Hard Cider and Sweet Stout : A BrewLog

[Noema]

SO! I would love to brew my own drinks.

Would like to run 2 projects simultaneously.

Hard Cider Project :

2x [6 gal bucket + lid + airlock + stopper] + 1x [yeast + apple juice + corn syrup]

Sweet Stout Project :

2x [6 gal bucket + lid + airlock + stopper] + 1 [brew kit]

Both Projects will use :

1x [beer brush + beer bottles + beer caps + bottle capper + hydrometer + hydrometer jar + siphon]

Will forage for bottles--not too hard, heh

Have 2 books on it + the internet = knowledge

Total cost = 142.50


AM I MISSING ANYTHING?!!??!

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The idea is to have batches going one after another. Will begin a batch of hard cider and sweet stout, let them ferment for 4-6 weeks.

Then I will move them to a secondary, adding another batch of yeast and sugar to carbonate the brews, whereupon I will bottle them. 2-6 weeks.

While that is happening, I'll have begun another batch in the primaries.

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Would love helpful hints from everyone whenever possible. Have never done this before. I imagine the cider will be easy and the stout will prove more challenging.

Will update w/ major steps.

[SilvrHairDevil]

You will find that about 6-8 various-sized glass carboys will be very useful.
Also - scrounging beer bottles may not be as easy as it sounds. I don't like reusing screw cap bottles because of how easily they can chip. Non screw cap bottles are no so common anymore.
For cleaning - a jet bottle washer is the nuts.
And a minor correction - instead of leaving them in the primarys for 4-6 weeks, I suggest moving to the secondaries (the aforementioned glass carboys) after 4-6 days.

[Noema]

Originally Posted by SilvrHairDevil

You will find that about 6-8 various-sized glass carboys will be very useful.
Also - scrounging beer bottles may not be as easy as it sounds. I don't like reusing screw cap bottles because of how easily they can chip. Non screw cap bottles are no so common anymore.
For cleaning - a jet bottle washer is the nuts.
And a minor correction - instead of leaving them in the primarys for 4-6 weeks, I suggest moving to the secondaries (the aforementioned glass carboys) after 4-6 days.

Thanks man, I have done more research and better understand the differences between primary and secondary fermentation.

Will be adding carboys to the collection as money & interest permits.

I think I can get a number of bottles from the local recycling place so that should work (might not).

Might try re-using 40's (would this work?)

Will worry about cleaning bottles when I need to!

But so far it sounds like I have the basics down. Any more feedback would be much appreciated!

[Soliver]

40's won't work, as they're screw-on caps... the threads often mess up the seal you
create while capping with new caps. The local recycling center is a great spot for
finding pop-top bottles IME, and if you can find a restaurant that serves Grolsch, ask
them to set the bottles aside for you, as this style bottle is great (they have those
neato lock-down, reusable ceramic/gasket caps).

I stopped using bottles years ago and switched to the cornelius keg (washing bottles
gets old after a few hundred gallons). Just a few years ago, McDonald's and every
other restaurant had dozens of those kegs sitting around back awaiting collection
by Coke-cola, but most have since switched to those damn plastic bags of syrup...

You can sometimes still find places that use the kegs, though, or you could even
(gasp) purchase new or re-conditioned ones. The latter are usually much cheaper
and work just fine. Call around, see who has what - One restaurant sold me three
C kegs for $12 each, the amount of the deposit on the kegs from the soda people.



soliver

[SilvrHairDevil]

You can often find used carboys by looking on the For Sale ads on bulletin boards. You can post Carboys Wanted, or Beer-Making Equipment Wanted ads yourself.
Resist the temptation to buy plastic carboys. They may be cheap and they don't break when you drop 'em, but they are devilishly tricky to clean properly and odors stick to the inside. The only way I'd advocate using plastic carboys is if you dedicate it to one specific type of beer and use it only for that.
If you want to go into production, you should consider a Brew Room with a laundry tub sink for cleaning and several strong workbenches for your fermenters. Two-level benches make for easier siphoning. A concrete floor with a drain will be useful for cleaning the inevitable spills.
If there is a wine & beer making supply store near you, drop in and chat with them. Most of them will be happy to give advice and maybe a taste of whatever Product Development they have going in the back room.

[Noema]

Great replys, thanks guys!

To be frank, this is a get-drunk-for-cheap experiment--at least for the cider production.

I'd like to expand to more formidable drinks when the resources permit but for now, some plastic buckets and a starter kit is where I'm at.

I think, if I enjoy the process and get good results, I'll probably skip the bottling process and go for an easy keg system fairly quickly. I think this would help save time and encourage more partying! Kegs tend to draw crowds and I should be able to make my money back more quickly that way.

At all the parties I go to, buying a cup to drink is the way to do it. So I figure a keg is the way to go.

Will look on craigslist for supplies in my area.

Thanks for the advice again. Will be ordering my gear on Monday.

[apokalypse]

Do you have a recipe for your cider that you brewed? How did it turn out? What was the alcohol content?

[Hippie3]

making your own is NOT cheaper- forget that notion.
it costs you much more than it does the big mega-breweries
that mass-market their swill by the millions of gallons.
they buy by the ton, get tax breaks, etc.
do it because you want control of your own life-
including what you drink.

[apokalypse]

I'd like to think he meant cheaper in the sense that he gets more per dollar spent, than cost of product compared to a mega-brewery. My cider is costing $1/L, much better than if I bought two 500mL cans of Strongbow at $3+ each..

[Hippie3]

are you counting labor and equipment as well ?
pay yourself minimum wage for all the time
you spending cleaning, bottling, etc.
and that dollar a liter figure climbs alot...

[apokalypse]

It does, if your time is valuable right now I've nothing significant on my plate that needs tending to, but I understand your point.