Ive read about people who have had good outcomes with cranberry juice.I used cranberry cocktail juice with 27% cranberry. I added 1 c. sugarand, of course, yeast. The results were a bit sour tasting. doesanyone have some suggestions or recipies. I know i could add somesugar after fermentation and am planning on doing it with a bottlethat is maturing today.Oh and that sake was awesome !(whether it was actual sake or not.)only thing i would do next time is use all grape juice instead ofwater and a little juice.(or grape concentrate and water)The recipie iused is back a few posts if youd like to try it! The vinegar didntseem to have any adverse effects, but if you left it out it wouldprobably be for the better.ORGINAL POSTER: craig

Of course we've thought of it! ...just haven't gotten around to tryingit yet. The general rule is "Anything with a sugar content can bebrewed". Reality is that some sugar brew more readily that others.Honey is almost comletely sugar, but brews very slowly, even if you addnutrients. That particular sugar is just harder for the yeasty-beaststo digest. I would guess that syrups and saps would be difficult aswell. Also, "store bought" syrups may likely have some preservativesin them, preventing or at least inhibiting fermentation.Read the labels, and tell us how it goes!--- "huknbuk" wrote:>> Hi, I just finished my first batch of cider, and it is> delicious...alarmingly so. I am thinking of different ideas. Has> anyone ever tried or heard of using either maple syrup or sap?>ORGINAL POSTER: willum

Does anyone know the recipe for a good moscato dasti?ORGINAL POSTER: scott

Good to hear of your success! As a general rule, anything with a sugarcontent can be brewed. As anyone who has made mead (honey wine) willtell you, some sugars brew easier than others. My guess is that thesyrup or sap will brew, but you will most likely need to add some othersugar, as well as some other yeast nutrients to get it to brew. Iexpect it will take some more time that the cider as well.When brewing, cider is almost the perfect environment for growingyeast. Lots of sugar, and lots of nutrients for the yeasty-beasties touse to multiply. Straight honey (and probably syrup or sap) is lackinin these natural nutrients, so fermentation will occur more slowly. Ifyou will be using "store bought" ingredients, make sure there are nopreservatives or sulfates or sulfites. These will retard the growth ofyeast, and stop or at least inhibit your fermentation.Good luck, and please post your process and results when you get done!--- "huknbuk" wrote:>> Hi, I just finished my first batch of cider, and it is> delicious...alarmingly so. I am thinking of different ideas. Has> anyone ever tried or heard of using either maple syrup or sap?>ORGINAL POSTER: willum

Hi, I just finished my first batch of cider, and it isdelicious...alarmingly so. I am thinking of different ideas. Hasanyone ever tried or heard of using either maple syrup or sap?ORGINAL POSTER: huknbuk

What is the ideal temprature to make wine? and what is the best teprature tostore wine?ORGINAL POSTER: scott

What is the ideal temprature to make wine? and what is the best teprature tostore wine?ORGINAL POSTER: scott

I would definately strain the tomatoes, otherwise your wime will takea long time to clear, if it ever does.--- "Craig" wrote:>> Hmm awesome idea! i plan to try it. and i think i can make a nice> pumpkin beverage. maybe one that is served hot and spiced! hmmm. i> guess as long as i find how much sugar is in it and make up the> difference between that and what the yeast needs, i can do anything!> What would i put the tomatoes in? water? or a whole 2-liter ofmushed> tomatoes. maybe if i strain the seeds out! aw now im just thinking> outloud.>> --- In E-Z-Caps@yahoogroups.com, "Willum" wrote:> > Well, since you can brew anything that has sugar content, maybe> > tomatoes? I've heard of it being done, but never seen or tastedit.> > Seems like it should work, though; add a little sugar, pleantyof> > accid already present....just a thought!> >> >> > --- In E-Z-Caps@yahoogroups.com, "Craig" wrote:> > > Anyone have any unorthodox recipies for me to try? i nead someideas> > > ive been thinking about blanched spinach leaves. i did just addfresh> > > apple slices to apple juice, not sure if the taste will change,> > > probably not, but i could eat the apple slices!>ORGINAL POSTER: willum

False alarm! I moved the cider last night to a different bottle toremove it from the dregs. Of course I took the opportuity to(cautiously) sample the beverage. It's great! Much dryer than Iwould have thought possible using this method, but still a hint ofsweetness behind it. No acrid scent to be found. My only guess isthat when I smelled it before, the yeast culture was super active andextra smelly. The lesson learned here: Patience pays off!--- "Willum" wrote:>> I think I just made a batch of vinegar!>> When I finished brewing my 3rd batch or so of cider, I knew I was> going to be pitching a new batch that night, so I tried anexperiment> (first mistake!)>> I started by siphoning the finished (cleared) cider from one 2liter> bottle to another. I do this to transfer the "good" cider at thetop> of the bottle to it own container so I don't have to worry about> stirring up the "dregs" or "leeds" when I pours a glass. I avoid> getting an off taste this way. When that was done I sealed thecider> and put it back in the 'fridge. I took the left over cider (about> the bottom 1 inch in a standard 2 liter plastic bottle) with the> leeds and added 1 teaspoon of table sugar and about 3/4 cup (or> so...) of warm tap water, about 90 degrees F. I put the EZ cap on> and set this "starter mix" aside for about 8 hours or so.Hindsight> tells me I should point out that this bottle is 80-90% air at this> time.>> That night I mixed my apple juice concentrate (Wal-Mart generic, no> sulfites or preservatives, Vitamin C added), 3 AJ cans of water and1> cup of table sugar at about 90-95 degrees F. I opened the bottle> that had my "started mix" in it, and much to my delight, there wasa> little pressure in the bottle! I added my freshly made juice mix,> shook it all up, wrote the date on the bottle (good habit!) and set> it aside to brew.>> My intent was to let this batch brew for 10-14 days, depending onmy> patience, re-sweeten, and see if I could get this batch to "brew-out"> meaning have the yeast consume as much sugar as possible and dieoff> from the alcohol content. That way I could bottle it up withregular> press on caps or corks without the cider continuing to ferment,> creating pressure and making a glass-grenade. I noticed however on> day 2 or 3 that there was a "head" in the brewing bottle. I shook> the bottle up to make it go away, and set it back. I checked it> again the next day, same thing. This time I opened the bottleslowly> and was unpleasantly greeted with an acrid "vinegary" smelling> aroma. It appears to have plenty of carbonation.>> I sealed it all up and here in a day or 2 i will be moving it to> the 'fridge to clear. I am full confident that when I open the> bottle this weekend, I will have 1.75 liters of apple cider vinegar.>> Was the re-using the yeasty dregs THAT bad of an idea? Did I miss> something else along the way? Your ideas, questions and thoughtsare> most welcome!ORGINAL POSTER: willum

I think it worked! I openned the bottle after nearly a month, andthere was very little outgassing. the regular carbonation seems toaccount for all the pressure. If there was still active yeastpresent, I would have expected a LOT more pressure. Nope, it's justme and my bubbles, which is just fine and dandy with me!--- "Willum" wrote:>> I just finished my first batch, 2 liters of a 3 day "hot" 2> day "cold" brew apple cider using the champaign yeast. After> clearing in the fridge, I siphoned it off into another bottle and> tasted it. Tastes great, very sweet, very little kick (what was I> expecting for 3 days!) I crushed 1/4 of a campden tablet and added> it to the cider. I let it absorb for a 1/2 hour of so...thesulfite> doesnt change the flavor at all. i'll keep you posted on if this> actually stops the fermentation or not.>> Willum>>> --- In E-Z-Caps@yahoogroups.com, Steve wrote:> > Yes, a campdem tablet will work fine, but you'll beadding> > chemicals to your brew> >> > At 05:42 AM 8/25/2005 +0000, you wrote:> > >I know the instructions say to put it in the fridge, but thatseems> > >like a short term stop. If I add a campden tablet to my> cider/wine,> > >will that stop the yeast to the point that I can glass bootle my> > >beverage and store at room temp, without making a glass grenade?> > >> > >I would like to be able to take my beverage on camping trips andto> > >give to friends without wasting or endangering anything.> > >> > >Willum> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >Yahoo! Groups Links> > >> > >> > >> > >>ORGINAL POSTER: willum