Author |
Topic |
|
Doc
Keeper of the Scrolls
2010 Posts
|
|
Posted -
11/09/2005
:
15:15
|
With the Christmas season rapidly approaching I fancy trying my hand at Home Brewing by doing a barrel of lager and a barrel of bitter.
When I moved into our house there were three big white plastic barrels up in the loft which I presume were for brewing ales. So far as the kit is concerned I'm nearly there, what I want to know is there anyone out there who has brewed at home before and what tips if any you can offer, techniques, types of brews whatever you recommend etc.
Plus is there anywhere locally who sells the brewing kits
TTFN - Doc
Due to the current economic climate, the light at the end of the tunnel has now been switched off. Click here to make a donation and help support this site and keep it advert free
|
|
Replies |
Author |
|
|
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 11/12/2006 : 17:34
Home brewing is of course one of the oldest house skills of all. If you have a look at 'Calendar of Lancashire Documents' you'll see that a major part of the miller's trade was selling packs of malt to households. Brewing ale was as common as bread-making because one thing was certain, the beer was safer than the water because it had been boiled. Look at Bracewell Story as well, the one in Barrowford owned the Maltings there which seemed to be very successful parhaps because the land around Barrowford was wellsuited to growing barley. There was a brewery there as well. Over to you BJ!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
djfbug
Regular Member
90 Posts
|
|
Posted - 11/12/2006 : 19:54
Mel -Water of Life is certainly an acquired taste - if you can actually ever taste anything after a shot of the stuff. It always amazes me how many French people brew their own and each has their own method. The only common factor is that you dont usually want more than one at a time.
|
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 06:24
[Wikepedia on USQUEBAUGH.]
WORD HISTORY Many connoisseurs of fine whiskey wouldn't dream of contaminating their libations with water, but they really can't avoid it. Not only is water used in distilling whiskey, but the words whiskey and water share a common Indo-European root, *wed–, “water, wet.” This root could appear in several guises, as *wed–, *wod–, or *ud–. Water is a native English word that goes back by way of prehistoric Common Germanic *watar to the Indo-European suffixed form *wod-ōr, with an o. Whiskey is a shortened form of usquebaugh, which English borrowed from Irish Gaelic uisce beatha and Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha. This compound descends from Old Irish uisce, “water,” and bethad, “of life,” and meaning literally “water of life.” (It thus meant the same thing as the name of another drink, aquavit, which comes from Latin aqua vītae, “water of life.”) Uisce comes from the Indo-European suffixed form *ud-skio–. Finally, the name of another alcoholic drink, vodka, comes into English from Russian, where it means literally “little water,” as it is a diminutive of voda, “water”—a euphemism if ever there was one. Voda comes from the same Indo-European form as English water, but is differently suffixed: *wod-ā. Whiskey, water, and vodka—etymology can mix a potent cocktail.
What they haven't pointed out is that it's Scotch 'whisky' and everyone else, Irish included calls it 'whiskey'. Have a look at the label on Bushmills..... The home distilled version has different names. In the US it's White Lighning', in Scotland it's often called 'black pot' after the peat smoked iron kettle used to boil the mash. The Barlick version from Coates in the old days came in Lanry Bottles with the original label on!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
melteaser
|
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 07:32
I remember the first time I tried Eau de vie. Short story is - Imindoors dad challenged me that I couldn't drink it, didn't know what it was at the time but wouldn't be outdone. I drank it but boy was I hot after, and hoarse, and thirsty! The only way I like it now is poured over sorbet
Mel
http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk |
moh
|
Posted - 12/12/2006 : 11:46
We once made sloe gin fron sloes picked at Arnside - after about a year it was not too bad but not really goo either. We had a party and hubby made a puch putting in the sloe gin - that party really went with a swing (did tell people so that no one thought they were safe to drive). Also made some damson wine once - the clothes in the airing cupboard went a lovely purple shade after the explosion!!
Say only a little but say it well |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 13/12/2006 : 06:00
Most white lightning is improved by adding a drop of water. The big problem with it is it's too strong and too young. All spirits, no matter how good, start their lives as white lightning.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
gus
|
Posted - 13/12/2006 : 09:49
Doc,there is great satisfaction by brewing your own beer, wine etc, apart from the massive savings, you can alter the taste to suit your pallet, this takes time of course, my downfall was impatience, about thirtyfive years ago i brewed some lager, the home brewing lark was just in it`s infancy as far as buying kit was concerned, so making do was the order of the day,as Stanley says previously cleanliness, hygene, is the thing, anyway to get back to my story, i had this lager on the go for about a fortnight in a large plastic container to which i kept adding some sugar, the barrel was expanding with the pressure building up inside, i knew this would help give the lager a bit of life... i was on shift work at the time and came home on a friday at 11 pm. i was gagging for a pint so i decided to road test my home brew!!! i then went to bed, i remember waking up with an overwhelming need for a pee i realy did not have so much to drink as i can remember, but i know it was super stuff, and the next thing i remember was Mary, my wife, shaking my shoulder to waken me up, to my horror and lasting embarrassment, i was sat on my sons training potty asleep, can you begin to imagine how i must have looked, thank god there were no digital cameras in those days, so just a word of caution Doc tread your grapes very carefully....
Gus
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angusbrennan/ |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 13/12/2006 : 10:22
Great stuff Gus! I think we all have sories like that. I once had to deliver a trailer back to a farmer in Warwickshire in 1953 and as it was a hot day the farmer's wife gave me a big glass of delicious cordial. I woke up three hours later with the worst headache anyone has ever had ever!! It was Elderberry wine...... My first introduction to home made wine and I never forgot it.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
gus
|
Posted - 13/12/2006 : 13:22
marvelous Stanley, where did you waken up by the way??
Gus
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angusbrennan/ |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 13/12/2006 : 15:55
On a grass verge about half way home. By the way, I was driving a David Brown tractor at the time. My dad always said that there is a providence that looks after drunken men and idiots.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
gus
|
Posted - 13/12/2006 : 17:40
couldn`t we all tell some tales of the same providence
Gus
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angusbrennan/ |
Flutterby
|
Posted - 13/12/2006 : 18:44
My grandfather who was a Burnley policeman, made some wine and the vicar came round and had3 three glasses , he fell asleep in the chair and woke up 24hrs later! |
gus
|
Posted - 14/12/2006 : 02:40
unholy wine no doubt
Gus
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angusbrennan/ |
mporter
|
Posted - 14/12/2006 : 04:26
Dad, I can remember you making Sloe Gin.......maybe that is why I didnt drink alcohol for years and years.........hic hic
Margaret Porter |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 14/12/2006 : 08:25
I hadn't made it Mags, it was Gordons but it put you to sleep.
I got mail from Maz this morning: One of our local breweries pumps water from the aquifer to produce it's beer. They also sell the water at an outlet at the brewery for 'home brewers' to use to make their own beer. There is always a line up....day and night...of cars pulling in to buy the water! Proceeds from the sale of the water go to charity.I don't know what is so special about the water, but it is very much in demand. You must bring your own container.
Just thought it may interest someone to see these pics.
Cheers MAZ
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |