How do I do it?

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markdelmonte

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How do I do it?
« on: June 09, 2009, 22:20 »
hi,
i'm completely new to wine and beer making, and wondered if somebody could give me a few tips on how to get started. i'm basically looking to knock up homebrew in my allotment shed so we can all get boozy at bbq's etc. i haven't got any equpment at all apart from household stuff like buckets and bottles and stuff. i have no idea what i am supposed to be doing. questions include - what do those snake shaped glass things in the top of those bottles do exactly? are they completely necessary? what do I do first?
etc etc. I'm not looking to make anything in particular, just something alcoholic for free! ;)
 any advice would be greatly appreciated!
"i love me lotty me i do"

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scabs

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Re: How do I do it?
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2009, 22:54 »
The best advice would be to start with a kit and to buy (or get from the library) a basic starters book. It doesn't cost much to get started, but there's quite a lot to cover - especially when you're not sure what you fancy!

Dandelion wine?
Beer?

Start with CJJ Berry's books and have fun!

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spudgun

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Re: How do I do it?
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2009, 13:33 »
Hi Markdelmonte,

I'm doing exactly the same. I've just opened my first bottle of home brew beer this afternoon. Little yeasty but quite pleasent.

If your making beer, the very basic is a 25L 'bin', something for the finished beer to go in, steralising equipment (normally a powder), a peice of rubber tube for a syphon, some sugar, and proabbly some sort of kit (for simplicity).

Some people mention that they use old pop bottles for the beer - this is fine if you want to drink 2 liters at a time! If you are going to use glass bottles, bear in mind that you have to buy crown caps and a device to put them onto the bottle.

Wine is a bit more involved and takes a bit longer too, you will need demi johns, (they look a bit like cider flagons) air locks (those bendy glass things you mention), tonnes of steralisation gear, loads of bottles (corks and corking machiene) and time.

Not trying to put you off wine making, I spent my youth helping mum and dad pick berries, clean and bottle the stuff, it's very rewarding, but a bit of a pain when you have to sometimes wait several months to find out if your brew is any good!

Thanks

Stu

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BrianK

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Re: How do I do it?
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2009, 13:48 »
I started with two starter kits. One for cider,  one for general wine brewing. About 30 quid each. The cider one was good, and since then I have brewed two more cider normal kits (not starter ones) costing 12 quid each and made 25 litres each time.  You do the maths lol.  I am on my 3rd wine normal kit bubbling nicely. (You but a kit for which you add nothing else except water and sugar for most beers and wines or you can use fruit and produce from the garden but need all the extra bits listed in a minute).  A 6 pint one, and now 2 30 pint ones. I also ahve bought loads of demi johns and stuff from boot sales. (Haven't yet paid  a quid for a demi john!)  I am brewing lots of different fruit wines under the stairs at the moment, including pairs, apples, cranberries, nettle.  I also just finished one load of elderflower champagne and am starting (the last for this year) another 20 litre batch.


No home brewing is free! The minimum cost is for sugar of which you need loads. Also you need sterilisation, either Milton or similar, yeast, yeat nutrient, finings  and the list is endless.

My advice. Get starter kits  and then add to it.  My evenings booze is now down to about 80p rather than the shop bought 3 or 4 quid.  (Yes I love my sherbert lemons in the evening  :D ) The kits are also ready in a few weeks rather than the year odd that home brew wines are normally ready in.

Good luck with it.
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BrianK

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Re: How do I do it?
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2009, 13:54 »
Heres the cider kit I bought although the actual brand I got was Youngs.

first link

and heres where I got my wine kit

http://www.brew-it-yourself.co.uk/winemaking/starter-kits/

Sorry for two posts.


[Long link edited - Yorkie]
« Last Edit: July 04, 2009, 17:29 by Yorkie1 »


 

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