I'm a novice brewer. A few weeks ago I brewed my second batch (a cider, my first was a beer) and both times I have enjoyed it. I haven't bottled this cider and am just drinking it out of the secondary instead of bottling it. The recipe is called Ed Wort's Afpelwein. Anyone can do it as long as you can follow directions and proper brewing techniques. 5 gallons worth of apple juice (must have no preservatives or additives except ascorbic acid - that is ok). 2 lbs of honey or dextrose 1 5 gram packed of (montrachet) yeast. the yeast is interchangeable. pour half of two bottles of apple juice into the primary fermenter (just a 5 gallon food grade bucket). pour honey or sugar into the half empty bottles of apple juice and stick lid on and shake up real well. pour those into the fermenter. pour the remaining apple juice in doing the half bottle trick with the sugar/honey until it is gone. (you can only use certain sugars which is why i listed honey/dextrose). fill up with remaining apple juice. pitch yeast (dump it in) and put a lid on it and wait a month (at the bare minimum and everything tastes better with time). drink. with the montrachet yeast it tastes like really dry champagne. if you're into that fine. the next time i brew i'm adding more honey (more alcohol) and changing the yeast. it does get you drunk at warp speed.
0-3 in our league, I might just crawl inside a bottle and stay till its over. in my other league, i'm 2-1
I tried a make your own beer type set up once. It basically came out like Miller lite which I guess isnt bad considering it was a first shot. Occasionally, maybe once a year I do it and lately I think Ive gotten pretty good at it. But I still prefer a bottle of Sam Adams Oktoberfest over everything
In my defense it was a gift from my sister. Also in my defense, I only used it once then went out and learned how to do it and get the dark beer I like. The last few came out reasonably good...think along the lines of Spaten or Heineken.
ah ok. yeah it's alright for a beginner (from what I hear I just went out and got buckets, which are still for beginners). Nothing you can do if it's a gift from someone else at least you put it to good use. Anyway you should try that cider recipe I think you'd enjoy it.. at least how drunk it gets you. It'll sneak up on you though so be careful. I had a few glasses one night and wasn't feeling anything so I put back a few more. Bad night, worse morning.
Maybe Ill give it a whirl. Not much of a cider drinker so that'll be new. Im sure it'll sneak up a bit considering Im used to drinking beer....but truthfull that doesnt seem to be getting me drunk anymore when I actually do it with that intention. Im gonna have to resort to kegs soon I think....
