Back to brew again

[John Barleycorn]

Many years ago I used to kit brew the odd batch of 40 pints of ale and an occasional gallon of wine.
I decided to begin brewing my own beer again on a small scale and after a search I found these Forums and a thread about All Grain brewing.
I've bottled my first batch of 8 pints and have another on the way. I'm here to report in on my results and to compare notes.
Thanks for reintroducing me to this pleasurable pursuit!!

 

[110ben]

Welcome to the group

 

[EddtheBrew]

How Do John ,
Welcome to the Forum
Cheers
Edd

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum

 

[GerritT]

Many years ago I used to kit brew the odd batch of 40 pints of ale and an occasional gallon of wine.
I decided to begin brewing my own beer again on a small scale and after a search I found these Forums and a thread about All Grain brewing.
I've bottled my first batch of 8 pints and have another on the way. I'm here to report in on my results and to compare notes.
Thanks for reintroducing me to this pleasurable pursuit!!

Welcome! :cheers7:
Any recipes from your earlier days you find worth sharing?

 

[John Barleycorn]

Thanks to all you guys for the welcome

Any recipes from your earlier days you find worth sharing?

Unfortunately, the notebook in which I recorded my experiments has long gone. Beers and ales were unmodified from commercial kits and laid up in a 40 pint barrel.
I have memories of a nasty tasting dandelion flower wine and a wife and neighbours looking at me strangely as I foraged here, there and everywhere for the flower heads.
Another memory, which I am trying to resurrect after an internet search is of a dessert wine, which although flavoursome, of a nice yellow-orange colour and overall very pleasant , was deceptively, you might even say dangerously, strong. I've got some on the go in a demijohn right now. Must just try to remember not to operate any complex machinery or step off any curbs. It just needs time, more time and a little while more, to clear and to mature before bottling.
Also notable was a parsnip wine made when I had a bumper crop in my garden patch one year.
So I'm sorry I can't come up with specific quantities, ingredients, or exact methods.
I found my way here via internet searches. You can discover anything these days if you are sufficiently determined.
I've also got a demijohn of ginger ale on the go and an interesting wine made from supermarket herbal teabags, Strawberry & Forest Fruits and Mango & Strawberry - a sort of Lurid Red wine that is quite flavoursome. On the plus side the Missus likes it, it needs to settle down and clear, now, so I can get it bottled.

 

[GerritT]

Another memory, which I am trying to resurrect after an internet search is of a dessert wine, which although flavoursome, of a nice yellow-orange colour and overall very pleasant , was deceptively, you might even say dangerously, strong. I've got some on the go in a demijohn right now. Must just try to remember not to operate any complex machinery or step off any curbs. It just needs time, more time and a little while more, to clear and to mature before bottling.

That's.. definitely interesting Reminds me of some cider I made last year. A very good backsweetener totally masked the 10%-ish ABV.

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi and welcome to the forum.....

 

[Clint]

Hiya John...that orange coloured stuff is all the rage now....they go mad for it on here...only the masters seem to get it right though....

 

[John Barleycorn]

Hi, Gerryjo, pleased to meet you

Hiya John...that orange coloured stuff is all the rage now....they go mad for it on here...only the masters seem to get it right though...

Hi to you too Clint
Still in the demijohn, having been racked a couple of times, the orange stuff has almost completely cleared now. It tastes very rough and will need months to condition and mature.
Brewed 4th June, OG 1.100 FG 0.960 ABV 18% [Tokay yeast - Gervin GV10]
Time is the improver - I'll maybe bottle it in a couple of months.
After all these years I'm still learning and waiting to meet the master.