Recent content by Schnapps In Derby

So... my first batch is in the demijohns now - three gallons of it :D and 2 x 9lb of fruit in the freezer! I decided to put the whole lot through a muslin when racking to try for less sediment. Real pain in the **** as I had to keep stopping and rinsing the muslin out. I think I'll use the...

Hello Shey. Yes it is a good one. I made three batches with damson I'd frozen - an immediate Sept batch, a January and an April. Tided me right through the year. I have a dozen left and am watching the damson trees now - one more week I reckon. The particular yeast can survive up to 20% and I...

Hi Slawek. Just finished drinking my first batch - it just got better and better! I think it managed to last for a month or so. Second batch has ben bottled a week now - cleared nicely but I couldn't leave it alone either. Its good - no tang at all, but in comparison to the others which had...

Thanks Frog. Bottled yesterday as I won't have time next weekend - people coming to stay. It tasted pretty good when siphoning, and had some strength to it. Good colour - light golden and smells good too. I don't remember my last brew being this cloudy although it seems to be clearing ok...

Got my second brew in the FV - was planning to bottle tomorrow, but some of the recentposts have me wondering.... what's the gain in leaving it longer in the FV? The last cerveza was only in 7 days and was absolutely spot on.

Thanks for the responses all. Almost three weeks in the bottle now - it is improving but its hard to tell as I keep drinking it! It was fizzy, light and clean from the word go but the flavour is deepening nicely. Nohome brew tang at all - tasting just like a cerveza and even quite close to a...

Thought I'd share the success I've had with damson port - I couldn't work out how some of the brews earlier in this thread turned out like dishwater. We had a glut of damsons in our hedge last Autumn - I froze 17 lbs and used the remaining 9lbs to get a brew on. Searching the web I came across...

We had a glut of damsons in our hedge last Autumn - I froze 17 lbs and used the remaining 9lbs to get a brew on. Searching the web I came across a very simple recipe, which produced a fantastic port at the first attempt. Try this: 9lb damsons, 1lb blackberries for colour and tannin, 9lb...

Wilko's cerveza - I'm new to brewing and have so far tried a Cooper's Australian and A Simply Lager - both were absolutely rank, which has probably been due to using ordinary sugar or not watching the temp. I like a light lager so thought I'd try the cerveza. I followed the advice on here - half...

Hi all. Ive had some great success with the fiery ginger beer from this forum (very powerful stuff) so Im branching out. My Youngs cider is fantastic but Im very unsure about my Coopers Aussie lager, just bottled. I like my Fosters and Carlings - light, fizzy, p**sy rubbish. The coopers is...

Hi all, an update for those interested or doing their own brew. My batch 2.1 has been bottled for a week with 55tsp of canderl and 50 tsp of sugar added to 2.5 gallons. As expected, it needs further sweetening as some of the sugar has fermented - good carbonation though. batch 2.2 has had a...

Hi Alan, 2.5 kg of sugar at the start as in the recipe. I think I'll see how batch 2.2 tastes after a week maturing with the canderel, then maybe add a non sugar cordial or concentrate. The champagne yeast definitely seems to have produced a more mellow flavour - the ordinary brewers yeast in...

hello Alan, thanks for responding. The Canderel and sugar seems to be helping the flavour, although 100 tsp seems a hell of a lot - thats 100 for each 2.5 gallon bucket. However, I'm going to take your advice and leave 1 bucket to mature a while with the canderel in now. maybe I'll add some...

Hmmm.... Hi all. Just bottling batch 2.0 now. Got it in two buckets of 2.5 gal each. I have to admit Im a bit disappointed - its flat (although I've been releasing gas daily from the lid) and as bitter as ****. just added 55 tsp of canderel and 45 tsp of sugar to get anywhere near a decent...

Hello Alan. Im bottling my batch 2.0 tomorrow - it'll have had 3 weeks in the bucket and fermentation is grinding to a halt now. Peeling the ginger and using champagne yeast seems to have given a less harsh flavour. I also spotted someone saying to add honey, so added half a jar. I strained...