[Nick]

Cheers!

[Lionheart]

Cheers!

[AnneandMike]

Right, Guys. I'm no expert these days but up to about 10 years ago I brewed oceans of the stuff, so here is my advice:-

You need the right equipment, but it doesn't cost too much and you can get everything from Ken Thomas at Arkwrights - look at his online catalogue - I'm told he is a very helpful chap if you need more advice.

You need ( apart from your beer kit)

5 gallon fermentation bucket

long handled plastic stirring spoon

sterilizer/cleaner for sterilizing all equipment

a warm room (20C+) or a separate heater -these come as mats to sit the bin on, wrap around it, or you can buy little electric immersion heaters

plastic syphoning tube

brewing hydrometer

bottles or barrel for your nectar (for my 1st brew I just reused 2 litre plastic lemonade bottles

The kit comes with detailed instructions and it takes about 5 days to brew, then 2 weeks to carbonate in the bottles and is then best left 2 weeks in a cool place - needless to say some of it doesn't last that long.

Basically the process is this:

Sterilize all equipment and rinse with clean water

Put the yeast in warm water in a cup to wake it up

Put the malt into the fermentation barrel with some boiled water to dissolve it

top up to 5 gal with cold water

Add the yeast

Set off your heater (if needed), put on the lid and wait 4 to 5 days

When it seems to have finished (the froth has gone), sterilize the hydrometer and check the liquid density - this tells you if fermentation has finished - the figure to look for is given with the kit but is usually less than 1010.

Syphon into a barrel or bottles. Leave some space (less than 2 inches in a 2 litre bottle) at top of bottles for secondary fermentation gas)

Add a bit of sugar (roughly 1 teaspoon per pint in the container but follow the instructions). Not too much - I once did that with cider and on opening it completely recoloured a wall of my lounge - bit like champagne coming out.

Seal up and leave in a reasonably warm place for 2 weeks - check occasionally - plastic bottles should get firmer as gas is produced. You will see the ale getting clear.

Store in a cool place and drink. Each bottle will have a layer of yeast at the bottom so it is best decanted into a big jug. This is also a good excuse for drinking 3 pints at a time!

I hope this helps. I will try and film the next brew and put pictures here as a guide.

Mike