3 October 2018
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We didn’t have such a bumper crop of plums this year and the soft fruit we have harvested has either been eaten fresh or preserved by freezing. Berries can be frozen on baking parchment and then tipped into a bag … Continue reading
30 September 2018
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Ripe for the picking in the garden are crab apples from our Malus sylvestris ‘John Downie’. They have been dropping for a while so time to think of how to use them. Today’s choice was supporting a joint of rolled … Continue reading
11 November 2016
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How did that Septale brew work out you might ask (although I suspect that wasn’t the question on your mind)? Unlike some of my previous brews, I don’t think I’ll be proudly touting the bottles among friends. It definitely has … Continue reading
8 October 2016
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Normally I bottle my homebrew about a week after starting fermentation but time has slipped by and I’ve only just got my Septale brew onto that stage after just over three weeks. Vital stats look good – a final gravity … Continue reading
23 September 2016
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Today was pleasantly sunny and warm but autumn is seeing average temperatures drop back and so it is time to start brewing again. I’m taking a stab at Graham Wheeler’s recipe for a Jennings Cocker Hoop clone, which I’m calling … Continue reading
19 November 2015
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The hydrometer in Downie Cider batch hadn’t shifted since I last checked so I got it into bottles last night – six full quart bottles and a further one that is almost full. I wonder if the brown sugar I … Continue reading
25 October 2015
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I dropped a hydrometer into one of the fermenting vessels for my downie cider brew a few days ago and the reading was much higher than I expected. It didn’t seem to have moved much and the froth on top … Continue reading
5 October 2015
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Last night I got my cider fermenting. It is a very rustic recipe – when I spotted that the mash of apples was starting to turn green on the top, I took them off with a slotted spoon, transferred the … Continue reading
23 September 2015
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Autumn is here, temperatures are dropping and that means I can get back to brewing. I don’t have a brew fridge to stop things getting too hot during fermentation so I take a break over the summer but I do … Continue reading
17 September 2013
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It is apple season and, with the gift of a bag of apples from a friend, I have set to making rough cider again. This year though, I am applying a slight twist in the form of a trug-full of … Continue reading