Any other beer/wine homebrewers????

[seniorphil]

A couple of years ago I lent all my homebrew kit to a friend who fancied a go. He has now upgraded to a semi professional set up, so I am bringing all my stuff back to restart my kitchen brewery. I don't have any outside space so mashing would stink out my place. So it's kits only at the moment, although I am talking with the Hackspace brewing guys about using their mashing gear and transporting the brew
7 miles to my flat for fermentation.
I was wondering if anybody else is brewing beer or wine, as it would be good to share tips and tricks.

[ruffdog]

I've made both but not for a couple of years Phil.
When we moved to the mainland i gave away about 10 demijohns, think i have 1 left and a beer pressure keg and mash bucket up in the loft.
Can only get kits online, the days of boots home brew section are long gone.
In. Stornoway the craft shop did brew supplies but nothing in Oban :-(

Might start again with some encouragement.

Ruffie

[chykensa]

I have about 65 bottles of homebrew wine in my garage, and used to make a beer kit for the summer, and still have all the gear. We've had quite a lot of work done to the house over the last couple of years, so not had much chance to ferment wine or beer anywhere; hope to get back to it this autumn now things have settled down again. The blackberries in the hedgerows seem to be shaping up nicely . . .

[seniorphil]

I got lucky ruffdog as Wilkinsons has 25% off brewing stuff at the moment, www.wilko.com/kitchen/homebrew/icat/homebrewing
I snapped up their entire on line stock of stout, and a couple of their more expensive kits with free in-store pick-up, it will be waiting for me when I get back home.
I've noticed lots of small homebrew shops springing up in London because of the growth in the craft beer market. A micro brewery a few miles from me has a great little bar attached to it that only sells beer made on the premises. It's cheap as chips and they sell their own malt extract on draft into your own bucket. I'll have to give that a whirl.

[seniorphil]

I am looking forward to blackberry picking chykensa. I have some 1950s recipe books and the recipe for blackberry fruit beer is a corker. I've picked blackberries at the same spot since I was a kid, and nobody else seemed to go there, but I have competition in the last few years eastern Europeans have been turning up mob handed and stripping the bushes bare. So I've started surveillance early this year, getting ready to pounce.
I'm getting some apples and pears from a friend too.

[Deleted]

Great idea using the Hackspace equipment seniorphil there's a few brewers selling there beer who 'cuckoo' brew at micro's.

I started with kits in the mid 70's, yes Boots, then progressed to mashing and continued up until a house move when my gear got shoved up in the attic, that was about 1985.

Decided to insulate up there and while clearing the space found it all again. Went on the web and found loads of info and places to buy ingredients. It's a far cry from when I started, only a Dave Line book for recipes and guidance plus limited and dubious ingredients.
Now you can purchase a whole array of fresh ingredients, even kit from around the world, see what the brewers in the States or the Aussies are doing and pick up 1000's of recipes to try.

It's a golden age for beer drinkers now, especially compared with 20-30 yrs ago. There's fantastic quality and range of beer available. Your lucky in London, it has so many great breweries and places to drink their beer, with new ones popping up all the time. So although there isn't the same need to brew at home as there was, you can still produce great beers that are better than most you buy and equal to the best

So I've been brewing again since 2006, first with my old plastic 25l stuff in the kitchen or outside in good weather. I moved out into the garage and went through a few variants but making most of the stuff myself.
Splashed out a few years ago and had a 50l stainless brewery made that's in my garage. Haven't Brewed recently as the garage space was taken over with other, but I'll be clearing it out soon and I'll be mashing again.

This is it when it was new, doesn't have quite the shine now.

[Karma]

I used to make wine so thanks to your link seniorphil I've just ordered the Wilko Starter Kit. I might give it to Mr K to make, he's bored now his tomato plants are no more lol

[igual]

@scooby if only I had a garage sighs........
I make a little bit of homebrew. I was given some turbo yeast a couple years back ( has to be kept frozen ) no idea what strain it is but it makes a dam fine drop of mead and cider.
Made up 4 lifers of mead lat year should be lovely this chrustmas .
Also last November I made up a liter of sloe malt whisky takes at least a year if not 2 to become perfect got a few different bottles at different stages.
If you've nvere trued it I'd defiantly recfomend it.
Tried making some home brew beer when I was in my 20s ended up making a fresh batch every month as peeps kept pooping over for a pint lol.
Unfortunately I don't have the room here now to make much.
Wish we could have our own stils now that would be fun, have family in the emerald isle that are keen in making a drop of the potato fall over water. Great stuff for degreasing engine's.

[seniorphil]

My god!!! That is one impressive bit of kit @scooby.
I am afraid I am plastic bins in the airing cupboard set up. In a one bedroom flat it's that or nothing, but I am free to use the Hackspaces kit. Mashing is done in the carpark and their boiler room is a constant 23 degrees C. The only problem is there's always a lot of eager tasters around. There brewing group produce some great stouts and porters, which they keg and have on draught for a free(that means a donation). When I have more time I'll join there group.
It is right what you say about it being an exciting time for good quality beer, and particularly in London. I have the CAMRA Good Beer app on my phone and it doesn't matter what area you're in, it will find dozens of great pubs. Good beer always costs a lot less than insipid lager too.

[seniorphil]

Aug 21, 2014 8:38:25 GMT Karma said:

I used to make wine so thanks to your link seniorphil I've just ordered the Wilko Starter Kit. I might give it to Mr K to make, he's bored now his tomato plants are no more lol

Nice one, there's some really good deals on there at the moment.

[mart166]

Aug 21, 2014 8:12:49 GMT seniorphil said:

I am looking forward to blackberry picking chykensa. I have some 1950s recipe books and the recipe for blackberry fruit beer is a corker. I've picked blackberries at the same spot since I was a kid, and nobody else seemed to go there, but I have competition in the last few years eastern Europeans have been turning up mob handed and stripping the bushes bare. So I've started surveillance early this year, getting ready to pounce.
I'm getting some apples and pears from a friend too.

We noticed loads of blackberries in the road at side of Ash Grove bus garage in Hackney, nobodies picking them, maybe the fact that the road is the local doss house/toilet for local harry ramps might be a factor, but would add a piquancy to homebrew lol.

MP

[mart166]

More seriously did you see the guys on dragons den few weeks ago, easy homebrew scrumpy, just add hot water for 20 litres of gear a week later, tempting but bet it tastes like strongbow lol.

MP

[Ripshod]

My old man used to brew his own beer, and used the good old ferment in the airing cupboard method.

Many a time I was sent home from school because I stank of beer and they thought I was drunk. Oh happy days......

[ukric]

Just gearing up for Grapefest in September at the moment, lots of wine to bottle this month

[seniorphil]

Aug 21, 2014 10:03:48 GMT ukric said:

Just gearing up for Grapefest in September at the moment, lots of wine to bottle this month

Where abouts is that then Ric?
I haven't forgot your batteries btw, first on my list when I get back.