Introduce Yourselves here

[fatbloke]

Have a look at Hobbyweld cylinders, they now do food grade CO2. I eventually got BOC to rent me a co2 cylinder for a few £ a month, but I've had the same one since last year..

Dunno what the make is but the local welding supplier does CO2 at whatever a bottle and a deposit (50 quid and he skins a tenner of that when finished/returned etc for his "admin" charge).

Hence cheaper than bloody BOC/Air products/Air Liquide etc etc.....they all seem to be thievin, wotsits...

[Cellar_Rat]

but to my dismay have found i need a license for a co2 bottle to run it?

Nah. Go to the pub and buy some beer - your local landlord has all the supplies you need !

[Abervin]

I bought a couple of new empty 50l cylinders from http://www.gascylindertesting.com/ for welding gas, then found a local independant gas supplier who would refill.

[Detritus]

Hi,

I've been lurking since the start of the year when, after doing some quick sums, decided I either needed to be making my own wine or drinking much less. I figured a two-pronged attack.

I'm in Reading UK, family of 4, do software for a living and usually a hobby will last me two or three years. I'm thinking this one is more of a slow-burner, although it is fighting my last hobby for space, got some RC helicopters and associated equipment that I think are about to be displaced by a few more carbuoys.

I've made some of the £45-range kit wines, WN1 & 2 and a couple of other recipes producing results ranging from great to oops. Also accidentally made some sweat wine, not sure which one that was, but it might explain why my first WN1 was a little acrid.

Had my first "hot ferment" a couple of weeks ago, some tinned fruit that spent a lot of time around 34C. I wondered what would happen so I let it run - it looks great but smells of ale. I'm not sure time will fix that one..

Next on the list is some Twinings fruit tea wine with some AJ and sultanas. I'm keeping an eye on the weather forecast to find a window to start it, and will try to get a big dustbin to cool it down in. My current swamp cooler effort is only taking the temperature down 3C. I've got my eye on the cupboard under the stairs, seemed a nice temperature so I cleaned it out recently but it got filled with hoovers and kitchen roll

Lovely atmosphere here, it's been the most useful to me too so cheers all
Tom

[lockwood1956]

Hi Tom

Welcome aboard

regards
Bob

[Moz]

Hi, just starting out. Lots of stuff to read on here! Wine No1 about to be started

[goldseal]

Hi Moz, welcome aboard

[vino-tinto]

Hi all, great site, looks like lots of help. Live in rural Norfolk, just started making wine

[Cellar_Rat]

Good name dude. In am just down the road in Lincolnshire. Enjoy the forum. Welcome aboard.

[lockwood1956]

Hi
Welcome aboard
regards
Bob

[Gerry069]

Hi all Gerry here, used to mess about with trying to make wine for a short while almost 20 years ago and after finding a bunch of gear in my cellar decided to try again this time trying to do it right. Found this forum and have a few on the go with help from the wonderful and helpful people here. Please bear with me if I ask a dumb question, I will try and find the answer before I ask believe me. Looking forward to expanding my limited knowledge and hopefully making something drinkable. Here is a picture of one of the wines I tried to make years ago and forgot about.I shook it up to dump it and it bubbled so I cleaned the dust off and let it settle, doubt if it is any good as it smells sherry like but it re sparked my interest.

IMAG0573_BURST002.jpg

[Cellar_Rat]

Gerry, me again.

It's good to have you aboard! There is no such thing as a dumb question only the one you didn't ask.

Try the sherry and tell us what it's like!! You never know the might be a prize for the oldest wine

[Gerry069]

Mr. Rat , Took your advice on the mead problem so will be doing that in the morning, not all that sure about trying the "sherry" as it just sat there with an empty air lock and a dry cork bung for so many years "....through a strainer comes to mind" but will leave it sit for a while or until I need the demijohn.

[Cellar_Rat]

hmm. you didn't mention no air lock

Brian

[fatbloke]

Mr. Rat , Took your advice on the mead problem so will be doing that in the morning, not all that sure about trying the "sherry" as it just sat there with an empty air lock and a dry cork bung for so many years "....through a strainer comes to mind" but will leave it sit for a while or until I need the demijohn.

still worth a taste......
Read up on how sherry is made and you'll likely see what I mean.

Some of the chaps from your neck of the woods complain (on other forums) about getting supplies locally. If you check out the sig line in duffbeer's (Karl) posts he runs HBS (maybe a bit of discount? as I seem to recall that being mentioned).

Either way......Welcome to the WaH....