Pomegranate wine

I decided to do a pomegranate wine. Not sure why but I quite like the idea of it.
I did some research and found most recipes called for barley (but no where could I find a reason why).  I decided to ignore what I found and brew the same way i did my other wine.  I started it on the 18/02/2016

Ingredients

4 ltrs Aldi pomegranate juice
1 lime
500ml very strong tea
300 ml aprox water
1 campden tablet
1tsp pectolose
1 tsp Yeast nutrients
1tsp wine yeast
500g brewing sugar

How it was made

Juice 1 lime into a jug (put the skin in as well) crunch campden tablet and add to the jug
Add 2 teabags to the jug and add 500ml boiling water leave to brew for at least 20 minutes

While that's brewing sterilise demijohn.

Once sterilised add the 4 ltrs of pomegranate juice and pectolase to the demijohn (lid and shake).

Once brewed remove the tea bags and squeeze out the limes. Add mixture to demijohn.

Take a gravity reading and then add sugar as needed. You want to aim for between 1.080 and 1.090 this should yield between 11% and 12%. I had to add 500g.  Once sugar is added lid and shake and re measure. Yoy may need to top up demijohn with boiled water.

Leave at least 24 hours and add yeast and nutrients then lid with airlock

Gravity reading taken on 18/02/2016 1.084

Tom Claxon Real Ale kit

February 17, 2016

My wife bought me  Tom Claxon real ale kit for my birthday back in Jan so I decided it was time to put it on to brew

the instruction are very clear and the kit is very simple. it even has a hop enhancer (i do like a hoppy bear).

I wont list the instructions as they come with the kit and i didn't deviate from said instruction.

my initial gravity reading was 1.044 (approx hard to tell exactly with the foam) 

the instructions say to leave it in the bucket for 6 days but i will probably leave it for around 3 weeks. that way the yeast will start to self clean the beer. ill post back an update when i have one

 http://www.muntonshomebrew.com/tom-caxton 

Second reading 1.008 making it approx. 4.7%abv

Bottled on the 8th march. Looked very clear when bottling. Rather than priming the bottles i measures out 30 tsp of brewing sugar and devolved it in hot water. Once cooled i added it to a second (sterilised) brew bucket. I siphoned the beer into the second bucket. I left it for around an hour for the froth to settle and then bottled.  Would definitely use this method again. 

Cider number 2 (I went a bit posh)

February 15, 2016

I decided to do a second cider using pressed apple juice to see it there is a difference.

Ingredients

3 ltrs pressed apple juice

1 ltr cranberry and raspberry juice

1 lime (juiced)

campen tablets

1 tsp pectolose

1 tsp wine yest

Yeast nutrients (1 tsp)

500 ml really strong black tea

Kit required

2 demijohns (5 ltr water bottles will do)

Funnels

Sterilizer

Air locks and bungs in  lids

Empty bottles

Siphon

Hydrometer

Instructions

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Clean and sterilise demijohns Funnels and Air locks

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·         Brew Tea (2 bags and leave until warm before removing the bags (10 minutes should do it))

·         Pour 3 apple juice raspberry cranberry juice and tea into demijohn

·         Juice lime and add

·         crush campden tablet and add to mixture 

·         add 1 tsp pectolose to mixture

·         top up with water leaving 1-2 inches gap at the top

·          lid and air lock lid 

·         shake mixture to combine

·         Once settled take reading with hydrometer

·         Place where fermentation will take place and leave for 24 hours minimum

·         Add yeast and nutrient

·         Lid demijohn with airlock lid

check daily until fermentation stops

Initial reading 1.042 
Second reading 1.002

Approx. 5.2%abv