Complete Brew including set up, Brew Day and Packaging

[barneey]

The only comment I can come up with is, now I remember why I don't bottle anymore PITA. I will eventually get around to using my beer gun at some point to see if that any better.

One important note on your post though is don't forget to starsan the caps

Cheers

[jmc]

also, i sometimes find when i come to bottle that the plastic caps have split/cracked during storage. it's often only one each time but it's a bit annoying. you ever had that happen? can't think of an obvious reason why as there shouldn't be any pressure build up inside right? (unless starsan eats bugs like yeast eats sugars?!) the bottles are stored at consistant room temps also.

Same happens to me but mostly in the garage in winter. I think they go brittle when very cold and under pressure

[orlando]

also, i sometimes find when i come to bottle that the plastic caps have split/cracked during storage. it's often only one each time but it's a bit annoying. you ever had that happen? can't think of an obvious reason why as there shouldn't be any pressure build up inside right? (unless starsan eats bugs like yeast eats sugars?!) the bottles are stored at consistant room temps also.

I lose significantly more than that and reckon it is just poor manufacturing. I guess there is only so much flexibility in them, I don't think it happens due to anything going on in the bottle, I suspect you just don't notice it until you come to lever it off. They are cheap enough but nevertheless it is annoying. I don't believe I have ever had a bottle compromised by it. One thing to watch out for, which I should have mentioned in the piece above, is if you get a buildup of pressure so that when you remove the cap there is a "loud pop". This is a sign that there is something going on in that bottle that suggests it might be prudent to use another and give that one a proper clean.

[pads72]

I use a 'little bottler' too. Do you find the flow rate through it is slightly quicker with the bottle not fully pressed upwards? I just attach mine to the tap, as opposed to using a flexible piece of hose.

Like your siphon set up - is that an auto siphon?

I generally rinse all bottles straight after use, then when needed they go through a hot cycle in dishwasher (no detergent!) and onto a bottle tree & flushed with VWP. Set 'em all up, rack into the bottles and caps on after a soak in VWP too. Is a PITA, but then they are easy to share.

[orlando]

I use a 'little bottler' too. Do you find the flow rate through it is slightly quicker with the bottle not fully pressed upwards? I just attach mine to the tap, as opposed to using a flexible piece of hose.

Like your siphon set up - is that an auto siphon?

I generally rinse all bottles straight after use, then when needed they go through a hot cycle in dishwasher (no detergent!) and onto a bottle tree & flushed with VWP. Set 'em all up, rack into the bottles and caps on after a soak in VWP too. Is a PITA, but then they are easy to share.

For some reason the "wand" that came with the little bottler was rubbish, the flow rate was really poor so I can understand you using that technique. I had the one you see already but it didn't attach to the tap on the FV. I had to use a little flexible hose to make it fit the little bottler's adapter. Comes out like a racehorse with the one I use.

It is an auto syphon and I have to say beats anything else I've ever used. One pump and it's away and no risk of bacteria from sucking on the end, you can also easily tie a hop bag on there if you have dry hopped the FV with loose leaf and it completely stops hops from clogging it, all round useful bit of kit.

[orlando]

The only comment I can come up with is, now I remember why I don't bottle anymore PITA. I will eventually get around to using my beer gun at some point to see if that any better.

One important note on your post though is don't forget to starsan the caps

Quite right Barneey, they are sitting in Starsan in pictures 5 & 6, I should have mentioned that.

[orlando]

Smoke On The Porter: Unveiled


Well what was it all about,the beer obviously and here it is:





A little young yet so not quite the finished article as it hasn't quite carbed up properly yet but, oh! it is starting to show some real promise. It has really chocolate and coffee notes going on and has a sweet lingering finish and the last minute decision to shove in some flaked Barley has paid dividends in a silky smooth slide over the palate. Still has a tiny amount of harshness to the roast but that will condition out and the smoky edge to it justifies its name.

Given the problems I had with this on brew day I am really pleased with how its turned out and look forward to a months time when I'm fairly sure it will peak.

[subfaction]

mmm, that sounds very tasty, great effort with the write-up, I'm sure it will help tons of those getting started if they comment or not. When I was starting out AG I loved posts like this, it really helps get your head around it all before taking the plunge

[Jim]

Great inspirational brewday thread!

I think this one deserves to be a sticky.

[jmc]

Great inspirational brewday thread!

I think this one deserves to be a sticky.

+1

[orlando]

I'm flattered, thanks all.

I can still remember the state of total confusion before my first AG and just wanted a complete hand holding set of instructions. I know there are many ways to achieve the same thing but that's not what you want to hear when you start out to learn a new skill. It's why, despite its rather simplistic approach, I really like Graham Wheeler's Brew Your Own British Real Ale book. I literally brewed my first beer with that book open at each stage of the brew. The sort of stuff in the post has largely come along later but I made beer on both occasions.

[barneey]

Well if nothing else the H&S brew slippers deserve a sticky

Congrats on the brew day post + the interest it will create / new ideas.

[orlando]

Well if nothing else the H&S brew slippers deserve a sticky

Believe me they are

[Edward]

Wow!

Appreciate the time and effort you spent putting this together, very interesting and thoroughly entertaining! Thanks for posting in so much detail!

[Edward]

One question; in the picture of inside your fridge unit with the caption, "All tucked up: Now you may look at that and think "he only got 19 litres" but the rest is foam from the paddle aeration, told you it was good." - what is the tube at the bottom? I'm assuming heat control? If so can you give make/model number?

Thank you.