Homebrewing

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brekk

Dancing Dino Superstar
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If the beer comes out good I'll be giving a 6 pack or two as gifts, hence bottling.

Yeah there is that benefit. We just have a growler, so we can bring along a few beers worth to give out samples at a get together.
 

Big_w_powah

Trakanon Raider
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upload_2017-10-2_14-29-52.png


Yeah motherfucker. We can find you now!!
 

Lenardo

Vyemm Raider
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please, like i am worried, i've had that email since gmail was in beta ages ago....

no beer for you!
 

Denamian

Night Janitor
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I started making mead earlier this year. so far just 2 1 gallon batches. The cyser (honey, cider, yeast) has been bottled and is aging. The traditional (honey, water, yeast) has been racked and I'm waiting for it to fully clear before I bottle it.

I had bought a 7 gallon fermentation vessel to start making more, but that's on hold until after I move. I've got a bunch of honey from a local apiary that I really want to start using soon, since it takes so damn long to produce drinkable results.
 

Sulrn

Deuces
2,159
360
I started making mead earlier this year. so far just 2 1 gallon batches. The cyser (honey, cider, yeast) has been bottled and is aging. The traditional (honey, water, yeast) has been racked and I'm waiting for it to fully clear before I bottle it.

I had bought a 7 gallon fermentation vessel to start making more, but that's on hold until after I move. I've got a bunch of honey from a local apiary that I really want to start using soon, since it takes so damn long to produce drinkable results.

Are you doing a basic batch or did you go for any flavoring?

My first dip into wine making was a strawberry honey mead that came out a little dry, but pretty good.
 

Denamian

Night Janitor
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Are you doing a basic batch or did you go for any flavoring?

My first dip into wine making was a strawberry honey mead that came out a little dry, but pretty good.

Yep, just a basic cyser and traditional. The cyser tasted like a dry white wine before I bottled it, it was more mellow than I was expecting. That batch only used 2 lbs of honey and added cider to come up to 1 gallon. I was expecting it to be a bit sweeter, but decided against back sweetening it. Used Safale US-05 yeast and it came out to 11.55 ABV.

The traditional has been really slow, so I'm guessing I didn't add enough nutrients, though I did follow the recipe I had. Hopefully it clears soon so I can bottle it for aging. Haven't tasted that one yet but that one used 3.5 lbs of honey for the gallon, so it should be a little sweeter.

My first big batch was going to be a metheglin with cider and apple pie spices. Hopefully I can get started on the in a few months.
 

Haast

Lord Nagafen Raider
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Yep, just a basic cyser and traditional. The cyser tasted like a dry white wine before I bottled it, it was more mellow than I was expecting. That batch only used 2 lbs of honey and added cider to come up to 1 gallon. I was expecting it to be a bit sweeter, but decided against back sweetening it. Used Safale US-05 yeast and it came out to 11.55 ABV.

I'm kind of surprised Safale US-05 was able to produce an ABV that high. I've always been recommended to use white wine yeast on a mead.
 

Denamian

Night Janitor
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I'm kind of surprised Safale US-05 was able to produce an ABV that high. I've always been recommended to use white wine yeast on a mead.

Yeah, I wasn't expecting it to get quite that high, though looking around it said that it usually craps out at up to 12%. Used it mainly because that's what the beginner recipe on the mead reddit called for. Will be trying other yeasts on future batches to figure out what I like.
 

Lenardo

Vyemm Raider
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looking at the keg type setup looks nice, MIGHT get one if i start to brew beer at an increased rate, BUT i don't drink all that much in the first place maybe 6-12 beers a week. amazon has a single 5 gallon setup for like 170ish...it all depends on how much i brew. if i do one batch every 2-3 months, probably not.
 

LachiusTZ

Rogue Deathwalker Box
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Lol nice to find this thread. This has been something I've intended to do for a while. Even started planting vines and trees for a few years from now so I can supply my own fruits.

Got a coworker that has done this off and on for 15years, and offered to help me make cider (yeah, I like bitch drinks).

We used some off brand frozen shit from HEB, came out at 12% abv, then ended up at like 11%? His brewing friends, wife, me, and a few of our friends thought it was pretty damn good considering the ingredients and it being the 1st run.

But the taste was super thick, I'd prefer something much lighter and crisper with 15% abv. Any tips on yeasts / juice / fruit sources? Tried contracting a few orchards in TX, there is some fucking reg w/ req'd pasteurization of ciders / juices.

+1 on the keg thing, we did that before starting the cider and it makes it pretty easy to fill a few growlers and @ 11% your pretty good for a few days.

@Lendardo kegs are really nice if you invite ppl over imo. If it was just for an individual I couldnt imagine anyone other than a serious alcoholic using one.

Thinking about starting a mead for next year. Guys at the brewing store and my buddy all said time was a huge factor in that stuff.
 

Lenardo

Vyemm Raider
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I rarely have company over, wife drinks wine and mixed drinks, oNY time we every have company over/party is the superbowl. House is not a good have company over house

Place I goto has fresh cider 4 bucks a gallon, no idea if pasturized.
Blurb in the description says:

Ale yeast for sweet, champagne or English cider yeast for dry.
 

Denamian

Night Janitor
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Thinking about starting a mead for next year. Guys at the brewing store and my buddy all said time was a huge factor in that stuff.

The time involved is mostly aging it. Generally you want to age it 6 months minimum, longer is better.

Joe's Ancient Orange Mead is a pretty newbie friendly recipe that requires a minimal investment.

Ancient Orange Mead (by Joe Mattioli)
1 gallon batch

3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet)
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok)
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters)
optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small )
1 teaspoon of Fleishmann’s bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then)
Balance water to one gallon

Process:
Use a clean 1 gallon carboy
Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy
Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)

Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.

When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory)

Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.

Racking --- Don't you dare
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated.
If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make good ancient mead.
 

Pemulis

Not Woke
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I made two batches of the grapefruit pulpin kits from northern brewer yesterday. I stuck mostly with the instructions for the first one but deviated quite a bit for the second to try to come closer to the new NE IPA style that’s become very popular among my beer buddies lately. Waiting is the hard part!

And I definitely recommend the kegging route. It’s not that steep of an investment and saves so much time and space over bottling.
 

brekk

Dancing Dino Superstar
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We did the grapefruit pulpin last year. It was ok, not the best, don't let the second stage with the grapefruit go too long, be exact about putting it in and then kegging/bottling.
 

Lenardo

Vyemm Raider
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Update on "first" brew.. day 14. Bottled the beer using a cup of honey and 2 cups water added to do the fermentation while in bottle. Ended up with 12 16oz bottles and 35 12 Oz bottles( 4.78 gallons)(had a slight spill or would have had 1 more 12 oz) tasted the beer before bottling - to make sure it tasted ok- why bother if it came out bad- no off tastes, not too bitter, very smooth going down(even uncarbonated), no aftertaste, color a nice dark "red"
This pic is what was left over"dregs" of the beer, passed it thru a coffee filter to eliminate floaters in the beer


https://photos.app.goo.gl/uQHUSf29ogeDNxij1
 

ToeMissile

Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
<Gold Donor>
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Update on "first" brew.. day 14. Bottled the beer using a cup of honey and 2 cups water added to do the fermentation while in bottle. Ended up with 12 16oz bottles and 35 12 Oz bottles( 4.78 gallons)(had a slight spill or would have had 1 more 12 oz) tasted the beer before bottling - to make sure it tasted ok- why bother if it came out bad- no off tastes, not too bitter, very smooth going down(even uncarbonated), no aftertaste, color a nice dark "red"
This pic is what was left over"dregs" of the beer, passed it thru a coffee filter to eliminate floaters in the beer
Looks great. Also, don't know if you care but the link shows your last name.

-- Ah, guess not as you were outed a few posts up.
 

Lenardo

Vyemm Raider
3,543
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If I knew how to get Google to allow alias/nickname I would change the display. Not a biggie, I am very careful about online stuff, and until recently had "bad credit" so noone wants my Id anyway... finally "good"

Wife is like 2-3 more weeks until you can drink it? Geez..
 

Siliconemelons

Avatar of War Slayer
10,493
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can someone give me a simple guide on making cider - I will buy and smush my own damn apples because I want a real granny smith hard cider - not the overly sweet crap they sell.

every "simple guide" tends to always go off on tangents a few times in between steps - all while reassuring me "cider is the simplest thing to make!"
 

Lenardo

Vyemm Raider
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simple search come up with this:

Making Your Cider | How to Make Hard Cider - Easy recipe you can make at home!

not many steps, just

get pasturized cider - no preservatives... (if not getting pasturized cider- it add crushed campden pill to kill most the bacteria and wild yeast in the cider-one pill per gallon i think and wait 2 days while it works)
put in clean STERILE glass jug, GALLON OR 3 GALLON OR 5 GALLON OR 6 GALLON,,,HOWEVER MUCH YOU ARE MAKING
add some pectic enzyme powder for clarity(if wanted)
add some yeast nutrients if wanted and or
concetrated apple juice to increase sugar content
and or malic acid/tannic acid or both

add yeast (NOT BREAD YEAST)-do not stir in, just empty yeast on top of cider

cap jug with a stopper with a hole-sterile
put on air lock bubbler(sterile)- add vodka to bubbler to "seal" the bubbler (making it so no fresh air etc get into jug)
put in cool area and wait ~3 weeks...


the instructions posted there are VERY simple to follow

just remember,,it cannot be TOO Sterile...dirty unsterile= possibility of bad tasting drink.
 
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