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I have managed to get beer making equipment through Freecycle and am looking for a recipe for a dark smooth beer, a little creamy and not too bitter. Most of the beer up here in Scotland I find bitter and watery to say the least! I would say the English do brew a better drop of beer!
I mentioned in another post about my sister having loads of apple trees, well I just discovered she also has plums and gooseberries, yippee! At this rate I can see my family spending winter in an alcoholic haze, although I could make preserves I suppose!

I made beer last year for the first time (not from a kit) and I've been experimenting ever since. You could say I got the bug but being irish it's probably more of a thirst than a bug.

My best recipe...
20kg of malted barley (see below on how to do this)
10 sugar beet (or 1 kg sugar if you can't find any beet)
100g dried hops
a good beer yeast (I use TURBO 24 as the beer is ready in 24 hours and about 9% )

Ok, let start making the happy juice.

First malt your barley. Put it in the freezer for 12 hours.

Now the important bit!!

Take a handful of barley and soak in luke warm water (about 25 degrees but no hotter or it will kill the seed). Drain well.

Spread out on paper or plastic on the floor.

Do the same TWO days later with the rest but don't mix with the earlier batch. Stir the grain now and again to let the air circulate.

Now wait until the first batch germinates, ie the tiny root starts to appear.

This indicates that the second batch is almost ready to germinate so it's ready.

Mix everything well then set aside 1 kg. Put this in a hot oven for about 10 minutes to roast.

Now put everything in a big pot with 30L water. Add the crushed beet or the sugar. Bring to boil and simmer for about 4 hours.

Add the hops and continue simmering for another hour.

Strain and allow to cool to 25 degrees.

Mix yeast with a teaspoon of sugar and luke warm water and leave for 1 hour or until it's frothy.

Mix the yeast and liquid and I like to add a pint of honey now but it's not necessary.

leave in a fermenting bin until it stops bubbling and enjoy!!


Hope this helps!!

Thanks Irish! Will have a go at this once I have finished with the Elderflower, Gooseberry and Banana wine. Plus I have a pile of gooseberry chutney cooling waiting to be put into jars

Hay331,
Did u get round to making the banana wine and was it any good? Thanks Wendy