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Hard Cider Home Brew - keeping warm in the winter


GolfSpy Tim

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So Brad was bugging me on my instagram feed to share how I make my hard cider.

I'm no expert, I've only done it once before, but... fermenting cider is one of the easiest things in the world (I don't have the patience or attention to detail for beer, did it once and was entirely over it in an hour)

I am in an ongoing fight with gluten, so I'm pushed to cider (or wine) - but, most cider is WAY too sweet for my taste, or boring.

Doing some research, I found the cure... hopped cider. I've yet to buy a store bought hopped cider that could even come close to being hoppy enough for me - so... I found the closest thing I could and added a BUNCH more hops:

 

I used this, but substituted in Citra and Simcoe hops (a total of 7 ounces, 3.5 each, tossed toward the end of the first ferment) with 1 oz. of his suggested hops at the start of the first ferment.

but... I am doing four batches this go around (20+ gallons total) and three are hopped and one is an english style dry.

Anyone else doing some home brewing?

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Well the apple brandy got drunk already - Mrs Westy has been sleeping well.

 

But the first batch of sloe gin will be ready in 2 weeks, then a batch very month after for 4 months.

 

After the first batch is ready I'll take the sloes and add them to 15 litres of scrumpy; rough cider. That'll be in a sterile brewing bucket. Leave for two weeks so the sloe and gin infuses into the cider..... The cider will be a medium (hundreds of varieties round me to choose from). Run it through a sterile cloth to get all the sloes and bits out and bottle.

 

The cider will start at around 7% per volume, should gain some strength from the gin in the sloes.

 

Real good warming winter drink.

 

Also good mulled, with spices as an alternative to gluhwein.

Rest in peace long sticks - I'll remember you

 

TM Burner Superfast 2.0 TP Regular

TM RBZ Stage 2 Fairway 14.5 stiff

Adams Blue Hybrid No. 3 stiff

Adams Super xtdHybrid 21.5 Stiff

 

Ping G30 4 and 5 Iron - Regular CFS Shaft

Ping i25 6 - PW Regular CFS Shaft

TM Y Groove Gap Wedge

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Foot Joy City, Adidas Boost Boa and Adidas Superstar shoes

 

Pro V1x in the summer, Titleist Velocity in the winter.

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I brew quite a bit. I have a Milk Stout carbonating as we speak that'll be ready just before Christmas. I'm starting another Aussie Ale next week. The Riesling that I made should be ok to test drive in another week or two.

 

The homemade Kahlua goes down a treat as does the Apple Pie shine. :D  

In the bag:
Driver: :titelist-small: TSR2 Project X HZRDUS Black 5.5
Fairway: :callaway-small: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5

Irons: :mizuno-small: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Wedges: :mizuno-small: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Putter :Sub70: Sycamore 005 Wide Blade
Bag: 
:Ogio: Alpha Convoy 514
Balls: :callaway-small: Chrome Soft X

Cart: :CaddyTek: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8


God Bless America🇺🇸, God save the King🇬🇧, God defend New Zealand🇳🇿 and thank Christ for Australia🇦🇺!

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I was gonna get into home brewing beer... Till I got to adding up all the things is need. Shine is cheaper to brew so I did a few batches. And I get a lot of home brew wine and brandy from a buddy that I play golf with that's also a chemist (brewing is his non-golf hobby. He built a few different orchard rows for different varieties.)

 

He had at last count 800+ bottles of wine (always has some going) and lord knows how much brandy. He does pear, peach, scuppernog, muscadine, strawberry, and Apple. All from fruit he grows.

In The Bag
Driver: TaylorMade M2 (2017) w/ Project X T1100 HZRDUS Handcrafted 65x 
Strong 3 wood: Taylormade M1 15* w/ ProjectX T1100 HZRDUS handcrafted 75x
3 Hybrid: Adams PRO 18* w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4 Hybrid: Adams PRO 20* (bent to 21*) w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4-AW: TaylorMade P770 w/ Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Black Onyx S400

SW: 56* Scratch Tour Dept(CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
LW: 60* Scratch Tour Department (CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
XW: 64* Cally XForged Vintage w/ DG X100 8 iron tiger stepped
Putter: Nike Method Prototype 006 at 34"

Have a ton of back-ups in all categories, but there are always 14 clubs in the bag that differ depending on the course and set-up. Bomb and gouge. Yes, I'm a club gigolo.

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I brew quite a bit. I have a Milk Stout carbonating as we speak that'll be ready just before Christmas. I'm starting another Aussie Ale next week. The Riesling that I made should be ok to test drive in another week or two.

 

The homemade Kahlua goes down a treat as does the Apple Pie shine. :D

 

I want to visit MattF. :)

 

I am working towards a home brew version of Baileys.

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I was gonna get into home brewing beer... Till I got to adding up all the things is need. 

 

$250 is about all it'll cost for the equipment to begin. Fermentation bucket, carboy, bottling bucket, bottling wand, siphon, capper and a few odds and ends. The big ticket items are a wort chiller and pot for boiling the wort. 

 

I know someone who dropped over $900 in equipment to start home brewing, which is quite ridiculous. But, he's the type that goes all in on everything he does.

In the bag:
Driver: :titelist-small: TSR2 Project X HZRDUS Black 5.5
Fairway: :callaway-small: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5

Irons: :mizuno-small: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Wedges: :mizuno-small: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Putter :Sub70: Sycamore 005 Wide Blade
Bag: 
:Ogio: Alpha Convoy 514
Balls: :callaway-small: Chrome Soft X

Cart: :CaddyTek: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8


God Bless America🇺🇸, God save the King🇬🇧, God defend New Zealand🇳🇿 and thank Christ for Australia🇦🇺!

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The list I had compiled, through the only local home brew shop, was going to be close to $700. I'm a big proponent of buying local. That said, I made shine for under $100. Lol. I've tinkered with the idea of buying copper sheeting and building my own small 1 gallon still.

In The Bag
Driver: TaylorMade M2 (2017) w/ Project X T1100 HZRDUS Handcrafted 65x 
Strong 3 wood: Taylormade M1 15* w/ ProjectX T1100 HZRDUS handcrafted 75x
3 Hybrid: Adams PRO 18* w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4 Hybrid: Adams PRO 20* (bent to 21*) w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4-AW: TaylorMade P770 w/ Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Black Onyx S400

SW: 56* Scratch Tour Dept(CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
LW: 60* Scratch Tour Department (CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
XW: 64* Cally XForged Vintage w/ DG X100 8 iron tiger stepped
Putter: Nike Method Prototype 006 at 34"

Have a ton of back-ups in all categories, but there are always 14 clubs in the bag that differ depending on the course and set-up. Bomb and gouge. Yes, I'm a club gigolo.

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Kenny - Irish cream? Not my cup of tea but Mrs Westy drinks it like water - had 3 litre bottles in the last 6 weeks.... My grandad made it every year without fail.

 

Making cider, if your pressing your own apples is a bit more of an effort (and expense) because a good cider press is either expensive or a bit of a hard diy build. In our village there are a small number of presses that get shared round.....

 

Now has anyone had a go at elderflower champagne?

 

Almost time for a bit of wassailing (Google it - just to prove how mad we are in the west of England) - the second of the year, the first being for the apple harvest the second for the impending winter festivals (winter solstice, christmas etc).

Rest in peace long sticks - I'll remember you

 

TM Burner Superfast 2.0 TP Regular

TM RBZ Stage 2 Fairway 14.5 stiff

Adams Blue Hybrid No. 3 stiff

Adams Super xtdHybrid 21.5 Stiff

 

Ping G30 4 and 5 Iron - Regular CFS Shaft

Ping i25 6 - PW Regular CFS Shaft

TM Y Groove Gap Wedge

Cleveland CG10 Sand Wedge

 

PingTR Piper Putter, adjustable shaft, SuperStroke Fatso

 

Titleist StaDry Cart Bag

 

Motocaddy S3 Pro Trolley

 

Foot Joy City, Adidas Boost Boa and Adidas Superstar shoes

 

Pro V1x in the summer, Titleist Velocity in the winter.

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The list I had compiled, through the only local home brew shop, was going to be close to $700. I'm a big proponent of buying local. That said, I made shine for under $100. Lol. I've tinkered with the idea of buying copper sheeting and building my own small 1 gallon still.

 

Is it just expensive or are you going all out first time? If you're kegging, I can see the cost.

 

I just did a quick calculation and came up with just about everything excluding caps and bottles for $170.00.

 

What do you want to make and how?

In the bag:
Driver: :titelist-small: TSR2 Project X HZRDUS Black 5.5
Fairway: :callaway-small: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5

Irons: :mizuno-small: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Wedges: :mizuno-small: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Putter :Sub70: Sycamore 005 Wide Blade
Bag: 
:Ogio: Alpha Convoy 514
Balls: :callaway-small: Chrome Soft X

Cart: :CaddyTek: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8


God Bless America🇺🇸, God save the King🇬🇧, God defend New Zealand🇳🇿 and thank Christ for Australia🇦🇺!

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Almost time for a bit of wassailing (Google it - just to prove how mad we are in the west of England) - the second of the year, the first being for the apple harvest the second for the impending winter festivals (winter solstice, christmas etc).

 

That's probably where the phrase "only mad dogs and Englishmen" came from!  :D

In the bag:
Driver: :titelist-small: TSR2 Project X HZRDUS Black 5.5
Fairway: :callaway-small: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5

Irons: :mizuno-small: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Wedges: :mizuno-small: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Putter :Sub70: Sycamore 005 Wide Blade
Bag: 
:Ogio: Alpha Convoy 514
Balls: :callaway-small: Chrome Soft X

Cart: :CaddyTek: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8


God Bless America🇺🇸, God save the King🇬🇧, God defend New Zealand🇳🇿 and thank Christ for Australia🇦🇺!

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  • 1 month later...

OK, now I have to revive this thread.  News today!!

I think someone needs to try this...   Comments furu ....  westy?

 

Iceland Brewer Promotes Whale-Testicle Beer. Yes, Really
By John R. Platt | Takepart.com21 hours agoTakepart.com

 

They're at it again. The Icelandic brewery that raised conservationists' ire last year when it released a beer made from the meat, bones, and oil of endangered fin whales has come back with another whale-based brew.

 

This time, though, it's upped the ante: The new Hvalur 2 beer is made with whale testicles.

Once again: whale testicles.

According to Dagbjartur Arilíusson, co-owner of Steðjar Brewery, the limited-edition beer is being prepared for this year's Thorrablot festival, a midwinter event celebrating the Norse god Thor. The festival embraces not just the god of thunder and strength but also traditional Icelandic treats: “We eat ram's testicle, rotten shark, and soured whale fat, as we did in the old days,” he said.

The whale testicles—one per vat of beer—are also being prepared in a “traditional” manner: dried in the smoke of sheep manure. (There are no trees in Iceland, so wood fires are rare.) The result? “An excellent smoke taste,” says the brewery, adding that whale meat makes a “very healthy drink,” helping people “become true Vikings.”

The beer's other ingredients are fairly normal: pure water, malted barley, and hops.

But here's the thing: Fin whales are an endangered species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Iceland is the only country that still hunts them—a practice it resumed in 2013 after a two-year ban. Icelandic officials don't agree that the whales are endangered, because their population is at its most plentiful in the North Atlantic.

“Globally, fin whale populations were heavily exploited during industrial whaling,” Kate Wilson of the International Whaling Commission said. “Assessments of population status in the North Atlantic show populations to be in a healthy state.” She said the Icelandic commercial whaling program uses nationally established catch limits, and that the 88 member nations of the IWC remain “divided on the Icelandic hunt.”

Conservation groups, however, are clear on their opinion about Iceland's whale hunts and about the testicle-brewed beer.

The organization Whale & Dolphin Conservation called the beer â€œsensationalism” and “a calculated move, not only to dishonor a beautiful and endangered creature by using its most intimate of body parts as a marketing tool, but also sends a clear ‘two fingers' to the conservation community and those who love and respect whales.”

Arilíusson acknowledged that “we did expect some opposition from environmentalists, but we live in a country that allows whaling.” He called the Icelandic fisheries “self-sustainable and very responsible.” He also admitted that adding meat to beer is an unusual choice: “It is not common at all,” he said. “I think you have a few in the States, but it's not common here.”

Julia Herz, craft beer program director with the Brewers Association in the U.S., could only identify a few “isolated examples,” including Wynkoop Brewing Company's Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout and Rogue's Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale.

Hvalur 2 is expected to go on sale Jan. 23. The brewery expects to sell 20,000 bottles, about the same as Hvalur 1 did last year.

Ironically, the Icelandic health authorities ruled that last year's whale-based brew was illegal, and that the whale-hunting company that sold the meat products to the brewery did not have the right to do so. That decision, however, came months after Hvalur 1 had already sold out. 

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I have a bunch of buddies that brew, I'd rather spend my time drinking it than making it though.

 

I do however make Hot Apple Pie from time to time and it's fantastic.

 

1 gallon apple cider
1/2 gallon 100% apple juice
7 cinnamon sticks
3 cups of sugar
750 ml everclear

bring to light boil apple cider,apple juice, and cinnamon sticks.  Add sugar,stir, and bring back to light boil

remove cinnamon sticks.  Take off the Stove - add everclear SLOWLY as it boils and steams and could start on fire if added at once.

Yield: Approximately 6 to 7 liter bottles, can be served as a shot or over ice.

Driver: :taylormade-small: SLDR w/ Fujikura Ventus Black

3w: :taylormade-small:'16 M2 hl w/ Diamana D+ 82

5w: :cleveland-small: Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Yellow

Hybrid: :cleveland-small: 22 deg. Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Black

Irons: :cleveland-small: 5i - gap Launcher CBX w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Wedges: :cleveland-small: 54 CBX & 58 Zipcore w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Putter: :odyssey-small: Red 7s

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I have a bunch of buddies that brew, I'd rather spend my time drinking it than making it though.

 

I do however make Hot Apple Pie from time to time and it's fantastic.

 

1 gallon apple cider

1/2 gallon 100% apple juice

7 cinnamon sticks

3 cups of sugar

750 ml everclear

 

bring to light boil apple cider,apple juice, and cinnamon sticks.  Add sugar,stir, and bring back to light boil

 

remove cinnamon sticks.  Take off the Stove - add everclear SLOWLY as it boils and steams and could start on fire if added at once.

 

Yield: Approximately 6 to 7 liter bottles, can be served as a shot or over ice.

 

Last I checked, we can't buy everclear in WA State unless you have a Vintner's license.  Fortunately, Oregon is 35 miles away and we can buy it there.

My wife used it in her photo lab to clean tar off her developer racks!  

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I have a bunch of buddies that brew, I'd rather spend my time drinking it than making it though.

 

I do however make Hot Apple Pie from time to time and it's fantastic.

 

1 gallon apple cider

1/2 gallon 100% apple juice

7 cinnamon sticks

3 cups of sugar

750 ml everclear

 

bring to light boil apple cider,apple juice, and cinnamon sticks.  Add sugar,stir, and bring back to light boil

 

remove cinnamon sticks.  Take off the Stove - add everclear SLOWLY as it boils and steams and could start on fire if added at once.

 

Yield: Approximately 6 to 7 liter bottles, can be served as a shot or over ice.

 

Sort of like my recipe. I do 1 gal juice, 1 gal cider, 7 cinnamon, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 3 x 750ml 151. Everything but the 151 in a pot, bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. 

 

Wait for the mixture to cool to room temp, strain it through cheese cloth before adding the booze...if it's boiling, the alcohol will burn off. I get about 11 quarts from my recipe.

In the bag:
Driver: :titelist-small: TSR2 Project X HZRDUS Black 5.5
Fairway: :callaway-small: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5

Irons: :mizuno-small: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Wedges: :mizuno-small: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Putter :Sub70: Sycamore 005 Wide Blade
Bag: 
:Ogio: Alpha Convoy 514
Balls: :callaway-small: Chrome Soft X

Cart: :CaddyTek: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8


God Bless America🇺🇸, God save the King🇬🇧, God defend New Zealand🇳🇿 and thank Christ for Australia🇦🇺!

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