Jim's Beer Kit

Ah, the mash temperature! :D First, the mash is the place where enzymes in the malt convert the starch in the grains into fermentable sugar. While the mash temperature has to be somewhere between 62 C (the lowest temperature at which the enzymes will do much work) and 68 C (the temperature at which ...

I use a wine filter, and it's best to let the water cool a bit first, otherwise it might burst the filter paper (notice the technical terminology!). Quantity of gypsum varies depending on what's in your water already, but around 2 level teaspoons in 5 gallons would be a reasonable starting point. Yo...

Well, water treatment isn't straightforward. For one thing, it depends on the mineral content of the water before you treat it. I know you have very hard, chalky water, Reg, so your water treatment should be aimed at getting as much of this temporary hardness (calcium carbonate) out of the water as ...

Wax lyrical, eh? :D Well, sparging temperature isn't all that critical, certainly not as critical as the temperature of the mash, but there are two points to remember; 1. If the water's too cool, the sugar solution will be too stiff to drain off the grains properly and you have more chance of gettin...

QUOTE (Reg @ Mar 6 2005, 11:34 PM) I used to live in rural Gloucestershire and many of the local farms had cider presses which they used to make scrumpy by doing little more than pressing the apples and letting it sit for a few weeks... Apples own natural microbes can set off the reaction I gather.....

This one's at the sampling stage now!

Since it's matured a bit, it's become obvious that it isn't too bitter; it just has a very full, tasty hop flavour.

This beer is very, very good! I'll be using that technique again for sure!

Nice one, Reg!

This is our new forum for those who want to talk about specialist brewing.


Reg, here's your chance to post that rice & raisin wine recipe you were on about!

Yeah, that's a better title; short and to the point. I'll see to it in due course!

QUOTE (Reg @ Feb 13 2005, 06:01 PM) I'll have a word with my father and see if he can remember his exact recipe... Although this was a long time ago... :huh:
That'd be great!

QUOTE (Reg @ Feb 11 2005, 08:10 PM) I guess it could be expanded to include other brews... Fruit beers, wines, sloe gins, pickling jar spirtis like cherry brandy? (We should of course not go into home distilling which is both illegal and frankly dangerous... ) That sounds like a good idea to me! May...

QUOTE (Reg @ Feb 11 2005, 09:39 PM) Yeah I've tried a few recipes like that in the past...some of them produced a pretty good result...
Interesting! I've never tried it. I just went straight from kits to a full mash. Didn't see the point in piddling about with half measures!

It definitely has made a big difference to the flavour (see my thread in the Tap Room).

As with all these things, it'll take a couple of goes to get it just right, though.

I think I have a good link for reusing yeast......


http://www.wyeastlab.com/cbrew/cbyewash.htm

http://www.wyeastlab.com/cbrew/cbmethod.htm


Hmm, I'm sure I had a more user-friendly link for harvesting and keeping, but I can't find it at the moment. :blink:

I have to say, I'm seriously thinking of getting a proper yeast culture and trying to reuse it.

If I could get it to last over 5 batches, it would actually be cheaper than buying 5 yeast sachets at £1.20 a shot!