Home Brew

[dastardly77]

I've never used a lid - just left it on the kitchen worktop to do its magic

I assume your barrel will be able to take the pressure? I've only ever used the bottles and opened them as required, so don't know how well it will keep in a barrel.

The "solid" part is never any more solid than a paste. If you plan on keeping your plant going, remember to split it into two or it will die. You can keep both halves separately or gift half to another brewer or throw half out but make sure you split it!

The barrel has some sort of valve at the top that I guess will release the pressure when it gets too much. Cost 30 quid delivered from ebay.

For bottles I've been tanning loads of budweisers and keeping the empties. Bought bottle caps again from ebay which are only a couple of quid per 100.

Also bought a hydrometer to measure the alcohol content once its ready.

Apart from the initial outlay of.the barrel and a few ingredients its really an inexpensive exercise.

Just a waiting game now I suppose.

[dastardly77]

I've had a few bubbles in mine and the lid popped off and turned 180 degrees so it was facing upwards (it's obviously not a screw-on lid, a Douwe Egberts coffee jar) so I must be doing something correctly. I've had to put a layer of tin foil underneath which seems to have stopped it from popping for the moment.

If it helps, my 'solid' is paste-like also.

Keep us updated. I'd like to know if it's worth it! I saw a recipe on-line for how to make it within three days, but I'll persevere with this method for just now.

Unsure why that link mentioned using jars with a lid but I would remove it and use a thin cloth just to keep out any foreign objects.

After a week the jar has a really sweet alcoholic aroma to it, will be interesting to see what percentage the finished product will be.

[lichtgilphead]

The barrel has some sort of valve at the top that I guess will release the pressure when it gets too much. Cost 30 quid delivered from ebay.

For bottles I've been tanning loads of budweisers and keeping the empties. Bought bottle caps again from ebay which are only a couple of quid per 100.

Also bought a hydrometer to measure the alcohol content once its ready.

Apart from the initial outlay of.the barrel and a few ingredients its really an inexpensive exercise.

Just a waiting game now I suppose.

Seriously - I would advise going down the 3/4 full 2 litre bottle route. The ginger beer produces large amounts of CO2. I wouldn't risk putting it into glass unless your kitchen is easily wiped down!

Edited November 11, 2013 by lichtgilphead

[dastardly77]

Seriously - I would advise going down the 3/4 full 2 litre bottle route. The ginger beer produces large amounts of CO2. I wouldn't risk putting it into glass unless your kitchen is easily wiped down!

I kind of assumed it would have calmed down after 4 weeks in the barrel but I have been keeping plastic bottles as well.

Incidentally, how long does it take for the pressure to start building? That's one day now and its flat and lifeless. I'm guessing it takes time?

[lichtgilphead]

I kind of assumed it would have calmed down after 4 weeks in the barrel but I have been keeping plastic bottles as well.

Incidentally, how long does it take for the pressure to start building? That's one day now and its flat and lifeless. I'm guessing it takes time?

I would expect it to take longer in the barrel.

In empty 2 litre plastic bottles, they are normally back into shape after a week, and need to be bled a bit after a fortnight or more.

The advantage of the plastic bottles is that they can be checked daily and any excess pressure let off as necessary.

[dastardly77]

I would expect it to take longer in the barrel.

In empty 2 litre plastic bottles, they are normally back into shape after a week, and need to be bled a bit after a fortnight or more.

The advantage of the plastic bottles is that they can be checked daily and any excess pressure let off as necessary.

Cheers for the advice, I will let it sit for a couple of weeks before checking it again, or if the barrel explodes!

[Smurph]

That's the ginger beer bottled now and stored away in the cupboard away from anything important. Just need to wait four weeks now!

[broon-loon]

A wee while back I was given a new barrel and a larger CO2 canister. This barrel has the tap near the top connected to a floating tube contraption. The theory is that you can brew the beer completely in the barrel so no need for the bucket and transfer hassle.

Recently I bought a traditional bitter kit and some brewing sugar with the intention of trying the new barrel out. I also scrounged a loan of a heating belt from a workmate.

I really need to have a go at this again.

Started this last Sunday. It's in the shed/garage with a heating belt and some insulation in the form of some bits of polystyrene and a large cardboard box...

On checking tonight it had built up loads of pressure and started to leak. My mistake never having done this method before.... Anyway, it's definitely fermenting.....

[Smurph]

Well, it's been four weeks. I haven't tried it yet - probably tomorrow - but I'm kinda worried I've fucked it up. It's really still, there are no bubbles, and I reckon it's going to taste horrendously flat. I have no idea how I would have got bubbles in it anyway, but we'll see how it goes. I'm looking forward to try it though, even if it's rancid. I'm sure I'll drink it anyway.

Edit- should I leave it in the fridge for a few hours before taking it out? I read somewhere that this kills the yeast or something and stops it from brewing further. I have no idea.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Smurph

[SlipperyP]

The CO2 injector is for the pressure barrel, which is where you siphon of your mash from the brewing bin.

Zen's top tip, kick start the brewing process with a quarter bottle of vodka.

I shouldn't admit that, but there you are.

Always a great top tip for any process, neck a quarter bottle and away you go.

Funny little story, from a few year now. I was brewing beer (think was my second attempt), and had got to the bottle stage. I filled about 20 bottle of Bars with this dark liquid and it was to rest for a few weeks before drinkable. During that time I visited Newcastle (uncles), and gave the keys to my house for the weekend to my 17 yo niece, yes I know there was going to be a party, but I was fine with that, f**k we all need a house when we that age. f**k I forgot that the brew was in the cloakroom and only remember while driving to Newcastle. So got there and gave the house phone a ring (before mobiles), no answer. Phoned her mother(my sister) to give the warning NO DRINK THE BREW.

I returned on the Sunday evening, to a house full of spew and about 5 young dude lying on the floor of my house in a unfit state. Let's just say they will probably never drink home brew again, they finished the full 20 bottles...this stuff could have killed you at that stage.

[Sergeant Wilson]

Occasional poster on here, Ping, used to steal stuff out a distillery he worked in. You could get skelfs from the bits of wood in it. You couldn't swallow it. It went through the roof of your mouth into your eyes. Funnily, it could still make you sick. Just the ticket for a cheap day out to an away game.

[weirdcal]

red wine, turbo yeast, radiator, white carpet.

im going to greet

[Smurph]

Decided to open them. They became fizzy when I let the air escape, so it definitely worked. They're all sitting in the fridge now. Got about 8L of the stuff.

Tastes all right. I didn't find it too gingery but my mum did. Might taste more when cold. Unsure on the percentage and won't be able to find out but it wasn't overwhelming. Reckon a reasonable 4% or so. If it tastes more gingery later on, I'll be delighted with the results. Spiffing.

[Adam]

Were they all drinkable in the end, Smurph?

I got a fermenting bucket and barrel for Christmas from my wife. Finally got round to starting a brew last night, an IPA kit. It's sitting in the cupboard in my kitchen at around 22c at the moment, so it's on track to be fully fermented within the next 10/14 days. I need to put the hops in after 7 days, but the stuff that I've read advise against opening the bucket, for any reason, until at least ten days for fear of contamination. Obviously they will need to go in, so I'll be opening it for a matter of seconds before closing it again.

After the two weeks are up, I'll be transferring it to the barrel and storing it in my cellar for a few weeks (probably three). Has anyone brewed an IPA before? If so, is there a temperature that it must be kept above when it's being stored in the barrel?

I'm really looking forward to drinking it. The kit I bought said that I could be drinking it after two weeks, but I reckon if I fired into it then it would probably put me off drinking for life.

[Smurph]

Were they all drinkable in the end, Smurph?

I've hardly put a dent in them tbh. I don't normally drink when I'm home which is probably why I haven't rattled through them. It's nice enough though.

[Zetterlund]

I got into home brewing a couple of years ago and have done 6 or 7 different 40 pint batches. Couple of different lagers, a few ales and a stout. Overall they all worked and vary in quality from drinkable to actually a good beer. The best one I did was the Coopers Irish stout, using black treacle instead of sugar for priming the bottles.

One of the main things you can do to improve the quality of the brew is to use sptaymalt instead of sugar, and also the yeast supplied with the kits is often cheap n nasty stuff which can be replaced with a better variety. I found loads of good advice on the homebrewing forum.

[dastardly77]

I found that my ginger beer was quite watery and lacking in flavor to be honest. I've since been advised to use grated ginger rather than the powdered ginger to give it more kick.

I bought a coopers lager kit which I'm drinking right now and turned out perfectly nice, I recommend them.

I'm wanting to go back to the ginger beer though and I've bought a coopers ginger beer kit for 11 quid. Should produce around 33 pints which is good value.

[invergowrie arab]

I'm on day 3 of the ginger plant. It certainly seems to be active, it's like a lava lamp going all the time. Smells nice and gingerly anyway.I don't have a pan big enough to put 16 pints of water in so hopefully 12 pints won't make too much of a difference.

I'm not sure I understand keeping the plant. If you just have to feed it again as per the recipe would you not just make a.New one?

[Smurph]

I did two batches of eight pints. See how many you can put in your pot first. Obviously just use half of what you need if you can do eight.

I just threw my plant out. Halving it and keeping it is just good practice I guess. You don't HAVE to do it.

[invergowrie arab]

Bottled for a week now and it's looking good so far. Tonnes of co2 being produced ,had to bleed the next morning then every couple of days. Seems to be calming down a wee bit now. I put in a bit extra sugar to try and get the alcohol level up to around 5% hopefully. Managed to get about 6 litres. Had a wee taste tonight and very fiery but also really sweet still loads of sugar to he converTed.