The advantages of home brewing when you fancy a cheap tipple

FireWyrm

Well, I've got a demijohn of raspberry/apple and Rose wine which needs racking on Saturday. A demijohn of apricot which is just starting to slow down and should be settled within the next week or so and a demijohn of citrus sack mead bubbling away like mad. We've pressure kegged the beer and its developing a nice body. I have plans for Sloe, elderberry, blackberry and atleast one more mead before the end of the summer. I can't wait to try them.

FireWyrm

shazzle wrote: »

Sounds awesome x will give it a go... We drink cider anyway so will be appreciated....
I started the grape juice wine (a recipe from the old home wine making thread) today and now having sitting on my dresser at 22 degrees (I err borrowed the work thermometer!! lol) what should i expect? when do the bubbles start?.. i did steralise and rinse everything so hope all will be well??
Shall i buy a kit too or stay old styler and make from scratch??
Your advice is valued :beer:

As far as I can tell, it's hard to go wrong either way. Work from a basic recipe but don't be afraid to add stuff. The wine should be bubbling merrily in about 24 hours. You can buy additives like Rose petals and various flowers from eBay relatively cheaply.

shazzle

Nervous... no bubbles yet......

mr2jay

Hmmm....

Run me through what you have done? The grape juice? Is it 100% concentrate (no additives)? Have you added anything in the way of a nutrient to the juice? (Yeast Nutrient/Sultanas)

shazzle

it was a recipe from the old home wine making thread
3l Aldi red grape juice, from memory, citric acid, yeast and nutrient, tanin (i used tea) and pectolase oh and 1lb sugar,
All in the demijohn an stir add last litre of juice when first ferment over....
Just about to go home now so will report back in half an hour...
Heres hoping...

Oh dear should I have melted the sugar? Just read something... Sighs....

mr2jay

Dissolving the sugar in boiling water breaks down the complex molecules making it easier for the yeast to consume it. As a matter of course, I always boil up about 1 litre of water per 1kg of sugar.

Check the grape juice as well. A lot of them have preservatives added (including vitamin C) which kill off the yeasties as well. This is why you need to be careful about the juice you use if from a supermarket.

Looking at that recipe, i'm not sure how it will turn out. With shop bought juices, the fruit used is more of a dessert fruit. For good booze, you need some in there that is quite sharp to balance the flavour.

If it starts going, it will take off quite well. You will end up with hooch but nothing too spectacular

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

shazzle

Back to the drawing board I fear... its flatter than the flattest flat thing!!
I bought the doings from a woman and have suspicions I need to start from scratch again! Oh well payday Friday will hit the brew shop!
Can I have another nice and easy recipe please .... ;-) x

mr2jay

shazzle wrote: »

Back to the drawing board I fear... its flatter than the flattest flat thing!!
I bought the doings from a woman and have suspicions I need to start from scratch again! Oh well payday Friday will hit the brew shop!
Can I have another nice and easy recipe please .... ;-) x

If the yeast is more than a few years old, chances are if is dead and therefore won't brew. Get some nice fresh stuff from the brewing shop and watch it go mental

Here is a really easy recipe for you

1 Box (20) Fruit 'Tea Bags'
2 litres Grape Juice
2lbs sugar (or thereabouts)
1tsp Citric Acid
1/2tsp Grape Tannin
GP Yeast & Nutrient

I've used 1 box Twinings Apple & Blueberry bags and Morrison's 100% Pure Pressed Red Grape Juice (not from concentrate, no preservatives, 2 for £2) but you could use any fruit infusions bags and red or white grape juice as appropriate.

Infuse the bags for 30 minutes in 2 pints boiling water.
Boil 2lbs sugar (or thereabouts) in 1 pint water.
I measured the SG of the grape juice at 1.068 and calculated that 1lb 12ozs sugar would give an OG of 1.110

Wring the bags out as best you can without splitting them and pour infusion liquor and sugar syrup into a bucket, add grape juice, allow to cool, add Citric, Tannin, Nutrient and Yeast and let it rip. After the initial whoosh has subsided, pour into a DJ and make up to 1 gallon.

Dead easy, and I cost that at around £3.50 per gallon or 60p a bottle at around 13% ABV.

psychopathbabble

I got the OH a micro brewery kit for christmas, and he is now drinking his way through the second lot of ale (this should last longer than previously as we now have co2 canisters to top the keg up with). You have all inspired me to attempt wine now though! Have just posted on my local freecycle fb page asking if anyone has any demijohns :-)

mr2jay

Good to hear

You'll have to keep us informed as to what you are trying

Started another one this week - a standard Merlot red. I do love my red wine so decided I would get a kit that I found in Tesco for £10 (plus a bag of sugar) for a 6 bottle kit.

Smells good so far