Outdoor Life Prepare for Anything Survival Manual (40 page)

In a large stainless-steel or enamel pot, bring the honey and water to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms on top (you can eat this; it’s tasty). Cool the liquid to room temperature, then add the Champagne yeast. Use a sanitized funnel to pour the brew into a sanitized glass or food-grade plastic fermentation vessel, and attach the wine lock. Let it ferment for six weeks (honey is slow).

After it has fermented and cleared, drain the mead into a sanitized jug and cork or cap it securely. Age for a few months in a cool, dark place, then enjoy the king’s nectar.

STEP 1
In a big stainless-steel or enamel pot, boil 1 gallon (4 l) of water with the malt extract and the Cascade hops for 60 minutes. (Watch that it doesn’t boil over!)

STEP 2
Cool and strain the brew into a clean jug. Let it cool to room temperature, as it needs to be below 80°F (27°C) before adding the yeast.

STEP 3
Add the dried yeast to the brew and shake it up. Use ale yeast to brew at room temperature. Lager yeast will require holding the temp at 50°–55°F (10°–13°C) for an extended two-month fermentation.

STEP 4
Add the sanitized fermentation lock to the vessel. Watch carefully for a few days. If bubbling (fermentation) doesn’t occur in 12 to 24 hours, your yeast was dead, or the too-hot heat killed it. Add more yeast to save the batch.

STEP 5
Set the jug in a sink for a few days, as the malt and hops combo will foam over. After a week, clean the airlock and replace it. Three weeks later, the sediment should be thick at the bottom, the bubbling should have stopped, and the ale should be clearing.

STEP 6
Carefully pour the flat beer into a clean container, leaving the sediment in the jug. Add 1 ounce of sugar per gallon of beer and mix. Funnel into sanitized bottles and cap them. You’ll need about 10 bottles (12-ounce size) and caps for 1 gallon of ale. Keep the beer at room temperature for one week to carbonate, then chill for one more week and enjoy.

In a several-gallon stainless-steel or enamel pot, bring the berries, sugar, and water to a boil. Continue the boil for 15 minutes, mashing the berries with a spoon as you go. Cool the liquid to room temperature, pour through a sanitized strainer, and add the red wine yeast. Use a sanitized funnel to help pour the brew into a sanitized glass or food-grade plastic fermentation vessel and attach the wine lock. Let it ferment 4–5 weeks, or until it stops bubbling. After it has fermented and cleared, drain the wine into a sanitized bottle or jug, and cork or cap it securely. Age for a few months in a cool, dark place, and enjoy your sweet berry wine.