First go using a John Bull Porter

[likesbeer]

Like so many others in this section I am new and looking to capture some of the wealth of knowledge from the friendly helpful people here.

i have just bought the necessary bits and a kit to have a fist attempt.
The kit is a John Bull Porter, chosen on recomendation from the shop. As I like Porter and some time ago my Dad did a trade advert (video) for John Bull (Other brewery in Romford)

So to get to the questions does anyone have experience of this kit to point me in the right direction?

The water in this area is hard and not great so I am going to filter as I dont have campden tablets and I want to get started does anyone think this is necessary?

Second having read the instructions the helpful people in the shop forgot to tell me I needed priming sugar after the fermenting. What type should I use?

Temperatures, I have seen the importance of temperature on a number of other posts, for fermenting and second fermenting once put into my new pressure barrel I'm happy that I have a place to keep it in the 20C range. However, with many posts mentioning not disturbing the beer at this point the only cool place would be the garden shed would transporting it down there be an issue from shaking it around? Or could I just leave in the same place? what will the effect be?

And finally I wish the shop advice had been a little more helpful then I would have bought a fermenting bin with a tap, but now I have a syphone and a plane bucket type what is the easiest way to use this set up to get from fermenter to barrell?
I'm also going to have the joy of measuring all the water going in rather than having a graduated bin, a bit of preparing and marking the measurements myself will have to go on I guess

I think that is enough long and rambling questions for now, looking forward to your advice and getting going. Starting it off this afternoon

Thanks
Tim

[Garth]

The water in this area is hard and not great so I am going to filter as I dont have campden tablets and I want to get started does anyone think this is necessary?

Second having read the instructions the helpful people in the shop forgot to tell me I needed priming sugar after the fermenting. What type should I use?

Temperatures, I have seen the importance of temperature on a number of other posts, for fermenting and second fermenting once put into my new pressure barrel I'm happy that I have a place to keep it in the 20C range. However, with many posts mentioning not disturbing the beer at this point the only cool place would be the garden shed would transporting it down there be an issue from shaking it around? Or could I just leave in the same place? what will the effect be?

And finally I wish the shop advice had been a little more helpful then I would have bought a fermenting bin with a tap, but now I have a syphone and a plane bucket type what is the easiest way to use this set up to get from fermenter to barrell?
I'm also going to have the joy of measuring all the water going in rather than having a graduated bin, a bit of preparing and marking the measurements myself will have to go on I guess

Filtering the water is a good idea anyway, it gets rid of chlorine or chlorimines which can react with the malt and give a funny taste, it won't do anything for the hardness, that will remain.

For priming, any sugar is fine, although brewers sugar (glucose) dissolves quickly. For a porter, if you want to fiddle a bit, brown or musacavdo sugar might be nice.

20C for fermenting is fine, you are lucky if you can find somewhere that holds that temp. My kitchen is up and down at the moment. When it's done rack it into your barrel with your priming sugars, leave it in the same place for a week or so to do it's seconadry ferment to create CO2, then off to a cool spot to mature for a few weeks, the sloshing around during the transit will have settled fine by the time you come drink it. The CO2 made during the secondary won't last enough to dispense the whole barrel, you'll need some additional gas from a sodastream type bottle or something similar. Obviously you'll need the matching valve fitted in the top of you barrel cap.

You can always fit a tap to your fermenter afterwards, I have done it to all of mine. A cheap holesaw the correct size in an electric drill will fly through plastic. Put the fermenter on a flat surface, offer up the tap to the fv, and then lift it slightly to give a few mm clearance from the worksurface, mark it then drill it.


Taps are less than a fiver from most hbs.

Have fun

[Minus The Bear]

I have this particular kit going now and am looking to barrel it in the next few days.

I used the kit instructions and also DaaB's instructions together to make it up.

The only change i made was to swap the yeast that came with the kit with a packet of Safeale SO-4, purely as i wanted to see what all the fuss was about. the ferment was very swift and it smells great, i'm hoping it will taste just as good!

[likesbeer]

Many thanks for comments Garth and minus, so I got this started yesterday and arrived home from work today to find a nice frothy head on top so I guess that means all is going well. I was going to put a picture on but have no idea how to do that.

I will get a tap and add to the FV for next time will also get tablets to treat the water rather than filter. I'll give it ago with muscavado or something like that I'm willing to experiment and see how it goes.

The smells are wonderful so far and it will be difficult to wait.

I got the appropriate CO2 bottle for the barrell following the shops advice they were very good.

Minus the bear, why did you swap the yeast? what difference do different yeasts make?

I have so far just followed the instructions from the tin and also read DaaB guide on here.

I was also wondering about starting SG nothing on the tin about that I took a reading it was 1041 and a bit, and I will wait 3 or 4 days and take another reading hopefully the froth will have settled and the reading should be less than 1006 and steady for 2 days. Is this right?

Many thanks
Tim

I can now say Fermenting John Bull Porter

[Minus The Bear]

I think different yeasts can produce different flavours, but i'm nowhere near sophisticated enough to notice that!

I have had problems with other kits not fermenting completely, so i changed the yeast to see how it went. there is nothing woring with the kit yeast as far as i know, i was more just messing about really.

The only thing with the yeast i used is that it comes in a bigger packet, so theoretically should be more likely to ferment the beer out completely. I haven't tested this however.

[likesbeer]

I'm going to assume that not fully fermeted would result in the SG not dropping below the 1006 point so that you shouldnt bottle or barrel (according to instructions saying this will cause over pressure) If this occurs couldnt you just add a bit more yeast and get it going again?

Or is it a real one hit attempt?

[Minus The Bear]

I would be suprised if this particular beer reached 1006, mine has almost finished visible ferminting after 10 days and is on 1014 from a start of 1042.

i was meaning something more like the brew may stick at 1020 or something higher which can occur, i wouldn't worry about this until it happens (which i beleive is only a small percentage of kkts) as there are plenty of ways to help it along if it happens shown on the pinned sticking kits thread.

You may have issues with over pressurisation if you barrel the kit before it has completely fermented out.

to be sure that the kit has finished fermenting you need your hydrometer readings to be the same for 2 days running, this means the kit is no longer fermenting. i would give the kit at least 7 days after pitching the yeast until you start taking the measurements.

[likesbeer]

Many thanks this is good to know I'll try being patient and wait for it to finish doing its business
Thanks
Tim

[Garth]

1014 sounds fairly good for a Porter FG, they usually tend to have more body and sweetness so that sounds about right.

Safale 04 is renowned for being a good all round yeast, it lets a bit more residual sweetness remain than say Nottingham, and it's excellent for bottling as it sticks like glue to the bottom.

[Minus The Bear]

I'm kegging up my brew of this tomorrow as i have stable gravity now on 1014.

I have had a taste and its good already, when this has matured i think its going to be a good one.

I was very impressed with the S-04 and will defo use it again

[coatesg]

Did this one myself a while ago (and still have the odd bottle left) - I used the kit yeast which did a fine job and finished at 1014.

I primed with 100g black treacle and the flavour really comes through and I like it - think if I had another go, I'd use maybe 75g, but I think priming with molasses could be even better.

[likesbeer]

Thanks coatesg and minus I'm glad I have a FG to aim at now only another approx 7 days to go not that I'm counting.

I've been looking around to try and get a little more detail on priming and there seems to be a varied opinion (like so many things) does anyone no where I could look for info on this in a bit more detail.

It looks like you can put almost any sugar type substance in but I guess they will all do something slightly different. Also what about quantity again I am guessing but the amount you put in will effect how much carbanation goes on. As I prefer the lesser fizzy beers is there a more accurate measure than about half a cup or a trial and test method?

[Minus The Bear]

I have primed mine this evening with 80g of brewers sugar dissolved in some boiled water then re-boiled in microwave as per Daab's instructions.

It's the same amount i used on my previous brew and gives a moderate amount of carbonation.

[likesbeer]

Its now nearly 5 days in and I couldnt resist it is looking very quiet on top not much in the way of bubbles and almost no froth and smells great just like beer (well what else should I expect I'm not trying to make custard )

Its at 1014 so according to experience from minus and coatesg thats as low as it gets I'll check again and see what it is tomorrow if its steady 1014 do members think that its safe to rack (put in the barrel)?
Couldnt resist a taste as well, mmmmm nothing wrong with that its all good


Cheers

[Minus The Bear]

If the gravity is stable then it will be fine to keg it, although i always try to leave it a bit longer as i have been advised by other forum members.

I think it lets more of the sediment settle so your beer will be clearer