i purchased a hydrometer for around 8 bucks at abrewing place we have downtown. by using one ofthose, you can easily figure out the alcohol contentin your drinks.Chase--- mikeyzim80 wrote:>> hi, i'm new to all this, made my 1st batches with> apple juice and> welch's grape. turned out ok, seems to have> fermented. what is the> best way to measure the alcohol % once it is> ready???>>>>__________________________________Yahoo! MessengerShow us what our next emoticon should look like. Join the fun.http://www.advision.webevents.yahoo.com/emoticontestORGINAL POSTER: chase

hi, i'm new to all this, made my 1st batches with apple juice andwelch's grape. turned out ok, seems to have fermented. what is thebest way to measure the alcohol % once it is ready???ORGINAL POSTER: mikeyzim80

Hello all ....Recieved the ez-caps this weekend and already have four goodtwo-liters "capped off".Had a couple of questions ( read most of the postings here ).1. I used a mott's apple juice that was 100% juice ( from concentrate). I added 1cup of white sugar to it at room temperature, about 1/8tsp of the yeast.... got them in bathroom closet (should be around 75F).It doesn't seem like it's fermenting, i can see the yeast particlesfloating around but do not look like they are breaking down (this is~48 hrs)In comparison, my apple-cran and white grape seem like they arebubbling away! I cannot see the yeast particles but it is cloudy andgassy. On the applce juice, am I looking at some bum apple juice here( there are some chemiclas in it it looks like by way of preservatives). I try to bleed the bottle to see if any gas was producing ... igot a real weak whisp of gas from it, but imagine that could be gasfrom the normal break down? I don't know.2. Do you stir in the yeast when you add it originally? With myinitial bottles, i just added the yeast without stiring and it settledto the bottom (then rose again).Thanks much! Looking forward to tasting!ORGINAL POSTER: greenwood48430

You should shake the bottles gently after adding the yeast for aquick start to fermentation, but skipping this step shouldn't result in astuck fermentation. If you aren't getting any fermentation after 48 hoursyou should add another dose of yeast. When preservatives are used it canreally slow the process down. Adding more yeast will speed it up.At 04:05 PM 3/28/2005 +0000, you wrote:>Hello all ....>>Recieved the ez-caps this weekend and already have four good>two-liters "capped off".>>Had a couple of questions ( read most of the postings here ).>>1. I used a mott's apple juice that was 100% juice ( from concentrate>). I added 1cup of white sugar to it at room temperature, about 1/8>tsp of the yeast.... got them in bathroom closet (should be around 75>F).>>It doesn't seem like it's fermenting, i can see the yeast particles>floating around but do not look like they are breaking down (this is>~48 hrs)>>In comparison, my apple-cran and white grape seem like they are>bubbling away! I cannot see the yeast particles but it is cloudy and>gassy. On the applce juice, am I looking at some bum apple juice here>( there are some chemiclas in it it looks like by way of preservatives>). I try to bleed the bottle to see if any gas was producing ... i>got a real weak whisp of gas from it, but imagine that could be gas>from the normal break down? I don't know.>>2. Do you stir in the yeast when you add it originally? With my>initial bottles, i just added the yeast without stiring and it settled>to the bottom (then rose again).>>Thanks much! Looking forward to tasting!>>>>>>>>Yahoo! Groups Links>>>>ORGINAL POSTER: steve

theres 2 good ways to knock down mead sweetness that iknow of, non ez-cap and ez-cap1. use a carboy to ferment in and use merlot yeast,then let it sit for 6months.2. get a big pot and cookup 4 liters at a time (2 maywork but i've always done 4). disolve the honey inboiling water, i use 2.5 cups. add 2 maybe 3 tea bags(any type). i let the tea bags sit for a few minutesthen take them out. let it all cool to a good temp foradding yeast. pour it in your bottles, add the yeastand let it sit for 10-12 days (honey ferments slowerthan regular sugar). it will have a bit of a tea tastebut will not be as sweet. i like it, great summerdrink. give it a shot. if you come up with a diffrentidea, let me know, i like to expieriment.--- moartes73 wrote:>> Ive made lots of beer from other kits. I usually> give away more than> I drink. I was wondering how people bottle the ez> caps way?>> Do you use conventional bottling methods?>> Can I use the excess mason type jars from my wifes> canning? (Provided> she lets me *sneaks* )>> I made the mead first and its a bit sweet for my> tastes. Is there a> way to knock off some of the sweetness? Will less> sugar make it less> sweet?>>> I will say this tho, I loove the product. These caps> are great and I> will be giving them away as gifts to friends.>>>>"I still do not grasp the very concept of religion. What purpose does it serve?It seems an imaginary incentive designed to control societal-scale behavior" -Ominus__________________________________Do you Yahoo!?Make Yahoo! your home pagehttp://www.yahoo.com/r/hsORGINAL POSTER: adam

Ive made lots of beer from other kits. I usually give away more thanI drink. I was wondering how people bottle the ez caps way?Do you use conventional bottling methods?Can I use the excess mason type jars from my wifes canning? (Providedshe lets me *sneaks* )I made the mead first and its a bit sweet for my tastes. Is there away to knock off some of the sweetness? Will less sugar make it lesssweet?I will say this tho, I loove the product. These caps are great and Iwill be giving them away as gifts to friends.ORGINAL POSTER: moartes73

Just let it sit, the juice will be fine. White grapetakes a little longer than others.What your seeing in the lemonade is clumps of yeast.Its fine, they will settle once its in the fridge.Chris--- Tiffany wrote:>> I started a white grape juice wine 2 days ago, and I> checked it> today, and it wasn't fermenting.. there was no> bubbles. Has this> gone bad? If I left a cup of any kind of juice/milk> out for 2 days I> would definately not drink it,.. should I add> another dose of yeast> or dump it?>>> I also started a hard lemonade 1 day ago, and> although this one is> fermenting well, there are little things floating in> it, looks like> pulp, however I used lemon juice without any pulp. I> havent seen> this before in any other ones that I have made(but> this is my first> time using lemon juice), so I'm thinking it is> because it is> acidic?? I used 100% lemon juice mixed with lots of> water, to taste.>>>>__________________________________Do you Yahoo!?Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ORGINAL POSTER: chris

hi,has anyone expierimented with diffrent sugars? i havea few friends that brew and they suggest diffrentsugars. one says that cane confection sugar is the wayto go, another buys his sugar at the home brew storeand says that is the best (but expensive).thanksadam"I still do not grasp the very concept of religion. What purpose does it serve?It seems an imaginary incentive designed to control societal-scale behavior" -Ominus__________________________________Do you Yahoo!?Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ORGINAL POSTER: adam

I started a white grape juice wine 2 days ago, and I checked ittoday, and it wasn't fermenting.. there was no bubbles. Has thisgone bad? If I left a cup of any kind of juice/milk out for 2 days Iwould definately not drink it,.. should I add another dose of yeastor dump it?I also started a hard lemonade 1 day ago, and although this one isfermenting well, there are little things floating in it, looks likepulp, however I used lemon juice without any pulp. I havent seenthis before in any other ones that I have made(but this is my firsttime using lemon juice), so I'm thinking it is because it isacidic?? I used 100% lemon juice mixed with lots of water, to taste.ORGINAL POSTER: tiffany

Theoretically, I suppose you *should* be able to ferment a straight sugar-water solution. has anyone tried this? I'm not sure without added nutrients how well it might ferment. I remember trying this a few years back when I first started into homebrewing...had a recipe for straight alcohol and wanting to make the various liqueurs and whatnot....it did ferment and turn to alcohol but the recipes were not that great and I recall throwing out a lot of bottles.....DarleneORGINAL POSTER: franã§ois