Homebrew Beer Howto

simonw

Hi, just a quick homebrew question, i'm making some cider (2nd go!) and i'm wondering how much yeast should i be using? I've about 13-14 litres, and i used a good tablespoon full, was this too much? last time my cider was very bitter and i assumed i hadn't added enough sugar, but thinking now perhaps i'm using too much yeast?

BeerNut

More questions than answers:

Yeast ususally comes in single-use sachets. What are you using?

Is this a kit? Why are you adding sugar at all?

The amount of yeast and sugar won't really affect the finished sweetness level: yeast breeds and eats all the sugar.

To counter the bitterness thing you could add some non-fermentable sugars like spraymalt or honey; some people throw a cup of tea into their cider to add flavour; you could stop fermentation when it's reached the desired sweetness level, using a campden tablet; or you could serve the cider with apple juice on the side to adjust to taste.

Bill-e

Guys, quick query. Can I add Buckfast into my homebrew in anyway that will make it palatable?
The 2 kits I have are:
1 x Brewferm Ambiorix(Amber)(3.3Gall) = €11.99
1 x Brewferm Grand Cru (Gold)(1.97Gall) = €11.99

Any advice?
Thanks!

BaZmO*

What do you mean by "add it"?

BeerNut

Bill-e wrote: »

Can I add Buckfast into my homebrew in anyway that will make it palatable?

I think only one of us is capable of answering that. Let us know how it goes

Bill-e

BaZmO* wrote: »

What do you mean by "add it"?

Like just bang it in there... It's very sweet stuff so maybe I could use it to substitute the sugar/Malt extract?

I think it could be interesting I always wanted a buckfast beer...

BaZmO*

I suppose you could put it in to add flavour but I'm not experienced enough at home brewing to know if it'd be fermentable. I'd imagine probably not because the sugars in the Buckfast would've been already consumed by the yeast.

Saruman

Why would you make buckfast beer?

Bill-e

Saruman wrote: »

Why would you make buckfast beer?

Why Not?

I think it could be interesting...

BaZmO*

You should do it so and let us know how you get on.

kaimera

Hey guys,

Best place for bottles?

Have the kit/sugar from hbc ireland and just trying to source bottles now.

Thinking about trying to get large bulmers bottles..

BeerNut

kaimera wrote: »

Best place for bottles?

The pub, or off licence. Best purchased full of beer, then emptied

kaimera wrote: »

Thinking about trying to get large bulmers bottles..

The pint bottles are the same ones as Guinness, Macardle's etc. Problem is, there's a deposit on them so retailers may be a bit unwilling to let you have them. DrinkStore on Manor Street had some a while back, but I think they were thrown out. Could be worth checking with them.

The Bull & Castle in Christchurch is very tolerant of scavenging homebrewers looking for suitable empties.

Saruman

Bottle banks, local pubs etc? I "think" and I could be wrong but I think it costs pubs to recycle bottles so they should be willing to give you them.
Otherwise hang around a bottle bank or beg some from family and friends.

You can also put the request out on "market Square" on the ICB forum and someone with plenty to spare will pass them on.

I will be getting rid of a load of my bottles for instance as I am moving to kegs.

kaimera

Danke guys

@Saruman, when ya moving to kegs? Within the next few weeks?!

BaZmO*

Yeah I think it's madness paying for bottles. Swing tops seem to be the best for bottling and they €19.99 for 12 from HBC which works out at €1.67 per bottle. Flensburger is only €2.50 a bottle which works out at 83c per 500ml of a decent enough beer!!!

As soon as knew I was gonna start home brewing I started stocking up on the Flensburger. They do a Pilsner and a Weizen in the 500ml in brown glass and a rather cute 300ml clear glass. I find filling one or two in the clear glass is a good way to see how the conditioning is coming along and a good size for sampling.

You can pick them up in Molloys

kaimera

@Beernut

Rang drinkstore and they have empty bottles.

€6 a case of 12.

Thanks for the heads up!

Saruman

kaimera wrote: »

Danke guys

@Saruman, when ya moving to kegs? Within the next few weeks?!

I have one Cornelius keg with another on the way as well as taps, lines, fittings and a co2 regulator. I am also sourcing a co2 cannister too so I should have a kegerator in a few weeks. The next two weekends are no go as I am in the UK both weekends.
In a few weeks I will have two beers on tap and I can add a third if I want but I do not have the capacity to drink that much unless people come to my house in Westmeath and give me a hand

My next two beers are ready to bottle/keg any time now so I will keg them next week hopefully.

Jugs82

Had a few bottles from my second homebrew attempt last night - was very impressed (even if I do say so myself )

I went for the Woodfordes again but a different kit - the Woodfrodes Admiral Reserve Previously I had tried the normal Woodfordes ale kit.

I was thinking about trying some cider and was wondering if there is any major differences to the process? Also, would love to try some Exact Brewing but might stay with the Kits for a while longer before I attempt it

Ooppps, almost forgot - would I need/be better off to get a demijohn for the cider, only want to make a few pints as a test really.

oblivious

Jugs82 wrote: »

I was thinking about trying some cider and was wondering if there is any major differences to the process?

Can be as easy as buying apple juice in the supermarket

BaZmO*

Extract is actually not that difficult. I done an extract for my first brew.

BeerNut

Jugs82 wrote: »

I was thinking about trying some cider and was wondering if there is any major differences to the process?

I'm guessing cider kits work the same, but you can make cider from just yeast and apple juice. See here for instance.

Jugs82 wrote: »

would I need/be better off to get a demijohn for the cider, only want to make a few pints as a test really.

Probably. You also don't want to be hogging your fermentation bins for the longer maturation time that cider needs.

arse..biscuits

Jugs82 wrote: »

Had a few bottles from my second homebrew attempt last night - was very impressed (even if I do say so myself )

I went for the Woodfordes again but a different kit - the Woodfrodes Admiral Reserve Previously I had tried the normal Woodfordes ale kit.

I was thinking about trying some cider and was wondering if there is any major differences to the process? Also, would love to try some Exact Brewing but might stay with the Kits for a while longer before I attempt it

Ooppps, almost forgot - would I need/be better off to get a demijohn for the cider, only want to make a few pints as a test really.

I've used the Woodfordes everytime, I have tried a few different varitites and they have all been excelllent

Scobius90

Hi Folks,

Just about to bottle my first batch of cider (Brew Buddy + lactose). Did a quick taste test on transfer to bottling bucket and found it to be very bland although its smells great.

Is this normal? Will it mature in the bottles like an ale or stout? Is there anything I can add at this stage to enhance the flavour?

Many thanks kind gurus!!
Scobius

kaimera

Hoping to bottle tonight.

batch #1.

one of the lads already has a keg for batch #2

oconn

i made that brew buddy cider a few weeks ago....same result smelt ok but little enough on the taste front. It actually gets more tasteless with time so drink it fresh ( but responsibily;) ). A few people i know do the lidl apple juice method / yeast / honey /tea bag / ferment.

Saruman

I think a lot of people get confused when they try homebrew cider as they expect it to taste like Bulmers. It will not taste like that as Bulmers has added sugars etc. It will be dry (not sweet) and will have less apple flavour than you might wish.

To be honest, If I was to make another Cider then apart from doing it with pressed apple juice, I would also secondary ferment it with sliced apple in a muslin bag to impart a little more apple. It might be interesting.

Bill-e

Anyone used or tasted this new beer kit thing being sold by ibrew.ie
what do ye think of it?

A friend of mine is getting one for his first home brew, if it gets him into it then cool. Personally I'd rather buy all the bits separately and get an understanding of how beer is made.

BeerNut

Bill-e wrote: »

Personally I'd rather buy all the bits separately and get an understanding of how beer is made.

That's what I reckon. For only a tiny bit more money you can get a full set-up, all of which you can reuse as you go, plus a couple of decent kits.

Though I'm interested in the "100% Taste Satisfaction", so if the kit lager turns out to be pants, you can presumably get your €80 back.

Can't say fairer than that.

BaZmO*

Bill-e wrote: »

Personally I'd rather buy all the bits separately and get an understanding of how beer is made.

In hindsight (or foresight with people currently brewing) it makes more sense to get all the kit you need starting off. But you can certainly see the appeal to someone starting off. Everything comes in a nice shiny box and the procedure is very simple.

It would certainly make more sense frugally speaking, but I don't think that the recent upsurge in Homebrewing is thrift led or at least not as much as it was in the past.

BeerNut wrote: »

Though I'm interested in the "100% Taste Satisfaction", so if the kit lager turns out to be pants, you can presumably get your €80 back.

Can't say fairer than that.

Ha, that'd be great if someone challenged them on that!

thirtythirty

Howdy all,
It's my mates 25th this weekend & thought i might get him a homebrew kit. I'm in work so dont really have time to go through the 50-odd pages of this thread right now (might have a flick later!) so if anyone could point me in the direction of a good starter kit / shop / site i can get it within the week from that'd be great.

He's not into wheat-y beers like Erdinger, more staple beers like Heineken or Carslberg so that's quite important. I'd also like to get him as much as i can...but for no more than c€80!

I looked here but the descriptions are rubbish - they call them starter kits, but then give no description. Obv if ur going for a starter you've probably never done it before and would like a bit more info!

Cheers