In October, Jeff and I decided to dip our toes into home-brewing. We had been curious to try it before but it had never made it near the top of the priority list. Early in 2011, we made hard cider from our apples a goal and set about getting some equipment and doing a bunch of reading. Over the weekend we bottled our first batch up.
I still feel like I have lots to learn (I guess I always do), but the first batch is a success. It’s a bit tart but not terribly so and just slightly fizzy. This little foray into home-brewing has us excited to try more and different things. I’m excited to whip up a few small batches of wine and beer with homegrown hops in the coming year.
What’s brewing in your kitchen (literally or figuratively) these days?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
YUMMM!!! Sounds great. I’ve been wanting to do the same… your success is going to spur me onward. :0) Thanks!
Where did you get your beautiful bottles?
They were an ebay score!
Love it! I have had success and no success, the latter on this go-round. I chose to use up a few of my purple grapes and my apples, steamed them both in my steam canner and set up to make a gallon of cider. I think I put too much yeast in and it totally blew out the 1st night. I rescued what was left, added more sugar and watched it. It stopped brewing quickly
. After a couple of weeks I bottled it. Just before Christmas I took out a bottle (it was very pretty with a pink hue) dry too. But alas, when I put the hydrometer to it, there was no alcohol content. Oh well, next year I will try again. Perhaps you will post your recipe> I had success just using apple juice from the store, but thought I would use what I had on my property.