Thread: Beer & Wine makers

Beer and wine makers unite!

Has anybody out there made their own beer or wine? Personally, I've made both. I started when I was in my early 20's and the first beer I ever had was one that I made myself. Unfortunately, it hadn't aged enough to develop in the bottle and the result kinda turned me off to beer for a couple months until I had perfected a recipe.

After beer, I turned to making wine. In particular, fruit wines. Since I live in California's Central Valley, I have access to every fruit available to man (well almost). My favorite of all time is my Kiwi wine...it is a crisp, clean, refreshing, dry wine with little acidity. Another great part to the Kiwi wine is that it imparts a slight neon color to the wine. Imagine a Savignon Blanc with less color to it but that color is neon.

Here's the book that I use for all my fruit wines...it hasn't steered me wrong yet.

http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Home-Wine-...319879&sr=1-11

Have been making wine from the grapes in the garden together with my dad for the past 5 years. This year seems to be the best crop so far and we'll reach the 25 - 30 bottle mark this year.

I've tried making beer before but it tastes very much like yeast and although I do kinda like the taste, with this one it just tasted disgusting so I'll stick to making the wine. I'll try to get some pics up later

I the beer I make.....

Just about to do a Czech Style Pilsener for summer and setting up for a Dark Ale for winter.....

I made wine for about 3 or 4 years in a row back when I lived in the bay area and had relatively easy access to pretty outstanding grapes. I took it up mainly to develop patience (knowing that it takes a long time from start to finish and that this would be instructive to the youngster I was then). It was a fantastic experience and if I ever end up back in the bay area again (about 50/50 odds I suppose) I will surely do it again. I got rid of my old gear but if I were to start again I would do it much differently and with better gear this time around. We'll see. I highly recommend this to anyone who has access to good grapes and either a reasonably accommodating climate or a place with relatively stable temp (like a basement or similar).

Beer I have never tried and frankly am not too crazy about most beer I tried but once I tried a beer that my friend made and it was the nuttiest, most lively and flavorful beer I ever had. He told me he won some award with it and based on the flavor I never doubted that for a minute. Maybe once the kid is a bit bigger I'll have time to give it a shot and I'd very much like to do that although I think it would take several attempts before making anything in the same league with that stuff my friend made. Even then I'm not sure I could do it but would like to try.

My husband has made heavy stouts and porters (beers) and honey mead in the past. Very good. Just time consumming. Plus he always made a mess in my kitchen (ha ha).

Started when I was 18. Easier than trying to find someone to go buy it for you. I'm getting ready to start a Mead out of the reminants of last years honey. Have a pound of this two pounds pf that etc.. sitting on top of the cabinets in the kitchen.
Probably in he next couple weeks start up another batch of ginger beer for the cold weather. If you decide to try doing beer there's plenty of kits to get your feet wet with and if you want to move up try www.beerrecipes.org they have a pretty good list of recipes in most all of the styles.

Good Luck