Is there a special forum place for brewing 'orrible stuff in bottles...

[Appleyard]

...or is here OK?

I am brewing 'orrible stuff in PET 2l cider bottles. Anyone else doing this? I am attaching a picture of some bottles of the 'orrible stuff. I have some bottled, and a few on the range keeping warm and fermenting (or carbonating).

The latest is stronger than usual, 'cos I am fed up with astringently-dry product); 18oz of sugar in some water, with half a tsp of Wilko nutrient and 4 tsps of Aldi ground ginger, with some material from another 'orrible tipped in to supply yeast (re-used several times Wilko Gervin Universal). I'm hoping it will not ferment out bone dry, if it does I have left space for more sugar (and more fermentation, repeat as needed).

I've also got some washed apple pulp mix (that is from the stuff that's left after pressing, broken up and mixed with water before re-pressing), carbonating. Hm, OG 1023 from that lot, plus 7oz sugar per 2l).

The process is "basic", and requires hardly any equipment. For the ferment, the lids are screwed on, then backed off 1/3 of a turn, and
covered with kitchen paper retained with a rubber band. I don't particularly bother with sterilising for the ferment, although when I bottle (into more 2l bottles, using a funnel (also try to pour the C)2 into the new bottle through the funnel), and trying to stop most of the sediment transferring) I rinse the funnel, bottles and tops with campden tablet solution from a measuring jug.

 

[Bobtheblob]

There's a prison hooch sub on Reddit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/prisonhooch/

 

[Appleyard]

Um. While I mentioned "prison hooch" in my first post, I'm trying to get something reliably drinkable that tastes OK with the most basic of techniques. Black treacle does not do it for me, I tried it. After that, I dare not try fermenting orangesquash. Non-alcoholic Lidl "punch" that's gone all funny-looking 'cos it's years out of date fermented well with some sugar in it and was quite decent! Rudimentary nettle beer ditto. I am not sure about the ginger (yet). My 1958 copy of "Home Made Wines, Syrups and Cordials" (National Federation of Women's Institutes, 3/6d) may have some ideas.

 

[terrym]

The good thing about this forum is that there is a diverse cross section of people making/brewing alcoholic drinks of some sort. At one end (and with due respect to the OP) there is the creation of ''orrible stuff', and at the other end we have beer brewers with fully and very expensively equipped brewhouses some created with much ingenuity and with a high level of personal craftsmanship, who measure, control and record fermentation temperatures amongst other stuff and who produce charts of their exploits with much pride on here, who have contraptions for measuring SG rather than just a simple hydrometer, have expensively assembled bulk storage facilities, who design their own bottle labels, and who enter competitions. And the rest of us who sit in between.

 

[jof]

And sometimes 'orible stuff is just fun to experiment with when there is a spare demijohn or two knocking around :)

 

[Appleyard]

That too apart and in addition to whatever anyone else says. I am going for 2l bottle quantity, though, I've got 10 DJs worth of apple wine plipping away and looking at me right now. Got some more DJs, unsure what to put in them. I have noticed a few apple trees "roadside" with apples but no leaves, but when I last got some (25l of juice!) they were going "sad". Ho hum.

Not sure what will happen to the new ginger (to recap: 18oz sugar, 4 tsp ginger, nutrient, citric acid, yeast). I am sure it will be quite strong, but I want sweetish too (with the fiery ginger). I've only made one bottle. My fermented-out ginger "'orrible" is OK but could do with carbonation. It might improve with keeping a month or two.

I want "easy" as well as "drinkable. Raving looney alcohol is acceptable, but only if it's drinkable (with discretion!).

En ce moment I are do be simply tipping out previous efforts, into clean bottles, possibly with sugar for carbonation, keeping some sludgy stuff, rinsing out the bottles, and filling them up again with something else and adding some of the sludge from last time. It's probably too late for rosehips. Something else. Dunno what. "Naturel".

The thing is "easy" and "quick" and "as little equipment as possible". I want to use a funnel rather than f4rt about siphoning, I'd rather do as little sterilising as possible. The mix can sit on some old pallet boards on top of the range, which will be fired until (hopefully) the end of April, about, so ferments really fast.

 

[Jim Brewster]

What is 'oribble stuff? Never heard of it. What about cheap shop bought juice without preservatives?
Ginger beer is simple though and can be a very nice drink although I'm not sure I'd want it for a drinking session.

I do beer a similar way to that, ferment in a 5L Tesco Ashbeck bottle with the lid just barely cracked so there's the slightest positive pressure during fermentation and when fermentation has almost stopped I tighten the cap to build up a bit of extra CO2 volume prior to cold crashing so I can keep air out. The Ashbeck water gets used 50/50 with tap water to get the minerals to roughly the right place to compensate for the very hard Anglia tap water. After a week I bottle into 2x 2L PETs that were formerly fizzy water or lemonade bottles using food grade silicone siphon tube, no auto siphon, no bottling wand, so less stuff to sanitise. I don't bother using my hydrometer to take OG or FG readings, all I use is a thermometer for the mash, a muslin for Brew in a Bag, and scales. I re-pitch onto the yeast but only once.

This makes pretty good beer with a lot less hassle than when I first started using the standard equipment. I suppose its corner-cutting in a way but on the other hand it's streamlining the process, so the cost/benefit is worth it to me, for now. Less stuff to get OCD about sanitizing and needing 3 hands to hold everything when bottling and PVC siphon pipes that have a mind of their own. Since I changed to this method it's been stress free and the beer is good.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you want to make something similar to wine have a look at this. Supermarket Juice Wine How To guide and Recipes.

 

[Appleyard]

What is 'oribble stuff? Never heard of it. What about cheap shop bought juice without preservatives?
Ginger beer is simple though and can be a very nice drink although I'm not sure I'd want it for a drinking session.

I do beer a similar way to that, ferment in a 5L Tesco Ashbeck bottle with the lid just barely cracked so there's the slightest positive pressure during fermentation and when fermentation has almost stopped I tighten the cap to build up a bit of extra CO2 volume prior to cold crashing so I can keep air out. The Ashbeck water gets used 50/50 with tap water to get the minerals to roughly the right place to compensate for the very hard Anglia tap water. After a week I bottle into 2x 2L PETs that were formerly fizzy water or lemonade bottles using food grade silicone siphon tube, no auto siphon, no bottling wand, so less stuff to sanitise. I don't bother using my hydrometer to take OG or FG readings, all I use is a thermometer for the mash, a muslin for Brew in a Bag, and scales. I re-pitch onto the yeast but only once.

This makes pretty good beer with a lot less hassle than when I first started using the standard equipment. I suppose its corner-cutting in a way but on the other hand it's streamlining the process, so the cost/benefit is worth it to me, for now. Less stuff to get OCD about sanitizing and needing 3 hands to hold everything when bottling and PVC siphon pipes that have a mind of their own. Since I changed to this method it's been stress free and the beer is good.

'Orrible stuff is my name for what I make in 2L PET bottles, as simnply as possible. It's not all 'orrible 'orrible, some of it is nicely 'orrible. Black treacle, orange squash, are certrainly in the former group though!

My problem with ginger beer is that it comes out more like an alcoholi version of "ginger ale", the mixer, which I am not keen on; I was hoping for an aalcoholic version of home-made "soft" ginger beer, but it gets too dry.

Wow! £1.1 for a 5-litre bottle, with free water!!! I bet I could not buy one empty for that!

Corner-cutting for very small production is good. I've got 75l of garden apple cider to bottle up, 2l PET bottles probably, maybe some glass 500ml too but fuss. I've also got 10 DJs of apple wine that I hope will be good, and it will be in wine bottles, corked and labelled nicely.

Next year I hope to press more juice, but I will have to put out a local appeal for apples!

 

[Patrick_Newing]

To get away from ginger ale and closer to ginger beer you can put more ginger in. Simmered from grated root ginger is good. It varies in strength though so difficult to give set amount. I put 1kg into 20 litres with 25g ginger powder.

For sweetness can add something that won’t ferment, like artificial sweetener. I read 1g/litre of Splenda but have never tried it.

 

[brabourn]

I knocked up 20 ltr of still cider from pressing in Sept. Fermented it right down then added 1/2 a tub of Stevia from Aldi. Turned out medium sweet at 7.4% but too drinkable so shot some malic acid in to give it a warning twang. Perfect.

 

[dad_of_jon]

...or is here OK?

I am brewing 'orrible stuff in PET 2l cider bottles. Anyone else doing this? I am attaching a picture of some bottles of the 'orrible stuff. I have some bottled, and a few on the range keeping warm and fermenting (or carbonating).

The latest is stronger than usual, 'cos I am fed up with astringently-dry product); 18oz of sugar in some water, with half a tsp of Wilko nutrient and 4 tsps of Aldi ground ginger, with some material from another 'orrible tipped in to supply yeast (re-used several times Wilko Gervin Universal). I'm hoping it will not ferment out bone dry, if it does I have left space for more sugar (and more fermentation, repeat as needed).

I've also got some washed apple pulp mix (that is from the stuff that's left after pressing, broken up and mixed with water before re-pressing), carbonating. Hm, OG 1023 from that lot, plus 7oz sugar per 2l).

The process is "basic", and requires hardly any equipment. For the ferment, the lids are screwed on, then backed off 1/3 of a turn, and
covered with kitchen paper retained with a rubber band. I don't particularly bother with sterilising for the ferment, although when I bottle (into more 2l bottles, using a funnel (also try to pour the C)2 into the new bottle through the funnel), and trying to stop most of the sediment transferring) I rinse the funnel, bottles and tops with campden tablet solution from a measuring jug.

If you are attempting to brew a Fosters 'lager' clone - we don't want you on this forum.

 

[Taff]

I like your style Appleyard!!

 

[Nicks90]

Just done a version of the 'orrible stuff myself
Let's see just how horrible it really is

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Someone once made tomato wine now that looked orrible.

 

[johncrobinson]

All this talk of ginger beers and wines.
Reminds me a few years ago i used to make a very strong and unusually for me sweet ginger wine for mixing with whisky (whisky mac)

It was a delicious but lethal absolutely lethal combination (16%+40%abv) As i drank it as a "long drink".

Had to give it up.!!!.

 

[Appleyard]

I have discovered that 'orrible ginger, not too bad on its own, combined with Tesco Crofter's (?) Cider, one of the better ones at it's price point, is an improvement on both! After a hard day splitting firewood and chainsawing, then dinner with some of this slosh, I am triping this in bed, with one eye shut, soon to have both eyes shut. Lovely. More tomorrow. I ought to bottle up my garden cider, since I have collected enough empties. Mañana.

 

[Mikes1992]

All this talk of ginger beers and wines.
Reminds me a few years ago i used to make a very strong and unusually for me sweet ginger wine for mixing with whisky (whisky mac)

It was a delicious but lethal absolutely lethal combination (16%+40%abv) As i drank it as a "long drink".

Had to give it up.!!!.

I'm not sure if you've tried it but I like to infuse sugar wine with ginger and add a little extra sugar, the shelf life isn't amazing on it but it tastes pretty good mixed with Rum