04-09-2009, 03:41 AM
Hey everyone! I just purchased a new set of ezcaps and got back into brewingafter not brewing for at least a year. I brewed an excellent ginger beer and agood strawberry champagne. I still think the peach grape juice makes the bestsparkling wine. (I recently used a store brand and it was as good as welches).I am experimenting with a cherry flavor and an alcoholic Ginger Beer.I also got back into brewing Birch Beer, but I don't need ezcaps for that. Ihave tried all different brands of root beer, sarsaparilla, and birch beer andbelieve it or not the common Rainbow Flavors Birch Beer is the best hands down.I was Brewing so many root beer varieties that I blew all of the seals on mygrowlers. I couldn't get anything to ferment and this is why I stopped brewingfor a while. (I'm back to plastic bottles for soda. I know when its done thisway as well).I'm also getting back into brewing beer. I am no longer using ezcaps for beerthough, because it is so much work for 2 liters of beer at a time. The ezcapsare good for the starter though. I am focussing on Heffeweisens. I have hadsome great luck with a coffee stout that was very hoppy using ezcaps in thepast. I loved it, but most people didn't like the hoppiness. I like the hops,so more beer for me! Beer enthusiasts would have loved it. Search back in theposts for my beer recipes and results.I just bought 6 acres in upstate (western) NY and I am growing my own hops. Ihave them started indoors for now. I am growing 8 Willamet plants (I got 8 for$10 on ebay. What a deal!), 2 Columbus, 1 Hallertau, 1 Tettnang and 1 Cascade.To my surprise all of them are growing. I hope the frost ends soon so I can getthem outside. I will have some good beer for Oktoberfest!I am starting to reuse my yeast. I wonder how many successful reuses of ezcapyeast people have had? My biggest reason for reusing yeast is for theHeffeweisen. A special yeast that is hard to come by up here is needed and itis where most of the flavor of a heffeweisen comes from. I know I can buy itonline, but I end up paying at least twice as much with shipping. I was veryspoiled living on Long Island for years and having anything I wantedimmediately.ORGINAL POSTER: eezzcap