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Old 09-12-2010, 09:23 PM   #1
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Name: Jesse
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Home brewing... wine making

My business and my main hobby is home brewing and home wine making. It might be a bit of a challenge in a 13 foot Scamp, though!

I have to share this: My friend and I used to go camping a lot in and after high school. After I started home brewing, we would make it a point to brew a batch of beer while we camped. At that time, we were camping in tents. We would build a fire, mash the grains, boil the wort, and start fermentation. We usually camped just for 2 or 3 nights, so I would end up bringing the fermenting beer back home to finish it up. It was a lot of fun, though. Of course, we would be drinking home-brewed beer while we were camping. We would sometimes bring a keg of beer in bucket of ice! The rangers at the state park thought we were nuts... but they left us along because we never caused any problems.

If someone was full-timing, and staying somewhere for long enough... it could be an interesting hobby. The fall is the perfect season for picking up a gallon of fresh apple juice and turning it into cider! It only takes about a week for fermentation. Two weeks in the bottle if you want it fizzy.

As for me, I will keep my brewing and wine making as an at-home hobby. I don't have enough free time to spend in the Scamp right now.
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Old 09-12-2010, 10:03 PM   #2
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I would love to know more about making hard cider. I guess I could Google it, but since we have a thread going.... how complicated is it presuming you are starting with already-made good cider? Is it similar to beer where you use a large carboy and etc.? (I am not a brewer; just helped some friends once on a beer-making night.)

Is your name mcbrew? If so, how perfect
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Old 09-13-2010, 09:36 AM   #3
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Raya, it depends on what you mean by "cider". The US is the only country that uses the word "cider" for a non-alcoholic beverage. I buy apple juice wholesale, and can request that it be labeled "apple juice" or "aplenty cider". Legally, in the US, there is no difference. Often times, unfiltered apple juice is referred to as cider. This is not a requirement, though.

Any good apple juice can be turned into [hard] cider, as long as it does not contain certain types of preservatives, namely potassium sorbate (aka sorbic acid). Ascorbic acid is okay. Pasteurized cider is fine.

Simple way:

Bring the juice tom room temperature. Pour out about a pint to give you some room (or transfer it to a larger, food grade bucket). Add 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid, or 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Sprinkle in a pack of wine yeast, such as Montrachet or Lalvin K1V-1116. An English ale yeast works well, too. No need to stir the eat in. Now cover the top with tin foil, or use a stopper and airlock if you have access to home brewing supplies. Let it ferment at room temperature for a week or so... Until bubbling stops. Now you can bottle it. If you want it carbonated, add 1 teaspoon of sugar to each 12oz bottle. In a pinch, you can use plastic soda bottles. It takes two weeks at room temperature in the bottles to carbonate. The cider will be better after sitting for a couple of weeks, anyway.

Make sure everything is clean and sanitized. Ere are lots of good brewing sanitizers, but a mild bleach solutions will work in a pinch.
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Old 09-13-2010, 10:03 AM   #4
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Thanks, that's interesting. When I say "good" cider, I am referring to the dark, opaque stuff that small orchards turn out (vs. the clear, honey colored "apple juice" that is typically on the shelves in large supermarkets -- although I am starting to see "good" cider there too).

But what I would like to turn it into is a good "hard" cider. Thanks again for the insight. It had never occurred to me to make my own, even though I have friends who brew beer.

Raya
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Old 09-14-2010, 10:59 AM   #5
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Hello mcbrew
I saw a reference to McBrew on the tiny tear site.
Are you also "The Northern Brewer" and/or the guy that built the teardrop?
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Old 09-15-2010, 07:45 PM   #6
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I'm the McBrew from the teardrop site... but I don't know the "Northern Brewer" reference.
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Old 09-15-2010, 08:35 PM   #7
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That was a reference to someone on the Northern Brewer Forum by the same name.
Great work on your TD
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Old 09-18-2010, 02:53 PM   #8
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Someone I know recently had 'Chocolate Ale' at a small microbrewery. I don't know if it was made onsite or not. I'm not a beer lover, but THIS I might be tempted to try!
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Old 08-23-2011, 11:06 AM   #9
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I suspected with a handle of "McBrew" that we might share an interest! We love craft beers and homebrew when we can. In fact, our main reason for wanting a lightweight trailer is so we can travel out of the beer-desert we live in and get to some brewpubs, breweries, and festivals throughout the midwest without spending the time, money, and hassle on hotels when we'd rather not.

~carrie
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Old 08-25-2011, 07:21 PM   #10
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Hi Pam,

I brewed a really nice chocolate porter a couple of winters ago ... it was unbelievably decadent . Give it a try next time you get a chance!

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Originally Posted by Pam Garlow View Post
Someone I know recently had 'Chocolate Ale' at a small microbrewery. I don't know if it was made onsite or not. I'm not a beer lover, but THIS I might be tempted to try!
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Old 11-12-2011, 06:46 AM   #11
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Started some fresh apple juice from the local farmers market and also some red grape wine from Welch's frozen concentrate. Will see what developes in another month or so. Once made it doesn't seem to last very long.
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Old 01-03-2012, 11:29 PM   #12
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I saw the wine making in your title. Does anyone make wine here? I work part time at a small local winery in Washington wine country. I made a great batch of merlot once...and also the world's worst Sarah. I'm lucky it's not my main vocation.
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Old 01-05-2012, 11:30 PM   #13
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That's syrah...Sarah is an old girlfriend.
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Old 01-06-2012, 12:41 AM   #14
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Sara?

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That's syrah...Sarah is an old girlfriend.

or a failed politician portrayed by Tina Fey .....
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Old 01-06-2012, 09:24 AM   #15
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tricks I learn thru experience brewing cider:

* sterilize everything. You'll get an 'off' flavor if anything but yeast gets into your brew

* Add back some unbrewed cider into your final product. Without that, the finished product tends to be very 'dry' as all the sugar has been fermented into alcohol.

* Share with your friends.
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Old 02-04-2012, 06:43 AM   #16
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thats interesting,,, you could always make some and bring it along,,,theres plenty a drinking hobbyists willing to help
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Old 02-04-2012, 03:16 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by james kent View Post
Started some fresh apple juice from the local farmers market and also some red grape wine from Welch's frozen concentrate. Will see what developes in another month or so. Once made it doesn't seem to last very long.

James, How did your hard cider and welch's wine turn out?
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Old 02-08-2012, 01:54 PM   #18
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Hi Pam
The apple wine [cider] was a bummer. Somehow doing just a small one gal. batch I got a bug in it somewhere's along the line. I sterilize everything pretty carefully but every once in a while something errant happens. It got tossed as I didn't need the vinegar.
The welches red grape finally stopped working about two weeks ago and now I need to find a couple of hours and about 35 bottles and some shelf space in the cold room. Taste wise it turned out pretty good with about a 12% alcohol rating.
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