Brewing
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processhead I am going to have to break down & finally try some brewing & wine making. We have a bumper crop of pears this year & thought I would make some pear cider. IN your opinion, are you better off & at a savings buying a kit to get started with the process or just buying individual components & ingredients? Thanks in advance.
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processhead Also, do you recommend any really good books on the subject, so I do not have to keep bugging you?
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processhead Power User Regular Contributors Smoker Build Expert Bowl Choppers Nebraska Veteran Team Camoreplied to calldoctoday on last edited by
calldoctoday
Most people get started out by brewing with malt extract kits, but eventually if you are serious about brewing you will want to make the move to all-grain brewing. A buddy of mine helped me brew for years and then when he got into it on his own, he went straight to all grain brew-in-bag.You might already have some of the basic hardware to get started:
A propane burner, a large aluminum or SS kettle that ideally holds 7 or 8 gallons for a boil kettle. If you have a turkey frying rig you might be set.
You also need a large plastic bucket with a lid to use as a fermenter.
I haven’t bought any brewing books for a long time. If you PM me your address, I will give you some of my old reference books that will get you headed in the right direction. -
calldoctoday Team Blue Power User Regular Contributors Alabamareplied to processhead on last edited by
processhead Thank you, I really appreciate that. I need all the help & information I can get. I would like to go straight to grain possibly. Would it be better to have some other material for fermenting like glass or something? I was wondering if plastic can affect the flavor. I am going to start with just giving these pears a go for some hard cider. That should be a good & fairly basic start to make use of a bumper croup. Thank you again for all your help, I really appreciate it. Dave
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calldoctoday Team Blue Power User Regular Contributors Alabamareplied to processhead on last edited by
processhead I tried to get through to you last night, but the system was having some issues apparently. Then, a few minutes ago we must have been on the same wave length as I saw your message. The system must still be having some issues though as it was locking up whenever I tried to respond to you. I will keep trying for a bit. I am pretty easy to find. Keep your fingers crossed. Thank you too, you never had to do that as just providing the names would have been a bounty, but I really do appreciate that. I cannot wait to try that one you talk about regulalrly.
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My wife has made wine for at least thirty years she only buys what she wants. Kits are OK if you have never tried making beer, it’s easy and fun but not a substitute for beer drinkers. She did make pear wine once after a couple bottles aged 15 yrs or so they turned to a brandy type flavor and were very good. Don’t remember them being that good of wine. Be sure to get the tools for success, airlocks,corker, ph checker et… Good luck. The book she used is way gone off the market. Most recipes are simple, age is what makes wine great.
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I’ve been making wine for 30 years. The best way to get started is to go to any wine brew shop and ask what you need to start out. They will help you get what you need for your first batch. Wine can be drinkable in 30 days but the longer you age and rack the better it gets
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processhead Power User Regular Contributors Smoker Build Expert Bowl Choppers Nebraska Veteran Team Camoreplied to buttheadrancher22 on last edited by processhead
buttheadrancher22 said in Brewing:
I’ve been making wine for 30 years. The best way to get started is to go to any wine brew shop and ask what you need to start out. They will help you get what you need for your first batch. Wine can be drinkable in 30 days but the longer you age and rack the better it gets
I would agree. A good local supply shop can get you started. Unfortunately, calldoctoday lives in an area without one near by.
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calldoctoday Team Blue Power User Regular Contributors Alabamareplied to processhead on last edited by
processhead Yes, not even 2 hours or so away. Technically, it was even against the law here, believe it or not, until just a few years ago, & they regularly arrested folks for doing it if they were not careful. There are still even some funny issues about purchasing. What we are doing is all OK though, thank God, now adays. I was shocked when I learned about when initially wanting to do these years ago as I had a number of very close relatives that used to do it back in the 60s & 70’s very well & made some really good stuff, in other locations…
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processhead Power User Regular Contributors Smoker Build Expert Bowl Choppers Nebraska Veteran Team Camo
We have President Jimmy Carter, of all people, to thank for signing the federal legislation legalizing the making of wine and beer for personal use. Unfortunately, many states were very slow to get with the program.
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He could call the nearest brew shop and ask them what he need. I’ve never order from a brew shop that didn’t go out of their way to help. You are a future costumer. It a hour to my nearest store 2 hour to the next one just go with a small store
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calldoctoday Team Blue Power User Regular Contributors Alabamareplied to buttheadrancher22 on last edited by
buttheadrancher22 Last I heard, the closest is about 4-5 hours away for me. Just too far to visit much. I am probably going to have to rely on processhead 's wealth of knowledge & reading to learn. God bless the souls of those relatives I had that were really good at this stuff. I guess I was too poor to pay attention, but should have found a way for this of all things.
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calldoctoday Team Blue Power User Regular Contributors Alabamareplied to processhead on last edited by
processhead That’s right, & you would not believe it for his home state & we are right next door pretty much. I have done some inspections right there in his hometown & probably seen them leaving the compound on occasion. Must have been some family feud between here & there, Alabama was what, nearly 40 years in getting on board.
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If you make wine or beer you’ll need air locks food grade buckets glass or plastic carbonles proper yeast and hops for beet. Unless you doe it old time like my folks in the 60st and use syrup gallon jugs and balloons. With no racking tube and bottle ingredients tube. Plan on lots of sediment in beer or wine. Grain beer takes a lot of equipment
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calldoctoday Team Blue Power User Regular Contributors Alabamareplied to buttheadrancher22 on last edited by
buttheadrancher22 Thanks. I am going to start with just making some hard cider out of this bumper crop of Pears. Have the air locks, tannin, syphon, yeast, yeast feed, etc. etc. on the way for tomorrow when we get back from the field. Have glass jugs at the house & have been saving with lots of other beer & wine high quality glass. Thanks for the tips as I need all the help I can get.
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Hope it comes out fine. Sometimes it good sometimes it not. Go for it
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After years of corking bottle went to screw on top wine bottles then used heat seals on them so can carry in car
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calldoctoday Team Blue Power User Regular Contributors Alabamareplied to buttheadrancher22 on last edited by
buttheadrancher22 Interesting & I am surprised. That probably shows how much I obviously do not know. I would have thought you would prefer the corks for wine & any distillates. That is what I originally had in mind. What was your big reason, pros & cons, etc. of converting, other than being able to transport more effectively?
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The cost of corks has doubled in 6 year plus most of mid-priced winery’s went to scew on. If you buy heat seal caps you can haul your bottles any where and not have an open container
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processhead Power User Regular Contributors Smoker Build Expert Bowl Choppers Nebraska Veteran Team Camo
I don’t know much about wine, but more and more commercial wineries have switch over to screw tops. As buttheadrancher22 says, probably driven by cost, plus convenience.
