newbie - questions

[almeidauk]

Hi

On my first home brew & have a couple of questions. Started a Youngs brewbuddy 40 pint bitter kit 3 days ago.

1. There is some pressure in the fermentation bin (the lid bulges slighty) - should I release this pressure?

2. In the instructions it says to add sugar when syphoning the beer into the pressure barrel. Does this need to be brewing sugar or normal sugar?

3. In the instructions it says to put the barrelled beer somewhere warm for 2 days - what temperature is recommended ?

4. Once the beer is complete how long does it stay drinkable for? (it will be in a barrel)

Many thanks for any advice.

Regards

Dave

[fivetide]

1. There is some pressure in the fermentation bin (the lid bulges slighty) - should I release this pressure?

2. In the instructions it says to add sugar when syphoning the beer into the pressure barrel. Does this need to be brewing sugar or normal sugar?

3. Once the beer is complete how long does it stay drinkable for? (it will be in a barrel)

1 - Yes. if fermentation is working properly CO2 produced will cause pressure. Just release part of the lid and leave it loose, or fit a bung and an airlock.

2 - It can be either of these options or actually any fermentable sugar. Priming sugar is such a small amount it doesn't matter massively what type you use and your normal Tate & Lyle style will be fine. Most people use brewers sugar (glucose) or Spraymalt because they have it around for other brewing additions which require more sugar (one can kits, adjuncts etc...). In these cases finer sugars or malt sugars are more easily broken down and can impart preferable flavours and finer sediment. But for priming, standard sugar will do if that's what you have handy.

3 - If you handle it well, cleaned and santised well, let it condition properly without too much fiddling and take care not to oxegenate the beer in racking to the keg or in moving the keg around vigorously afterwards, it can last several months in a keg. I've had a stronger beer kit last over six months no problem.

p.s. I bet you drink it in a few weeks after tapping though!

[Chris The Fish]

the dregs in my keg have been there ages (5 months at least), i completely forgot about it as i had so much bottled.

had a glass the other day expecting it to be rank, it was clear as a bell and tasted beautiful.

as for priming sugars, be aware of using honey, i gave a honey ale a squirt of squeezy honey and they literally fountained on opening!

[Ditch]

Honey? Now There's thinking outside the box!

Any noticable effect on the taste?

[almeidauk]

Hi

Thanks for the advice.

Have just taken a sample and the hydrometer is reading 1004, after 5 days. I am going to check it again tomorrow and then transfer it to the barrel.

What temperature should I keep the barrel at after transfering to the barrel?

Regards

Dave

[scarer]

Keep it around 18-20C for a week then move it to a cooler place say around 13C for a further 3 weeks if you can stand to leave it.

Mine seem to last about a week in the cold before I start drinking it!

[Chris The Fish]

Honey? Now There's thinking outside the box!

Any noticable effect on the taste?

id recommend using only small amounts to prime with as the taste goes a bit funny when its used as the bulk of the sugars.

the beer i brewed tasted good for about 10 days, between it just being ready, to turning into a beer fountain everytime i opened a bottle, if i were to use it again id make a light (as in pale, beers not beer unless its at least 5%!) ale and use a smidgen to prime.

or make a proper mead recipe

[almeidauk]

Hi

Thanks for letting me know the best temp to store the barrelled beer at.

Another question - the temp where I keep my beer is 15c, I have been using a heating belt during the initial fermentation. Can I use the heating belt with the barrel? Or is 15c ok?

Regards

Dave

[Ditch]

beers not beer unless its at least 5%!

That's a scarey statement! The Guinness I'm enjoying right now is, what? 4.50? Does for me.

When I used to brew, in a past life, I figured beer wasn't worth brewing unless - 2 litres of the resultant stuff rendered me unconcious, shortly after the brief, paralyctic stage!

Mead? Now ye talking! I've done my time with the mead too I actually found the 'cheap junk' sold out of the bulk, 'Armadillo' barrels in the offie was a world better than the thin, insipid stuff knocked out by Merrydown.

Anyway, I'll get off almeidauk's Thread now. I'm off to Recipes .....