MILESTONE OLDE HOME WRECKER

[DrZiggy]

Brewed this up 3 weeks go , the fermentation went well no problems, however brought a barrel and used this for the first time ( normally always bottle) to prime I used light Malt spray, again first time with this. Left the barrel for 2 weeks in the living room average temp 18 -20C (didn’t want to put it in the garage due to the bad weather i.e. when it snowed). tried the first few pints today first 2 were very milky and tasted a bit like horlicks ( guess that was the malt) second 2 ok a bit creamy feeling like cafferys . however next two and the barrel is now gurgling when I pour and I’m getting sediment in the glass, also not as carbonised as it should be not flat but more like 3 day old soda. Any ideas what I’ve done wrong or how I can rescue. Never had this problem with bottles and normal sugar.
Thanks in advance

[Benson_JV]

The barrel glugging is because your creating a vacuum in the barrel and air needs to replace what's being pulled out, OR Co2, and thus your going to need a Co2 injector, sorry i cant give any more information, i dont use them myself. Hope it works out.

The loose sediment may be because you haven't cold conditioned?

[PMH0810]

Brewed this one myself (albeit before Munton's took over production) and it is one of the best kits I've ever made.

Kegged it on tate & lyle and left it 5 weeks. Cloudy and not good. Left it another three weeks, couldn't drink it fast enough; just kept topping up the CO2.

[verno]

I've just done this one myself, its been in bottles about 4 weeks now. The fermentation took longer than expected due to the cold snap but its cleared down reasonably in the bottles. It tastes reasonable but I think it needs longer. Maybe I am just being a bit picky but I am noticing a homebrew / kit twang to some of my beers. No matter what I make it seems to be there in all of them.

I think it becomes less over time but I guess this is a downside of kits. I just don't have the room to go AG.

Verno

[DrZiggy]

The barrel glugging is because your creating a vacuum in the barrel and air needs to replace what's being pulled out, OR Co2, and thus your going to need a Co2 injector, sorry i cant give any more information, i dont use them myself. Hope it works out.

The loose sediment may be because you haven't cold conditioned?

Was hoping not to have to use a Co2 Injector as I would rather have a organic carbonisation...
Think I'll put it in th egarage a couple of weeks and see what happens if any one has any ideas let me know
Also is it too late to bottle ?

[PMH0810]

You'll only get organinc carbonisation if there is sugar left to be fermented. Once this priming sugar is gone, so will CO2 production. At that point, liquid leaving the keg will be replaced with oxygen and your ale will go stale quicker.

So, drink it quick or use extra CO2

[blankfrank]

Home Wrecker was the first kit I brewed in early November, I have to admit that my goal at that time was just to brew something that was drinkable, however it turned out absolutely great bottled and primed with brewer's sugar and finings. I found that the quality of this brew improved greatly the longer it was left to condition and the last couple of bottles which I managed to reserve for 8 weeks were twice as good as those drunk at 4-5 weeks.

I've use light spray malt (85g) to prime Milestone Black Pearl and Munton's Conkerwood. (I did mix in boiled water prior to pouring into FV and gave it a gentle stir in the FV letting it settle for an hour prior to bottling) and both beers have turned out fine (Black Pearl best yet). I think it's horses for courses with spray malt, the Black Pearl is great with the extra malt taste and smell but the Conkerwood (IMHO) could probably have done without it. I've got another Home Wrecker to go on which I'm going to prime with brewer's suger and leave (try) for 8 weeks before drinking.

I think the production times suggested in instructions in general are a little ambitious (anybody agree?) and the beer improves with a bit of conditioning.

Bottled and drinking

Munton's Conkerwood
Milestone Black Pearl

FV

Munton's Smuggler's Special Reserve

Waiting to go into FV

Milestone Black Pearl
Milestone Olde Home Wrecker

[clatters69]

I think the production times suggested in instructions in general are a little ambitious (anybody agree?) and the beer improves with a bit of conditioning.

I totally agree. I have done two or three Milestones kits now and they need to stay in the barrel for a good four weeks before they become really tasty. I read in Graham Wheeler's book that the ale needs to condition for about a week for every 10 points of specific gravity change, which seems about right in my limited experience. The suggestion that you'll be drinking a decent ale in two to three weeks is far too optimistic, but the kits just keep on telling us that!

[verno]

Just to add to this point, I drank a couple of pints of my home wrecker at the weekend, its probably conditioned for 6 weeks now and it was very good. The change in taste since 2 weeks ago is pretty amazing. It seems to have lost most of its homebrew twang and has good flavours.

I would probably give it 8 out of 10 now, so lets see where this gets to in a few more weeks. I think its the best kit I have made to date (only 4th kit I have done though).

[blankfrank]

I'm drinking Munton's Old Conkerwood at the moment and this has improved greatly over last couple of weeks (started drinking at week 4) but I think that the Olde HomeWecker was a better brew. I find the Milestone kits the best I've tried, Black Pearl is absolutely marvelous; I've got one and a Home Wrecker waiting to to be brewed as soon as Smugglers Resereve is bottled this week. Also I can get Milestone FG to 1012/1014 without much difficulty whereas Muntons struggle to get under 1020 (still very good beer though)

[DrZiggy]

Thanks for all the advice peeps, tried it again today and the gurgling has stopped and it's clearer still abit flat so guess im gonna have to go the Co2 way.. out of intrest is do you need to use more spray malt than you would sugar when putting in a barrel ? only used 80g same as I would the old tate and lyle

[OldSpeckledBadger]

out of intrest is do you need to use more spray malt than you would sugar when putting in a barrel ? only used 80g same as I would the old tate and lyle

In theory yes although the difference is very, very small - probably smaller that the accuracy of your scales unless you're using some fairly expensive digital scales.

[brysie]

2 were very milky

second 2 ok a bit creamy feeling like cafferys

however next two...

after six pints of the stuff, im surprised you cared what it looked or tasted like at all.

[DrZiggy]

2 were very milky

second 2 ok a bit creamy feeling like cafferys

however next two...

after six pints of the stuff, im surprised you cared what it looked or tasted like at all.

didn't drink all six in case it gave me the old two odd bits hasn't so far so think i'll take your advice, after 6 pints it could taste like toilet duck and i wouldn't care