Bill W
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2021
- Messages
- 104
- Reaction score
- 65
Hello everyone, from Alderney in the Channel Islands.
I'm about to start making wine, beers and cider after an absence from the hobby of well over thirty years.
Obviously, a few things have changed over that time, though the basics remain the same. From what I've read, the biggest changes have happened in the beer department and I'm beginning to get my head around a whole new vocabulary.
As my old gear was given away many years ago, I'm starting from scratch and have bought a basic starter equipment kit of 2 x 33litre buckets, hydrometer, siphon etc. I'm still wrestling with the decision on beer storage. I don't particularly fancy the faff of bottling beer but pressure barrels bring their own problems, not least of which is the total lack of availability of co2 bulbs, s30 cylinders and sodastream cylinders on the island and the fact that it seems impossible to get them sent by courier/post. Enough about that here. I'll post separately about that.
Thankfully, wine-making doesn't seem to have become more complex, and I've been given 4 demijohns by a neighbour. I'll be pressing those into service very soon, probably a rhubarb wine, a mint wine and gallon of turbo cider as a practice run for when the apples come into season. Family and friends have been instructed to keep wine bottles, so I'm all set for the off.
Looking forward to picking up some tips and recipes, re-learning the art and science, and enjoying some home-brewed tipples.
I'm about to start making wine, beers and cider after an absence from the hobby of well over thirty years.
Obviously, a few things have changed over that time, though the basics remain the same. From what I've read, the biggest changes have happened in the beer department and I'm beginning to get my head around a whole new vocabulary.
As my old gear was given away many years ago, I'm starting from scratch and have bought a basic starter equipment kit of 2 x 33litre buckets, hydrometer, siphon etc. I'm still wrestling with the decision on beer storage. I don't particularly fancy the faff of bottling beer but pressure barrels bring their own problems, not least of which is the total lack of availability of co2 bulbs, s30 cylinders and sodastream cylinders on the island and the fact that it seems impossible to get them sent by courier/post. Enough about that here. I'll post separately about that.
Thankfully, wine-making doesn't seem to have become more complex, and I've been given 4 demijohns by a neighbour. I'll be pressing those into service very soon, probably a rhubarb wine, a mint wine and gallon of turbo cider as a practice run for when the apples come into season. Family and friends have been instructed to keep wine bottles, so I'm all set for the off.
Looking forward to picking up some tips and recipes, re-learning the art and science, and enjoying some home-brewed tipples.
