Some answers to questions first time customers often ask...
How much time does it take to make beer and wine?
Brewing a batch of beer can take just a few minutes! Choose which style of beer you would like to make. We can help you customize a beer recipe to suit your taste. Measure the ingredients into the prepared brew kettle. We will help you. This can take just a minute, if all you want to do is add the yeast., or, up to an hour, depending upon how much you want to do. Call us at 604 535 7200 to reserve a brewing time, and we'll have everything ready and waiting for you.
Your beer will be ready for bottling in two weeks. You can bring your own bottles, or buy them from us the first time. We sell 1/2 litre and 1 litre plastic, reusable bottles with screw-on plastic caps. You first rinse the bottles with our sanitizer to sterilize them, then you fill them. Bottling takes about one hour per batch.
We also sell cans. They’re fully printed with a classy west coast motif. Cans are perfectly portable for tailgating and camping, they're 100% recyclable, and they block sunlight and oxygen better than bottles.
Making your own high quality wine is easy! All you have to do is choose the type of wine you want to make, add the yeast to a fermenting container, and that's it.
Your wine will be ready for bottling in four, six or eight weeks, depending on what wine you choose. You bring your own wine bottles, or we can provide them. We give you FREE bottles for your first wine making adventure. The bottles need to be rinsed and sterilized. You will love the automatic power corker. It takes the labour out of placing the Brewing Experience's choice corks. If you like, we can make custom labels for your wine bottles. Some customers don't bother with labels, and simply use shrink caps to distinguish one batch from another. On a wine rack, caps of different colours make it easy to select the wine you want.
What kinds of wine and beer can I make?
At the Brewing Experience you can make just about any kind of beer or wine imaginable. Check out our beer and wine pages for details. Or, we can help you create a special blend that's just right for you. Both beer and wine are customizable.
We offer over 70 different styles of beer! If there is something special you are looking for, please ask.
We also offer more than 50 different wines. So many wines, so little time!
What about a sparkling, champagne type wine, you ask? We can add sparkling effervescence to the wine of your choice. Perfect for a wedding, anniversary, or special occasion!
How long before I can drink my beer or wine?
Your beer is ready to be consumed as soon as you get it home. Beer does not need to be aged, although many feel the taste improves over the first week.
Our wine, like most wine, gets better as it ages. if you wait a few months to consume it, it will develop complex aromas and flavors. Our four week wines are specially blended to be potable after only a few weeks. Check out our wine pages, or visit the store and talk to John or Barb.
How much does it cost?
Our prices depend on the type of beer or wine you're making. Because you pay much less tax when you make your own, you can save up to half the price of commercial beer or wine.
How many bottles does a batch of beer or wine make?
The number of bottles depends on how big your bottles are. Each batch of beer produces 48 litres, the equivalent of 12 dozen 341 ml bottles.
A batch of wine fills twenty six 750 ml bottles.
How/where should I store my bottles?
Your beer is a food and should be kept in a cool, dark place, like a fridge. Wine should also be stored in a cool, dark place, like a wine cellar.
Remember to rinse your empties, then put them upside down in the box to use again.
What else can I make?
You can also make apple cider and wine coolers. They are available in many different flavors. A batch of apple cider or wine coolers produces 23 litres. And, no aging is required.
Or, how about a mist wine? Mists are lower alcohol varietal wines with fresh fruit flavours, sweeter than table wines, yet not as sweet as coolers. Serve in a tall glass over ice.
Or try a Sangria! Sangria is a red wine mixed with natural citrus flavours, much appreciated in summertime Spain. Serve cold in large wine glasses, with or without ice.
Or, how about a rich apertif or dessert wine like sherry or port? Or, a sweet ice wine with flavours of honeyed peach, apricot and tropical fruit? YUM!
|
