Brewing Videos
Below is a collection of all of the videos I've made dealing with homebrewing (at least those with helpful information). I will keep this page updated, but you're also welcome to subscribe to my youtube channel. Before you jump into the videos below, remember there's lots to see on this site including:
- Brewing Supplies Page: Ordering from these hand-picked links supports this website.
- Tips & Tricks Page: Tested and true words from an experienced home brewer.
- Beer & Cider Page: A dedicated page for beer lovers featuring the Mr. Beer Kit video.
Super Simple Beer (yes, it's this easy) This video uses a $39 beer kit from Mr Beer. From what I've seen that's the easiest way to start beer brewing. It's good to get your feet wet, but honestly not that cost effective in the long run. If you just want something cheap to prove to yourself youc an do the Mr Beer Kit is probably the way to go. If you expect you'll want to brew beer long term you're better off checking out the advanced stuff on our Beer Page. For step-by-step instructions on how to use this kit visit this squidoo article I wrote: http://www.squidoo.com/easybeermaking
Super Simple Winemaking: Description: Just what it says, a super simple and cheap method to make homebrew wine. No investment in a homebrew kit needed. You just need a condom, the yeast and a sugary drink. Here is a link to the yeast I recommend in the video below. It's very cheap and my cloning video below shows you how to clone the yeast so you never have to order again.
Super Simple Winemaking II Description: Follow up on the first video and talk about sterilization. We also start another batch of wine and talk about an upcoming online brewing course. Unfortunately you'll probably want to actually order a good sanitizer solution if you don't want to take the time to boil everything (pain in the ass). Don't use bleach! This stuff is pretty cheap though and it goes a LONG way!
Clearing Your Wine Description: Learn how to clear your wine to improve taste, texture and generally make a better quality product. I strongly recommend using Bentonite. It's very cheap and a little bit goes a long way. A 3 oz bag is under $2.00 and will easily clear 50 gallons of wine.
Yeast need culture – homebrewing and cloning yeast Description: How to clone yeast so you dont have to buy it over and over again. I recommend this yeast for most wines. For a beer yeast you'll need to look look into what type of beer you want to make. There are various strains available.
Winemaking – Fabricating a bottle top airlock Description: How to fabricate a bottle top to work with any homebrewing air lock. I now recommend a different airlock than one shown in the video. Check out the airlocks here. They're very cheap and reusable. You'll also need some sanitizer solution to put in the air lock to keep your brew save. That's very cheap too though.
Advanced Home Wine Making – Volume 1 Description: An introduction to the chemicals and essential equipment used in home wine making. All of the stuff in this video can be ordered easily online with very cheap shipping. I highly recommend using the online shop for High Gravity over the one I recommended in the video. Their online shop works better and shipping is cheaper.
Advanced Wine Making II – How to use a hydrometer Description: How to use a hydrometer to measure your sugar and alcohol level. I also recommend picking up a wine thief (not shown in the video) to help you use the hydrometer. It makes sampling and testing your wine much easier.
August 18th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Well thanx to you Ive got my first two batches started.
Batch # 1 is a mixture of apple cider sugar english tea and a touch of vanilla. And yes “james” a pkg. of champange redstar yeast lol.
Batch #2 is a Berry Mixture tea base with sugar and a lil’ lemon, and some white grape concentrate. Just a pkg of red star stuff that came with the kit.
I know I know I was goona wait til this weekend, but thats more days I have to wait to try it. Thanx for the info. Take care Rob
August 18th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Freakin awesome man, straight up freakin awesome.
You know, I’ve never tried using a tea. hmmm, you’re going to have to let me know how that turns out.
August 19th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
glad you found us again. We recently had a virus on the site too (no danger to the visitors, it was effecting our google traffic only)
September 1st, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Well almost time to rack, clear and bottle. I plan on the bentonite method for it. Such an accomplished feeling. Thanx for the help James……
September 5th, 2009 at 12:37 am
I’m totaly interested with the online info course. I would be more likely to pay if it was a single fee more because I fear loosing the information once I stoped paying. I think a couple of bucks a month for a few months is a great Idea however. I’m just more inclined to a membership rate for myself as I don’t link multiple billings.
September 9th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Hi Friend,
First let me tell you that I really Enjoy your work and you made me to make beer myself
(my wife is asking who’s idea was it to open a beer factory at home)
Now a question: How much sugar to add before bottling, I know you show it in the movie but iam asking again because every movie and explanation on youtube show something different (from your movie i understood 2.45 teaspoon per bottle which is 500?)
Thanks,
Eitan Slama. (Finland)
September 9th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
ha! my place looks like a wine factory, but the wife loves it!
Priming (adding sugar to make CO2 in the bottle) can be adjusted to your liking. HEre is a good web page that gives variable measurements.
http://www.skotrat.com/go/default/brewing-info/priming-beer/
September 10th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
The tea for the base with the Berry recipe worked great. The aroma is very nice and the taste is straight up awsome. I think the vanilla mellowed it and gave it a smoothe taste also. It has a nice body to it. The aftertaste is like a fresh picked berry from a bush. Im very pleased. Now the aging to come. Thanx again for the help.
September 24th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Rob H – Im interested in your tea base how you are making it and how you are applying it. Are you just using tea instead of water in the recipes?
September 28th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I’ve been looking for a video that explained it in an easy way so, that a dummy like me could understand on how to make his own hooch. Thanks ya’ll, I’m heading to the store right now. I just don’t want to wait for it to be ready.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:54 am
I watched your videos on simple wine making and was excited to give it a try. I used two containers of Welch’s 100% juice frozen concentrate, added the directed amount of water and topped it off with Welch’s 100% juice from a new liquid bottle. Instead of making the concentrate while frozen as directed, I let it thaw in the fridge so I wouldn’t have to deal with frozen lumps. I put it in a 1 Gal. plastic container (leaving space at the top of the jug) added a package of red wine yeast, (it looked like you used a whole package so I did too) shook it up, and used a bung and airlock (adding Vodka to the airlock) instead of the suggested condom. It started “boiling” within 10 hours and accumulated a large amount of foam in the space at the top of the jug so much so that the foam slowly bubbled up through the airlock and into the vodka. I quickly replaced the airlock three times within the first two days. Now on the third day the bubbling in the container and out of the airlock seems to be at the same speed but the foaming seems to be under control. The problem is that the smell coming out of the airlock seems to smell like sulphur or possibly rotten eggs. I cleaned and sterilized everything with “B-Brite” at each step (including the airlocks that I replaced.) What did I do wrong?
October 1st, 2009 at 8:16 am
hey man, as noted in the comments section, I generally don’t answer questions here. This stuff needs to be addressed in the discussion forum so the more folks get the benefit of learning from the discussion.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:20 am
i would just like to thank you for your info on wine making i have started 2 bottles of apple wine using the condom method using lalvin ec 1118 yeast.this is my first time and batch. it worked very fast to start got reaction in 1 bottle withing 20 mins other was a little slow. quick question on last bottle its been 4 days and still not going as well as first bottle should i add more yeast or more heat ? thanks a again
October 31st, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Hey dude, great site. I have been making wine for a year or so. Today the wife and I made chocolate covered cherrie wine. 8lbs of cherries for one gallon. Put the yeast in tomorrow. Have you ever tired this one?
Duane
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Awesome man. I’ve put cherry juice in beer before and it turned out wonderfully. I haven’t used whole cherries though. I just started a Holiday Honey Wheat with pumpkin pie spice brew last night though. posted the recipe in the forums.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
I love your videos. You have made me into a wine making maniac! My husband told me (when he seen that I was really into it all) that I was going to have to move my project to the garage!! I told him no way it is not sterile nor is it warm. I started 2 batches this is my third day. I have questions and tips, but like you said I will go to the Discussion forum for that a little later.
November 29th, 2009 at 1:30 am
First of all, THANK YOU for your videos. I have been wanting to make my own wine for quite a long time. I have completed one batch…it was the super simple way, but it worked like charm. It was so nice to see that I could make home wine without having to take out a loan. I am saving for the full kit now. I did have to improvise a couple times. I used a baloon vs a condom ( washed them in a bleach solution..2 oz for 5 gallons of water) I also didnt have access to true brewer’s yeast and used regular baking yeast( I know, I know). Used Pomegranate and Blueberry juice. I was amazing how you could taste all the flavors. Because the Pomegranate is so tart, I did have to sweeten, but man..for a first batch, I couldn’t be happier. Thank you soooooo much for the videos and all the great information on your site.
November 29th, 2009 at 3:06 am
In my country we dont have wine yeast.. can i use baking yeast for my wine..
thnx
December 4th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
the VIDS kick ass man i just started the simple way first never made wine befor but i will see how it comes out i used redstar bakeing yeast i couldent find a brew store near me in houston but the glove is waving hi so i think all is well
December 4th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
I am a little concerned about my wine. I have a 13 gallon carboy that I’ve been making wine in for 70 days, it is still bubbling! I am not sure what to do at this point. I don’t want my wine to go bad. It has been in a consistant 55 degree room since day one. Do you have any suggestions?
December 4th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
sorry, i don’t answer questions in the comments section. That’s why we have a discussion board. If i started answering questions in comments I’d have to check every page of the site. The discussion board lets me look at everything at once, not to mention giving you the benefit of information from other brewers as well.
December 10th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I was looking for something like this yesterday and today I was watching your Taurus review and I noticed you had a page about brewing. I will have to make me a batch of simple wine and see how it goes
December 14th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Dear bro, I love your videos. May I ask you to explain to me more of the yeast culture. I live in a country where we dont have yeast and I have only two sachet given by a friend. Thus I have to rely on that two sachets to make all my future batches (which I intend to do one batch each week). How frequent can I use the yeast culture? I put the yeast in a bottle with juice and sugar and then I put it in the fridge. Can I use that solution every few days? or it has to stay for 2 weeks? How much should I pour that solution into my batch? how much sugar should I put? (I heard too much sugar kills the yeast)
December 24th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
As for the forced carbonation issues, if U R not looking for the ambiance of really bottles for beer or wine coolers, use common plastic soda bottles and FizzGiz caps – there’s a website showing how. Quick, easy, darn cheap and totally lacking in ambiance. I have a my own question about the best wine choices for making wine coolers. But I’m not s’posed 2 ask Q’s here. Will try to post my own Q about that. Never posted anything here in this forum. Will take a stab at it
January 9th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
They are all great help. Thank you so much. I have my first gal making.
Again, thank you and your wife for doing the filming
January 13th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Dude! I JUST found your youtube stuff!! Well I did last night bad had to go for work!! Anyways, I got my dad interested and we are thinking of trying to make some, I’ll let you know on what we decided to use and all.