Directory
High street shops specialising in items for home brewing are pretty rare these days but online suppliers abound. Most have a large range of equipment and ingredients for all types of home brewing available by mail order.
General suppliers
Dorset Homebrew
The Home Brew Shop
Brewstore
The Malt Miller
Supplies many specialist beer ingredients.
The Somerset Distillery
For apple eau de vie.
Black Cow
For a high class vodka made from milk.
Manufacturers
Ritchies
Young’s
Vigo
Supplier of equipment such as presses and crushers for the cider maker.
Wyeast
US manufacturer of yeasts (available in the UK) with an informative website.
Useful organisations
The Craft Brewers Association
A useful source of information about suppliers, and much more.
Dead Brewers Society
For ancient beer recipes.
Books
The Oxford Companion to Beer
by Garrett Oliver
A very comprehensive guide to beer terminology and history.
Making Sparkling Wines
by John Restall and Donald Hebbs Taking a more serious approach to sparkling wines.
Real Cider Making on a Small Scale
by Michael Pooley and John Lomax Excellent advice and information for the home cider maker.
Index
Page numbers in italic refer to the illustrations
absinthe 73–4
acetaldehyde 171
acid blend 98
acid malt 187
acidity: cider-making 156, 164
perry 171
acids, wine-making 98
aerobic phase, brewing 13
air locks 21, 101, 158, 160, 181
Alastair’s session bitter 214
alcohol: absolute volume (ABV) 13
beer-making 188
cider-making 155
wine-making 92
heather and honey ale 236
Northern mild ale 230
Aleister Crowley’s AK bitter 215
Alexanders: absinthe 73–4
dandelion and burdock beer 238–41
gin Alexanders 76
amber: the oldest drink in the world 84
anaerobic phase, brewing 13, 100
apéritif, épine 80
apple juice: pasteurising 168
sweet vernal grass cocktail 68
sweetening cider 168
apples: cider-making 154–5
crab apple eau de vie 50
crab apple wine 120
Aspergillus oryzae 146
bacteria: ethyl acetate 107
malo-lactic fermentation 165
barley, beer-making 178, 180, 187–8
barley wine 176
beer finings 194
extract brewing 179
ingredients 187–94
kits 179
lager 185
problems 202–5
record-keeping 202
specific gravity 14–15, 181, 188
wholegrain brewing 179
beer recipes: Alastair’s session bitter 214
Aleister Crowley’s AK bitter 215
black pearl porter 222
dandelion and burdock beer 238–41
ginger beer 244
heather and honey ale 236
India pale ale 234
John Wright & Sons experimental India beer 220–1
Mark’s Dorset Pilsner 227
Mephisto lager 234
a modern stout 232
nettle beer 243
Northern mild ale 230
oat malt stout 224
orange pale ale 207–10
ordinary bitter 211
puffed wheat beer 226
Rauchbier 228–9
small beer 219
special bitter ale 212
stout 223
strong East India pale ale 216–17
beetroot wine 144–5
bentonite 100
bicarbonate of soda 194
birch sap wine 141–2
bitter 211
Alastair’s session bitter 214
Aleister Crowley’s AK bitter 215
special bitter ale 212
black pearl porter 222
blackberries: blackberry cider 173
blackberry whisky 45
blackberry wine 113
blackthorn leaves: épine apéritif 80
bleach 16–17
blending wine 106
bottle conditioning 166, 184, 210
caps 201
Champagne bottles 127
cleaning and sterilising 17–18
sparkling wines 102
bottling: bottle filling attachments 201
cider 170
wine 102
brandy 30
cherry brandy 51
chestnut liqueur 57
dandelion brandy 65
épine apéritif 80
ginger wine 143
strawberry wine 118–19
brewing salts 194
brooklime: absinthe 74
buckets, fermenting 101, 158, 160, 197–9, 198
burdock: dandelion and burdock beer 238–41
buttery taste, beer 204
calcium carbonate 194
calendar 24–5
Campden tablets 21
cider-making 157
perry 171
carbon dioxide 13
wine-making 101
carbonators 201
carragheen, fining beer 194, 195
carrot wine 144–5
cask conditioning 166, 184, 210
Champagne bottles 127
‘cheese’, cider-making 21, 164
cherry brandy 51
cherry plum wine 115
chestnut liqueur 57
adding other fruit or flowers 173
equipment 158–60
ingredients 154–5
method 152
problems 170
types of cider 152
cider recipes: blackberry cider 173
dry sparkling cider 166
elderflower cider 173
mulled cider 173
slider 35
citric acid 98
clearing: beer-making 104
cider-making 156
cocktails: elderflower cocktail 58
gorse flower cocktail 60
sweet vernal grass cocktail 68
conditioning 21
cider-making 166
lager 185
contamination 16
cooling equipment, beer-making 199
copper, beer-making 197
corked wines 107
corks 102
Champagne bottles 127
country wines 88
cowslip wine 135
crab apples: cider-making 154, 155
crab apple eau de vie 50
crab apple wine 120
perry 171
crown cappers 201
crown caps 201
damson vodka 39
dandelion roots: dandelion and burdock beer 238–41
green walnut grappa 79
a hangover cure 85
dandelion flowers: dandelion brandy 65
dandelion wine 132
défécation 169
demi-johns 21
cider-making 158
hygiene 16–17
diastatic power 21
Dorset Pilsner 227
dry sparkling cider 166
dry wines 92
reducing over-sweetness 106
sweetening 94–5
East India pale ale 216–17
eau de vie: crab apple eau de vie 50
infusions 30
elderberry wine 111
elderflowers: elderflower and gooseberry wine 124
elderflower cider 173
elderflower cocktail 58
elderflower vodka 58
sparkling elderflower wine 127–9
diastatic power 21
pectic enzyme 90, 98, 107, 156, 171
épine apéritif 80
equipment: beer-making 196, 197–201, 198
cider-making 158–60
infusions 31
essential oils, hops 192
fennel: absinthe 73–4
fennel vodka 71
dry sparkling cider 166
keeving 169
lager 185
malo-lactic fermentation 165
specific gravity 14
stuck fermentations 105–6, 170, 205
wine-making 90
fermenting buckets 101, 158, 160, 197–9, 198
fermenting vessels 101, 160, 200
filtering, beer-making 181, 209
filters 107
final gravity (FG) 14–15, 22, 188
finings 22
finishing hops 192–3
flowers: adding to cider 173
infusions 29
fruit, wine-making 88
fruit beers 193
fruit-flavoured cider 173
fruit flies 18
fruit infusions 28
fruit wines, specific gravity 14
funnels 102
gentian root: a hangover cure 85
gin 30
gin Alexanders 76
haw gin 48
oak moss gin 83
sloe gin 33–5
smoked sloe gin 37
ginger beer 244
ginger wine 143
glucose 194
gooseberries: elderflower and gooseberry wine 124
gorse: gorse flower cocktail 60
gorse flower white rum 60
gorse wine 131
birch sap wine 142
dandelion wine 132
gorse wine 131
rhubarb wine 108
root vegetable wine 144–5
grape yeasts 99
grapes, wine 88
grappa, green walnut 79
gunpowder tea 220–1
gypsum 194
a hangover cure 85
haw gin 48
heather and honey ale 236
heating equipment, beer-making 200
honey: heather and honey ale 236
mead 136
metheglin 138–9
adding at different stages 184
adding to boil 180
bittering hops 192
dry-hopping 22
finishing hops 192–3
lager 185
hydrogen peroxide 17
wine-making 101
India beer, experimental 220–1
India pale ale 234
equipment 31
hygiene 16
ingredients 30
types of 28–9
John Wright & Sons experimental India beer 220–1
lactic acid 165
Lactobacillus 165
Mark’s Dorset Pilsner 227
Mephisto lager 234
Rauchbier 228–9
lambic beers 193
lauter tuns 22
lees (sediment) 22, 107, 181, 210
lemon: elderflower cocktail 58
gorse flower cocktail 60
lemon liqueur 53
lichen: oak moss gin 83
liqueurs 30
chestnut liqueur 57
lemon liqueur 53
orange liqueur 53
liquorice: stout 223
liquoring down, beer-making 22, 181, 210
malo-lactic fermentation 165
base malt 21
lager 185
malt extract 22, 179, 188, 189
speciality malt 23
types of 187–8
mango and palm sugar wine 121
Mark’s Dorset Pilsner 227
mash, beer-making 22, 179, 180, 208
mash bags 199
mead 136
melon fizz 122
Mephisto lager 234
metheglin 138–9
mild ale, Northern 230
mint: watermint vodka 67
a modern stout 232
mulled cider 173
murky brews 106–7
adding yeast to 100
sugar content 14–15
musty flavours 107
nettle beer 243
nitrogen 99
Northern mild ale 230
nut infusions 29
oak moss gin 83
oat beers 188
John Wright & Sons experimental India beer 220–1
oat malt stout 224
off-flavours, beer 205
the oldest drink in the world 84
orange liqueur 53
orange pale ale 207–10
sweet wines 94
corked wines 107
wine-making 100
pale ale: India pale ale 234
orange pale ale 207–10
strong East India pale ale 216–17
palm sugar: mango and palm sugar wine 121
parsnip wine 144–5
pasteurising apple juice 168
pears: perry 171
pectic enzyme 90, 98, 107, 156, 171
pectin 169
pectolase 98
peppermint: a hangover cure 85
pH: cider-making 157
wine-making 98
pH meters 23, 102, 156, 158, 160
pH-testing strips 102, 158, 160
Pilsner, Mark’s Dorset 227
pineapple: gorse flower cocktail 60
pink pint 63
pitching 23
wine-making 90
plant infusions 29
plums: cherry plum wine 115
plum wine 99
pomegranate rum 55
porter, black pearl 222
protein haze 181
Protoflac 194
puffed wheat beer 226
racking/rack off 23
wine-making 92
raisins: ginger wine 143
wine-making 96
raspberries: pink pint 63
raspberry vodka 47
Rauchbier 228–9
rhubarb: rhubarb vodka 78
rhubarb wine 108
root vegetable wine 144–5
ropiness 107
rose petal vodka 61
pink pint 63
rosehips: pink pint 63
rosehip vodka 43
rosehip wine 117
rum 30
chestnut liqueur 57
gorse flower white rum 60
pomegranate rum 55
rumble 23
Saccharomyces cerevisiae 13, 99, 146, 193
Saccharomyces pastorianus 185
sake 146
sap wine 141–2
screw tops 105
scrumpy 150
sea buckthorn vodka 40
sieves 102
slider 35
sloes: slider 35
sloe gin (or vodka) 33–5
sloe wine 116
smoked sloe gin (or vodka) 37
small beer 219
smoked malt: Rauchbier 228–9
smoked sloe gin (or vodka) 37
sodium metabisulphite 17, 18, 95, 101, 105, 157
sorbitol 168
sparkling cider 166
sparkling wines: bottles 102
sparkling elderflower wine 127–9
special bitter ale 212
specific gravity (SG) 14–15, 23
final gravity (FG) 14–15, 22, 188
original gravity (OG) 14, 22, 94, 188, 192
sweet wines 94
spicy metheglin 139
spirits, infusions 30
split-gyling 184
steam cleaning 16
sterilising equipment 16–18, 105, 202
still cider: dry still cider 152, 165
storing beer 210
stout 223
a modern stout 232
oat malt stout 224
strawberry wine 118–19
strong East India pale ale 216–17
stuck fermentations 105–6, 170, 205
sucrose 168
sugar: beer-making 194
conditioning cider 166
dry wines 92
infusions 30
invert sugar 22
over-sweet wine 106
specific gravity 14–15
sweet fizzy cider 170
sweet still cider 166–70
sweetening dry wines 95
sulphur dioxide 95, 96, 107, 157, 171
sweet vernal grass cocktail 68
sweet vernal grass vodka 68
syrup, sweetening dry wines 95
tartaric acid 98
temperature: beer-making 177, 180, 181
lager 185
wine-making 105
terminology 21–3
thujone 73
Tronozymol 106
unfermentable sugars 13–15, 23
vodka 30
absinthe 73–4
chestnut liqueur 57
crab apple eau de vie 50
damson vodka 39
elderflower vodka 58
fennel vodka 71
a hangover cure 85
lemon liqueur 53
the oldest drink in the world 84
orange liqueur 53
raspberry vodka 47
rhubarb vodka 78
rose petal vodka 61
rosehip vodka 43
sea buckthorn vodka 40
sloe vodka 33–5
smoked sloe vodka 37
sweet vernal grass cocktail 68
sweet vernal grass vodka 68
watermint vodka 67
walnuts: green walnut grappa 79
watermint vodka 67
wheat beers 188
puffed wheat beer 226
whisky 30
blackberry whisky 45
whisks 199
wholegrain brewing 179
aeration 90
bottles and bottling 102
dry wines 92
method 90–1
problems 105–7
specific gravity 90
wine recipes: birch sap wine 141–2
blackberry wine 113
cherry plum wine 115
cowslip wine 135
crab apple wine 120
dandelion wine 132
elderberry wine 111
elderflower and gooseberry wine 124
épine apéritif 80
ginger wine 143
gorse wine 131
mango and palm sugar wine 121
melon fizz 122
metheglin 138–9
rhubarb wine 108
rice wine 146–7
root vegetable wine 144–5
rosehip wine 117
sloe wine 116
sparkling elderflower wine 127–9
strawberry wine 118–19
wine-thief 101
Campden tablets and 99
keeving 169
lager 185
musty flavours 107
stuck fermentations 106, 170, 205
sweetening dry wines 94–5
temperatures 105
yeast energiser 106
Acknowledgements
Few books are written without the assistance of others and this one is most certainly no exception, not even a bit. Chief among them are several notables from the world of brewing. They are, in no particular order: Coreen Barnett of Dorset Homebrew who has been tireless in answering my endless questions; the remarkable, generous and endlessly garrulous Alastair Wallace who knows more about beer than anyone I have ever met; Mark Jenkin of the Mighty Hop Brewery in Dorset who supplied several of the beer recipes and tolerated my questioning with grace; and Julian Temperley of Somerset Cider Brandy, Nigel Stewart of Bridge Farm Cider and the gentle Oliver Strong of Dorset Nectar who advised me on the fine art of cider-making. My sincerest thanks go to them all.
A few whose work does not involve brewing have been a help and an inspiration. Among them are Monica Wilde of Napiers Herbalists, Susanne Masters, collector and student of ethnic recipes and Dr John Cockrill, who has been kind enough to check my work to ensure I will not poison anyone, not too much anyway.
I would like to thank the companies Ritchies and Vigo for their advice and support. I am also most grateful to The Dead Brewers Society, which has been so gracious in allowing the reproduction of versions of their carefully conserved ancient beer recipes.
I have tested the patience of my friends from Bloomsbury more than usual but they have been as supportive, professional and charming as ever, so my thanks go to Xa Shaw Stewart, Natalie Hunt, Richard Atkinson, Marina Asenjo and Alison Glossop. I am also grateful to my project editor, the ever-subtle Janet Illsley, and to designer and beer enthusiast Will Webb.
Gordon Wise of Curtis Brown has been my steadfast guide, so thank you, Gordon. Thanks, also, to Antony Topping of Greene and Heaton, cheers to Rob Love of River Cottage who I hope will not be disappointed and finally, as always, thank you, Hugh, for your introduction and for entrusting me with yet another book.