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Adventures in Homebrewland (image heavy - you have been warned!)

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  • I was lucky enough to find two demi-johns in a charity shop today for £2.50 each. I also bought for a £1, in the same charity shop, a bag containing 4 plastic fermentation locks, 12 corks and 25 aluminium foil capsules. Don't know whether I'll get round to using the corks and the caps but hey you never know.

    Right know all I need is the sterilising tablets, juice and yeast and these I can get on Monday so hopefully I can start brewing on Tuesday!
  • jet_black_3
    jet_black_3 Posts: 22 Forumite
    This has brought back fond memories of my childhood, when I used to help my Dad with his brewing. I shall be watching your progress as I would like to start brewing again myself. :beer:
  • System
    System Posts: 178,349 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I found 2 demi-johns at a jumble sale for £1 each today, yay. It is my birthday next week so I will drop hints for home brew equipment....

    what is everyone using to bottle their stuff afterwards? does it have to be in corked bottles? (if so where do you get/how much are corks) or can you use any old plastic bottle?

    or should i just drink the lot so I don't have to worry about this stage?
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • loulou88
    loulou88 Posts: 233 Forumite
    well I started my cider yesterday following your recipe and its looking good I'll let you know how i get on and how it tastes
    thanks for your post
    lots of small steps
    will get you a long way
    bsc 140
  • 2cats1kid
    2cats1kid Posts: 1,179 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    OK here's a question for you. As I sat drinking my pint at the Foos last night I was wondering how in beer and cider you are left with that slight fizz. Not fizzy like sodas, but just the little bit of bubble you get, you know? If you let it ferment all the way down the fizz will have gone, won't it, so do you bottle it just before it's fermented all the way or what? Sorry if this is a thick question!
  • 2cats1kid
    2cats1kid Posts: 1,179 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Jumble-Bee wrote: »
    I found 2 demi-johns at a jumble sale for £1 each today, yay. It is my birthday next week so I will drop hints for home brew equipment....

    what is everyone using to bottle their stuff afterwards? does it have to be in corked bottles? (if so where do you get/how much are corks) or can you use any old plastic bottle?

    or should i just drink the lot so I don't have to worry about this stage?

    Wilkinsons have corks in their brewing section - don't know how much, but not much at all. They also sell sets of 6 bottles, but I have a couple of wine bottles that were waiting to go to recycling, and I'm sure I can scrounge a few more from friends.
  • MrDT
    MrDT Posts: 951 Forumite
    2cats1kid wrote: »
    OK here's a question for you. As I sat drinking my pint at the Foos last night I was wondering how in beer and cider you are left with that slight fizz. Not fizzy like sodas, but just the little bit of bubble you get, you know? If you let it ferment all the way down the fizz will have gone, won't it, so do you bottle it just before it's fermented all the way or what? Sorry if this is a thick question!

    Hiya 2cats1kid :) I'm going to add a bit of sugar when bottling the cider so it'll actually continue fermenting in the bottle, the resulting carbonation should produce some bubbles. When the bottles are under pressure, stick them in the fridge to stop the yeast doing its thing (and your bottles from blowing up) :D
  • 2cats1kid
    2cats1kid Posts: 1,179 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Know all about the blowing up thing. I made some (lovely) ginger beer when I was about 15. Then we moved house and the bottles got shoved in a shed and forgotten about for several months. My dad dropped them off the end of the pier rather than open them as they would have gone off like rockets!

    Been at a business meeting all day today and came back with 5 glass bottles and screw on caps from the bottled water that was on the table at the meeting. The others at the meeting thought I was bonkers, but I now have bottles for my strawberry wine. :)
  • MrDT
    MrDT Posts: 951 Forumite
    Jumble-Bee wrote: »
    I found 2 demi-johns at a jumble sale for £1 each today, yay. It is my birthday next week so I will drop hints for home brew equipment....

    what is everyone using to bottle their stuff afterwards? does it have to be in corked bottles? (if so where do you get/how much are corks) or can you use any old plastic bottle?

    or should i just drink the lot so I don't have to worry about this stage?

    Nice bargain finds Jumble :D

    I'm gonna be using screw top plastic mineral water bottles, don't expect it'll cause any problems lots of people use them to good effect. You have the benefit of being able to tell when the contents are pressurised enough and ready for the fridge (give it a squeeze), and of course the worst that can happen with a overpressurised plastic bottle is a split/leak, glass can explode!
  • System
    System Posts: 178,349 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    ah, good cos I don't have any old wine bottles hoarded away!

    i will nick the plastic water bottles we have been using on the course i work on, nice and freeeeee
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
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