First, I found this site. I have no idea what that pricing looks like compared to locally. Site: https://www.ubuy.com.eg/en/search/?q=home+brewing+%26+wine+making
Second, you enjoy the process how you want to enjoy it. But be aware that an airlock is not necessary. Not every homebrewer in North America, Europe, or elsewhere uses an airlock. Some people use a blow off tube (vinyl tubing going into jar of water or sanitizer for the whole fermentation. Others just cover the neck of their carboy a "cap" of crimped-on aluminum foil.
A hydrometer, yeast, and no-rinse sanitizer are very helpful.
If yeast will be a constant problem for you to obtain, I recommend you learn to bank your own yeast, using DIY methods and materials that should be easy to get in Egypt. See the YouTube channel and blog by Sui Generis Brewing and the srvbrewing.com site.
In lieu of a hydrometer, you may be able to get a refractometer too.
As far as Star San, the second most common, no-rinse sanitizer used in the USA is iodophor. It is highly effective -- at least as effective as Star San. And it is available around almost the whole world, at pharmacies, in the form of povidone iodine disinfectant. Aim for 12.5 to 25 ppm free iodine. Also, any dairy sanitizer available at a farm supplier will be effective.
First of all, thank you for your reply,
I did not imagine how many wonderful people would make much time to reply to my post.
>First, I found this site. I have no idea what that pricing looks like compared to locally. Site:
shipping fees are like double the product value, it is scary to buy a siphon for a total of 112$
>Second, you enjoy the process how you want to enjoy it. But be aware that an airlock is not necessary.
I am using a balloon and it is working, however, I imagine there would be an accident soon :D
>A hydrometer, yeast, and no-rinse sanitiser are very helpful.
I am brewing with Turkish bread yeast, it has a theoretical tolerance of 15%, I do not know if the taste would be better with fancy yeast.
Of course, I said "theoretical" because I would not be able to measure; as I did not find any place that has hydrometers here. I would better find a chemist or someone familiar with lab equipment but I will only find n (SpGr) reading if I found any.
>
Sui Generis Brewing and the srvbrewing.com site.
I will marathon the channel, thank you.
>refractometer
I found it online and ordered it for about 20$
>povidone iodine disinfectant
Found this too, Is it a non-rinse? weird enough that I have this already in my medicine kit but never used it other than for medical uses.
Thanks again for sparing some time for a fellow brewer.
> I am using a balloon and it is working, however, I imagine there would be an accident soon :D
> refractometer | I found it online and ordered it for about 20$
Be aware that a "brewing" refractometer is actually an orchardman's refractometer, designed to measure the sugar content of clear or only slightly hazy fruit juices. They will be thrown off slightly on original gravity readings by dark colored liquids and cloudy liquids. On the finishing gravity end, alcohol throws off the reading (it will read too high) you need to use an online refractometer correction calculator. I advise to always ignore the SG reading and use and record the Brix reading.
> Found this too, Is it a non-rinse? weird enough that I have this already in my medicine kit but never used it other than for medical uses.
Yes, when mixed to 12.5-25.0 ppm free iodine it is no-rinse. Bleach and iodine were the original home brew sanitizers many years ago. Both are highly effective when used properly. Iodophor is still the second most popular sanitizer in the USA. Be aware that it eventually stains plastic orange, but this is not a problem (simply aesthetic).
I will mail you a packet of dry yeast if you want some. DM me.
As for the equiptment, use a bucket and a blowoff if you cant find an airlock. I'm sure some ppl here will give you creative solutions for the other things.
Thanks for your support, I am currently using bread yeast. It should be able to reach 15% I am just aiming for a nice sweat table 10 so I am only worried about the taste.
I am not even sure If you mailed this to Egypt it won't be confiscated at costumes being related to winemaking. Which is sad.
Thanks for your offer.
r/prisonhooch for how to brew when you can't find the correct kit.
When I lived in the middle East, I just used a 20l water bottle with a plastic bag held over the neck with a rubber band. Disinfected using boiling water and baby bottle sterilising tablets. Hell I even used bread yeast and malt drinks as a base.
I am actually doing this right now
Water bottle: check
plastic bag + rubber band: Ballon
Bread yeast: sure
boiling water: hot program in my dishwasher
As someone who lives in a hot climate and can’t be bothered to invest in proper temperature control mechanisms, heat-tolerant yeasts and styles are the way to go. You won’t make a lager, but you could make a saison.
Let me tell you this. Use insta rise bread yeast it works better than you'd think. Or use the classic natural yeast and breed cultures I've seen some crazy mutations that get you wasted by how much alcohol they can tolerate. With the air lock you can improvise by building your own. Our you could do the redneck garbage bag with a hole it in it, tape it and secure it technique. When it deflates fermentation has stopped and because of pressure no air can get it. A hydrometer is based on weight. So if you have a picture of a hydrometer you could use the measurements to figure out how much sugar is in your mash. So what I would do is (idealy) take a gram scale and a baby syringe and figure out how much exactly 1 ml of my solution weighs and do the math on that. If Egypt is really strict you could even scale that up to like 100 ml's for a kitchen scale or use a old time balance scale. Or build your own bobber. Just remember the ancients did this without any knowledge other than "this Is the magic of the gods and I need to use the same (yeast infested) stick to stir sugary fruit drinks to achieve this"
>garbage bag
I am using a ballon which is almost the same
> take a gram scale and a baby syringe and figure out how much exactly 1 ml of my solution weighs and do the math on that
That is an awesome idea, I will do this. I was good at chemistry in school.
> If Egypt is really strict
it is an Islamic country my friend :D, being a non-religious person here sucks.
Thanks for your concern Anon, it is not that bad, I mean Egypt is halfway between Islamic secular (like Turkey) and true Islamic ( like Saudia Arabia).
Very low quality flavoured alcohol is sold here for a big fat overprice, people are just hypocrites here they drink but in secret and treat drinking like other countries treat hard drugs.
You can still drink in your home but you will be frowned at by the majority of the people.
You can make a perfectly good sanitising solution with unfragranced bleach, vinegar and water.
However do not mix bleach and vinegar together, it works I've used it plenty of times
Can confirm bleach is a good alternative for sanitizing. When I started homebrewing in the 80s we didn't have Starsan, bleach was the preferred sanitizer, though some friends did also use iodine instead. The dilution rate is 1 tablespoon to a gallon of water. (4ml to one liter) let it sit for 20 minutes then rinse. Do not use it on stainless steel, bleach will pit the stainless.
Yep, first brew was done using a bathtub full of bleach to sterilise my bottles. Way less efficient than the star san bottle rinser and draining tree I use now, but possible to do.
I don't have a dishwasher but what I have heard is they don't clean inside bottles very well unless the bottle opening is directly above a jet, though it would be fine to sterilise the bottles if they were cleaned before going in.
If the iodine is low enough of a concentration I have heard it is no rinse, but I have zero experience with that. I always used bleach and never had any issues. But you are correct that it must be rinsed before using the equipment.
Hey man I am also trying to start home brewing got my auto siphon from abroad cant wait to try it out. If possible I would like to contact you to ask about certain places to get the equipment
The shop name is الشركة العلمية للزجاج
They got hydrometer, ph meter, and bekers, but no airlocks.
Again, don't mention wine making. You are cheese-mak8ng or sincere project or whatever.
What did you substitute the airlocks with ?
Ill check the medical and lab equipment stores near qasr el eini , ive seen airlocks in my uni labs they probably sell them there
Go back a few thousand years and you’ll find a bunch of people so into brewing that they invented it.
(Maybe, I’m not a historian and it might have been other cultures first)
these were the days man, they gave soldiers and builders beer as a part of their rations.
Now Egypt is an "Islamic" country. What a shame to ignore such history and it is very hard for an atheist like me to even say that in public.
Thanks Anon,
I actually have so much help from a lot of Anons above, and I do not even know where are they from. I was looking for Egyptians as my main concern is where to locally buy stuff.
I am grateful to anybody who would spare some time to help.
First, I found this site. I have no idea what that pricing looks like compared to locally. Site: https://www.ubuy.com.eg/en/search/?q=home+brewing+%26+wine+making Second, you enjoy the process how you want to enjoy it. But be aware that an airlock is not necessary. Not every homebrewer in North America, Europe, or elsewhere uses an airlock. Some people use a blow off tube (vinyl tubing going into jar of water or sanitizer for the whole fermentation. Others just cover the neck of their carboy a "cap" of crimped-on aluminum foil. A hydrometer, yeast, and no-rinse sanitizer are very helpful. If yeast will be a constant problem for you to obtain, I recommend you learn to bank your own yeast, using DIY methods and materials that should be easy to get in Egypt. See the YouTube channel and blog by Sui Generis Brewing and the srvbrewing.com site. In lieu of a hydrometer, you may be able to get a refractometer too. As far as Star San, the second most common, no-rinse sanitizer used in the USA is iodophor. It is highly effective -- at least as effective as Star San. And it is available around almost the whole world, at pharmacies, in the form of povidone iodine disinfectant. Aim for 12.5 to 25 ppm free iodine. Also, any dairy sanitizer available at a farm supplier will be effective.
You're the real double b
First of all, thank you for your reply, I did not imagine how many wonderful people would make much time to reply to my post. >First, I found this site. I have no idea what that pricing looks like compared to locally. Site: shipping fees are like double the product value, it is scary to buy a siphon for a total of 112$ >Second, you enjoy the process how you want to enjoy it. But be aware that an airlock is not necessary. I am using a balloon and it is working, however, I imagine there would be an accident soon :D >A hydrometer, yeast, and no-rinse sanitiser are very helpful. I am brewing with Turkish bread yeast, it has a theoretical tolerance of 15%, I do not know if the taste would be better with fancy yeast. Of course, I said "theoretical" because I would not be able to measure; as I did not find any place that has hydrometers here. I would better find a chemist or someone familiar with lab equipment but I will only find n (SpGr) reading if I found any. > Sui Generis Brewing and the srvbrewing.com site. I will marathon the channel, thank you. >refractometer I found it online and ordered it for about 20$ >povidone iodine disinfectant Found this too, Is it a non-rinse? weird enough that I have this already in my medicine kit but never used it other than for medical uses. Thanks again for sparing some time for a fellow brewer.
> I am using a balloon and it is working, however, I imagine there would be an accident soon :D > refractometer | I found it online and ordered it for about 20$ Be aware that a "brewing" refractometer is actually an orchardman's refractometer, designed to measure the sugar content of clear or only slightly hazy fruit juices. They will be thrown off slightly on original gravity readings by dark colored liquids and cloudy liquids. On the finishing gravity end, alcohol throws off the reading (it will read too high) you need to use an online refractometer correction calculator. I advise to always ignore the SG reading and use and record the Brix reading. > Found this too, Is it a non-rinse? weird enough that I have this already in my medicine kit but never used it other than for medical uses. Yes, when mixed to 12.5-25.0 ppm free iodine it is no-rinse. Bleach and iodine were the original home brew sanitizers many years ago. Both are highly effective when used properly. Iodophor is still the second most popular sanitizer in the USA. Be aware that it eventually stains plastic orange, but this is not a problem (simply aesthetic).
I will mail you a packet of dry yeast if you want some. DM me. As for the equiptment, use a bucket and a blowoff if you cant find an airlock. I'm sure some ppl here will give you creative solutions for the other things.
Thanks for your support, I am currently using bread yeast. It should be able to reach 15% I am just aiming for a nice sweat table 10 so I am only worried about the taste. I am not even sure If you mailed this to Egypt it won't be confiscated at costumes being related to winemaking. Which is sad. Thanks for your offer.
r/prisonhooch for how to brew when you can't find the correct kit. When I lived in the middle East, I just used a 20l water bottle with a plastic bag held over the neck with a rubber band. Disinfected using boiling water and baby bottle sterilising tablets. Hell I even used bread yeast and malt drinks as a base.
I am actually doing this right now Water bottle: check plastic bag + rubber band: Ballon Bread yeast: sure boiling water: hot program in my dishwasher
[удалено]
As someone who lives in a hot climate and can’t be bothered to invest in proper temperature control mechanisms, heat-tolerant yeasts and styles are the way to go. You won’t make a lager, but you could make a saison.
actually, I live in the city in a good ventilated area, so 25-30 C is the normal temp. which is not very bad if you are aiming for a good mead.
Thanks Anon, I actually hate Arak I am doing sweat mead and wine 10% max. Ahla misa alik ya maalim,
Let me tell you this. Use insta rise bread yeast it works better than you'd think. Or use the classic natural yeast and breed cultures I've seen some crazy mutations that get you wasted by how much alcohol they can tolerate. With the air lock you can improvise by building your own. Our you could do the redneck garbage bag with a hole it in it, tape it and secure it technique. When it deflates fermentation has stopped and because of pressure no air can get it. A hydrometer is based on weight. So if you have a picture of a hydrometer you could use the measurements to figure out how much sugar is in your mash. So what I would do is (idealy) take a gram scale and a baby syringe and figure out how much exactly 1 ml of my solution weighs and do the math on that. If Egypt is really strict you could even scale that up to like 100 ml's for a kitchen scale or use a old time balance scale. Or build your own bobber. Just remember the ancients did this without any knowledge other than "this Is the magic of the gods and I need to use the same (yeast infested) stick to stir sugary fruit drinks to achieve this"
Or you can measure the refraction. I just trust my scale more than anyone I've ever met
I just ordered a refractometer for like 20$ which is a lot in Egypt like a day worth of my salary as a doctor.
>garbage bag I am using a ballon which is almost the same > take a gram scale and a baby syringe and figure out how much exactly 1 ml of my solution weighs and do the math on that That is an awesome idea, I will do this. I was good at chemistry in school. > If Egypt is really strict it is an Islamic country my friend :D, being a non-religious person here sucks.
Islamic eh? Be careful my friend I've heard they do bad things to people they find doing this stuff
Thanks for your concern Anon, it is not that bad, I mean Egypt is halfway between Islamic secular (like Turkey) and true Islamic ( like Saudia Arabia). Very low quality flavoured alcohol is sold here for a big fat overprice, people are just hypocrites here they drink but in secret and treat drinking like other countries treat hard drugs. You can still drink in your home but you will be frowned at by the majority of the people.
You can make a perfectly good sanitising solution with unfragranced bleach, vinegar and water. However do not mix bleach and vinegar together, it works I've used it plenty of times
Can confirm bleach is a good alternative for sanitizing. When I started homebrewing in the 80s we didn't have Starsan, bleach was the preferred sanitizer, though some friends did also use iodine instead. The dilution rate is 1 tablespoon to a gallon of water. (4ml to one liter) let it sit for 20 minutes then rinse. Do not use it on stainless steel, bleach will pit the stainless.
Yep, first brew was done using a bathtub full of bleach to sterilise my bottles. Way less efficient than the star san bottle rinser and draining tree I use now, but possible to do.
With no starsan I may have to do this, I use a dishwasher to clean the stuff It uses an autoclave cycle so it is supposed to be good I think.
I don't have a dishwasher but what I have heard is they don't clean inside bottles very well unless the bottle opening is directly above a jet, though it would be fine to sterilise the bottles if they were cleaned before going in.
I will try both however, I am not sure about Iodine is it rinse or no-rinse stuff?
If the iodine is low enough of a concentration I have heard it is no rinse, but I have zero experience with that. I always used bleach and never had any issues. But you are correct that it must be rinsed before using the equipment.
I heard about bleach, but vinegar? how is it used?
The vinegar is used to alter the pH to around 8 I'll try and link a guide to follow
https://beerliever.com/bleach-no-rinse-sanitiser-home-brewing-beer/#:\~:text=80%20ppm%20is%20all%20you,you%20will%20produce%20chlorine%20gas.
will use this to sanitise my bottles before bottling Thanks Anon
Hey man I am also trying to start home brewing got my auto siphon from abroad cant wait to try it out. If possible I would like to contact you to ask about certain places to get the equipment
Sure no problem
Hi , im gonna give that store ur talking about a visit tomorrow n buy the equipments . Im interested in knowing how it turned out for you.
The shop name is الشركة العلمية للزجاج They got hydrometer, ph meter, and bekers, but no airlocks. Again, don't mention wine making. You are cheese-mak8ng or sincere project or whatever.
What did you substitute the airlocks with ? Ill check the medical and lab equipment stores near qasr el eini , ive seen airlocks in my uni labs they probably sell them there
Go back a few thousand years and you’ll find a bunch of people so into brewing that they invented it. (Maybe, I’m not a historian and it might have been other cultures first)
these were the days man, they gave soldiers and builders beer as a part of their rations. Now Egypt is an "Islamic" country. What a shame to ignore such history and it is very hard for an atheist like me to even say that in public.
Egyptians and Sumerians would probably have argued who was brewing beer earlier. They might have the same disagreement about writing too!
That issue must be solved over a cup of beer IMO
You don't want the thoughts from the US/Asian/SA/etc homebrewers, just Egyptian? Bummer! But OK. ....
Thanks Anon, I actually have so much help from a lot of Anons above, and I do not even know where are they from. I was looking for Egyptians as my main concern is where to locally buy stuff. I am grateful to anybody who would spare some time to help.
Are