Fun discovery!

[Stauffbier]

So, about a year ago I decided to play with the fermentation process by making a batch of prison hooch with cherry juice, table sugar, and baking yeast. I did this in an attempt to understand fermentation to see if I wanted to try my hand at brewing beer. The batch I made was fermented in the same plastic container that the cherry juice came in. I used a balloon with a pin-hole priked in it as an airlock. I had no idea how to do anything! I did my sanitizing with mild bleach water. After it fermented out I racked it 5 times (crazy huh?!) until It was pretty clear and free of yeast. I then bottled it in Makers Mark bottles that I just capped tightly and put in the closet. On New Years Eve we sampled one bottle, and it was... meh... ok at best. It wasn't awful, though! I put the other bottle away and forgot about it until tonight. I just found it and cracked it open, and.......wow! This stuff tastes pretty darn good! The "heat" is gone and so is the taste of bakers yeast. It's very sweet, but tastes a lot like a rose wine. I'm very impressed with this little science fair project!

Needless to say, after playing with the process of fermentation I decided to buy a Brewer's Best Kit, and it all went down hill from there! Now, I've brewed about 110 gallons of beer in the last 10 months... There's no turning back now!

The sweet cherry wine is just a bittersweet bonus

 

[Rivenin]

Welcome to the addiction...

 

[Stauffbier]

Welcome to the addiction...

haha, I was addicted a year ago when I saw the ballon-airlock on my hooch inflate

I've been enjoying brewing beer for the last year (more or less). I can tell that my process and quality improve with every batch. I've been doing all grain since around mid December. Some bateches have turned out better than others, but I fell like I've come a very long way in my learning and experience. I now make my own recipes, and I actually understand things like IBU's, Water Chemistry, etc,. etc.. I'm cranking out what I consider to be pretty good beers these days with consistancy, so I look forward to seeing what the next year will bring....

With all of this said I should say... Thanks HBT community! I have learned a tremendous amount on this forum from all of the kind folks on here! I can only hope that my experiences also help those who might follow me!

 

[amandabab]

Always age Your hooch.:rockin:


Only difference between my Haushaltfrau Hooch and a socially acceptable fruit wine is 12-18 month.

 

[Proboscidea]

There are 2 x 1-gallon plastic bottles of "mead" in "secondary" in my closet that were born in January. Honey, water, one bottle with champagne yeast, one bottle with Fleischmann's bread yeast (JOAM style). Balloon airlock. The whole rookie schmear; it was my first fermentation effort ever. They're sitting there, like an albatross, haunting my nightmares, waiting for something to be done -- bottle and age, or dump.

This post is tipping the scales in favor of not-dump.

 

[bwomp313]

There are 2 x 1-gallon plastic bottles of "mead" in "secondary" in my closet that were born in January. Honey, water, one bottle with champagne yeast, one bottle with Fleischmann's bread yeast (JOAM style). Balloon airlock. The whole rookie schmear; it was my first fermentation effort ever. They're sitting there, like an albatross, haunting my nightmares, waiting for something to be done -- bottle and age, or dump.

This post is tipping the scales in favor of not-dump.

of course you don't dump. jeez....amateurs.

 

[Stauffbier]

Yeah! Never dump! This stuff tasted like sour dough bread and sour wine barf when it was young. Now it actually tastes better than stuff I've been given at wine festivals!

 

[opus345]

Those who dump are either new or leaving brewing. The latter ones just may not realize it yet. Never dump.

 

[crushingblackdoom]

haha, I was addicted a year ago when I saw the ballon-airlock on my hooch inflate

I've been enjoying brewing beer for the last year (more or less). I can tell that my process and quality improve with every batch. I've been doing all grain since around mid December. Some bateches have turned out better than others, but I fell like I've come a very long way in my learning and experience. I now make my own recipes, and I actually understand things like IBU's, Water Chemistry, etc,. etc.. I'm cranking out what I consider to be pretty good beers these days with consistancy, so I look forward to seeing what the next year will bring....

With all of this said I should say... Thanks HBT community! I have learned a tremendous amount on this forum from all of the kind folks on here! I can only hope that my experiences also help those who might follow me!

Word Up! I'm right there with you, dude. Brewin' a lil over a year, AG now, same same. Feeling like I'm throwing a lasso over this thang little by little. I'm guessing that's the way. Thanx to this forum, BN podcast, Beersmith,instinct, skill & luck, I'm brewing fantastic beers that could easily stand up to ANY craft brew at ANY good bar or store.
Oh yeah, a bunch of money along the way helps get things done. It's the OPPOSITE of saving money on good beer, but, F it, I hate money. Kudos, guys! Thanx for all the help!

 

[dinnerstick]

Those who dump are either new or leaving brewing. The latter ones just may not realize it yet. Never dump.

noooooo! know what to dump and what not to dump. poorly made or poorly fermented beer won't get better. dump! dump! dump! get rid of it and make something better!! too much hop, or young wine cider mead, hot alcohol, don't dump

 

[Stauffbier]

noooooo! know what to dump and what not to dump. poorly made or poorly fermented beer won't get better. dump! dump! dump! get rid of it and make something better!! too much hop, or young wine cider mead, hot alcohol, don't dump

I can agree with this! I made a nasty chocolate stout back when I first started. I made all kinds of mistakes on that one, and they turned into major gushers. The longer it aged, the worse it got. It's the only batch I ever dumped so far. I learned a lot of good lessons on that batch...

 

[IXVolt]

i was addicted a year ago when i saw the ballon-airlock on my hooch inflate

lol