Recent content by ohbeary

Four..........

I hope you are not in Eire! you would be.........! anyhow, why would you use oak in a stout? the kit is designed to give a certain result, if you want it dry then dry hop it for extra bite and you could always go AG and avoid the nonfermentable sugars in the kit!...... :cheers:

FB, I would avoid Caustic Soda, SDP or VWP will sterilise anything without damage to your vessels, rinse well (3 good flushes! with cold water) and store empty with a little sulphite solution, rinse before filling. ;)

Dennis, don't be silly(sounds better than "stop being a ****!") if you or your blood is uninfected with a communicable disease(common cold!) you can donate your blood and believe me people who need blood do not give a flying fig where it came from! we are all the same species, your blood will...

Rob, you do not "brew" wine, it is fermented, if you are "not arsed about it" don't bother, using a gallon of supermarket grape juice you are not going to get any of your suggested wine types as they will be mostly dessert grape juice, add all the oak chips you like it will be **** but the chips...

I've gone for stout for obvious reasons, may I suggest molasses instead of treacle, it will give a greater depth and more residual sweetness. ;)

Bob, I'm not a major beer/ale maker, conditioning in the cask? I think you need to tip the lot into a bucket, get it warm and aerate, if needed add some working ale yeast and a little dextrose/maltose to get it going and bottle pronto, keep it warm for two to three weeks before storing cool to...

I'm not performing surgery! a rinse with sulphite solution is quite sufficient for previously sterilised bottles for wine or beer. ;)

I love my Parker Ballpen, it writes smoothly and feels right when writing up my winemaking notes, it's a commemorative presentation job, "Hutton TLP 13 July 1984 - 1994" from back when I worked offshore with Conoco.... ;)

PTP, just a thought, if you're going to get 7.5% and it will be pale add some black treacle for colour and depth and aim for a winter ale...... just thinking aloud like.. ;)

Fizz Head, I would never chill Ale(may have wrong end of stick) but you are essentially right about CO2 dissolving in a cool liquid and leaving it in warmth, you got vapour so it is clearly under pressure and you just opened one too soon, give it time to condition. ;)

As already mentioned the scum is normal and will sink in time, personally I prefer my fruit loose so it can be mixed back in along with the scum to keep all the fruit parts in the liquid, straining through first a coarse mesh bag followed by the fine bag before transfer to DJs or fermenter under...

Sulphite Stunty m'dear, give it a good mixing or let it mature a bit more, ;) Personally, I are 'ave 'ad 4 glasses of deep pink juice wine waiting for a blinkin' "scandisc" programme to finish working only to inform me that there was feck all problem in the first place but I have noticed that...

Brian, have a look at this thread... it may help ;) http://www.homewinemaking.co.uk/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1382272196

Speaking of "the wife" I don't post pictures but as I went up the stairs we spoke and from my slightly elevated position she looked wonderful, looking up at me, a slightly slimmer version of the wonderful Irish redhead I captured 32 years ago.... :hat: ;)