[massa]

hi, i enjoy drinking traditional ales/beers and wine and have always fancied trying to make somthing of my own. what would be easiest to start with for the first time? and what would i need to start out?

[pairofacres]

Ribena wine and/or turbo cider are nice easy starting points and probably worth experimenting with before trying anything more involved. Recipes for both can be found in this section. You'll need:

A couple of demijohns (or similar large brewing vessels - some people use large recycled plastic bottles such as water cooler refills, etc).

A couple of airlocks with corks.

A siphon tube (one with a tap makes life much easier).

You should be able to get all of these for <£20 from Wilkinsons if you've got one locally. Our local Tesco now also stocks a decent home brewing range. If you move onto brewing beers or home made wines, you'll need large brewing buckets which can be picked up fairly cheaply in the same way.

[chazzo125]

Wine concentrate kits are excellent once you have the basic equipment! I add grape juice to the concentrate though sugar is fine if you want to keep down cost!

It is usually best to make a starter in a spare open bottle half filled with water, orange juice (not squash), some sugar and some dried wine yeast. Bakers yeast works, but special wine yeast helps enhance the wine flavour and/ or strength! Leave the starter for 24 hours, while allowing the concentrate and water to reach room temperature. Then add the starter!

You do need at least above 20 degrees Celsius for the ferment to continue!

Other than that, just follow the instructions provided with the wine making concentrate kit!

Air locks with some water in them are essential to avoid the wine spoiling once the initial first few days rapid fermetation is over. Cleanliness at all stages helps prevent the wine from spoiling.

I have full details on a wine-making page on my website, listed in my profile, if you need more information!

[Robin Redbreast]

if ya like the real ale side of things try whoodfordes wherry kit lovely bitter!