Hi there :)

[Captain Stable]

Hi everyone. I've been reading this forum for the past few days.
My dad was an avid home brewer and a few years ago he gave me all his equipment. In that time I made one beer kit (Nelsons Revenge), which was very easy to make, but still quite expensive with postage added on.

I always meant to try my hand at another one, but never really found the time (plus the effort of trying to buy, not having any brew shops nearby).

Now though we've just moved. Wifey was saying "Why are we taking all this stuff you never use?" (I've got 3 beer kegs, 2 FV's, 5 DJ's and a crate of other assorted "things" that I had NO idea what they did!). I said I wanted to take them because maybe I'd start up again.
Then the other day, while escorting her around Wilko's (we now live in a town, rather the back of beyond), I found myself drawn to the homebrew section and an explanation of what some of the things do (and even a name for some of them! How can you search Google for a guide to using a Hydrometer, if you don't know that's what it's called! "Giant thermometer thing" didn't work! )
So, armed with all the expensive equipment already, I carefully and tactfully said "Hmmm. I wouldn't mind trying my hand at.. Oh look! Elderflower wine!" (knowing she likes elderflower wine).
So we came home with a 5 gallon (is it? It brews (or ferments?) in a single DJ..) kit.

I'm on day 1 of it (and seriously hoping I haven't pushed the bung in too far on the DJ, because it's gone flush against the top... (It has an airlock) (Also, as a side note, I like using brackets to clarify things) ), and already thinking of going back to get a red kit to use in a second DJ.

And having stumbled over the guide to WOW, I REALLY want to make one!
I think I'll buy all new ingredients, as I'm guessing they will have expired by now, but the equipment is still fine.

Now, I have a question (Congratulations if you managed to read this far, BTW). Wine Finings.
I'm looking at the Wilko version, which comes as an A and B pack. Is that alright? Is there a different one I can get?

Thanks everyone for making a great - and informative forum. I look forward to grabbing all your hard found information and using it to make undrinkable slop :P


Ps. My name is John.

 

[Moley]

Welcome to the forum :

I'm curious to know how you've got a 5 gallon kit into a single DJ :wha:

Did it say 6 bottle or 30 bottle?

Regarding the wine finings, there are several types available if you are shopping online but your options are limited if you are restricted to Wilkinson's. As you say, theirs is a 2-part finings which comes in sachets, and which will treat up to 5 gallons. This could work out expensive if you were making smaller batches. You could try to split the contents if you were treating 2 or 3 individual gallons at the same time, but it's not really practical to try to use part and store the rest for later.

If shopping online, I would recommend Ritchie's Kwik Clear.

 

[Captain Stable]

I guess it's not a 5 gallon kit.. 6 bottles is the one :)

As for buying online; I'm perfectly happy to for smaller items. It was the cost of postage for the Beer kit that pushed the price up so much.

I shall take a look at what you recommended. Thanks :)

 

[oldbloke]

You may have trouble getting that bung out...
I mostly buy online, generally there's some cut-off on p&p that makes it worth waiting until you need a whole bunch of stuff in one go.

 

[joe1002]

Welcome to the forum :

 

[dennisking]

hi and welcome.

 

[MandiNKel]

Hi & Welcome :)