Recent content by RockySpears

I was in lunchtime today and there are bags of grains, hops and Crystal, whatever that is, RS

I have used B1 from day 1, sorry. How can Blackberries not have enough nutrient in them anyway? Could it be too acidic? But why does fermentation start? And the same Blackberry forage was used as a cider base and ferments straight out, God knows, RS

I have a home made one like that with spikes in a barrel, but it is painful to use, even small crab apples need persuasion to pulp up. I have 10s of Kg and more waiting, so I may have to take the plunge and get one that can cope with whole apples, I do not have time to cut up each apple. I...

Try the juice on its own: Whizz up a few apples in the blender (or juicer) and strain the pulp. The juice wants to be sharp, but NOT like eating a lemon. Sadly the only way to try it is to make it and see. Maybe just do 1gallon ferments with different mixes, but keep good notes. If the...

Hi, Signed up to help with some one needing a North East Brew shop. I just visited this lunch time and can say It does grains and hops and things. I am a wine and cider person, first started 5 years ago with a bucket, a dozen old oranges and bakers yeast. Turned out good enough for me to...

I have found a mix of crab apples and X, where x is anything, works for me. I like my cider still and dry, and clear cider always has more appeal with friends. I never "fizz-up" my cider, but I will stabilise and add a little sugar for my Southern/younger family members. The land our estate...

Using the calculator I leave the Belarussians in the starting blocks and they are the heaviest in the EU, don't believe the numbers for a second. I will have a bottle of red most every night, 2 on Sat. and Sun. 1/2 a Prosecco on Friday with the wife. If whisky is in the house that will go over...

I have apples falling all around me this year, if I had a huge spare freezer I could fill it many times over. Everything is ripe early this year, from the Blackberries to the Sloes, yes, Sloes, not normally ready 'til end Oct beginning Nov. but there hoards of them on the bushes here in the...

I have one of those, works fine, but to save a bit of effort, load it up and then bang the pulp down with a 2lb club hammer and a clean block, just to start the compaction and re-fill it before using the screw press. I an looking for a scratter this year too, normally use a piece of 4x4 and a...

I generally use this place in Middlesbrough, in North Ormesby. https://www.yell.com/biz/allans-home-brew-corner-middlesbrough-1012009/ Don't know about grains etc as I am a wine/cider guy, not brews. Been there forever, and, although she can talk the hind legs off a donkey, the lady in there...