LOOKS LIKE TREACLE

[somersetandy]

Hello to all, well it's started! I only visited a micro brewery for 10 mins and I was on the internet buying my starter kit. I had a little break from brewing my own ( about 26years) and I'm puzzled.
I've had the fv on the go for 5 days and the bubbles are slowing but the beer looks like treacle, is this right? does it thin when it clears?
Many thanks for this great sit.
PS. it smells great!

[Ditch]

What " Starter Kit " is it?

[araldite]

Out of interest did you remember to add water?

[Ditch]

Damn! You actually Asked!


Just imagine it, can't ye? Little black pool of gludge there. Surmounted by a light dusting of 'Breadcrumbs'; " How come it isn't beer yet? "

[somersetandy]

Water I needed water? I jest, topped it up to the 24lt mark. When I say treacle it may just look thick. The kit was a Tom Caxton Real Ale 1.8kg

[scottmoss]

Hi,

I've never done a tom claxton kit but I'm sure you probably should have topped it up to 22.7 (23) litres. Take a hydrometer reading and see what it comes out at.

Also give it a little taste and see what it's like.

[b.all]

all beers look a little treacle like when you've got 5 gallons of it in a fermenter. the large the dimensions of a liquid the less light will get through so even an ale which is really pale in a pint glass can look reasonable dark in a fermenter.

[Ditch]

True. Bitter, whilst fermenting, hardly looks clear amber. Probably best to crack on and see what it's like in the death. If ye followed the usual procedure, it should be fine

[mat69]

tom caxton real ale is a favourite of mine,never had a problem with it.always ferments and clears really quick which is what you want with ya first brew (will be a bit weak at 24 litres but you will be able to"sup it" as me nanna used to say...

[somersetandy]

Many thanks for all the advise people. I guess I'm gust alittle green at the minute, time will tell.
matt69, you said it may be a bit week at 24lts. What could I do next time, as I do like a nice stronge brew?

[araldite]

andy
i'd just make em up to 23 ltrs to begin with or whatever the instructions state just so you can get a feel for what you're doing.

ive been wanting to try something new and seem to have read good things about the tom caxton real ale, might have to give one ago myself

araldite

[sparky Paul]

i'd just make em up to 23 ltrs to begin with or whatever the instructions state just so you can get a feel for what you're doing.

I would 100% agree with that. Concentrate on getting your 'brewing ritual' sorted so that it suits you first of all. Then, you can look at what changes or additions you can make to improve the beer that you make.

Increasing the strength of beers without making them taste nasty can take a bit of thought, so I would leave that 'til later. In any case, when you have 5 gallons of beer sat there waiting to be supped, strength is rarely a problem in the pursuit of inebriation!

[somersetandy]

Sparky, I think your right. 5gls of my own will taste the best of tipples and later comes the experimenting.
I siphoned into the barrel last night and it looked a lot better as it was going in. I gave it a quick taste test and it got my OK. Two weeks to wait (damn that like 14 days).

[Ditch]

'brewing ritual'

I like that, Paul! That's just the term for it