• About
  • Archive
  • Contact
The Greening of Gavin
  • Home
  • Our Green Shop
    • Little Green Workshops
  • Green Workshops
    • Cheese Making
    • Soap Making
    • Soy Candle Making
  • eBooks
    • Clay Oven eBook
    • Keep Calm and Make Cheese eBook
  • Podcast
    • TGOG Podcast
    • TGoG Podcast Archive
    • Little Green Cheese
  • Vlog
  • Cheese
  • Green Living
    • Chickens
    • Gardening
    • Soap Making
    • Recipes
    • Climate Change
    • Peak Oil
    • Solar Power
  • Resources

Preserves and Homebrewing

March 1, 2009 @ 23:30 By Gavin Webber 4 Comments

Once again, another busy weekend whizzes by. 

Saturday was preserving day.  I has some plums in the crisper that I wanted to use up, so decided to make a batch of spicy plum sauce.  I also had a glut of cucumbers.  Last year I made bread & butter cucumbers and they were a great hit in sandwiches during the cooler months, so I decided to made more for this year.  I also still have a mountain of jalapeno chillies, so a few jars of hot chilli chutney were on the cards.  Here is the end result after the water bath.

Notice the coke bottle at the back.  I was running short of sauce bottles, so found this coke bottle in the recycling bin, and decided that it would survive the water bath.  Waste not want not.

What you see in the photo is the result of about 5 hours of pleasurable work.  I started at 1200 and finished around 1730ish.  The HCC took about an hour all up, the plum sauce took about an hour, with the cucumbers take 3 hours sitting time with salt mixed in to get rid of the bitterness, then about 30 minutes to cook.  Finally the water bath took about and hour all up.

Today, besides visiting the neighbours in the afternoon and helping with the chooks, I managed to get the following done around the garden

  • Fed my chooks and gave them a health check (all fine),
  • Watered the veggie patch,
  • Cleared the corn patch and one tomato bed,
  • Composted the corn/tomatoes,
  • Fed the worms lots of rotten tomatoes,
  • Fed the capsicum bushes, and
  • Held a homebrew class.

Yes, I started sharing my homebrewing skills with a few mates.  David and Dale were my students, and I showed them how to start a batch of beer.  I decided to make a dark ale (Coopers) seeing we are now in autumn, and showed them how to sterilize the equipment, make the wort from a concentrate and dextrose, pitch the yeast at the right temp, and how to get an air tight seal with the airlock.  I really enjoyed being the teacher, and I thanked the lads for carrying the fermenting barrel from the rainwater tank to the shed for me.  I gave them tips and tricks for newbies during the class.  I also made them taste the concentrate, and got them to smell the yeast.  You have to try these things to get be able to get the full brewing experience!  And what would making homebrew be without having a bottle of beer during the process.  Ahh, the amber nectar never tasted so good!

I just checked the barrel and it has not begun to bubble yet, but the yeast has sunk to the bottom.  That is OK, because the temperature is still between 21-27C, so it should begin fermentation some time tonight.  I will check again in the morning. 

Next weekend, the lads are gathering at my place again for the next lesson, which is how to bottle the beer.  I reckon that in about 2 weeks after that, they will both be back again to sample the final product.  That should be a fun lesson of how to present and drink the beer.  Looking forward to that one.

A busy, but fun few days.

 

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Beer, Chickens, Gardening, Sustainable Living

← Neighbours Patch Update The Greening of Gavin on YouTube →

About Gavin Webber

Gavin Webber's daily goal is to live a more sustainable lifestyle, in an effort to reduce his family's environmental footprint so we can all make a difference for our children & future generations to come.

Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Comments

  1. Julie says

    March 2, 2009 at 14:38

    Another busy, productive weekend Gavin, don’t you love those?

    Homebrew question: we opened our first bottle of my first batch yesterday, three weeks after bottling. The flavour is nice and there are fine bubbles in it but it tastes flat? There was no head, but I poured it down the side of the glass in case it foamed everywhere so I don’t know if that was me or not. Thoughts?

    Cheers, Julie

    Reply
  2. Danni- Neighbour says

    March 2, 2009 at 17:07

    Wow, your homebrew class sounds like a hit! Haha I’m sure they can’t wait for the taste testing

    Reply
  3. Gavin says

    March 3, 2009 at 20:28

    @ Julie. I had this problem once. You need to leave the beer for another couple of weeks. Either you didn’t put enough sugar to start secondary fermentation, or you let the fermenter settle too long between the end of fermentation and bottling. You should really bottle within a day or two after the airlock stops. Hope it helps.

    @ Danni. It was a hit. I dare say the lads will be back on Saturday for the second lesson which is How to bottle it. Tell Dale that it is bubbling well.

    Reply
  4. Julie says

    March 4, 2009 at 11:14

    Ah ha! Thanks Gavin 🙂 I bottled as soon as it stopped bubbling, so I suspect it either hasn’t fermented long enough, or I didn’t add enough sugar (although I used those sugar ‘drops’ which the guy threw in with the kit?). It’s only been 3 weeks so I’ll give it a bit longer and try again. If nothing else it’s OK for making beer bread LOL.

    Reply

Comments build lively communities. Let me know your thoughts, but keep it clean and green! Spam is removed instantly. Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search This Blog

Follow my work

About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

Delve Into the Archives

Visit Our Online Simple Living Shop

Little Green Workshops

Latest Podcast Episode

Subscribe on iTunes

Top Posts & Pages

How To Remove Scaly Leg Mites
Strawbridge Family Inspiration
Grow Food Not Lawns - 4 Reasons Why You Should Dig Up Your Lawn
The Seven Stages Of Change
Selling Your Own Soap in Australia
Clay Oven eBook Off to the Proof Reader
Building a Wicking Bed on Concrete
Repeat After Me. I Will Never Plant Potatoes With Pumpkins Again
Quince Paste
Connecting Two Rainwater Tanks

Recent Awards

Recent Awards

Local Green Hero

Categories

Favourite Daily Reads

Debt Free, Cashed Up, and Laughing

The Off-Grid Solar House

Greener Me

The Rogue Ginger

Little Eco Footprints

Down To Earth

Surviving the Suburbs

Little Green Cheese

Eight Acres

The Witches Kitchen

TGOG Readers On-line

Podcast Reviews

  • Always inspiring and entertaining!
    August 4, 2016 by floriographer from Australia

    I've crowed about Gavin's podcast before but I just have to recommend it once again - I love that he shares his learning as well as his successes - it helps the rest of us try try try again! Thanks Gavin!

  • ms
    July 22, 2016 by Ketaea12 from New Zealand

    I really enjoy listening to Gavin, he has a kind lovely voice. He covers some great relevant topics for the everyday greenie. With lots of tips or how to or what not to do. Thanks Gavin, love it!!

  • Well worth your time to tune in
    October 23, 2015 by A Vision Splendid from Australia

    I can highly recommend Gavin’s podcast ! I have followed Gavin’s blog since the very beginning and have loved to see his journey unfold. Gavin has a lovely speaking voice so this podcast is always very easy to listen to. Gavin has a very authentic approach to his green living lifestyle. He shares the ups and downs but always provides motivation and practical steps that we can all implement.

  • very good
    June 28, 2015 by Scared pax from United Kingdom

    This is a great podcast if you want to improve your life in so many aspects and become a more sustainable person. I love the soothing voice, the good pace, and it contains lots of useful information. Recommended!

  • opened my eyes
    May 25, 2015 by Gorn4lyfe from Australia

    A wonderful show!

  • Inspiring
    April 30, 2015 by Alan Whelan from Ireland

    This is a great podcast if you're looking for practical info on saving money by living more sustainably from someone who's made that journey over the last few years. Told in a nice, easy conversational style

  • Green Living, inspiring and practical
    January 8, 2015 by EliseMac from Australia

    Thanks Gav for sharing what has (and hasn't) worked along your journey for living a greener lifestyle. Inspiring and achievable for anyone, I look forward to this podcast weekly.

  • Local food equals less waste
    December 27, 2014 by allotmentadventureswithjean from Australia

    Another brilliant podcast from Gavin Webber encouraging us, and showing us how, to cut down on food miles, growing our own food, and cutting down on food waste. Gavin is a really interesting speaker, showing us how to eat better, growing our own food and how to live more sustainably.

  • Honestly australian
    December 15, 2014 by HodgepodgeOz from Australia

    Fantastic podcast, with a wide variety of well thought and researched topics. Gavin is a honest, forthright pod aster with a genuine interest in helping others get green. Like a day alongside is a day wasted, so too is a week without listening to Gavin. Highly recommended for people starting out, or those in the midst of their new lifestyle. Keep it up Gavin, wish there were more great reviews! Kimberley

  • Morning motivation
    December 8, 2014 by Bunnyworm from Australia

    Gavin has a great passion for living this greener lifestyle that motivates others to do the same. The podcasts are always interesting and informative. :)

  • Passionate Advocate
    October 18, 2014 by BoomOpGirl from Australia

    Gavin's enthusiasm and passion for creating a more sustainable world is nothing short of contagious. Thanks Gav, you are my weekly source of motivation for living a sustainable life! :)

  • Gavin speaks from the heart
    October 13, 2014 by Green gavin from Australia

    Gavin's podcasts are required listening for anyone planning to live a more sustainable life. He doesn't preach, but tells you his story from the heart. You'll laugh, smile, share in his concerns and along the way you'll pick up some great tips on living a simple life.

  • Green thoughts, so well iterated
    October 9, 2014 by Kwasikwami from Australia

    This is a wonderful podcast. Not only does Gavin talk knowledgeably on a range of sustainability topics from gardening tips all the way to the issues facing humanity as a whole, but he does so in such a wonderful voice, it's like listening to my Dad, love it!!

  • Easy listening inspiration on being green
    September 24, 2014 by Broomedy from Australia

    Gav knows how to share his journey to a more sustainable life in a manner that shows just how easy it really is. Not to mention healthier, economically beneficial and generally rewarding. The podcasts are an easy way to absorb Gav's great lifestyle. I recommend to anyone.

  • Thanks Gavin!
    August 31, 2014 by Honeywoodmilk from Australia

    Great practical advice for a greener lifestyle. This podcast is for anybody interested in growing their own food in suburbia, saving electricity, brewing beer, making cheese, all that wonderful business and most of all, saving money! Thanks Gavin, love the podcast mate!

  • Enjoyed those ideas for staying warm
    August 15, 2014 by enduringdragon from United States

    Like you we are having winter here in Chile—brrr! Every bit we can save on heating we will.

  • Green Podcasts
    July 26, 2014 by Carneu from Australia

    Excellent podcasts, which are full of information to help get started on a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Practical ideas and inspiration
    July 19, 2014 by HeathrowHeath from Australia

    I highly recommend Gavin's podcast and blog. Down to earth, entertaining and inspirational. Thank you.

  • Interesting & easy to listen to
    April 27, 2014 by Velocity3 from New Zealand

    Gavin & his guests make this green journey lots of fun.

  • Great green listen
    April 18, 2014 by Obscurenickname from Australia

    Gavin is a great down to earth, tell it like it is aussie with a passion for sustainability and growing food and making cheese

Carbon Offset website

Copyright - Gavin Webber © 2023