Comments for Andy's Brew Blog http://andysbeers.wordpress.com and other ramblings from a beer addled mind Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:21:35 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on The next experiment. Turbo Cider by andybarker http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/the-next-experiment-turbo-cider/#comment-15 andybarker Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:21:35 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=21#comment-15 If you want to give it a bash here's the procedure i used. Clean and sterilise everything with your regular solutions. Add half a jar of clear honey to the demijohn. Add 3 litres of pure apple juice to the demijohn (you can also use pure apple concentrate if you really want to make a mind-blowing brew) Add 3 heaped teaspoons of cane sugar or dextrose to the demijohn. Insert bung and shake thoroughly for 5 minutes until there’s no honey left stuck to the bottom of the demijohn. If you have a trial jar and hydrometer take a reading now to get the OG. Make sure the temperature of the mix is between 18-30 degrees. If not place the demijohn in a sink full of hot water until it is. Sprinkle the yeast into the demijohn and leave it to re-hydrate for half an hour Insert bung and give it a bloody good shake again then seal with airlock. Wait 24 - 48 Hours and top up the demijon with another 1 1/2 litres of apple juice Place somewhere warm until fermentation is complete then wait 2 days extra to ensure it’s done before bottling. If you like you cider with a bit of sparkle add just over half a teaspoon of cane sugar to the bottle (500mm bottles) to prime it before sealing I'm looking forward to this not only for drinking but also i've found some great turbo cider recepies on Jim's Beer Kit which are begging to be tried out :) Sausages braised in Turbo Cider http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5090 Turbo Cider pork Normandy http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5026 If you want to give it a bash here’s the procedure i used.

Clean and sterilise everything with your regular solutions.

Add half a jar of clear honey to the demijohn.

Add 3 litres of pure apple juice to the demijohn (you can also use pure apple concentrate if you really want to make a mind-blowing brew)

Add 3 heaped teaspoons of cane sugar or dextrose to the demijohn.

Insert bung and shake thoroughly for 5 minutes until there’s no honey left stuck to the bottom of the demijohn.

If you have a trial jar and hydrometer take a reading now to get the OG.

Make sure the temperature of the mix is between 18-30 degrees. If not place the demijohn in a sink full of hot water until it is.

Sprinkle the yeast into the demijohn and leave it to re-hydrate for half an hour

Insert bung and give it a bloody good shake again then seal with airlock.

Wait 24 – 48 Hours and top up the demijon with another 1 1/2 litres of apple juice

Place somewhere warm until fermentation is complete then wait 2 days extra to ensure it’s done before bottling. If you like you cider with a bit of sparkle add just over half a teaspoon of cane sugar to the bottle (500mm bottles) to prime it before sealing

I’m looking forward to this not only for drinking but also i’ve found some great turbo cider recepies on Jim’s Beer Kit which are begging to be tried out :)

Sausages braised in Turbo Cider
http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5090

Turbo Cider pork Normandy
http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5026

]]> Comment on The next experiment. Turbo Cider by bellsbeer http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/the-next-experiment-turbo-cider/#comment-14 bellsbeer Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:06:17 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=21#comment-14 I'll be interested to see how this goes. Cider is not something I've considered really, but might make a nice alternative - Im keen to have a wide range of homebrew to select from... I’ll be interested to see how this goes. Cider is not something I’ve considered really, but might make a nice alternative – Im keen to have a wide range of homebrew to select from…

]]> Comment on IPA Rocket Fuel. Day 3 by Andy Barker http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/ipa-rocket-fuel-day-3/#comment-10 Andy Barker Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:35:36 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=17#comment-10 I think it's more the Dextrose than the belt. The heater just keeps a stable temperature. We'll see how it is tonight god knows what the gravity will be....... I think it’s more the Dextrose than the belt. The heater just keeps a stable temperature. We’ll see how it is tonight god knows what the gravity will be…….

]]> Comment on IPA Rocket Fuel. Day 3 by bellsbeer http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/ipa-rocket-fuel-day-3/#comment-9 bellsbeer Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:54:45 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=17#comment-9 Wow thats quick. I guess thats the benefit of a brew belt... Wow thats quick. I guess thats the benefit of a brew belt…

]]> Comment on In hindsight, 1Kg of dextrose may have been a bad idea… by bellsbeer http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/in-hindsight-1kg-of-dextrose-may-have-been-a-bad-idea/#comment-8 bellsbeer Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:32:59 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=13#comment-8 Cool, cheers for the info. Might be the lager I try then. Cool, cheers for the info. Might be the lager I try then.

]]> Comment on In hindsight, 1Kg of dextrose may have been a bad idea… by andybarker http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/in-hindsight-1kg-of-dextrose-may-have-been-a-bad-idea/#comment-7 andybarker Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:01:57 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=13#comment-7 I dont think there will be any harm as the foam pouring out of the airlock is preventing any contaminents getting in. On the other hand if the yeast is producing this much Co2 then how much alcohol is it also producing. Am i brewing up rocket fuel here. I may take a hydrometer reading tonight to see how it's going. The lager is from the Coopers Bavarian Beer kit. I made it with 24 litres of bottled water and used muntons beer enhancer instead of sugar. It ferments at a cool temperature so no heating was required. I bottled the beer first then added the priming sugar. I used light spray malt for this then whacked them all in the airing cupboard for 7 days. After the airing cubboard i left them a week in a cool place to condition. They turned out bloody brilliant. Going to get another one of these kits in a few weeks. The missis loves the lager/beer :) I dont think there will be any harm as the foam pouring out of the airlock is preventing any contaminents getting in. On the other hand if the yeast is producing this much Co2 then how much alcohol is it also producing. Am i brewing up rocket fuel here. I may take a hydrometer reading tonight to see how it’s going.

The lager is from the Coopers Bavarian Beer kit. I made it with 24 litres of bottled water and used muntons beer enhancer instead of sugar. It ferments at a cool temperature so no heating was required. I bottled the beer first then added the priming sugar. I used light spray malt for this then whacked them all in the airing cupboard for 7 days. After the airing cubboard i left them a week in a cool place to condition. They turned out bloody brilliant. Going to get another one of these kits in a few weeks. The missis loves the lager/beer :)

]]> Comment on In hindsight, 1Kg of dextrose may have been a bad idea… by bellsbeer http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/in-hindsight-1kg-of-dextrose-may-have-been-a-bad-idea/#comment-6 bellsbeer Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:54:20 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=13#comment-6 Sorry to see the mess - hopefully no harm will have been done. Interested to hear about the lager - I will be doing a lager in the near future - might be an option for me then... Sorry to see the mess – hopefully no harm will have been done. Interested to hear about the lager – I will be doing a lager in the near future – might be an option for me then…

]]> Comment on Secondary fermentation is complete by Andy Barker http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/secondary-fermentation-is-complete/#comment-5 Andy Barker Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:29:14 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=7#comment-5 Due to the sun being so low this time of year that window only gets direct sunlight for 4 hours per day through winter so it should be fine. I need to devise some method of conditioning my beer for the summer as my house is like an oven :( When i use the brew belt fermentation usually takes 7-8 days. The bavarian beer took a bit longer as 12 days but lager ferments at a much lower temperature so i didnt use the belt for that. Due to the sun being so low this time of year that window only gets direct sunlight for 4 hours per day through winter so it should be fine. I need to devise some method of conditioning my beer for the summer as my house is like an oven :(

When i use the brew belt fermentation usually takes 7-8 days. The bavarian beer took a bit longer as 12 days but lager ferments at a much lower temperature so i didnt use the belt for that.

]]> Comment on Secondary fermentation is complete by bellsbeer http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/secondary-fermentation-is-complete/#comment-4 bellsbeer Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:20:29 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=7#comment-4 Hi, Even in brown bottles, should you leave the beer in direct sunlight for 12 hours a day? I'm interested to know how quick your fermentations are at 23 degrees, and what the results are like - Im probably fermenting at 17 degrees or below currently (too early to tell how well this is going really, but I didn't want to spend time and money on heating equipment until I was sure I needed it. Looking forward to seeing how your brews come out. Cheers. Hi,

Even in brown bottles, should you leave the beer in direct sunlight for 12 hours a day?

I’m interested to know how quick your fermentations are at 23 degrees, and what the results are like – Im probably fermenting at 17 degrees or below currently (too early to tell how well this is going really, but I didn’t want to spend time and money on heating equipment until I was sure I needed it.

Looking forward to seeing how your brews come out.

Cheers.

]]> Comment on A weekend of home brew by andybarker http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/a-weekend-of-home-brew/#comment-3 andybarker Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:11:39 +0000 http://andysbeers.wordpress.com/?p=3#comment-3 Hi David. I used 12 two litre bottles of Morrisons own brand still water for the bavarian brew at 17 p per bottle it only come to £2.04 for the lot. Apparently it makes the beer taste so much nicer Hi David. I used 12 two litre bottles of Morrisons own brand still water for the bavarian brew at 17 p per bottle it only come to £2.04 for the lot. Apparently it makes the beer taste so much nicer

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