Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More

211 Pages·42.953 MB·English

by  Tweten Wendy, Teashon Debbie.

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First published in 2015 by Voyageur Press, ISBN: 978-0-7603-4563-4
HOMEBREWER
an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.,
Digital edition: 978-1-62788-649-9
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN
55401 USA Softcover edition: 978-0-76034-563-4
© 2015 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Text © 2015 Wendy Tweten, © Debbie Teashon
Tweten, Wendy, author.
All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting Gardening for the homebrewer : plants for making GROW AND PROCESS PLANTS FOR MAKING BEER, WINE, GRUIT, CIDER, PERRY, AND MORE
brief passages for the purposes of review, no part of beer, wine, gruit, cider, perry, and more / by
this publication may be reproduced without prior Wendy Tweten and Debbie Teashon.
written permission from the Publisher. pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-7603-4563-4 (sc)
The information in this book is true and complete
1. Food crops. 2. Plants, Edible. 3. Plants, Useful.
to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations
4. Beer. 5. Wine and wine making. I. Teashon,
are made without any guarantee on the part of the
Debbie, author. II. Title. III. Title: Plants for mak-
author or Publisher, who also disclaims any liability
ing beer, wine, gruit, cider, perry, and more.
incurred in connection with the use of this data or
SB175.T84 2015
specific details.
635’.2—dc23
2015007057
We recognize, further, that some words, model
WENDY TWETEN AND DEBBIE TEASHON
names, and designations mentioned herein are the
Acquisitions Editor: Thom O’Hearn
property of the trademark holder. We use them for
Project Manager: Jordan Wiklund
identification purposes only. This is not an official
Art Director: Cindy Samargia Laun
publication.
Book Design: Brad Norr
Book Layout: Wendy Holdman
Voyageur Press titles are also available at discounts
in bulk quantity for industrial or sales-promotional
Printed in China
use. For details write to Special Sales Manager at
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc., 400 First Avenue
North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To find out more about our books,
visit us online at www.voyageurpress.com.
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GARDENING
HOMEBREWER
GROW AND PROCESS PLANTS FOR MAKING BEER, WINE, GRUIT, CIDER, PERRY, AND MORE
WENDY TWETEN AND DEBBIE TEASHON
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
Contents
Introduction 7
CHAPTER 1 Before You Begin 9
Tools, Materials, and More
Picking Your Plants 9
Soil 14
Tools and Equipment 18
Planting 20
Seeding 22
Bounty with Beauty 25
CHAPTER 2 The Big Beer Ingredients 31
Growing Hops, Malt, and Other Grains
Hops 32
Barley (and Other Grains) 46
Malting 53
Wheat 56
CHAPTER 3 Other Beer Ingredients 61
Brewing Herbs and Fermentables
Getting Into Gruit 61
The Cucurbits 78
A Few Final Ideas 86
CHAPTER 4 All Sorts of Wines 97
Growing Grapes and Other Fruits
Winemaking Basics 98
Grapes 104
Fruit Wines 113
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Contents
CHAPTER 5 Cider 137
The Lowdown on Apples and
Other Cider-Friendly Fruits
Cidermaking Basics 139
Cider Apples 144
Planting Your Cider Orchard 150
Cider Beyond Apples 155
The Perfect Cider Garden 155
CHAPTER 6 A Little Bit of Perry 165
A Chapter for Pears
Getting to Know Perry 165
Perry Pears 170
Growing Pears 171
CHAPTER 7 Liqueurs and Infused Spirits 177
From Garden to Glass
Historical Liqueur 177
Bringing Liqueur to Life 179
Which Liqueur Should You Use? 180
On to the Herbs 181
Acknowledgments 202
Photo Credits 203
Works Cited 204
About the Authors 208
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Introduction
For those of you who weren’t there, TV ads fermenting, sanitize everything to avoid
of the 1960s were heavy on cartoon char- brew-ruining contamination, and, in gar-
acters pitching breakfast cereals, tank- dening, site plants correctly and don’t let
solid cars caressed by girls with pageboy them dry out before they’re established. If
hairdos, and beer with heads of foam that you can remember these guidelines, every
exploded out of the glass and flowed down step is a new adventure!
the sides like golden volcanoes. Brewing and gardening are good com-
Decades later, there are still similar panions. After all, both are natural forces
commercials. However, many of us have set into motion, then guided by the human
come to understand that beer, wine, cider, hand. In the garden, fruit ferments nat-
and liqueurs are more than a buzz: They’re urally. Since fermentation relies on the
art and science rolled into intriguing and garden, why not take control of the flavors
nuanced libations. Just as with fine food, that go into your brews by growing them
those that enjoy a craft beer or well-made at home? Well-crafted adult beverages have
wine know that the ingredients make a dif- depth and refinement. One of the most
ference. So it makes sense that if you brew important elements—freshness—is as
your own, at some point you may wonder: elusive as it is esteemed. Elusive, that is,
Can I also grow my own? unless you’re harvesting your ingredients
The good news in a nutshell is a from your own backyard.
resounding “yes!” Beginners as well as We hope this book will plant a seed. A
experts can be proud of their forays into brewer’s garden can be so much more than
gardening just as they were in their early a production plot. With a little forethought,
days of brewing. In other words, even a it can be a source of relaxation and pride.
first effort is likely to produce an ample When the weather is fine, it’s an outdoor
harvest, just as your first few batches pro- room. When the year turns cold, your gar-
vided a satisfying beverage. Of course, you den becomes ever-changing art outside
can also end up with dead plants or a drain the windows of your warm house. As two
pour, but only if you’re careless! hobbies grow into one, your efforts in the
Therein lies the beauty of either hobby; garden and with the fermenter will become
these are pursuits of personal enrich- second nature. May you gain coordination
ment that have only a few simple rules for as your confidence grows, while losing
success. Here’s the secret of each: When none of your enthusiasm!
INTRODUCTION | 7
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