091 Brew Masters workshop 5/9/2011

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091 Brew Masters brewing workshop

Today we have been working on two major projects. We have harvested kefir based honey drink, cooler which we have turned in to the ginger ale with bit of hibiscus flavor to give it extra kick. Once done and bottled, we have left it secondary ferment for 1-2 days and split it among the workshop participants. Next step was to refill the stock, so we prepared a new brew using kefir culture with honey as a sugar source and ginger and hibiscus for flavor (left to ferment in the liquid). The culture was covered by airlock and left to ferment under the sink in dark cupboard.


Next project was the hard cider making. We have used the apple juice from concentrate (4.5 l) from Lidl (no preservatives) and baker yeast 14 g (Fast Action Dried Yeast - McDoughlas). The yeast was primed in sugar solution (dark rich sugar) and lukewarm water for 1 hour, and added to the container with the juice. The container was sealed and after that the air lock was constructed with wax being used to avoid a air contamination.


Short experimental manual for hard cider which should do is here:

- prime the yeast, dried yeast 0.2%-0.05% (w/v) + water ==> dissolve 10 g of dark rich sugar in 30 ml of hot water, add 70 ml of cold water, add 10 g of dried yeast and mix well, cover by plastic wrap and let to sit on warm spot for 10 - 30 min

- open water container (5 l) and dispose the water, close it to avoid contamination

- add the primed yeast to the container

- open the juice and fill up the fermentation container (5 l) +- 4.7 l

- close the container by installing the air lock

- left to ferment on a warm spot out of direct sun (be careful the fermentation tents to be quite vigorous)

- when to harvest is a good question we did not get there yet :-))

Workshop set up
Kvasir in action
Brewers bottling
Ingredients for the hard cider making
Hard cider brewing
Hard cider made
Final location of the brews