The joys of home brewing

Home brewing is a great hobby for people all over the world. It has been happening for centuries, going back to the Al Capone days of bootlegging and prohibition with illegal liquor. In those days, illegal liquor stills were highly sought after to rid the crooks selling the illegal liquor.

My husband and I have been home brewers for years. We have made it in the old days with molasses, hops, and sugar. Although it is a simple operation these days, simply buy a can of Coopers. You have a choice of varieties, Non-Alcoholic, light ale, draught, Light Beer, Mid-Strength, Lager Ale, Stout, Extra Strong. There are also many other brands of home brew, although we enjoy the Coopers. Before making you should buy yourself a complete home brewing kit, then you will have everything you need.

Directions to put down a home brew
You will need a large cooking pot, can of home brew, sugar, and water. Place 2 liters of water on stove to boil, open can and stand in pot, when water heats empty contents of can into the water, and add 500grams of sugar (some use more, depending on required strength) dissolve contents by stirring until simmers. While this is heating, sterilize your fermented with a sterilizer agent, and then rinse with hot water.

Once contents dissolved pour into the fermenter, and top up with cold water to suggested (20liter mark) level. Add the yeast, stir, and put the lid with the airlock in place. Make sure lid fits tight and put some water in airlock to seal. That is it. Now you wait approximately seven days it may take less in the summer months.

Time to Bottle
Wash and sterilize thirty, seven hundred and fifty mil bottles, and the same amount of bottle tops. Put one teaspoon of sugar in each bottle fill from fermenter and cap. Now leave for at least three weeks. Then place in fridge and enjoy a great enjoyable cold one.

We have made great alcoholic ginger beer; this was good because we used to drink this while racing at speedway and no one knew it was alcohol. Home brewing has it downside. There is a chance that it could explode. I have had personal experience at that. We had our bottles stored in the laundry and the mop slipped hitting a bottle. It snowballed, setting off a dominoes effect; I was standing right in front of it. I panicked when the blood ran down my legs.

I jumped in the car and my husband took me to the doctor, who stitched me up. We were more careful after that. If it should happen, do not try to wipe the glass fragments off your skin. Jump under the shower this will wash it off without more damage.

Liquors
You can make all types of liquors also, whiskey, cherry brandy, and crme-de-monte. In fact, you can make anything at all.

Why not give it a go you will be surprised how much you will enjoy the drinks. In addition, you will save more and do not forget the feeling of achievement it will give you.

Learn more about this author, Eileen Hughes.
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