My first kit - Wherry

[Iank]

Thinking of trying the Brupaks Brewer's Choice Old Ale - as I have read on here that it's very similar to Theakston's OP.
I gather Brewer's Choice are dry kits, which also need malt extract added. Other than that is there any thing else apart from adding water to the dry mix?

[Iank]

OK after 12 days in the King Keg (4 days at 20c then into the garage at 6-10c), I had my first taste. I wanted to see if secondary fermentation had happened and if the KK was keeping pressure. Anyway, success!
Almost too much pressure - the first glass which I threw away was so frothy as the beer was literally spraying out of the tap!
Opening the tap very slowly into the next glass produced this:



Not crystal-clear, but pretty good. Flavour initlially malty/slightly sweet, next bitter. Not hugely complex, but pretty decent I thought given it's only a kit and it's only been conditioning for 12 days. That nice head stayed all the way down the glass.
It was lightly carbonated - like hand-pulled beer, but I think it would have a bit more 'fizz' if it hadn't rushed out of the tap quite so fast.

Anyway as it was my first ever glass of home-brewed beer I had to take a photo of it! Now I have to ration myself so some of it gets a chance to condition properly...

[Iank]

Ah I thought I had to throw the first half or so away as it would be full of yeast/trub. It was certainly cloudier than the glass in the pic. The KK was 4 days at 20c then another 8 days at 6-10c - in fact I was worrying that 6c might be too cold.
It seems the tap doesn't pour very smoothly, particularly when under high pressure - it could do with a tube on it that goes down into the glass, like on a hand pump.

[fivetide]

That extra time cool conditioning DaaB mentions is vital for that Wherry. leave it alone for longer if you can, it gets better and better out of spite the more you ignore it.

[macleanb]

Hi Ian

Well done - a new baby! And what a sweet picture, cant wait to get a drop of that when I see you next - any way many congratulations on your first!

I reckon that'll brighten up a fair bit more (if you can leave it alone!)


cheers & ttfn benm

[PeteH]

6-10 deg is a little cooler than the theoretical idea but it wont do any harm.

Would my beer come to any harm being in the garage in this weather?

[PeteH]

No but you'll need to add co2 to keep a slight pressure in the keg to maintain carbonation as it will be to cold for natural carbonation.

its always in bottles Daab, and spends 4 or so days inside first. I normally bring it in in time to warm up a bit before drinking too. As long as the cold weather isn't going to harm it thats ok.
Ta.