Making beer and mead...

[N0NJY]

Hi ya folks.

I'm thinking that since I don't really see any instances of folks doing this, I'd ask.

Do any of you make your own beer, wine or mead?

Mead, for those that don't know is wine made from honey.

My wife and I have been making Mead and beer for many years and I'm just trying to get an idea if anyone else (who also sails) does the same.

If you don't and are interested, I've written a few short articles in the past on doing these things if you either want links or copies or you just want some basic information I'll be happy to help with that too.

let me know

Rick

[erps]

In a book of charts I have around here are little notations taken from Capt Vancouver's log when he sailed these waters. His crew stopped to make Birch Beer a couple of times around here. What's that?

[N0NJY]

birch beer is generally (at least in this day and age) a non-alcoholic, carbonated drink.

It's similar I think to root beer.

Since I've never made any of that, I'd have to do some research.

[N0NJY]

kk After a bit of quick (and uncertain) research, there are beers made from birch sap, and they are indeed alcoholic!

I'll have to try that methinks.

Here's a quick recipe I found.

One method of preparing birch beer is: take birch bark, one-half pound; hops, one-half pound; allspice, one-quarter pound. Boil these ingredients in a few gallons of water for a few minutes, add the liquid to ten gallons of water, mix, and when below 100° F. add about one pint of yeast and let ferment until suitable.

(In this recipe they mention adding a pint of yeast, usually this is an ale yeast that has been prepared and is alive, rather than a dried yeast).

Hope that helps

[miloe]

I love sparkling mead... =)

[N0NJY]

Originally Posted by miloe

I love sparkling mead... =)

Me too, but I haven't perfected that. Mine is usually still mead. If it sparkles, it generally becomes a bottle bomb and I have to be very careful to ensure they don't blow corks all over the cellar. hahaha

Do you make it? Or buy it? If buy, where?

[TxLnghrn]

In the past, I have made my own beer, wine and mead. My favorite still was a cranberry mead that I made. Couldn't seem to keep it in the house once it was bottled though.
I haven't made any in a few years but have thought of starting again.

[N0NJY]

Originally Posted by TxLnghrn

In the past, I have made my own beer, wine and mead. My favorite still was a cranberry mead that I made. Couldn't seem to keep it in the house once it was bottled though.
I haven't made any in a few years but have thought of starting again.

Wife hates cranberries. I love them. I thought of that.

We made one mead she nicknamed "Jamaica Juice"... holy cow... that stuff is potent.

Made it with 5 quarts honey, about 12 pounds of fruit (Pineapple, mango, and some others) and it made 6 gallons. Fermented the honey first, then put the fruit in for a second round of fermentation (whole fruit and cut up pieces not juice).

Made a very strong white mead, and it's aged about two years (what we have left). The first stuff was rocket fuel, but aging has helped immensely.


I've found that we can't keep it in the house either (any kind of mead!). We give a lot away to friends and relatives too though.

[miloe]

N0NJY, my grandmother makes it. =)

[N0NJY]

Originally Posted by miloe

N0NJY, my grandmother makes it. =)

Good! Personally, I think everyone should have a good alcohol making skill. I chose mead and stout beers. hahaha