Introduce Yourselves here

[Sarah]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome!
I'm afraid that comment to get out while I can is too late - I'm already searching for other things to ferment, wondering if the rosehips I passed by today are pesticide-free or if the inedible plums in the back garden would be useful. Having just discovered that my next-door neighbour has two brothers who both keep bees, more mead looks to be in the cards!

Sarah

[BennyBoy]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome!
I'm afraid that comment to get out while I can is too late - I'm already searching for other things to ferment, wondering if the rosehips I passed by today are pesticide-free or if the inedible plums in the back garden would be useful. Having just discovered that my next-door neighbour has two brothers who both keep bees, more mead looks to be in the cards!

Sarah

Mead is one of the best things to ferment for me personally, on my 4th gallon of the stuff.
Nice to have a gallo or 3 of each goign though

[BennyBoy's entourage]

Yes seriously I recommend the mead... it's so pretty to look at too...

[Trish]

Thanks again everyone & Hello Sarah

Right ... I've got everything except tannin (I think)
The fruits I have at the moment are blackcurrants, strawberries, bananas and a few apples. Plenty of raisins in the cupboard and a litre of pressed red grape juice and lots of sugar ... so maybe a mixed fruit sort of wine? What about the tannin? Can I use black tea instead ... read that somewhere, but as a COMPLETE novice I'll take your advice.
Cheers.

[Duffbeer]

Yes black tea will work until you can get the right stuff.l

[Trish]

Thanks Duffbeer Is there specific amounts per gallon?
It's a pain having no homebrew shops round here! I have to order everything online, so may as well wait till I need more than tannin to make the postage costs worthwhile.

Oh, can I also ask ... If I use supermarket pressed grape juice, do I have to boil it to get rid of preservatives? The only thing I can see on the packaging that it's free from is nuts .... so I guess it'll have preservatives in it? Sorry for all the questions .. and if they're in the wrong place,can one of the mods please move them to the right place.
Thanks

[fatbloke]

Thanks Duffbeer Is there specific amounts per gallon?
It's a pain having no homebrew shops round here! I have to order everything online, so may as well wait till I need more than tannin to make the postage costs worthwhile.

Something like a cup/mug/teabags worth should do the trick I'd have thought.

Oh, can I also ask ... If I use supermarket pressed grape juice, do I have to boil it to get rid of preservatives? The only thing I can see on the packaging that it's free from is nuts .... so I guess it'll have preservatives in it? Sorry for all the questions .. and if they're in the wrong place,can one of the mods please move them to the right place.
Thanks

You're in Ireland Trish, so I'd have thought that the EU packaging reg's would've applied. Most of the grape juice here, says 100% grape juice and sometimes it specifies that it's either from or not from concentrate etc. If it's "long life" type juice it might have, but if you think this might be the case then you can simmer it for a while - I understand that that usually drives off enough of the preservatives to be OK.

If you searched the forums, I seem to recall (Bob/lockwood1959 I think it was) posting which ones to look out for.

regards

JtFB

[Trish]

Cheers, FB, I'll simmer it for a while then
I haven't used the search facility yet .. still wandering round the forum at the mo, but thanks for that

Some fab tutorials on the site!

[fatbloke]

Cheers, FB, I'll simmer it for a while then
I haven't used the search facility yet .. still wandering round the forum at the mo, but thanks for that

If you find any "Welch's" grape juice, they don't have any preservatives

Some fab tutorials on the site!

I know, Bob and the other "knowledgeable ones" do a hell of a good job IMO.

regards

JtFB

[Hippie]

Hi everyone.

As this is the welcome area, please start a new topic in the winemaking or meadmaking areas, or add to an old topic. Thank you !

We may also need to move some of these winemaking posts there also. No biggie, just need to keep organized.

[alan66]

newby alert

Hi all,
My name is alan, im from staffordshire west midlands. i brew wine for approx 9 years and had a 7 year break, i have now started brewing again, i have in the past brewed most flowers,veg,fruits,juices etc etc, i feel that i have forgot most of my experience but am egar to start over,
I have at the moment 1 gallon of coconut,applejuice and pinapple juice brewing (an experiment)
3 gallon of rice,banana and saltana and 1 gallon of ruhbarb and banana, there all bubbling away nicely at the moment.
I am at the moment also seeking advice on making some sake, i dont want to purchase the kits that are available as they work out quite expansive.
I look forward to having a good look around the site and chating to like minded folk.:champagne
Alan

[Duffbeer]

Welcome Alan and enjoy the forum.

[lockwood1956]

Hi and welcome Alan

pull up a chair

regards
Bob

[medpretzel]

welcome alan!

It's great to have you here!

[Mamgiowl]

Nice to meet you Alan