Hello! New to all of this!

[Pickle]

Hi, My name is Chloe and I've just come across this site. My husband and I quite like the idea of having a go at home brewing as we have a grapevine in our garden planted by the previous owners plus a couple of plum trees and raspberries galore! My question is where do we start?!?!?!

 

[jonboymentalhealth]

welcome.
Your in the right place to start if you search throught the forums there is lots of advice and recipes available and if you can't find what your looking for ask away.

Firstly you'll need some basic equipment like plastic buckets demi johns etc maybe a visit to your local home brew shop would help or there are also many online shops.
Hope this helps. :

 

[morepunk]

Welcome to the forum! You seem very eager to kick off with some home brewing which is great news. Can I suggest you head over to this new 'How-To' Guide for an insight: http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=10179

I know that this guide is for making wine from supermarket juice, but that's the best place to start I think! Also, fire away with any questions you have. Someone here will be able to help!

 

[Dunfie]

Welcome to the forum Pickle. :

 

Welcome to the Forum Chloe.
I'll be making wine from my grapes next month!

 

[Pickle]

Thanks everyone for your welcomes
I've had a read of the Worzel's Orange Wine thread and we're going to give that one a go. We've got some of the basic equipment needed having a bought a starter kit plus we bought things like pectic enzyme, yeast and yeast nutrient. I've got all the ingredients we need too I've just got to wait until Sunday when my hubbie is back home!

*Stupid question alert* How do you know when grapes are ripe? Do you just go by taste or is there another way of telling?
Also, is there a list of abbreviations anywhere? I know most forum abbreviationsbut i'm stuck on the ones specific to home brewing.

Thanks again for your help

Chloe

 

[Cussword]

Welcome Chloe :

 

[Tony]

Nice to meet you pickle!
:

 

[31bb3]

welcome to the forum chloe :

 

How do you know when grapes are ripe? Do you just go by taste or is there another way of telling?

When they are soft, squashy and have a good bloom.
Normally around the end of October.
Or use a refractometer, but they're expensive.

 

[morepunk]

At the top left of the page there are buttons for 'links', 'FAQ' etc. There's also a button for Glossary which should contain the acronyms you're looking for!

 

[Pickle]

Thank you