Home Brewing Ale etc

Used to do homebrew years ago - it can be as easy or as technical as you want really.  Would I carry pints whilst wildcamping...think of the weight (thats No then)  Would I carry it car camping...probably not.  Home brew is all "live" so will have a yeast sludge in the bottom which is fine when lifting it from shelf to glass. What it would be like after bouncing around in a car without some hours settling time I wouldnt know.

there agin...I dont drink much these days anyway.

cider brewing is dead easy

Sloe gin is easy to make and goes down very well at a wild camp.

I do a lot of home brewing - wild ciders especially - made around 400 pints in 2011 and all free - as well as quite a lot of "hedgerow wines".

As has been said before though, most of them would have quite a lot of lees and are best either decanted carefully without shaking the bottle (or for cider ideally direct from a demijohn or large bottle). Wouldn't travel well in a rucksac.

Ales are usually bottled live in order to get a pressurisation by the late fermentations - they need to be kept in pressure sealed bottles which usually means glass and crown caps which isn't really camp friendly (though pepsi bottles do also work).

Agreed - sloe gin, cherry brandy or blackberry whiskey would all work far better, but these are just ways of flavouring a pre-bought liquor, not true brewing in themselves.

I've made beer, of necessity, for 30 years around dry arabic countries but when I'm in UK I buy cans in a supermarket. You'll get a better range and it's much cheaper than home brew. Carrying home brew would stir up the lees and make the beer undrinkable.  

If you want to "home brew" try the wine kits that use grape juice concentrate. These are really easy, relatively cheap (from £40 for 23 litres) and taste fantastic.  

  mmmm

Assuming the brewing kit and CO2 cylinder is paid for,

 £12 for a basic homebrew ale kit plus a bag of sugar(£1?) + say £1 worth of CO2 = £14 for 40 pints - £35p a pint

Made correctly, It'll be waybetter than any canned stuff you can buy for that amount!

If you want to transport homebrew ale it's fine - just make sure you secondary brew it in a pressure barrel rather than individual bottles, and leave it long enough in the barrel to clear and lose the yeastiness.  Keep the CO2 topped up once started and decant to  a pop bottle just before taking it out - will be OK for a coupledays if kept cool IME.

Coopers Australian Ale is a good reliable budget kit if you like a bitter/light ale type beer.

One good tip I was given is to use half or less the amount of sugar than the kit instructions suggest.  Rather than getting 5% type stuff you get a much more quaffable 3.5% - which clears quicker too.  We have proven this to be a good tip - 2 barrels side by side -ssame kit different sugar amounts.  Everyone pronounced the lower sugar stuff to be a better brew. 

Imperial Dave may be able to tell us why?!

As Daleyboy is just starting the equipment will cost from £25 up to £60 if he buys a pressure keg (which may end up in the attic if he doesn't take to brewing).

A lot of bargain supermarkets use stock close to its sell-by date, I often drop on good beers which are very cheap.

You have to factor in wastage. I use an open barrel and plastic bottles; the first fermentation loses up to a litre in my 50L barrel. I decant my bottles into a jug which can lose 5% + depending on how unsteady my hand becomes or how chilled the beer. Then there's the occasional whole brew lost for reasons unknown or a 2L bottle that's lost its seal and spoiled.

Without guidance a novice will lose brews, e.g., Coopers doesn't state that it's already hopped so a newby might not clear the chlorine in the water and finish with 40 pints of TCP.

Home brewing can be a great hobby if you get past the pitfalls but I think it's too much of a hassle.

Ah yes, one issue with using a barrel for secondary fermentation/storage is that you have to shift 40 pints within 3 weeks or so really once it's broached.  It's not too difficult with a little planning  (friends and family help too)

Sainsbury's value lemonade 17p for 2l bottle.  I use the bottle for water rockets....but that is a different thread

Wo! Thanks for all the replies, I last checked this post and it had 4. I think I might try some of the stuff in Wilkinsons, just as a first attempt, then I can have a go at venturing further, who knows, there could be a new microbrewary in Newcastle in no time!!! I love things like flavoured ales especially summery flavoured ones with a floral taste! I would love to get a Honey or banana ale whipped up!

Remember to keep everything clean & sterilised; let your water stand for a few hours or warm it to drive off the chlorine before adding your malt, it may have hops incorporated.

I've got 4 litres on ice for tonight and I'll toast your success.