It all started something like 4 years ago. My brother in law asked me if I was into brewing at all.
Not really, I said, I've always thought it sounded rewarding, but also like a lot of work.
He told me it isn't as hard as people make it out to be, and even bought me enough ingredients to make a gallon of IPA. So I bought the couple of things I didn't already have laying around (fermenter/carboy, airlock, small siphon and bottle capper), and went to my sister's house to brew my first gallon of beer.
After a few hours of boiling and adding ingredients, he added the yeast, I added some spicy chile peppers, and we left the solution to ferment...three weeks later I had a little over a six pack of the most delicious spiced IPA I've ever tasted.
...Needless to say, I was hooked.
Since then I have made many beers, wines and meades. I've had some really good ideas, and I've had some really bad ones. Only on a few occasions have I experienced the disappointment of an infected batch...but surely I will say, sanitation does matter.
Anyway, it was early 2021 when I discovered the sheer joy and limitless freedom of making prison hooch. What this really means, is throwing out all the rules and making fermentation fun and simple. Beers, wines, meades and other fermented beverages (and their enthusiasts) are of course welcome here - the community was named after the weakest link in its chain, as prison hooch doesn't get nearly the ackolades it deserves I wanted to let it take center stage in this home for fermented delights.
There is an artful craft to deliberately brewing the other styles of beverages. But with hooch, it's low effort and high alcohol content - what could be more fun!? I simply keep a few packs of dry wine yeast always on hand, and when I see a juice I'd like to try, I just dump some in and let it go!
I'll be posting recipes here as I make them. Afterwards, I plan to update existing threads to document the results as they unfold. I'd love to hear your questions and ideas, as well as to see what equipment you're using and what experiments you're coming up with!
Be really interested in mead! WE're between houses (kinda) at the moment so brewing of any kind on hold, but one day!
Well congrats, assuming the change is a welcome one!
…and if/when that time comes, feel free to reach out directly or through the community. Nothing difficult about it, and in fact it’s a lot of fun to make! I have a few recipes you could look at to get an idea when you’re ready, if you want :)
Good luck finishing up with the move, that’s a lot of stress to go through!
It is, yes, and off the back of a stressful year. Trying to think of it differently and it's the right decision int he long run. Yes, it's awelcomemove - moving to TAsmania!
Holy MACKEREL!!!! That’s rad!!!!