HOME BREWING - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

[Nobunaga]

Anybody else here into brewing/distilling your own? Beer, wine, ale... ?

What do you make?

[/]

This isn't a thread about video game software? Dang-it!

[Nobunaga]

This isn't a thread about video game software? Dang-it!

Fixed the title.

[notyou2]

White wine....usually a dry reisling.

[Nobunaga]

White wine....usually a dry reisling.

I just began making my own - mead. My first batch came out half fantastic, half undrinkable.

May I ask you a question concerning your techniques? Do you use potassium metabisulfite to stop your fermentation to back-sweeten? (I think it's called potassium metabisulfite, please correct me if I'm wrong).

The good half of my batch had quite a bit of honey added above and beyond the yeast's ability to consume/convert, so it's sweet. The other half is dry as hell...

Thanks.

[notyou2]

I actually pay a brew it shop to make it. I just have to bottle, which I am doing tomorrow.

[L M S]

Ive been brewing beer for 6 years now. Wine for 4. And Kahlua for as long as I can remember.
Just started brewing a native Dominican drink called Mamajuana.

I have never tried to brew Mead, but meta-bisulfite is typically an ingredient in wine making....

[notyou2]

Mama ya wanna......lol

[jonesthecurl]

I used to brew a lot of wine. I think my favorite was tea+raisin wine

[L M S]

Mama ya wanna......lol

Its potent stuff...mamajuana.

Dark rum + Red wine + molasses + honey + a bunch native sticks and leaves and bark and other crazy shit like that. The locals call it liquid viagra and claim it cures everything that could possibly ail you.

[Funkyterrance]

My brother got married recently and one of his old friends brought a bunch of home brewed beer in unmarked bottles. Everyone else was afraid to try it but I figured it was worth a shot.
I ended up drinking nothing but that beer for the duration of the reception and up until dawn. I don't remember anything for about a four hour gap between midnight and dawn but man, that was some tasty and potent beer.

[Qwert]

i have small distillery,and i produce home drink called rakia.

[KoolBak]

Nobunaga-san....#1 we miss you in forum.....

#2; I brewed beer for 20+ years...my dad's been making award winning wine for over 40 years....an ex-brotherinlaw has been making mead for over 20 and his is O U T S T A N D I N G .......always dry but he uses different local honeys that make a hell of a difference in the batches. I understand the meaning of a hangover of biblical proportions after one too many times over-imbibing in his delicious nectar....what was it; the good guys rolled casks of mead into the fields surrounding the embattled castle while the overwhelming attacking forces were sleeping...they found the mead, drank themselves stupid and the outnumbered goodguys went out and casually whacked em all? lol

If you want specific questions answered (or just that one above), let me know in detail and I'll ask my bro....come see us in our forum ;o)

[Symmetry]

Not exactly brewing, but I've been messing around with infusing flavours into spirits for a while.

Easiest is chilli vodka for people who want to start off making their own stuff.

Plum Brandy is waiting to be drunk at the mo.

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/drinks/plum-brandy-recipe

It's good stuff if you want something interesting to drink but don't want to get hammered.

[Serbia]

Tripitaka has made chilli vodka before, and it was good.

[karel]

made wine for 8 years,think my 2 best was a blueberry and a raspberry/honey wine.

made mead once,did not turn out to great,so i just buy it now

[Nobunaga]

....

It's good stuff if you want something interesting to drink but don't want to get hammered.

So then, what would be the point?

[Symmetry]

....

It's good stuff if you want something interesting to drink but don't want to get hammered.

So then, what would be the point?

You'll find out when you're older and getting falling down drunk isn't quite as appealing.

[Doc_Brown]

I brew beer. I converted a 15cu ft chest freezer in my garage to a 10-tap kegerator.

Currently on tap: Apple Cider, American IPA, Belgian Blonde, Belgian Golden Strong, Scottish Export, American Pale Ale, Flanders Red, and Flanders Strong Dark Ale.

Brewed and aging (to be tapped soon): Bourbon barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout, Wine barrel aged Belgian Golden Sour.

Aging now: Bourbon barrel aged Strong Scotch Ale

Brewing later on this month: American Stout, Wine barrel aged Saison

[KoolBak]

mmmmmmm....Russian Imperial Stout....THATS a meal baby....excellent! That was my fave to make when I brewed.

And Symmetry....I'd bet money Nobu be older than you

[Lootifer]

And Symmetry....I'd bet money Nobu be older than you

Yeh but Symm is like an old man in the body of a young person. Pretty much the opposite of Saxi.

[Symmetry]

And Symmetry....I'd bet money Nobu be older than you

Yeh but Symm is like an old man in the body of a young person. Pretty much the opposite of Saxi.

This is fair comment. I remember back in the day when I got you your avatar. How you've grown.

[edocsil]

I've been brewing mead for few months because it is A) fun and easy to make B) relatively inexpensive if you have easy access to honey and C) passable to drink

My first batch was aged about 6 months and were made up of a few fruity test batches and a large straight honey batch, and it was dryer than what a friend of mine had shown me earlier. It was and is easily drinkable, as well as strong enough, but I've had better. The few that I made with additives (lemon, orange, raspberry, and other fruit and one with spice) were sweeter and considerably better. I have gotten my hands on some more honey and will be trying a new batch over Christmas which will be sweeter.

[Nobunaga]

I brew beer. I converted a 15cu ft chest freezer in my garage to a 10-tap kegerator.

Currently on tap: Apple Cider, American IPA, Belgian Blonde, Belgian Golden Strong, Scottish Export, American Pale Ale, Flanders Red, and Flanders Strong Dark Ale.

Brewed and aging (to be tapped soon): Bourbon barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout, Wine barrel aged Belgian Golden Sour.

Aging now: Bourbon barrel aged Strong Scotch Ale

Brewing later on this month: American Stout, Wine barrel aged Saison

I was wanting to make an ale of some kind, but it seemed rather complicated, with the hops, the carbonation and all that.

And what do you mean please by Bourbon barrel? You buy these or you make them?

Thanks.

[Nobunaga]

I've been brewing mead for few months because it is A) fun and easy to make B) relatively inexpensive if you have easy access to honey and C) passable to drink

My first batch was aged about 6 months and were made up of a few fruity test batches and a large straight honey batch, and it was dryer than what a friend of mine had shown me earlier. It was and is easily drinkable, as well as strong enough, but I've had better. The few that I made with additives (lemon, orange, raspberry, and other fruit and one with spice) were sweeter and considerably better. I have gotten my hands on some more honey and will be trying a new batch over Christmas which will be sweeter.

Let me know how it goes. PM me if you don't see me here.

I've been reading up on the mead making process quite a bit. I got a batch brewing now that should finish in about 2 months - Pear, Apple-Cinnamon, and Lemon-Ginger. I intend to sweeten any that come out too dry. I read that potassium sorbate will keep the surviving yeast from fermenting the added sweetener (more honey). Have you ever used this, and did it work?

Thanks.