Recent content by bigred666

I'm currently fermenting a batch of cider in a 5 gal bucket and have about an inch of headspace in it.... is this guna ruin it? I've been doing a bit of reading and all pages seem to contradict each other (some saying a little is fine and carbon dioxide will soon fill the space and nullify any...

So I've done my first press of apples. I'm sure I've read somewhere that its ok to soak the pomace and press it again. i can't seem to find the article again, but does this sound right? If so, what kinda ratio of water should i soak the pomace in?

I'm almost set to make my first batch of cider but the apples i have are well ripe and some have free insects inside! yay!! i have asked a friend who insists that these won't ruin a good batch unless you leave the juice untreated... so my question is this, is it worth taking a few days to dig...

I need some type of cloth to put my pulp in for a diy cider press I'm making... would cheese cloth do? i know you press cheese into blocks, but could it take the pressure from a fairly heavy-duty press? is there a specific type of material to use... any ideas at all would be great

They're certainly papery and full of resin... How do i post photos? How much would i need to make 5gal?

Hi all, a workmate of mine saw some wild hops growing in a hedgerow on his walk to work. has anyone tried making a brew using wild hops? what did it turn out like? what is the best time to pick hops?

Thanks for the vid, did eventually find another one... think I'm guna create my own using ideas/methods from both and make a hybrid

Does anyone know where to find plans for a small, simple cider press? can't find metal to make the barrel style ones so preferably square please

Any way of sterilizing apple juice other than "campden tablets"? don't really like the idea of adding chemicals.... will boiling the juice have any ill effects on the finished product? thinking of getting an aquarium uv sterilizer in the future, but want to get a batch on the go right away...

Just checked again, generic 20x crates... thank fluff

I've been trawling the internet for days trying to find an interesting, quick, tasty recipe for elderberries and have drawn a blank (besides elderberry wine (takes at least 6 months) and elderberry liquer which i believe takes just as long).... does anyone know of something i can try? i was...

Thanks for the replies guys, that's that sorted. may cover with an old towel, but I'm guna get on ebay right away and put a bid on a few crates I've seen...

Does anyone know what the swing top bottles are like for standing up to a bit of pressure? the drink itself is carbonated so i assume all will be well if i try to brew my own bubbles in some

Throw precision out the window, i spent hours picking 3.5kg of berries and was losing the will to carry on when it dawned on me that filling my bucket with water my separate the ripe from un-ripe... IT WORKS A TREAT! all green and reds actually float... wish i thought of it sooner

Hi, I've been around and picked myself 3.5kgs of elderberries and was thinking of making a cider with them... what would a good og/ph to start with would be? Also would i need to remote pectin? can't seem to find a lot of info about elder