easy, alcoholic and tastes good?

[den_the_cat]

we're never tried homebrew, have no equipment, not huge amounts of space and after august won't have a veg patch so we'll have to either dig stuff out of the freezer (rocket wine?) or buy ingredients.

What's the easiest and best thing to start brewing this autumn?

Oh and I'd rather it wasnt't likely to explode, if at all possible :)

[Andy Hamilton]

there are plenty of kits out there if you want an easier start into it.

also it all depends on what you like, how much you are willing to spend and how much time you want to wait.

[den_the_cat]

almost anything, as little as possible, and quick enough we don't get discouraged and give up :)

nettle beer looks easy - any wine recommendations that're fairly quick?

[Luath]

Wines from tinned fruit are quite drinkable in a matter of a few months, but not terribly self-sufficient-ish though. Good fun, cheap, easy and fairly reliable though. Also from fruit juices, and I believe Ribena, but I've never made that one.
There are lots that you can make from store cupboard staples - rice wine, potato wine, tea wine, herbal tea bag wines, coffee wine, etc. The herb tea bag ones are nice, and don' take long to get to the drinkable stage.

[chadspad]

Hi Luath,

I like the sound of the coffee wine - how does one go about making that please?

[Luath]

Here you go:

4tbsp instant coffee
1 gallon boiling water
2 1/2 lbs sugar
yeast

Dissolve the coffee in the water in a fermenting vessel, add sugar and stir to dissolve. Cool to blood heat, then add activated yeast. Cover closely, leave in warm place 4 days or so, then transfer to demi-john and ferment out. Improves with age, keep a bout a year before trying. Can turn out quite strong.
Suggest organic Fair Trade coffee used.

Cheap and easy, like myself

[Shirley]

That sounds very easy indeed - I hate coffee though - does it actually taste of coffee when it's finished???

[chadspad]

Sounds fab!! Will definitely try that one. What does activate the yeast mean? I have some super strength stuff in a pot that I just add a teaspoon full to each gallon - is that OK?
Cheers

[Cheezy]

What you want are country wines, things you can pick for free in the hedge rows or fields eg

Dandilion wine
Blackberry wine
Sloe wine
Rosehip wine
Elderberry wine
Damson/Plum wine
Blueberry wine
crab apple wine

[Luath]

I make a lot of those too, but the coffee comes in handy when fresh stuff is thin on the ground or on the trees

It tastes a bit like Tia Maria when it's well aged, very pleasant, but strong.

I activate my yeast by putting lukewarm water in a jug with a tsp sugar then adding a level tablespoon of granulated yeast per gallon. Leave in a warm place until frothed up, then add to your bucket, stir well and cover. This way, you can be sure the yeast is working well when it goes into the bucket.
I don't use brewing yeast, just the baking type yeast. I've heard all the arguments against it, but it's what I've always used and will continue to use, with good results.
As the saying goes - works for me.

Hope this helps.

[chadspad]

Yes that does help - thanks very much. I love Tia Maria so hoping mine turns out like that, I will be well chuffed!
Thanks again

[den_the_cat]

thanks Cheezy I'm going to have a huge glut of cooking apples and it hadn't even crossed my mind to turn them into alcohol (duh!).

The coffee wine sounds good too and just inspired me to go hunt down some liqueur recipes. Now I just need to get some equipment....

[chadspad]

Hi there Den the Cat,

If u have or manage to find any liqueur recipes I would be very interested! I have done previous searches on the net but seem to always come up with vodka based liqueurs were u only need add some flavouring - this is why I eventually went with the Prohibition Kits cos I didnt know how to go about making my own.
Cheers Wendy

[den_the_cat]

its distilled grain/sugars and I think its quite easy in principal but decent vodka is distilled a few times and I think I'd rather just get some from the supermarket and add the flavourings myself :)

[shiney]

The best and only rocket fuel I have made so far is using a bottle of cheap brandy, some sugar and a load of my cherries from our tree. You don't need much to drink, it's delicious but blows your head off!

You have to be patient tho as it needs to 'ackle' for a year.