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akdunbar

akdunbar

New Member
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Joined
Nov 10, 2024
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Scotland
Hi there...

I'm returning to home brewing after about ten years away.

Whilst I can be as analytical as the rest - BSc in Chemistry albeit thirty years ago... - I am very much a FiaS* type of brewer.

I have a number of wee, cheap, projects on the go at the moment:

* 5L GInger Beer using a plant I'd been feeding over the summer but not using, 1kg of sugar converted into invert with some citric and fermenting with a wine yeast.

* A 5L Turbo Cider using Tesco Apple Juice and wine yeast

* 1L Mason jar with Cider from apple tree (I messed up the prep of the apples hence only got about 1.5L of juice..

* 5L of an IPAish recipe I first made about 10 years ago with Chinook hops, that I call CH-47 (yes, I know, it's a terrible pun of a name)

* A Coopers lager kit that I'm thinking of dry hopping with some chinook


All the 5L batches are fermenting away in cheap Tesco 5L water bottles that I've drilled holes into the lid, added spigots and airlocks.


I'm hoping to make some more small batches over the coming weeks, before I succumb to buying some better equipment - it's kind of amazing how much stuffs available even compared to 10 years ago...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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Week off work so perfect day for bottling...

Ginger beer at the moment which, if I've calculated properly, is about 10%. Nice kick from the cayenne tincture I added to it.

Only nine bottles, but it's rekindled my hatred of capping - I always fear the bottle is going to slip out from underneath, even using a tea towel to try to steady it. Think I might try to jerry rig some sort of holder before I tackle to lager, else get a load of sparkling water from Tesco and just use them instead...
 
akdunbar said:
Week off work so perfect day for bottling...

Ginger beer at the moment which, if I've calculated properly, is about 10%. Nice kick from the cayenne tincture I added to it.

Only nine bottles, but it's rekindled my hatred of capping - I always fear the bottle is going to slip out from underneath, even using a tea towel to try to steady it. Think I might try to jerry rig some sort of holder before I tackle to lager, else get a load of sparkling water from Tesco and just use them instead...
Click to expand...

I also had a hatred of capping.
1st the Hand Capper with Mallet
Then to 2 lever capper. Eats the top of Glass Bottles... and they can slip.
But I bit the bullet and got a stand capper- Fasted Bottling if everything ready to go.
Also have a boots barrel with gas and PET Bottles for emergency (Bit slower than capper)

For a planned Bottling day - Stand Caper. 660ml or 330ml over 5.5%, 500ml below.
Session brew - Barrel. I equate to 1 pint 330ml / 500ml by units. 2 pints 660ml.

I just spent yesterday afternoon bottling. Had a pint of Wherry on Sunday. Barrel went flat on 2nd and whistled during injecting gas so there was a leak.

This is where emergency PET Bottles come in. Easy to Stash away - a spay with sanitiser, add some sugar (bottling bucket) to re-carbonate and job was done. Just didn't have time to wash all the 500ml glass bottles and stand at sink is byre given temp outside.

Being session Ale, will be able to stash away for next emergency before christmas

Still go to fix seal in barrel :(
 
Last edited:
Frisp said:
Aye just a wee bit.
Click to expand...
Welcome.
My browser fell off the forum during a cookie incident.

To me you are both Local. Big shop either Glasgow or Dumfries. Sorry Ayr, but once you've driven over the forest road it is so easy to by-pass.

A wee coffee at Kirkmichael works. Couple times Straiton road has been closed so the Tourist route via Barr turn-off has been called for. You don't want to meet anything on that road!

On my longer "family" trips, route planner gives both as options getting to Aberdeenshire, with just 10mins difference. 6.5 Hrs mind.

Seems my local Click and Collect options are Belfast and Isle of Man for some reason and my local Delivery point for Royal Mail is Carlisle. (handed to local delivery agent message)
 

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