Absolutley new to this..Help.

[trueheart]

Hi Guys

I realise you have probably heard this many a time but I am absolutley brand new to homebrewing. My mate and I have gone halves on a kit and gear and are about to get the ball rolling this weekend. We have bought a full fermenting kit and a premium export bitter kit for our first attempt. After some flicking through this forum I decided to buy a beer enhancer kit for it. I was told that this would add body to the beer and flavour? Is this right? Do I just use the same amount of this enhancer as I would glucose?

Also any tips on where to keep my fermenting bin whilst it is fermenting would be helpful. I realise you must keep the temp around 17-26 C. We plan to keep it in his garage but I am a little worried that any temperature fluctuations would affect the fermentation process?

Does moving the fermentation bin whilst it is fermenting affect the brew?

My kit came with some finnings, are these neccessary?

I know that is a lot of questions but I can guarantee I will come up with more between now and the weekend. Cheers for any help posted to this and I cannot wait to get cracking.

[OldSpeckledBadger]

I assume you've bought a single-can kit and in the instructions it says to add a kilogram of sugar. Use the kilogram of beer enhancer instead of the sugar. Ideally you want to keep the temperature at around 20C so try and find somewhere the temperature swing is the least. Opinions are divided on finings.

[GARYSMIFF]

WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME

Top stuff for giving it a go.
you will find that you learn as you go along.

only advise is, expect some fails and expect some fantastic wins.

don't give up,

Alcohol is not the goal, but that said always fun to make a mental brew once and a while, keep the ABV low and you get the flavor.

more fun to drink more than little, of what you like.


Ps: been drinking my over strong hoppy rice lager and can't type too well.

[chris_reboot]

agreed.

I don't use finings.
It'll clear with the addition of patience!

be prepared to wait till its' ready
4-6 weeks once kegged minimum.
That way you're getting it at its best.

Fire away with more Q's if needed.
Enjoy!

[rick_huggins]

Don't use sugar, use spray malt or brewers sugar as a straight substitute.

Leave it for 6wks but whilst your waiting, get another 2 on!

[GARYSMIFF]

Woodfords Werry always a winner.



Oh the smell of it.

[rick_huggins]

Yep, any of the Woodfords, Milestones or Muntons range will do you nicely

[trueheart]

Cheers for all your answers lads, will let you know how we get on when we have finished. By the way, does it come out like the stuff you can get from supermarkets in bottles like Bombardier, Old Peculier and Dents Owd Tup? If so I will be really chuffed, as will my mate, we seem to be spending a small fortune each weekend trying these different beers from asa and morrisons etc. If we can come close to those i think I may have to sell the fishing gear and diving gear to make room for more FV's etc.

Cheers

[lukesharpe]

be prepared to wait till its' ready
4-6 weeks once kegged minimum.
That way you're getting it at its best.

If you are able to wait 4-6 weeks for your first brew, then you are a better man than me. I was taking samples for 'Quality Assurance' and the first batch didn't last 3 weeks! Now that I have multiple brews going, the temptation is slightly less.

[rick_huggins]

Of course but we all have something to aim for don't we?

Kit's won't turn out like shop bought mate, but they are nice & enjoyable in my exprerience.

All Grain is what you should be looking for in the end IMO and I'd rather drink mine that the shop/pub boughts....

[Ditch]

Finings? I'd throw that stuff away. Ye beer will clear as it matures. I tried finings a couple of times, in my own newb days. Considered it a waste of time.

A garage is likely as good as any place right now. Ye can look at aquarium heaters later. If ye go mad, ye can read about refrigerated cupboards, ATC's and god knows what. But, for now? Do what most of us started like: Wing it!

Moving the FV during fermentation seems a bit senseless. Fermentation should be over in a week or so. If it's going vigorously; Why bother it? If it's nearly done? Why change what's worked so far and upset the sediment? Post fermentation may be a different matter. Me? post fermentation, I Drink the damn stuff!

Most of all: Relax. The very vastest majority of kit brewings go off just fine. Just work on ye sanitisation and then concentrate on doing everything as the label says. It's getting flustered and forgetting something daft like the half tab in ye water that trips people up. It's really little more than making a five gallon cup of tea. Don't let it grow into something looking like a scary challenge ye may not win.

[moobli]

welcome
and go for it
im a newbie as well and the advice ive got from everyone on here is fantastic
my first kit beer failed, my fault silly, little thing didnt put vasaline on the pressure barrel seal

but didnt stop me getting some demi johns and sticking a turbo cider and a lidl wine on the go
so by the time the next kit is ready to bottle ill have had some cider and wine to sample
and then it all starts over and over again more kit more brews brew books photos fridges looking for more room to brew in
its a bug
you'll be too busy either brewing or sampling (falling over) to fish or dive

[delboy]

don't forget to pick up some campden tablets, grind up one and mix it into any water you are using to make up the brew (before i gets added to the beer kit enhancer or the beer kit itself), it removes chlorine from the tap water which other wise can give the beer a nasty taste. Good luck.