Seriously, if you have wanted to try something like Oztops, or have but want to try to do it yourself you should try this.
I went to Bunnings and got a few cistern washers (only $1 each), that are the perfect size for fitting under a 2 or 3lt juice lid.
All I did was with a sharp knife put a very small slit in the rubber washer.
I went to the shops and bought my apple juice, apple and blackcurrent etc, and then drilled a small hole in the 2 lids and popped a washer with a cut slit in it under each juice lid.
All I do now is use these insetad of Oztops, and wash and sterilise and reuse all I want.
I buy my own yeast for my beer, so whenever I buy a kit I keep the packet yeasts in the fridge and just use a quarter of the packet of dry yeast into my bottle of juice, pop in a little honey or dex and put on my washer and lid with a hole in it (the washer fits snuggly inside the lid and gets a perfect seal). I still pour off a little of the juice for head space, but find I get activity within 24 hours at room temp, and ferment to a good level in 4 or 5 days, and the carbonation is great!
I find the packet beer yeast does not ferment as dry as a wine or champage yeast, it stays a little sweeter, and the rule of thumb I use is about 4 days gets you 4 to 5% alc vol, 5 days gets you about 5 to 6% and so on...not a perfect science but I have had no issues at all and it has made some great brews.
Total costs...
washer $1.00
3l juice $3.00
yeast nothing as I already had packet yeasts and I drop a little honey or dextrose in for added fermentation.
When ready, I pop in the fridge.
If I want I transfer it to PET bottles and add a little dex as primer, leave at room temp for another couple of days (you can feel the PET swell), then put in the fridge so I have 4*750m bottles from my 3l of juice.
Seriously, it tsates just as good as Oztops, and costs the price of the juice you use!
Try it, have some fun.
I went to Bunnings and got a few cistern washers (only $1 each), that are the perfect size for fitting under a 2 or 3lt juice lid.
All I did was with a sharp knife put a very small slit in the rubber washer.
I went to the shops and bought my apple juice, apple and blackcurrent etc, and then drilled a small hole in the 2 lids and popped a washer with a cut slit in it under each juice lid.
All I do now is use these insetad of Oztops, and wash and sterilise and reuse all I want.
I buy my own yeast for my beer, so whenever I buy a kit I keep the packet yeasts in the fridge and just use a quarter of the packet of dry yeast into my bottle of juice, pop in a little honey or dex and put on my washer and lid with a hole in it (the washer fits snuggly inside the lid and gets a perfect seal). I still pour off a little of the juice for head space, but find I get activity within 24 hours at room temp, and ferment to a good level in 4 or 5 days, and the carbonation is great!
I find the packet beer yeast does not ferment as dry as a wine or champage yeast, it stays a little sweeter, and the rule of thumb I use is about 4 days gets you 4 to 5% alc vol, 5 days gets you about 5 to 6% and so on...not a perfect science but I have had no issues at all and it has made some great brews.
Total costs...
washer $1.00
3l juice $3.00
yeast nothing as I already had packet yeasts and I drop a little honey or dextrose in for added fermentation.
When ready, I pop in the fridge.
If I want I transfer it to PET bottles and add a little dex as primer, leave at room temp for another couple of days (you can feel the PET swell), then put in the fridge so I have 4*750m bottles from my 3l of juice.
Seriously, it tsates just as good as Oztops, and costs the price of the juice you use!
Try it, have some fun.
