Calling all connoisseurs of spirits

[lizzie]

https://theculturetrip.com/caribbean/cuba/articles/americans-can-now-bring-cuban-cigars-and-rum-into-the-u-s/



Of course, you could always go get it yourself.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Ya know... we been talking about dat.

[lizzie]

That's a good excuse to take a fun trip.

[Airgunnr88]

I just had a tall, frosty mug of my homemade hard cider.  It's a dead simple recipe that I figured out by accident, ready to drink in 7 days and tastes better than most hard cider you can buy.  I ferment it right in the gallon jug the juice comes in.  Sounds like a prison wine recipe, but it's really good.

[lizzie]

Cool! You'll have to let us in on how to make it!

[Struckat]

I had a beer the other day. May have been the second one this year.

[Airgunnr88]

Cool! You'll have to let us in on how to make it!

First you need a good British ale yeast, which seems to have just the right characteristics.  I always use Nottingham ale yeast.  You can find it on Amazon or Ebay, not too expensive.  A packet is enough for five batches.  You also need some diammonium phosphate yeast nutrient, don't be scared off by the name.  You can find it anywhere that you can find the yeast.  It will give a better fermentation and a better tasting product.  Other than those two things, everything else comes from the regular old grocery store.  No special brewing equipment needed.

Get a gallon jug of apple juice, I like Musselman's or Apple and Eve, but even the cheap walmart brand stuff works in a pinch.  Pour out a small glass and drink it, just to make some room in the jug.

Pour some into a sauce pan or small pot, doesn't matter how much as long as it's enough to heat up and mix in the other ingredients.  Throw in a tea bag and a handful of raisins, and bring it up to a boil.  The raisins give it a more rounded fruity flavor that actually makes the finished cider taste more like apples.  The tea bag adds some tannic acid, for better flavor.  Professional cider makers would use some crab apples for the same effect.

Once it boils, you can turn the heat off.  Add anywhere from half a cup to two cups of brown sugar, depending on how strong you want it.  More sugar equals more alcohol.  One cup is about right for me, if it gets too strong the flavor will be harsher.  I like to add 2-3 tablespoons of molasses for a little extra flavor.  Put in a teaspoon of the yeast nutrient, mix it all up, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes to let it cool down and let the tea bag and raisins steep.

While the juice jug is partly empty, it's a good time to shake it up to get some extra oxygen into it.  Just shake it until it makes some foamy bubbles.  Not sure if it's completely necessary, but I always do it.  Then discard the tea bag, and dump the warm mixture back into the jug with the rest of the juice.  If it seems warmer than about 80-90 degrees F, let it cool to about that temperature before you put the yeast in, but usually the temperature is just right after I put the heated-up stuff back in the jug.  Sprinkle in about 1/5 of the packet of yeast, put the cap on and give it an optional shake to combine, and then make sure the cap is just slightly loose to let the gas from fermentation out.  That's all the air lock you need.  Some people will use a balloon, but to my thinking, that's more likely to introduce contamination than to prevent it.  I've never had a batch go bad.  I tape my open yeast packet shut, and store it in the fridge in a ziploc bag.  It should be useable for a few months, at least.

By the next day, or maybe even within a few hours, you will see lots of tiny bubbles coming up the side of the jug.  It's alive!!!  Over the next few days, it will start fermenting even faster, until it reaches it's peak and starts to slow down.  The amount of time it takes will vary depending on the temperature in your house, and the amount of sugar in the cider.  Usually, the bubbling is mostly finished in 6-7 days in cool weather, or even sooner in the summer.

Whenever it's done to your liking, pour the cider off into another container, like a 1-gallon wine jug or several smaller bottles if you want, and put it in the fridge.  The Nottingham ale yeast tends to settle to the bottom and stick there, which makes it easy to pour the cider off of the dead yeast.  The sooner you do this, the sweeter it will be, so once you get it figured out, you can time it to your own preference.  If you let it ferment until the bubbles mostly stop, it reminds me of a cross between Strongbow and Smith and Forge cider.  If it's still bubbling quite a bit when you move it to the fridge, it will be sweet like a Woodchuck cider.

Enjoy!

[lizzie]

Thank you Dan! That sounds like fun!

[Ronno6]

A couple fingers of Knob Creek on ice..............mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[lizzie]

A couple fingers of Knob Creek on ice..............mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Since I discovered a really inexpensive, but good pre-made margarita, I just keep a bottle in the door of the fridge, pour about a half glass, and chillllllllllll.


Besides, Kahlua season is officially over for now. 😆

[Rick67]

I have not drank any beverage containing alcohol in several months, but that might change tomorrow because I got invited a group of Filipino teachers 

My threshold may not be that great anymore, ha!

I dunno if you, ladies and gents, believe in PAKATI, but I have tried it on several occasions (when I was younger, lol!), and it does work.

PAKATI is the method where you slowly imbibe more alcohol to rid of your hangover 

Kind of like drinking for 2 days non-stop, lol!

[Ordinary Average Guy]

I gave up booze years ago, I prefer plants

[Ronno6]

I gave up booze years ago, I prefer plants

I pedal a bike, so I need to breathe......

[brewbear]

I haven't read the whole thread but:
1 large orange (alternately grapefruit or blood orange)
44 whole coffee beans roasted
44 teaspoons sugar (a little less than 1 cup IIRC)
1 liter (quart?) "El Cheapo" vodka or Everclear (50% or so) - we like the Everclear  one but not easy to find in Cali.

Make slits in the orange and insert coffee beans - easier is you do one slit, insert coffee bean, repeat. I tried doing all the slits first and then insert the coffee beans...it wasn't pretty.
Put the orange in a large glass jar, pour the sugar on top and then pour the booze on top, close the jar. Let it sit for 44 days, we put in a kitchen  cabinet (nice and dark, constant temp.) Shake the jar every couple days or so.
After the 44 days, drain the liquor ( I "juice" the orange too) filter if you want, chill and enjoy!

[Ordinary Average Guy]

I gave up booze years ago, I prefer plants

I pedal a bike, so I need to breathe......

I ride a bike, and I hike with pack full of camera gear, last time I had trouble breathing was 2019, decided to have my wife drop me and my camera off 1/2 mile from the top of Pikes Peak, I'm in better shape at 58 than I was at 48 actually.

[lizzie]

I haven't read the whole thread but:
1 large orange (alternately grapefruit or blood orange)
44 whole coffee beans roasted
44 teaspoons sugar (a little less than 1 cup IIRC)
1 liter (quart?) "El Cheapo" vodka or Everclear (50% or so) - we like the Everclear  one but not easy to find in Cali.

Make slits in the orange and insert coffee beans - easier is you do one slit, insert coffee bean, repeat. I tried doing all the slits first and then insert the coffee beans...it wasn't pretty.
Put the orange in a large glass jar, pour the sugar on top and then pour the booze on top, close the jar. Let it sit for 44 days, we put in a kitchen  cabinet (nice and dark, constant temp.) Shake the jar every couple days or so.
After the 44 days, drain the liquor ( I "juice" the orange too) filter if you want, chill and enjoy!

Now THAT sounds good!
Thanks!

[lizzie]

I have not drank any beverage containing alcohol in several months, but that might change tomorrow because I got invited a group of Filipino teachers 

My threshold may not be that great anymore, ha!

I dunno if you, ladies and gents, believe in PAKATI, but I have tried it on several occasions (when I was younger, lol!), and it does work.

PAKATI is the method where you slowly imbibe more alcohol to rid of your hangover 

Kind of like drinking for 2 days non-stop, lol!

Cool, Rick! Have a great time!

[Hoosier Daddy]

I have not drank any beverage containing alcohol in several months, but that might change tomorrow because I got invited a group of Filipino teachers 

My threshold may not be that great anymore, ha!

I dunno if you, ladies and gents, believe in PAKATI, but I have tried it on several occasions (when I was younger, lol!), and it does work.

PAKATI is the method where you slowly imbibe more alcohol to rid of your hangover 

Kind of like drinking for 2 days non-stop, lol!

Here that is called "Hair of the Dog" Rick.
Not sure of the origin but it may be akin to biting back what bit you last night.
 Good luck to you. 

[maraudinglizard]

Where can I buy this in the 'states?
Cuban export and I can only seem to find it in Mexico... and I LOVE it!
Surely you can't buy booze on the internet or every 16 year old would be doing it.

https://www.therealhavanaclub.com/us/en/

[Rick67]

I have not drank any beverage containing alcohol in several months, but that might change tomorrow because I got invited a group of Filipino teachers 

My threshold may not be that great anymore, ha!

I dunno if you, ladies and gents, believe in PAKATI, but I have tried it on several occasions (when I was younger, lol!), and it does work.

PAKATI is the method where you slowly imbibe more alcohol to rid of your hangover 

Kind of like drinking for 2 days non-stop, lol!

Here that is called "Hair of the Dog" Rick.
Not sure of the origin but it may be akin to biting back what bit you last night.
 Good luck to you. 

I will use that term later, HD sir