Search found 951 matches

by oldbloke
Mon Oct 02, 2023 6:57 pm
Forum: Kit Brewing
Topic: bottles
Replies: 43
Views: 12398

Re: bottles

Wychwood bottles love to snap with the wing cappers. I actually went back to a hammer-on capper whle waiting for my bench capper arrive.
by oldbloke
Mon Sep 18, 2023 3:31 pm
Forum: Kit Brewing
Topic: bottles
Replies: 43
Views: 12398

Re: bottles

If you go for crown caps, get a decent capper. One of the ones that are £25 and up
by oldbloke
Fri Aug 11, 2023 12:30 pm
Forum: Winemaking
Topic: not using sugar in wine making
Replies: 11
Views: 8045

Re: not using sugar in wine making

NB In my experience, with all berry wines, a few ounces per gallon of blackcurrants in addition to your base fruit improves the result massivley.
by oldbloke
Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:37 am
Forum: Cider Making
Topic: Weekend cider
Replies: 11
Views: 9341

Re: Weekend cider

coconut????????
by oldbloke
Tue Jul 04, 2023 4:20 pm
Forum: Cider Making
Topic: Weekend cider
Replies: 11
Views: 9341

Re: Weekend cider

I switched to ale yeasts for turbocider a while ago. It's good.
by oldbloke
Tue Sep 06, 2022 3:50 pm
Forum: Cider Making
Topic: Dried Apple Powder
Replies: 5
Views: 1958

Re: Dried Apple Powder

Looks interesting. Haven't heard of it before. Pricing looks good.
To get your desired ABV you'll need to check the sugar content and do some sums.
Rule of thumb - 20g per litre sugar gives 1%
If you try it please report back
by oldbloke
Sun Jul 31, 2022 8:42 pm
Forum: Cider Making
Topic: Today
Replies: 19
Views: 3413

Re: Today

No headspace either...
by oldbloke
Tue Jul 26, 2022 6:16 pm
Forum: Winemaking
Topic: apple
Replies: 5
Views: 1631

Re: apple

1.040 ferments out to about 5.5%
But apple juice on its own normally gives that and you've got a pound of sugar in there as well
Something isn't adding up
The sugar should give you another 5%
Was it properly dissolved or was a lot of it sitting on the bottom?
Hydrometer temperature correction?
by oldbloke
Sun Jul 24, 2022 4:34 pm
Forum: Winemaking
Topic: raspberry wine
Replies: 3
Views: 1538

Re: raspberry wine

A bit quick but it has been warm lately! I tend to use rassies as a base, about half to two thirds the fruit, and put other berries in for better flavour. My garden supplies me with lots of redcurrants as well as rassies, and blackberries are all over the place locally. I also have red gooseberries....
by oldbloke
Sun Jul 24, 2022 4:29 pm
Forum: Kit Brewing
Topic: bottling ????
Replies: 13
Views: 3413

Re: bottling ????

I siphon from primary to bottles. So i prime the bottles, but with ordinary sugar - actually more reliable than carb drops and cheaper. A bottling wand on the end of the siphon gets you an auto cutoff when moving between bottles, well worth it. I have a tap in the siphon line too in case any emergen...
by oldbloke
Wed Jul 06, 2022 6:01 pm
Forum: Kit Brewing
Topic: kit brewing
Replies: 3
Views: 1546

Re: kit brewing

I usually use DME in place of half or all the sugar.
I also brew 40pint kits to 36 pints - more body, slightly higher ABV
by oldbloke
Wed Mar 02, 2022 1:12 am
Forum: Gluten-Free Brewing
Topic: Teaching my coeliac son to make mead
Replies: 0
Views: 13866

Teaching my coeliac son to make mead

1 demijohn = 1 gallon = 4.5 litres 20gm sugar per litre = 1%ABV (approx) 1 pound sugar per gallon = 5%ABV (approx) 1 pound = 454gm 2 pounds honey + 1 pound syrup => 15% ... but they're only about 80% fermentable, so 12% (approx) 1 litre apple juice = 106gm sugar 1 litre fruit juice = 115gm sugar 221...
by oldbloke
Thu Dec 30, 2021 11:43 pm
Forum: Brewing Equipment
Topic: Digital Refractometer
Replies: 16
Views: 2274

Re: Digital Refractometer

They all seem to be made in China but I got mine from a UK reseller so I could send it back if there were any problems - there weren't. It was the sae price, I think, or maybe 1 quid more.
by oldbloke
Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:08 am
Forum: Cider Making
Topic: Substitute cider in recipe
Replies: 9
Views: 2514

Re: Substitute cider in recipe

Cider is of course standard for some pork recipes.
by oldbloke
Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:37 pm
Forum: Kit Brewing
Topic: Geordie Mild review
Replies: 2
Views: 1987

Re: Geordie Mild review

I think I did this kit once for my wife, who is a mild fan. I too used some spraymalt in place of some of the sugar, and brewed short. Plus I added ClarityFerm as my wife is coeliac. A pleasant drink, as far as i recall.