Brubox kits

[Marts]

You'll probably need a few litres of hot water for your kit too. I wouldn't recommend using water from the hot tap in your bath. Maybe boil it in a pot on the stove and carry it up.

[sparky Paul]

You'll probably need a few litres of hot water for your kit too. I wouldn't recommend using water from the hot tap in your bath. Maybe boil it in a pot on the stove and carry it up.

Good point Marts.

Kettle!

[Robdog]

I think i should be ok because i bought an extra 5 galln bottling bucket so i can use that to take the cold water needed upstairs. I can boil the cans etc downstairs then take it upstairs to stir etc before adding cold water and yeast.

I feel like a small child im really excited. I went with Milestone black pearl in the end so i hope it turns out.

If i do go the bottling bucket route which i think i may as i have bought it now so may aswell use it obviously when i tranfer from the FV to the bottling bucket im then going to have to raise the bottling bucket so i can bottle. Will this be ok as long as im very careful. I think it should be as the guy in the pictures thread did this and i would imagine most of the sedament will be left in the FV.

Sorry if i sound like im fussing over little things im the just the sort of person who likes to cover all my bases then hopefull ill get it tight first time.

[sparky Paul]

Sorry if i sound like im fussing over little things im the just the sort of person who likes to cover all my bases then hopefull ill get it tight first time.

No, it's best to have it as clear as possible in your own mind what you are going to do. It's inevitable that you will make minor boobs as you make your first kits, it's all part of the fun, and you will also find out what methods work for you. I've given you an idea what I do, but everyone does things differently, and you have to decide what system suits you best.

The Milestone Black Pearl is supposed to be an excellent kit - I've not done the kit, but I've had Black Pearl in bottles from the brewery (which is nearby) and it's a very good pint indeed.

Another tip... warming the cans in boiling water is often recommended, but I open them cold and tip the gloop straight into the fermenter. Then fill the can with boiling water from a kettle, stir until the residue is dissolved, and tip that into the fermenter - use oven gloves as the can will be hot. A further rinse with hot water leaves the can spotless. Two full kettles of boiled water is all you usually need to make the temperature about right when topped up to 23 litres with cold.

Good luck!

[Marts]

Slightly hijacking the thrread for a moment but I noticed you're fermenting a Geordie Mild Paul. I'm about to kick one off with spraymalty and was thinking about hopping it - The coopers dark ale I hopped recently with Goldings is lovely (if a bit immature at the moment) I notice you've done it before too and wondered on your choice this time of fuggles. Would you recommend that over Goldings - I've got both. Actually i've also got some saaz, but I was going to save them for my wheat beers.

[sparky Paul]

Slightly hijacking the thrread for a moment but I noticed you're fermenting a Geordie Mild Paul. I'm about to kick one off with spraymalty and was thinking about hopping it - The coopers dark ale I hopped recently with Goldings is lovely (if a bit immature at the moment) I notice you've done it before too and wondered on your choice this time of fuggles. Would you recommend that over Goldings - I've got both. Actually i've also got some saaz, but I was going to save them for my wheat beers.

I'm fermenting a Geordie Bitter, is that the one you mean?

Yep, definitely save your Saaz for wheat/lager/pale ale etc..

Hmmm... Goldings or Fuggles... I marginally prefer Fuggles for bitters, I find the flavour they add is a bit more 'flowery' with a good aroma, whereas the Goldings are a little more 'spicy'. I've made the Geordie up exactly like this a few times, it turns out in the style of a strongly hopped Midlands bitter, a style I like very much.

You need to try both, see which you like best!

For me, the Geordie Mild is probably up next... Classic late hops for milds are Goldings.

[Robdog]

Can anyone tell me how to work out the alcohol content of my brew when its ready? I think its to do with the Gravity at the start and finish so ive read but it didnt seem to make sense.

[sparky Paul]

Can anyone tell me how to work out the alcohol content of my brew when its ready? I think its to do with the Gravity at the start and finish so ive read but it didnt seem to make sense.

Using the hydrometer, take a gravity reading at the start, once you've made the kit up to 40 pints. Once fermentation has finished, and the gravity is steady for 2-3 days, take the gravity again (I just leave the sterilised hydrometer in the bucket). Subract one from the other, divide by 7.46, then add 0.2 if you are priming with sugar.

Example.

Gravity at the start (SG) is 1042.
Final gravity at end of frementation (FG) is 1010.
Subtract 1010 from 1042, gives you 32 points drop.
Divide 32 by 7.46, gives you 4.3%
Add 0.2% for priming, gives you a finished ABV of 4.5%

Does that make any sense?

[Robdog]

Yes that makes sense mate now i have the sums. Whats the 7.46 come from?

So as soon as ive added the yeast at the start i can take a reading then take another one after say 3-5 days when i get a steady readin and do the sums from there. Did you say i can just leave the Hydrometer in the brew for the whole duration its in the FV so from start to finish?

[Marts]

Yes that makes sense mate now i have the sums. Whats the 7.46 come from?

So as soon as ive added the yeast at the start i can take a reading then take another one after say 3-5 days when i get a steady readin and do the sums from there. Did you say i can just leave the Hydrometer in the brew for the whole duration its in the FV so from start to finish?

NO.

You take a reading once you have made up everything except adding the yeast. This is your OG (original gravity). Once you've got a reading you pitch your yeast into the wort. (throw yeast into bucket of liquid )

You can leave the hydro in the bucket the whole time. I prefer to take it out once i've done the OG reading - just because I prefer to leave the bucket sealed once its started fermenting. It ensures a co2 cap stays in place on top (which keeps oxygen out) and generally means there is less chance of any infection getting access to the fermenting liquid. You've got a tap on the fermenting bucket haven't you? If so it's easy to run off a small sample into a tube and test it with the hydro that way. It also means you don't need to sterilise everything each time you want to check the gravity.

Once you've got a stable reading over a two day period (one that is near your target for Final gravity) you know you're there and its time to bottle/ keg.

Hope that makes sense.

[Marts]

I'm fermenting a Geordie Bitter, is that the one you mean?

Yep, definitely save your Saaz for wheat/lager/pale ale etc..

Hmmm... Goldings or Fuggles... I marginally prefer Fuggles for bitters, I find the flavour they add is a bit more 'flowery' with a good aroma, whereas the Goldings are a little more 'spicy'. I've made the Geordie up exactly like this a few times, it turns out in the style of a strongly hopped Midlands bitter, a style I like very much.

You need to try both, see which you like best!

For me, the Geordie Mild is probably up next... Classic late hops for milds are Goldings.

Cheers Paul. I don't know why I read mild instead of bitter I did mean the mild. Anyway I got it going last night. Ended up going with fuggles over goldings purely on a nose test. Infact the recipe was pretty much identical to the one you did the Geordie bitter with (1Kg LME, 200g glucose, 25g fuggles, made up to 20.5 litres). Its bubbling away merrily as we speak

[sparky Paul]

Yes that makes sense mate now i have the sums. Whats the 7.46 come from?

So as soon as ive added the yeast at the start i can take a reading then take another one after say 3-5 days when i get a steady readin and do the sums from there. Did you say i can just leave the Hydrometer in the brew for the whole duration its in the FV so from start to finish?

NO.

You take a reading once you have made up everything except adding the yeast. This is your OG (original gravity). Once you've got a reading you pitch your yeast into the wort. (throw yeast into bucket of liquid )

So long as the reading is taken immediately, it doesn't matter whether the yeast is added or not. It won't make any difference to the gravity until it gets to work on the sugars in the wort.

You can leave the hydro in the bucket the whole time. I prefer to take it out once i've done the OG reading - just because I prefer to leave the bucket sealed once its started fermenting. It ensures a co2 cap stays in place on top (which keeps oxygen out) and generally means there is less chance of any infection getting access to the fermenting liquid. You've got a tap on the fermenting bucket haven't you? If so it's easy to run off a small sample into a tube and test it with the hydro that way. It also means you don't need to sterilise everything each time you want to check the gravity.

If you don't go poking about too much when you open the lid, the CO2 will happily remain on the top of the beer - it's heavier than air. Cracking the lid to have a peek at the hydrometer isn't going to do any damage, and you get to keep track of the gravity progressing downwards as often as you like. It also means that you aren't wasting any beer - if you want to return the beer to the fermenter, everything has to be thoroughly sanitised.

I'm not in favour of sealed brewing vessels, don't forget that yeast needs oxygen to get going, and lots of commercial breweries use open topped fermenters. I just snap on the lid, then unsnap enough to allow CO2 to escape, but keep bugs out. I use bubblers on wine fermentation, but never on beer.

I've never fancied messing about with trial jars, and have used this method since I started brewing 20+ years ago. I have never had an infected brew... there I go, I've done it now. Famous last words...

[sparky Paul]

Yes that makes sense mate now i have the sums. Whats the 7.46 come from?

I'm sure there's some scientific calculation behind it, but it's a constant which works.

[Robdog]

Cheers guys everything just arrived i think i might have a crack later and starting it

The thermometer is only a plastic stick on strip though is that right? I take it it just gets stuck on the side of the FV?

Im just checking the temp of my bedroom now and i have 20 which is almost green, 18 is blue and 16 is slightly coloured. Im guessing the temp is the on in the middle so 18?

[sparky Paul]

Great to hear your stuff has arrived!

The numbers are a fixed colour according the temperature, so you just go for the brightest. They're not super accurate, but good enough for brewing - just stick it on the fermenter, somewhere near the middle of the bucket side.