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Home Brew Questions

Just had my first offer of apples from what is promising to be a bumper harvest. Bit too early to set up the cider press just yet but I reckon it’ll be getting plenty of use this autumn. 😎

(Amazed at how much wine/cider left over from last year - found 10 gallons of blackberry wine at the back of the garage. Same feeling you get when putting on a pair of seldom worn trousers and finding a £20 note in the pocket)
 
TopCat said:
Any recipes for blackberries wine?
Click to expand...
My go-to is this one that’s been refined through trial and error:

For 1 gallon I would use 1.5kg of blackberries

1) Place the blackberries in a food grade plastic container with a lid and add 2 pints of water
2) Use a hand blender to pulverise the fruit, add a crushed Campden tablet and leave overnight
3) Using a straining bag (a thin tea-towel or old clean T-shirt will do) strain the mixture and discard the pulp
4) Place resulting liquid in a pan and dissolve a pound of sugar in it.
5) Once cool, pour into a demijohn, top up water to the gallon mark and add a tsp of yeast and a tsp yeast nutrient.
6) Seal with a fermentation lock, put in a warm place and allow to ferment out. This will vary depending on time of year or house temperature but when no more bubbles rise, it’s done.
7) Siphon off taking care to leave the sludge at the bottom of the demijohn and, once in a fresh container, add a Campden tablet to stop any further fermentation.
8) Put in a cool place to stabilise and clear.

It will be drinkable now but will taste much better after 6 months.
 
I got another load of blackberries today. 3.7 kilo. My delivery from Willco with new brewing kit arrived so I got to it.

I started 23 litres of blackberry wine, 23 litres of a real ale (that came with hops) and a velvet stout, again 23 litres. Set up a little paddling pool to act as a bunded spill tray in the spare room and put all three in that.

I am going to avoid bottles if I can for the beer. They are such a faff. I am interested in pressure barrels but Wilco ones are a bag o' shite. Any recommendations?
 
TopCat said:
I got another load of blackberries today. 3.7 kilo. My delivery from Willco with new brewing kit arrived so I got to it.

I started 23 litres of blackberry wine, 23 litres of a real ale (that came with hops) and a velvet stout, again 23 litres. Set up a little paddling pool to act as a bunded spill tray in the spare room and put all three in that.

I am going to avoid bottles if I can for the beer. They are such a faff. I am interested in pressure barrels but Wilco ones are a bag o' shite. Any recommendations?
Click to expand...
Not sure what they're like now but I have a couple of wilco pressure barrels that have been fine for me. Greasing the rubbers has always been the main learning point for me. Have you looked at the 5 litre can set ups TC? Bit more money but saves you having all your brew in one big bucket. ;)
 
6 gallons of blackberry and apple started yesterday. I know the apples are far from ripe but they were given to me by a friend who had to reduce her tree quite drastically after its size was causing a bit of neighbourly friction and the shock made all the fruit fall off. Rather than waste them, I thought they’d contribute a nice dryness to the brew. We shall see.

9C3CDFFA-53D2-4F5A-AD78-AA1702411767.jpeg
 
These sort of things...

www.ampulla.co.uk

Mini Beer Keg - Ampulla Packaging - 0161 367 1414

The Mini Beer Keg is available with no minimum order value, or in bulk for large discounts. Buy from Ampulla Packaging today & save!
www.ampulla.co.uk www.ampulla.co.uk

There's a few hacks online for reusing supermarket bought ones. Currently Home and Bargains are doing 5ltr ones with Warstiener in at similar cost but you get to drink 5 ltrs of top Gerry beer before you reuse them. What's to not love about that? :D

I did some a few years ago and they made great criggy gifts. You just give them a light prime and seal and they keep a lot longer than a brew in a full barrel.

These guys have them on offer full of sexy brew.

www.northumbriangifts.co.uk

Durham Brewery Mini Kegs

Can't get to the pub for your favourite Durham brewery beer? Or just having a few 'select friends' round for a drink, who's on your list?? We have a selection of 3 Durham Brewery beers 5ltr mini kegs to choose from (select from the drop down menu) Equivalent to approximately 8.8 pints. Store in...
www.northumbriangifts.co.uk www.northumbriangifts.co.uk
 
TopCat said:
Thanks for the info. I was looking at these recently. Save lugging Demi johns about. View attachment 335120
Click to expand...
Yeah thats the proper stuff. If you can afford them then they are worth it.

I just picked up a 5ltr of Budvar for 15 sovs in Home Bargains because the kids are here for a bbq next weekend. If you want the empty I'll send it you.

You used to be able to get the can ones like the commercial brewers use for about £8 a pop with bungs so do some research.

The thing I found about doing a full poly barrel was by the time you got half way through a keg of stout it started bananaing and went down hill.

The small kegs keep it longer and the ale matures better.

I cant brew currently so I'm a bit jealous mate. I'm just making sloe gin this year for the Mrs and Christmas gifts :)
 
friedaweed said:
Yeah thats the proper stuff. If you can afford them then they are worth it.

I just picked up a 5ltr of Budvar for 15 sovs in Home Bargains because the kids are here for a bbq next weekend. If you want the empty I'll send it you.

You used to be able to get the can ones like the commercial brewers use for about £8 a pop with bungs so do some research.

The thing I found about doing a full poly barrel was by the time you got half way through a keg of stout it started bananaing and went down hill.

The small kegs keep it longer and the ale matures better.

I cant brew currently so I'm a bit jealous mate. I'm just making sloe gin this year for the Mrs and Christmas gifts :)
Click to expand...
Brewing is taking my mind off other hobbies as it's too hot for them.
 
If I obtained a pub style beer keg, a big one, can I modify the top to suit my needs or get an adapter? Anyone know?
Two are for sale, forty quid for two x 50 litre.
 
Last edited:
TopCat said:
If I obtained a pub style beer keg, a big one, can I modify the top to suit my needs or get an adapter? Anyone know?
Two are for sale, forty quid for two x 50 litre.
Click to expand...
Yup you can just buy a hand pump adapter and if you want to go whole hog you can get a Co2 line in as well..

I acquired mine from a local boozer a few years back. I just asked them if they had any spare and the guy gave me two Guinness ones that had been the yard for donks.

If you can find a closed down pub there'll be loads in the yard. Its definately worth asking your local as they end up with spares they're happy to get rid of.

I made a planter out of one of them.

165919052572170269460289435936.jpg
 
It’s encouraging. I am thinking why not? Do two identical 25 litre brews and keg it.

I’m a bit unnerved by predicted £500 a month gas and lecky bills this winter. First stage of coping is how to have current lifestyle for cheaper.

Brewing again has to be a tactic.
 
TopCat said:
It’s encouraging. I am thinking why not? Do two identical 25 litre brews and keg it.

I’m a bit unnerved by predicted £500 a month gas and lecky bills this winter. First stage of coping is how to have current lifestyle for cheaper.

Brewing again has to be a tactic.
Click to expand...
Yep definitely a no bariner brewing your own grog. I just haven't got the space in the gaff yet. I'm just about to take the slate roof off our place, insulate, felt batten and relay it. So that'll keep me busy for a while.

Then the hobby room is getting taken back to bare brick and lime plastered. Once that's done I'll have a space to brew ale again.

I do miss brewing beer.
 
Last edited:
Cleared out the garage ready for the hedgerow plonk brewing season and siphoned off the remainder of last year’s brews (cider, wine and mead) - just under 5 gallons plus another 2 gallons in pint bottles. With the first blackberry wine of the year almost fermented out, I’m pleased that enough was brewed last year to keep us in free booze (well about 10p per litre) up to and beyond the start of this season 😎

480ABD53-0326-425F-8BAB-8CE407EF5E67.jpeg
 
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