Newbie questions.

[pob]

I started my first ever brew of Woodforde's Wherry Best kit on Monday Evening and I have a couple of questions that have probably been asked 100 times before.

1. The yeast head on my brew had collapsed by Wednesday evening(2 Days), is this normal or has the fermentation stopped/stuck. I'm still seeing CO2 escaping from the airlock and have opened the FV and can still see activity, so I'm assuming everything is OK and that this just part of the normal process and I'm worrying over nothing.
2. The kit I bought came with a barrel. I would actually prefer to store my beer in bottels. Should I prime my beer in the barrel to condition and then transfer to bottles or would it be better to siphon off from the FV directly into primed bottles.

Thanks in advance for any answers

[brysie]

hi

1. dont panic about the yeast head but its probably best not to keep lifting the lid
2.lots of different opinions on bottle/keg. i like to bottle myself. if your barrel has a tap then invest in a `bottling stick`.
you can add your priming sugar directly to your barrel or individual bottles.
if you read the bottlimg with pictures at the top of this forum , its excellent.
good luck.

[pob]

Brysie,

thanks for the prompt response.

1. OK will resist the temptation to lift the lid in future. I just had a quick peek as I could see from the outside that the yeast head had collapsed but quicker than I was suspecting.
2. I had read the bottling thread but didn't think a barrel was suitable for use as a bottling bucket. I also didn't think the missus would be too happy with me going out spending more money on a bucket just for bottlling my beer . Now having re read it I can probably use the barrel as a temporary bottling bucket, it does have a tap, until such time as I can sneak a proper one into the house .

PS I've just had to research what a bottling stick was and sounds like a very handy device.

[crafty john]

Brysie,

thanks for the prompt response.

1. OK will resist the temptation to lift the lid in future. I just had a quick peek as I could see from the outside that the yeast head had collapsed but quicker than I was suspecting.
2. I had read the bottling thread but didn't think a barrel was suitable for use as a bottling bucket. I also didn't think the missus would be too happy with me going out spending more money on a bucket just for bottlling my beer . Now having re read it I can probably use the barrel as a temporary bottling bucket, it does have a tap, until such time as I can sneak a proper one into the house .

PS I've just had to research what a bottling stick was and sounds like a very handy device.

Tell her you need it for brewing aswell I did and she bought me one bless her

[brysie]

didn't think a barrel was suitable for use as a bottling bucket

so long as the bottling stick fits onto the tap on your barrel the you can bottle away, i always do.
i find that i usually have to gently tip the barrel forward to get the last 2 or 3 bottles full.