tap has a float inside the barral that skims beer from the top, and requires pressure inside the barrel to deliver the beer (if your low on pressure no beer will come out, but you can get CO2 canisters from home brew shops cheaply enough to bring the pressure up)
the bottom tap doesnt have the float, still requires pressure inside the barrel as it is a sealed system like the top tap. but the main differance is the length of time till you get drinkable beer.
the yeast needs to settle out before you drink it - so because the top tap style means that as the beer clears, you can drink the cleared top layer... where as the bottom tap means you have to wait till all the barrel has clears before drinking. But that extra time means that it gives the beer time to mature and develop more of a taste.
I have in the past brewed 2 barrels, one with a top tap, and one with a bottom tap, so i can be drinking the top tap barrel while the bottom tap is clearing.
But then i've alot of barrels
that reminds me i have to get that next kit on!
if you want to start and have something ready for christmas then a wine kit will be ready for christmas - have a look in morrisons they do nice red and white wine kits, as well as some beer kits. I have a red wine kits currently brewing for christmas 5 gallons for £10
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