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Until Air.177 was born, I had a hell of a Brewery in our "Second" Bathroom/Bedroom. At any given time, I had 20-30 cases ready to serve and 30-60 gallons "in work"!!
Cleanliness, or actually the lack thereof, is your worst enemy. I used to soak all of my bottles in a bathtub with Clorox water. This was after washing if they needed it. Rinse and let air dry for a day or so (This goes for ALL of the equipment that comes in contact with the Fermenting Liquid.). Clorox will tell you, with your nose, if it's still present. Always boil for a couple of minutes at least anything that you are going to add to the fermenter. If you get a good hydrometer and use it religiously, you'll never blow a bottle up!!
If you have any "Homebrew" shops in your area, they usually have the extracts in bulk (like 55 gal drums) and also, if they're really a good shop, some samples that they've brewed with different hops etc.!! If you can find it, Corn Sugar works WAY better than commercial sugars and disolves much easier.
Another little known hint, any "sparkling wine" bottle that has a "caged cork" will usually accept a standard Bottle Cap!! (Most "Mexican" Restaurants throw their empty bottles away and the Mexican Beers do not have twist-off caps, good cheap bottle source.) The only thing, have a pitcher chilled to pour it into, because with most homebrews, once you start pouring, don't stop until the bottle is almost empty. If you do stop, the sediment will become stirred up into the remaing beverage. I like it, but some find it's taste offensive. There is a trick using Knox Gelatin to bind the sediment, but you need to get the basics down before you try to step into that world!!
Good Luck!!
Martin
Good Luck!!
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Martin sends.
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