Brubox kits

[sparky Paul]

Ill see how it goes.

I think it will be easier now ive done one and also i now have a homebrew place local so i may even get another FV and get another batch on the go

Id love to eventually have a go at all grain brewing because i have to say the picture of Jims Bitter in the Technique section has to be one of the best looking pints ive ever seen. Perfect white creamy head and the beer is a lovely colour.

I think a lager next though to keep my friends happy as this Stout is for me

I'm sure it will go well, it sounds like everything is spot on.

Jim's pics look good, but you can get excellent results from the kits - I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

You can make lager from a kit, but it's one of the hardest to get right... certainly not difficult, but there a few things you can do to improve a kit lager immensely. I would advise plenty of reading up on the forums...

[Robdog]

Just been doing some more reading amd im not sure if i got enough air by stiriing it before i added the yeast. Still i gave it a couple of mins so im hoping its ok.

[sparky Paul]

A few minutes stirring will be ample, there's no need to go berserk. You also tend to aerate the wort as you add the water into the fermenter - I actually stir very little, but add the water from a few feet in height, it mixes vigorously and plenty of air is sucked in.

You'll find out tomorrow... stouts do tend to ferment very well, so stand by for lift off!

[Robdog]

A few minutes stirring will be ample, there's no need to go berserk. You also tend to aerate the wort as you add the water into the fermenter - I actually stir very little, but add the water from a few feet in height, it mixes vigorously and plenty of air is sucked in.

You'll find out tomorrow... stouts do tend to ferment very well, so stand by for lift off!

Well its fermenting nicely there is a big crusty head on top of the brew now. So far so good.

There is a little bit of the surfice without a fermentation head on though i hope this is ok it does cover id say 95% of the brew just one bit doest seem to have the crust on.

[sparky Paul]

Well its fermenting nicely there is a big crusty head on top of the brew now. So far so good.

There is a little bit of the surfice without a fermentation head on though i hope this is ok.

That's fine. Sometimes there's very little foamy on top, sometimes there's lots - depends on the kit.

[Robdog]

Its really starting to foam now so at least i now the yeast was ok

[sparky Paul]

Its really starting to foam now so at least i now the yeast was ok

I guess so!

As it's a stout, I would get ready for it erupting over the side...

[Robdog]

Ok will do. If it does shall i just leave it and clean up the mess?

[Robdog]

I would say there is a good 1-11/2" crust on it now, should this get bigger or just stay the same and then subside after 3 days or so?

[sparky Paul]

Sounds like a healthy fermentation. The yeast head may get bigger, even make an escape attempt, but either way it's fine. After a few days it will subside.

If it does come over the side, just clean it off with a damp cloth. You can stand the bucket on a tray if you don't want the gunge on the floor.

[Robdog]

Im a bit concerneed as the yeast head has gone right down now and looks more like foam you get on the top of a pint. Theres still a bit of a head but nothing like there was yesterday. Surely its to early for the yeast head to subside? Its not even been 48 hours yet.

[Robdog]

Someone on another forum said its pretty normal for the initial yeast head to subside a bit but it should still be fermenting.

Im gonna check the gravity tomorrow.

[sparky Paul]

Someone on another forum said its pretty normal for the initial yeast head to subside a bit but it should still be fermenting.

Im gonna check the gravity tomorrow.

Don't worry, that can be perfectly normal. The initial rush of foam can carry on for a few days, or it can die down after a day - usually stouts are pretty active though.

The fermentation started well, by the sounds of it, so long as you can still see bubbles rising to the surface I wouldn't worry. By all means take a gravity reading, it should confirm that everything is going okay. You might find that it's well on the way to the FG, it's not unheard of the fermentation to complete in a couple of days with ideal conditions.

Sorry for the break in service, but I was out yesterday...

[Robdog]

Just checked it again and its about the same as yesterday and there are some big bubbles on top on the head so all is ok i think.

Im gogin into town tomorrow i think and im gonna get myself a Keg for another brew as soon as this one is bottled:)

[Robdog]

Someone on another forum said its pretty normal for the initial yeast head to subside a bit but it should still be fermenting.

Im gonna check the gravity tomorrow.

Don't worry, that can be perfectly normal. The initial rush of foam can carry on for a few days, or it can die down after a day - usually stouts are pretty active though.

The fermentation started well, by the sounds of it, so long as you can still see bubbles rising to the surface I wouldn't worry. By all means take a gravity reading, it should confirm that everything is going okay. You might find that it's well on the way to the FG, it's not unheard of the fermentation to complete in a couple of days with ideal conditions.

Sorry for the break in service, but I was out yesterday...

Is it ok to steralise my hydrometer in boiling water or do i have to make up a sanatising powder solution?

Also is there any easy way to see what gravity is as there still a decent head on the brew so do i need to move it to see or just guesstimate?