Evening.
I'm awaiting the results of my first brewing....
I bought a Youngs Brew Kit from Wilkinsons and was expecting a Bitter... but upon opening the box found a Lager...heh ho.
I've made it anyway and am looking forward to the results.
I've bottled it in a variety of bottles but mostly 2L pop bottles.
It smelled like beer when I bottled it.
I primed it and all is well. I merely added a measured amount of sugar into each bottle and sealed it I didn't shake the bottles.
That was Tuesday evening.
It's now Saturday.
All going well though the bottles are still squeezable.... I'd have expected some pressure in there by now.
I left them for 2 days and then moved them into the garage. I also split them and put half in a fridge. I'm suspecting this was a mistake.
Should I shake them all now? I'm in no real rush to drink them.
They are clearing slowly but I think the fridge was a bad idea.....
I'm hoping to do a bitter next, I like Marstons Old Empire IPA and would be looking for an IPA kit....any suggestions?
Any advice will be read and digested.
Prozac
Another New Brewer....probably making every mistake!!
-
jonnyv
Nothing wrong with brewing lager 
Pressure on the 2l bottles would be expected by now but it can take up to a couple of weeks to carbonate fully. How much sugar did you put in? How long did you leave it in the fermenting bucket before bottling?
I wouldn't shake the bottles - any oxygen you have in the headspace of the bottles could oxidize the beer.
What temp is your fridge? Sounds like you're lagering the beer properly by keeping it in there - it'll take longer to condition but should clear a lot quicker.
Jonny
Pressure on the 2l bottles would be expected by now but it can take up to a couple of weeks to carbonate fully. How much sugar did you put in? How long did you leave it in the fermenting bucket before bottling?
I wouldn't shake the bottles - any oxygen you have in the headspace of the bottles could oxidize the beer.
What temp is your fridge? Sounds like you're lagering the beer properly by keeping it in there - it'll take longer to condition but should clear a lot quicker.
Jonny
-
Prozac
It was in the fermenting bucket for 6 days.
SG was about 1003 I think (first time I've ever done it ) when I bottled it.
For a 2L (3.5pts) bottle I added 1.75tsp sugar.
I need to get a thermometer as every thing is guess work at the moment.
I'm after a good Home Brew shop near Coventry.... I believe there is a shop in Bedworth and another in Earl Shilton..... anyone know which'd be best?
I'd like to get into brewing properly, I've had some good conversations with Bob at Tunnel Brewery ( http://www.tunnelbrewery.co.uk/ ) and had a couple of guided tours there, and they make it look pretty easy, but then they have all the correct kit.
What's the absolutely essential equipment I need?
Martin
SG was about 1003 I think (first time I've ever done it ) when I bottled it.
For a 2L (3.5pts) bottle I added 1.75tsp sugar.
I need to get a thermometer as every thing is guess work at the moment.
I'm after a good Home Brew shop near Coventry.... I believe there is a shop in Bedworth and another in Earl Shilton..... anyone know which'd be best?
I'd like to get into brewing properly, I've had some good conversations with Bob at Tunnel Brewery ( http://www.tunnelbrewery.co.uk/ ) and had a couple of guided tours there, and they make it look pretty easy, but then they have all the correct kit.
What's the absolutely essential equipment I need?
Martin
Last edited by Prozac on Sat Jul 05, 2008 10:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
JayBee
-
jonnyv
Sounds like you're doing everything fine. I would leave it another week before doing anything.
In the past I've had bottles that have failed to carbonate, probably due to the yeast conking out, so now if I bottle any beer, I add a bit of fresh yeast to the bottle when priming.
What you could do if the bottles don't pressurize/carbonate is carefully open them and then add a bit of fresh yeast. I would then squeeze the bottle to get most of the air out, screw the top on and invert the bottle to help the yeast rehydrate. Then leave in a warm place for a few days to get the yeast going. Once the bottle starts to pressurize, put it in the fridge/a cool place for a couple of weeks (if you can manage that long).
Jonny
In the past I've had bottles that have failed to carbonate, probably due to the yeast conking out, so now if I bottle any beer, I add a bit of fresh yeast to the bottle when priming.
What you could do if the bottles don't pressurize/carbonate is carefully open them and then add a bit of fresh yeast. I would then squeeze the bottle to get most of the air out, screw the top on and invert the bottle to help the yeast rehydrate. Then leave in a warm place for a few days to get the yeast going. Once the bottle starts to pressurize, put it in the fridge/a cool place for a couple of weeks (if you can manage that long).
Jonny
-
Prozac
Thanks for the replies.... checked them all again this morning and they seem ok, so I'll leave them for a couple of weeks.
So, am I right in believing Lager takes longer to condition than ale/bitter? Is it better the longer you can leave it, up to a point?
If so I may start a 2nd brew and just leave the Lager doing it's thing. In which case I'll keep an eye out for the Coopers brewmaster IPA, thanks for the recommendation.
Proze
So, am I right in believing Lager takes longer to condition than ale/bitter? Is it better the longer you can leave it, up to a point?
If so I may start a 2nd brew and just leave the Lager doing it's thing. In which case I'll keep an eye out for the Coopers brewmaster IPA, thanks for the recommendation.
Proze
-
Prozac
I've made it as per the destructions and am looking forward to the results.-
Aleman
- It's definitely Lock In Time
- Posts: 6132
- Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 11:56 am
- Location: Mashing In Blackpool, Lancashire, UK
Martin, One of the best home brew shops in the country can be found just off Jnc 7 (Great Barr) of the M6, it may be a bit of a trek for you but a visit to Chris and Rob at Hamstead homebrew (0121 358 6800) is well worth it. I always seem to have great difficulty in getting out in under an hour when I drop inProzac wrote:I'm after a good Home Brew shop near Coventry.... I believe there is a shop in Bedworth and another in Earl Shilton..... anyone know which'd be best?
-
stevezx7r
Hi Prozac, yeah, lager takes longer as the yeast slows to a crawl (compared to bitters etc). FYI, lager is german for storing 
I would do as you've suggested - get another on the go, leave it to ferment for ten days, transfer to a barrel or bottles for at least 2 weeks and start on them. By the time your done with that your lager will be good and ready
I would do as you've suggested - get another on the go, leave it to ferment for ten days, transfer to a barrel or bottles for at least 2 weeks and start on them. By the time your done with that your lager will be good and ready
-
Prozac
J7 off M6 is only 15miles or so from me. Thanks for the advice. I went into Matchless Homebrewing Co. in Coleville yesterday, had a natter for an hour or so..... but it's 30 miles from home. Hamstead sounds more convenient. Thanks.Aleman wrote:Martin, One of the best home brew shops in the country can be found just off Jnc 7 (Great Barr) of the M6, it may be a bit of a trek for you but a visit to Chris and Rob at Hamstead homebrew (0121 358 6800) is well worth it. I always seem to have great difficulty in getting out in under an hour when I drop inProzac wrote:I'm after a good Home Brew shop near Coventry.... I believe there is a shop in Bedworth and another in Earl Shilton..... anyone know which'd be best?
-
Prozac
That may explain it's lack of vigour..... it is clearing.....slowly. I drank the 1L bottle a couple of days ago as it was pretty clear. It was nice enough, probably a bit young.... I'm hoping it'll improve with age as it was, and I hate to say it, quite 'homebrewy'...... not unpleasant, just obvious it wasn't shop bought.... Is this likely to get better?stevezx7r wrote:Hi Prozac, yeah, lager takes longer as the yeast slows to a crawl (compared to bitters etc). FYI, lager is german for storing
Leave it to ferment for 10 days? I'm new to this.... is leaving it longer than suggested on the instructions good practice? I think it says 8days. I started it yesterday, 8/7 so 10 days is 18/7 so next friday. I haven't bought a King Keg yet as I need the beer to be transportable....I'm a dreaded caravanner ..... and will be using 2L pop bottles....again the destructions say only use dark bottles as sunlight will wreck the beer.... it'll be stored in the garage which is pretty dark, I'll even cover it if required.stevezx7r wrote:I would do as you've suggested - get another on the go, leave it to ferment for ten days, transfer to a barrel or bottles for at least 2 weeks and start on them. By the time your done with that your lager will be good and ready
I bought some Spray Malt rather than normal household sugar for priming, does it make any difference, if so what?
The more I do the more questions I've got
Proze
-
eeyores61
-
Prozac
-
stevezx7r
TBH, that homebrew taste was the reason I went All Grain. It seems to be limited to using can kits but can be removed (at least most of it) by fine tuning your system, using better yeast and sugars (i.e spray malt). The taste will get slightly better with age but that "homebrew twang" always seemed to be present in every batch I made.
Leaving the beer on the yeast cake for around ten days is a way of clearing up some tastes associated with fermentation itself. Basically, a by product of the yeast turning sugar into alcohol is a chemical called diacetyl. It leaves a butterscotch type flavour to the beer. Some beers benefit from having some of this chemical but most do not. If left for around ten days the yeast has time to "eat" the diacetyl thus reducing/removing the taste.
Dark bottles are better than clear/green bottles but if you keep them out of sunlight/strip lights etc it should be fine. The use of black bin bags is a good idea.
As far as using spray malt to prime your bottles, I wouldn't bother. The amount of sugar required doesn't seem to impact on the flavour enough to warrent using (reletively) expensive spray malt. Normal Tate and Lyle is fine for this, or glucose if you have it. I'd keep the spray malt for your next batch
Leaving the beer on the yeast cake for around ten days is a way of clearing up some tastes associated with fermentation itself. Basically, a by product of the yeast turning sugar into alcohol is a chemical called diacetyl. It leaves a butterscotch type flavour to the beer. Some beers benefit from having some of this chemical but most do not. If left for around ten days the yeast has time to "eat" the diacetyl thus reducing/removing the taste.
Dark bottles are better than clear/green bottles but if you keep them out of sunlight/strip lights etc it should be fine. The use of black bin bags is a good idea.
As far as using spray malt to prime your bottles, I wouldn't bother. The amount of sugar required doesn't seem to impact on the flavour enough to warrent using (reletively) expensive spray malt. Normal Tate and Lyle is fine for this, or glucose if you have it. I'd keep the spray malt for your next batch
-
Prozac
Thanks Steve.... I think I'll be making my first expedition into AG land after my upcoming Holiday in Holland ...
I'll be using very basic, kitchen available, equipment so it'll be entertaining .... this should continue on the AG forum
All storage will be in my garage. Slightly worried about fluctuations in temperature ...... it's currently 25C in there now ....( I'm sad bloke who thinks this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Tab ... 5&doy=15m7 was a great purchase, especially at £9.99...... no wires and it seems pretty good. It records min and max temp both indoors and out so it's fairly useful.... incidentally it's been down to 13C at night so that's a 12 degree fluctuation.....) but the window is covered and I'll cover the beer too.....
I'll be using very basic, kitchen available, equipment so it'll be entertaining .... this should continue on the AG forum
All storage will be in my garage. Slightly worried about fluctuations in temperature ...... it's currently 25C in there now ....( I'm sad bloke who thinks this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Tab ... 5&doy=15m7 was a great purchase, especially at £9.99...... no wires and it seems pretty good. It records min and max temp both indoors and out so it's fairly useful.... incidentally it's been down to 13C at night so that's a 12 degree fluctuation.....) but the window is covered and I'll cover the beer too.....