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So I just did my first batch of beer recently after about a year of winemaking, an Irish Red Ale. All in all, it came out really good, but there's a few things I noticed that I think I can do better next time. 1, a few of the last bottles got overcarbonated really fast, and I think this was...

I caught the tail end of one of those "How It's Made" or "Factory Made" shows on Science or Discovery or whatever where they were talking about how ice apple ciders are made, and it got me intrigued. Now I've been thinking about making some of Edwort's Apfelwein for awhile now, and I've seen...

I scored at the local grocer today on a great deal on Organic Just Tart Cherry juice -- http://www.rwknudsenfamily.com/products/just-juice/organic-just-tart-cherry -- and I want to try making a cherry wine with this, picked up a gallon's worth. Any clue as to where I might find an amenable...

I've got a blackberry melomel that I started back in February, it's been in the secondary now since May... I was hoping by now it would have cleared out much better, but you can see there's still quite a haze hovering around the bottom 1/4 of the carboy... I added the appropriate amount of...

I'm finally ready to bottle my first batch of mead. It seems like it's been ages (it's been about 7 months) since I started, and I can't wait to taste it. I know I should wait at least a couple of weeks after bottling to let the bottle shock wear off before I drink it, but I did have one...

:ban: :rockin: My 6 gallon rig arrived today from Midwest. So stoked. I've been doing little 1 gallon batches while I learn the art, but now it's time for some serious zymurgy! Days like this, it is an evil thing to work from home. I've got a to-do list a mile long, but all I want to do...

Hey guys, I've been practicing home winemaking for about 6 months now, and I've got a few gallons of various things bulk-aging in the closet. I've always used boiled distilled water in my airlocks, and have never had a problem, but today I went to peek at my bulk-aging carboys, and my first...

Hey guys, So I stumbled across a recipe for blackberry wine, as such: LHBS just happened to have these 49oz Vintner's Harvest cans so I picked one up on a recent trip. However, I wanted to try substituting the sugar with honey and making a melomel... I realize my blackberry flavor will...

I'm itching to try my hand at a cherry wine, but as the little buggers aren't in season for several more months, using fresh cherries will be a very expensive proposition. I did come across, in my local grocery store, a cherry juice concentrate... says 1 quart is made from 25 pounds of...

Hey guys, I realize this is probably a dumb question... yeast is our friend here, and assuming everything goes well there's a lot more yeast by the end of primary fermentation than was pitched. That being said... My first batch was 1 gallon of mead. Per LHBS recipe instructions, I...

So I gathered up a bunch of stuff today to start my first cider. I've got: *1 gallon organic fresh pressed, not from concentrate, pasteurized apple juice (no preservatives, just pasteurized, pure, unfilterd juice from washed, select, ripe organic Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Gala...

If you watch "The League" you know that Taco MacArthur is the greatest character ever. Also, you've probably seen the "Three Penis Wine" episode. I was joking with the wife about printing up some labels to slap onto bottles of my homemade stuff, and give it to friends as a gag. I figured...

Sorry to just rant here, but I found out today my employer is having to lay off a significant number of employees... due to my history with the company, they worked hard to find a way to keep me onboard, but it means taking a demotion and an 18% pay cut. Not an easy thing to stomach when you...

I've been reading several instruction sets online that recommend stirring the must in the primary, at varying frequencies or schedules... The recipe that came with my mead kit simply said to leave it be until fermentation slows and it's ready to be racked. What are your opinions? Should I...

Hey guys, Quick question about the wine kits (concentrates/juices). I currently only have a setup for 1 gallon batches at a time, and I'm keeping my batches small until I feel I've got the hang of this. But I'd really like to try some of the juices and concentrates that are available...

I'm a total newbie, this is my first attempt at fermentation of anything, so please be gentle :P I'm working with a mead kit from LHBS, 2 gallon primary fermenter (food grade plastic bucket with 3-piece airlock), will rack to a 1 gallon glass carboy in secondary when the time comes.... My...

Hey gang, I'm new to homebrew, just picked up a mead kit as xmas gift from my loving wife and finally got started with this little hobby I've been telling myself for a couple years I would try out. My first batch of mead is in primary fermentation for about 24 hours now, and I'm already going...