First brew is go.......

[shedifice]

Sat night came, SWMBO relaxing on the sofa doing a sudokooo, my turn to cook. Baby was bathed and in bed...... bath was free for fermenter sanitization.........

I sanitized, warmed malt, poured, hydated yeast, stired, added hoppy goodness and then yeastified.

Sunday afternoon, a nice brown topped yeast party was happening in the fermenting bucket. The fermenter now has its pride of place in the kitchen and has elbowed out the plastic and tin can recyling box for the next week.

looking good so far.

[CrownCap]

Congratulations on a successful first brew. Its a very satisfying feeling when the yeast finally get to work isn't it.

[kenmc]

Sat night came, ... my turn to cook. ...
I sanitized, warmed malt, poured, hydated yeast, stired, added hoppy goodness and then yeastified.

Did SWMBO not notice the lack of dinner?

[shedifice]

Did SWMBO not notice the lack of dinner?

after a while she did but a bowl of olives sorted that problem out fairly quick.

[steve_flack]

I'd be told where to stick my olives if I tried that!

[shedifice]

So will I on about brew 3 I guess........

[kenmc]

I thought olives were just vile black things you flicked off a pizza

Ah now I think that's a bit harsh. Sure the olives that you flick off of a pizza are probably only worth that, decent olives are delicious. I discovered them whilst living in Eindhoven and supping strong belgian beers - the bartenders would give them out as nibbles. And they are superb with a few beers.
Knocks the crap out of pork scratchings, thats for sure!
<ducks>

[shedifice]

Green ones are definitely superior to the black ones....... ask for green ones next time Daabs!

[shedifice]

Anchovie stuffed ones??????

[DRB]

I would go with pork scratchings over olives any day,come to think of it i'd rather eat a hot chilli than olives .

[kenmc]

I would go with pork scratchings over olives any day,come to think of it i'd rather eat a hot chilli than olives .

Yeah Hot Chillis are good too.

[shedifice]

Olives aside, Admirals reserve is going well.

Had a good yeast head and plenty of bubbling. Its Day 8 now in the fermenter.

Tested the gravity and its 1.016/1.014 so not bad there. Will check the gravity again tomorrow and if the same, in teh keg it goes

What methids do people have for taking gravity readings? I sterilised a jug and took a sample which I poured into a testing jar, bit of a fuss but it worked.

Also should I 'scoop' off the brown bits on top of brew now the head has subsided?

Cheers

Leigh.

[shedifice]

Good plan there I will send it swimming tomorrow Daabs.

Should I be worried about opening the lid of the fermenter too often now there is no foamy CO2 protection to the beer?

Leigh.

[shedifice]

OK, last newbie question.....

Is it best to syphon the beer into the keg from the fermenter, or is using the tap OK. Would using the tap with a tube into the bottom of the keg risk too much sludge going in the keg?

Leigh.

[stevezx7r]

The way I transfer (rack) from the primary to the keg is - Put a length of hose (long enough to reach the bottom of your keg) onto the fermenter tap. Make sure it's seated well so no air can get pulled in as this can ruin your beer (oxidisation). Then, after adding any priming sugars, turn on the tap and watch as your beer mixes with the sugars in the keg. Before the fermenter tap starts to pick up any slurry from the bottom I carefully tilt it so I can retrieve the last of the beer. I usually take a small amount of slurry anyway but thats not a problem as it will settle again and use up any priming sugars.

I think DaaB does it different in that he siphons into a bucket first (or something like that).